White House Fine Points

10 May White House Fine Points

In D.C., 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue is the home of The White House, the creation of George Washington. When the plan of a house for the president was first conceived, however, our country was just in its infancy. Everything about the process of building a nation was new, involving developing a design for the home that would be the residence and working space of the president of the United States.

So as to brainstorm architectural ideas, Thomas Jefferson proposed an open forum for people to submit potential house designs. Ultimately, Washington consulted with an Irishman by the name of James Hoban, and his design ended up being the one that Washington chose. And although Washington was the impetus behind the house project itself, he never lived in it. Construction initiated on October 13, 1792, but wasn’t finished for eight more years. Ultimately, John Adams was in fact the first president to sleep in the house on November 1, 1800.

The following day, he penned a letter to his wife, Abigail, which included these words: “I pray heaven to bestow the best of blessings on this house, and all that shall hereafter occupy it. May none but wise and honest men ever rule under this roof.” Interestingly, years later, Franklin Roosevelt had Adams’ words memorialized in the state dining room on the mantle.

Reconstruction began on the house immediately thereafter, and James Monroe was the first president to move back into the house when that project was finished. Once that framework was installed, the rooms were put back together essentially as they were before, and the timber from the demolished beams was sawn into paneling that was then installed in the house. During the Kennedy administration, Jackie Kennedy decorated the house in a style designed to reflect its marvelous story and history.

Moreover, even though the White House was the original structure, these days the complex encompasses several buildings that have been included in accommodate its purposes and the business that occurs there. The property sits on 18 acres, a vast, picturesque plot of land and gardens, and some of the oldest trees on the site are magnolias that were grown by Andrew Jackson.

Another interesting facts?

The first public protest there was for the women’s suffrage movement on January 10, 1917.

Things changed shortly after the beginning of the 1900s, but up until then, all the staff at the White House were hired by the president himself, and they were compensated by him personally.

And, for some numbers? As it stands today, the White House has 35 bathrooms, 28 fireplaces, and 5 full-time chefs.

What does any of this have to do with a modern motorcoach company? Well, just this. One of the things we do is offer quality group transportation to people who are interested in sightseeing. We enjoy being the wheels behind adventure, discovery, and knowledge, and checking out well-known locations is just one of the ways we provide this. Maybe you’re not headed to check out the White House for the first time with a charter bus New England , but you might want to see another thing. And if that’s the situation, we will cater a sightseeing trip that’s certain to the interests of your group. Next time you’re up for an adventure, let us make it a reality!