The executive mansion was torched by British
troops in 1814, during the War of 1812. The structural damage caused by the fire was
repaired but the exterior sandstone walls were still black with fire damage. The walls
were then painted white, giving birth to the nick name "The White House".
An act of Congress made this the official name in 1902.
Every President has left his mark upon the White
House. Thomas Jefferson added terraces to the east and west wings, Andrew Jackson
installed running water, and Harry Truman added a porch. Bill Clinton's addition to the
White House was an indoor-running track. (Used to relieve tension and cheeseburgers)
The White House tour probably ranks high on a
visitor’s list of things to do while in Washington D.C., but the process to get
tickets will definitely test your determination. The White House is open Tues. – Sat.
from 10 AM – Noon, but you need to get one of the free tickets for admittance. Herein
lies the problem, because tickets for that day’s tours can only be picked up at the
White House Visitors Center and they run out very quickly. Although the center opens at
7:30 AM, the line to get tickets starts to form sometime around five. Therefore most
people have to be satisfied with seeing only the exterior of the White House. The Visitors
Center has nice displays on the history of the White House to mollify the disappointed
visitors who couldn’t get tickets. Don’t expect to get tickets for the tour if
you arrive after 9 AM.
If you are lucky enough to get tickets, they
will be stamped with the departure time of your tour. Bleachers have been set up on the
Ellipse so visitors can sit until the tour staff collects them. The twenty minute tour
consists of five rooms: The East Room, Green Room, Blue Room, Red Room and the State
Dining Room.
Originally known as the Executive Mansion, construction of the White House began in 1792
under the direction of George Washington. The structure was not completed until 1800, so
ironically Washington is the only President not to live there.
