During the War of 1812, when James
Madison was President, the British
stormed Washington and burned the White
House. They arrived so unexpectedly that
they found dinner for 40 all cooked and
smoking on the kitchen spits, but not soon
enough to stop Dolley Madison from sav
ing the silver plate, a wagonload of official
papers, the famous Stuart portrait of
Washington, and her pet parrot.
It took Hoban three years to restore the
building before President James Monroe
could move in. The Virginia sandstone
walls were then painted white to cover
the scars left by the fire, and this is the
most widely accepted story of how the
White House got its name. The name didn't
become official however, until Theodore
Roosevelt asked Congress to adopt it.
History probably never will record all
the dramatic decisions that have been
made in the White House. Most of the
Grover Cleveland was a bachelor who
married in the White House. Other White
House marriages were those of Nellie,
President Grant's daughter, and Alice,
Teddy Roosevelt's oldest daughter.
Teddy Roosevelt made major changes
in the White House structure, partly be
cause of the exuberant needs of his six
children, but also because by 1902 the
White House had become inadequate for
the growing volume of executive business.
New offices were added in the form of
wings extending east and west. These were
architecturally harmonious, and at a de
pressed level, so as not to detract from
the beauty of the main building.
The White House originally was, and
still appears to be, a two-story building,
but excavation of the basement and im
provement of the attic in 1934 made it
actually four stories high. The swimming
pool also was added at that time.
Here is a glimpse
behind the doors
of the most fa
mous building in
the United
States.
1 1 ,JUfcAwfSN!
' State dinners and receptions are held in beautiful Blue Room
J, (left), while the Red Room is reserved for smaller affairs.
tUrr sr?i in
JTi,
r - J
if17
54. J
The State Dining Room (left) holds more than 100 guests. East Room (center), largest
i . . . . ' . . . in I a L I ;i
and most tamous, has the renowned Muart portrait. Lincoln Koom is Kepi as ne uea it.
Presidents made their own decisions, but
even the most independent had friends
and advisers who were often more influ
ential than the official cabinets. Some of
them even lived at the White House.
Probably the best known of these ad
visers were the members of Andrew Jack
son's "Kitchen Cabinet," which included
such influential men as Francis P. Blair
and Martin Van Buren. Teddy Roosevelt
often confided in the close friends with
whom he played handball; Franklin D.
Roosevelt had his early New Dealers; and
Woodrow Wilson had his Col. House. Van
Buren's political enemies criticized him
for having too many White House cronies,
while John Quincy Adams spent a dedi
cated, almost austere, term in the execu
tive mansion with few friends or advisers.
Beneath the great events, the Presidents
lived much as other people do. The first
baby born in the White House was James
Madison Randolph, grandson of Thomas
Jefferson. Wilson was widowed and re
married while he was President, and
The dignity and beauty of the White
House are such that it is one of few Wash
ington buildings to escape architectural
criticism. It's neither simple nor preten
tious. It's not large enough to suggest
imitation of royal palaces, yet it's not so
small as to dwarf its importance as the
residence of the head of a great nation.
Democratically, the average citizen may
visit the home of the President. During
certain hours, he may see the historic
Green Room, the Blue Room where diplo
matic functions are held, the State Dining
Room, as well as the famous 80x40-foot
East Room, which is used for large
public receptions.
A popular event that takes place at the
White House is the annual egg roll, held
on the broad south lawn on Easter Mon
day. This year. President and Mrs. Eisen
hower extended Easter greetings to 12,960
children and adults, even though it rained
intermittently. And that's a bigger crowd
than the baseball fans the Senators Sraw
on a sunny Sunday!
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Paget 8 1: U.P.I.
Page! U & 17: Abbie Row from National
Park Service.
Page 23; Sovfoto.
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