The White House in Washington, D.C., is famous for being the residence of the President of the United States. The building was completed in 1800, with John Adams, the second president of the U.S., being its first resident. Continue reading to learn more about its history and find out some interesting facts.
The Original White House Was Burned Down
In 1814, the British burned down the original White House as retaliation for the destruction caused by U.S. forces in Canada. Only the exterior walls were left remaining, but they were also torn down during the reconstruction.
No One Knows Where the White House Cornerstone Is
A group of Freemasons placed a cornerstone for the White House in 1792. According to historical accounts, the stone had a metal plaque on it and inscriptions from the Founding Fathers. However, no one knows what happened to the cornerstone as Freemasons were a bit too caught up in celebration and forgot where they placed it. Later searches proved to be fruitless.
The White House Wasn’t Always Called Like That
Since its construction, The White House has been referred to as the “Presidential Palace” or “President’s Home.” It was only in the early 20th century that President Theodore Roosevelt started referring to it as The White House and the name stuck since then.
Moving Our and Moving In Process Takes 5 Hours
When the new President is inaugurated, it takes only five hours for him to move into the White House. During that time, the staff moves out the previous President and his family alongside all of their stuff, moves in the new President with their belongings, and changes the interior decorations, including paintings, furniture, and wall paint.
The White House is Worth Close to $400 Million
In reality, The White House is probably priceless. However, that didn’t stop the real-estate listing company Zillow from conducting an appraisal of the building in 2017 and calculating that it is worth $397.9 million.