The President of the United State ’s noted sign of the zodiac at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington , DC , stands out in part because its white facade contrasts brightly with the well - tended , fleeceable grounds that surround it . But while the appearance is certainly esthetically pleasing , it ’s really just a serendipitous side effect — the substantial grounds that the White House was paint blanched is a little more utilitarian .
In 1791 , then - President George Washingtonchosethe land site for the estate , and construction began the next year . By 1798 , the class after Washington had completed his 2nd and terminal presidential term , prole had finished set up the sandstone wall of the building . Instead of painting it with traditional paint , they used whitewash , a lime - based liquid that would preclude water system from leaking into the porous stone and freeze .
Reader ’s Digestreportsthat the manse ’s first resident was John Adams in 1800 , and it was n’t long before people stop look up to it as “ the President ’s House ” and adopted a nickname that advert to the situation ’s eye - catching outside : the White House .
“ There is much trouble at the white house , as we call it , I mean the President ’s , ” Massachusetts congressman Abijah Bigelow wrote to his married woman on March 18 , 1812 [ PDF ] . As The White House Historical Associationpoints out , this was just three month before the United States would declare war against Britain .
In August 1814 , British military personnel in reality coiffure fire to the White House , give way rise to the still - prevalent rumor that the White House was painted livid to cover up the damage , but the whitewashing that take place after the disaster was really just a law of continuation of the years - longsighted custom . In 1818 , the maintenance faculty in the end switched to using white lead paint ( a whole 570 gallons of it ) to keep the White House in gleaming condition .
The moniker remained cozy for the next 80 - leftover long time , until President Theodore Roosevelt made it the prescribed name of the residence in 1901 . It was n’t the only lasting wallop Roosevelt had on the place — the pursue year , he launched a majorrenovationproject that admit relocating the President of the United States ’s business office to what ’s now get it on as the West Wing .
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