II.

Exterior of the White House

Today, the main building of the White House houses the presidential living quarters as well as rooms for entertaining and holding official ceremonies. Two wings extend from the main building and house offices where the president and his staff conduct business. The president works in the oval office in the West Wing, meeting heads of state, cabinet members, and other officials; conferring with advisers; reading reports; making decisions; signing laws; and conducting other business. The White House and its grounds occupy 7.3 hectares (about 18 acres).

A.

The Building

The main building of the White House is a simple yet stately edifice in a neoclassical style made popular by 16th-century Italian architect Andrea Palladio. The first White House architect, Irish-born James Hoban, based his design on English and Irish country houses. The White House is constructed of light gray sandstone painted white. According to popular legend white paint was applied to cover black soot marks left after the British set fire to the White House during the War of 1812. According to White House historians, however, the outer walls were covered with whitewash from the outset to protect the soft stone.

The original design for the White House called for two wings flanking the main building to the east and west. The wings were eliminated from the final design but added, in modified form, in the 20th century to house the growing and more complex executive branch. Today, offices and other facilities occupy the Executive Wing, also known as the West Wing, and the East Wing. Colonnades—covered, columned walkways—link the three-story wings to the main building. Tour groups enter the White House from the East Wing.

B.

The Grounds

The White House grounds, together with a grassy area called the Ellipse to the south and Lafayette Square to the north, make up President’s Park. Two trails lead through the park, starting from the White House Visitor’s Center at 1450 Pennsylvania Avenue. President’s Park covers 82 acres.

The lawns and gardens surrounding the White House include numerous trees of historical interest. Thomas Jefferson planted hundreds of seedling trees on the White House grounds, and subsequent presidents have followed his lead. Rutherford Hayes began the tradition of planting commemorative trees associated with each president. The oldest surviving tree is a magnolia planted by Andrew Jackson in 1830.

B.1.

South Lawn

The South Lawn lies just outside the south side of the White House. The White House gardens are here, and over the years White House occupants have added a swimming pool, tennis court, jogging track, and putting green. The president’s helicopter lands on the South Lawn, and welcoming ceremonies for visiting heads of state generally take place here. The U.S. Marine Corps Band often plays at official ceremonies on the South Lawn. The South Lawn is used at Easter for the annual Easter egg roll, a race in which children use large spoons to push colored eggs across the grass.

The Ellipse is a large open area on the south lawn surrounded by an oval drive. The national Christmas tree stands in the Ellipse each December. Calvin Coolidge was the first president to hold a tree lighting ceremony in the Ellipse in 1923. This ceremony now takes place every year. Musical performances are held here in the summer. Because it is a public area, protesters can hold demonstrations in the Ellipse.

Sheep grazed on the south lawn during much of the 19th century and again during the presidency of Woodrow Wilson. Wilson used the sheep to trim the grass, freeing up White House staff for the war effort during World War I (1914-1918).

B.2.

The White House Gardens

The White House gardens are situated on the south lawn. Today, visitors can tour the Rose Garden, the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden, and the Children’s Garden on designated days in spring, summer, and fall. Patricia Nixon, wife of Richard Nixon, first opened the White House gardens for tours in 1972.

Ellen Wilson, wife of Woodrow Wilson, first planted roses in the garden near the West Wing in 1913, from which the Rose Garden takes its name. The current design of the Rose Garden dates from the Kennedy’s residence in the White House during the early 1960s. President Kennedy wished to use the Rose Garden for outdoor ceremonies and receptions and had it redesigned and expanded to accommodate guests. The president can enter the rose garden from the oval office.

Lady Bird Johnson, wife of Lyndon Johnson, renamed the east garden after first lady Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy in 1965. It contains colorful seasonal flowers, such as tulips and chrysanthemums, as well as herbs for the White House kitchens. Also known as the First Lady’s Garden, it is intended primarily for receptions hosted by the first lady. The Johnsons added a secluded, wooded area to the gardens in which White House children can play. The Children’s Garden has a climbing tree and a goldfish pond.

Both the Rose Garden and the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden are based on traditional American garden designs of the 18th century: boxwood hedges surround rectangular planting beds, and magnolia and crab apple trees shade the gardens. The wedding of the Nixons’ daughter Tricia took place in the Rose Garden in 1971. Each Thanksgiving, the pardoning of the turkey takes place in the Rose Garden. This ceremony of rescuing a turkey and sending it to a petting zoo began during Harry Truman’s term, although Abraham Lincoln is said to have set a precedent by sparing his son’s pet turkey from the oven.