Washington White House

About the White House

Washington D.C. is the capital of the United States, home to the iconic White House - the official residence and workplace of the President of the United States. This neoclassical building serves as both a symbol of American democracy and the center of executive power, representing the political heart of the nation.

Construction of the presidential residence on Pennsylvania Avenue began with a cornerstone laid on October 13, 1792, following a design competition won by the Irish-born architect James Hoban. John Adams became its first occupant on November 1, 1800, the same year the federal government moved to the new capital, and British troops burned the building on August 24, 1814, after which it was rebuilt. Informal names such as "President's House" and "Executive Mansion" circulated for decades; Theodore Roosevelt made "White House" the official title in 1901. The claim that the whitewash applied after the 1814 fire gave the house its name is a popular story rather than established fact. Today it stands for both the presidency and the city itself.