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The History Of The White House 🇺🇸 

Ah, the White House, the grandiose abode of American presidents. Let's take a journey back in time… 

Picture this: It's the late 18th century, and the Founding Fathers are all huddled up, trying to figure out where to build the official residence for the President. 

Washington D.C. was chosen as the capital, partly because it was a compromise between the northern and southern states and partly because, well, they needed a place that wasn't New York or Philadelphia. Too much hustle and bustle, you know?

So, they picked a prime (18-acre) spot on a hill overlooking the Potomac River, and the construction of the White House officially kicked off in 1792. 

Enter James Hoban, the Irish architect with the monumental task of designing the presidential crib. Legend has it he took inspiration from an Irish country house, probably thinking, "Why not bring a touch of Emerald Isle charm to the new world?"

Now, construction wasn't exactly a walk in the park. 

The builders faced more delays than your average subway system. They had to deal with political debates, budget constraints, and labor shortages. All in all, it took over 8 years to complete the initial buildout. 

Fast forward to 1800, and John Adams became the first president to move into the nearly completed White House. The total cost came out to be $232,372. Adjusted for inflation, that’s about $5.9M today.  

But the place wasn't quite as luxurious as it is today. No indoor plumbing, no electricity, and let's not even talk about the heating situation. "Presidential Suite" was a term yet to be coined.

Some fun facts:

• The White House was originally built on an East-West axis to allow for maximum use of the sun for lighting and heating.

• Bathwater was hauled inside in buckets until 1833 when running water was first piped into the house.

• A gravity hot-air heating system was first installed in 1840.

• In 1881, Navy engineers were tasked with cooling the air and lowering humidity levels in the room where President James Garfield was being treated after being shot. The result was the early beginnings of central air conditioning.

• True central air was finally installed in 1930.

So how did the name come to be? 

Well, you could say the British played a part in the War of 1812. They decided to give the White House a new look by setting part of it on fire in 1814. 

“The Executive Mansion”, as it was then called, got a bit of a facelift. Fortunately, the Americans had good taste and opted for a fresh coat of white paint – summoning the aura of the White House. 

FYI: it requires 570 gallons of paint to cover the exterior.

Truth is, that’s just a cool (and somewhat true) story but it’s a common misconception… 

Turns out President Roosevelt decided to rename all official papers, documents, and stationery in 1901 from “Executive Mansion” to “White House”. That’s a bit more stale but hey, executive orders.

Over the years, the White House has seen its fair share of drama—political debates, state dinners, and the occasional ghost sighting. Folks like Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, and Andrew Jackson still haunt the halls now and then. 

As for modern times, the 132 rooms, 35 bathrooms, and 6 levels of the White House have become more than just a massive residence; it's a symbol of democracy, power, and occasionally, a backdrop for some epic presidential photo ops.

Did you know there was a white house before the modern White House we have today? 

One of the ghosts that allegedly lurks on the grounds is a man named David Burnes. He used to own the land on which the White House was built. But that's not all, he owned A LOT of the land that the city of Washington DC was built on.

We’ll drop the inside scoop on a later edition – stay tuned!! 

^{DISCLAIMER: None of this is financial advice. This newsletter is strictly educational and is not investment advice or a solicitation to buy or sell any assets or to make any financial decisions. Please be careful and do your own research.}