It’s Bigger Than It Looks
While the White House may seem relatively modest from the outside, it is, in fact, a sprawling complex that houses a vast number of rooms and facilities. The White House has 132 rooms, 35 bathrooms, and spans six levels, making it far larger than it appears from Pennsylvania Avenue. Inside, there are 28 fireplaces that add both historical charm and functionality during the winter months, as well as 8 staircases that connect the different floors. For easy access, there are 3 elevators that transport the first family, staff, and guests throughout the residence.
Many of the rooms in the White House serve both ceremonial and functional purposes. For example, the State Dining Room can host large formal dinners, while smaller, cozier spaces like the Library or Vermeil Room offer intimate meeting settings. Despite its grandeur, the White House is a fully operational residence with facilities for everyday living, from kitchens to family rooms.
The public only has access to certain parts of the house, like the East Wing and select state rooms, but even this glimpse offers visitors a sense of the White House’s impressive scale. From hosting formal dinners for heads of state to being the family home of the president, the White House’s size and layout allow it to fulfill its many roles.
Renovations and Upgrades
The White House has undergone numerous renovations and expansions throughout its history, adapting to the needs of each president and evolving with the times. Thomas Jefferson, the second president to reside in the mansion, added the famous colonnades, which still flank the building today. These open-air corridors not only provided a functional passageway for servants but also helped give the White House its iconic neoclassical look.
In 1902, President Theodore Roosevelt made one of the most significant changes by adding the West Wing, which shifted the president’s office out of the main residence. This allowed the White House to serve as both an office and a home without overlapping the functions too heavily. The West Wing is now the primary workplace for the president and includes the Oval Office and Cabinet Room.
Perhaps the most dramatic renovation came during Harry S. Truman’s administration (1945-1953). The White House had become structurally unsound, so Truman oversaw a nearly complete reconstruction of the interior. Workers removed everything inside the walls, reinforcing the structure with steel beams. The exterior walls remained intact, preserving the historic appearance, but the interior was modernized to meet 20th-century needs.
Modern presidents have added leisure features to the White House grounds. Franklin D. Roosevelt installed an indoor swimming pool in 1933, which has since been covered over to make way for the White House Press Briefing Room. President Richard Nixon added a bowling alley, while President Obama oversaw the construction of a basketball court. The White House also boasts a movie theater, tennis court, and even a jogging track, allowing presidents to relax and unwind without leaving their home.
It Has a Bowling Alley
One of the more quirky features of the White House is its bowling alley, installed during Harry S. Truman’s presidency in 1947 as a gift from the White House staff. Originally located in the West Wing, the alley was later moved to the basement of the Executive Office Building during Richard Nixon’s presidency in the 1970s. Bowling has been a favored pastime for several presidents and their families, including Nixon, who was an avid bowler.
The bowling alley remains a fun, private retreat for the first family and their guests, offering a break from the demands of the presidency. For some presidents, like George H.W. Bush, who preferred horseshoes, the alley was less of a fixture, but it continues to be a unique feature that adds to the White House’s charm. While not part of the public tour, the bowling alley is well-known and occasionally used as a behind-the-scenes glimpse of life inside the White House.
The White House Has Ghost Stories
Like any historic building with centuries of history, the White House is rumored to be haunted. The most famous of these ghost stories involves the spirit of Abraham Lincoln, whose presence has been reported by numerous individuals. Lincoln’s ghost is said to linger in the Lincoln Bedroom and the Yellow Oval Room, with sightings by some notable figures. Winston Churchill, the British Prime Minister during World War II, claimed to have seen Lincoln’s ghost after staying in the Lincoln Bedroom during a visit to the White House. He reportedly exited the room immediately after the sighting and refused to sleep there again.
Another well-known account comes from Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands, who visited the White House during Franklin D. Roosevelt’s presidency. According to reports, she heard a knock on her bedroom door, and upon opening it, saw the ghost of Lincoln standing in the hallway. The sight of the former president was so startling that she fainted.
Other ghostly figures reported over the years include Dolley Madison, who is said to watch over the garden she helped design, and Willie Lincoln, Abraham Lincoln’s son, who died in the White House at a young age. While no one can confirm the truth of these stories, they add an air of mystery and intrigue to the White House, giving it a deeper connection to its long and storied past.
The Secret Tunnels
Beneath the White House lies a network of secret tunnels and passages that have fascinated visitors and conspiracy theorists alike. These tunnels connect various parts of the White House complex and are believed to be used for security and emergency evacuations. While the exact layout and full purpose of these tunnels are classified, it’s known that they provide discreet access to nearby buildings like the Treasury Department and the Blair House, where visiting dignitaries often stay.
The tunnels are also part of the White House’s sophisticated security infrastructure, offering the president and staff quick and safe exit routes in case of an emergency. While some of these tunnels date back to Franklin D. Roosevelt’s administration, they’ve been modernized over the years to ensure the safety of the president.
One of the more famous urban legends about the White House tunnels involves a rumored underground bunker, sometimes called the Presidential Emergency Operations Center (PEOC). While much of its existence remains classified, the PEOC is said to be a hardened, secure bunker where the president can manage crises. It was reportedly used by Vice President Dick Cheney during the September 11 attacks in 2001.
Though the public will never get to tour these secret passageways, their existence adds to the intrigue of the White House, showing that there is much more beneath the surface of this iconic residence than meets the eye.