The White House - View this location on map The first public building to be erected in Washington, the White House has been the home of every U.S. president since John Adams, and is recognized around the world as the symbol of the presidency. It is associated with countless occasions of state, has housed the president s staff and visiting dignitaries, and has served from its earliest years as a place for the president to receive the public. Officially named the Executive Mansion, the White House very quickly assumed its common name from the whitewash applied to its Aquia creek sandstone walls; President Roosevelt adopted the name officially in 1902. The design of the house, by Irish-born architect James Hoban, was selected in competition in 1792. The cornerstone was laid that same year, and the house was occupied in 1800, although construction continued until 1803. After the burning of 1814, the gutted house was reconstructed from 1815 to 1818 under Hoban s supervision. He also supervised construction of the south portico in 1824 and the north portico in 1829, based on designs prepared in 1807 by Benjamin Latrobe. The house has been repeatedly remodeled and expanded, most significantly by architects McKim, Mead & White, who added the East and West Wings in 1902. In 1909, architect Nathan C. Wyeth expanded the West Wing, adding the first Oval Office. Further rebuilding efforts culminated in a complete reconstruction of the interiors and internal structure of the house in 1948-52. The south portico balcony was added at that time. 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington , DC Historical

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