White House

The White House was constructed between 1792 and 1800 on a site selected by George Washington, though he never lived there. After the British burned the building in August 1814, James Hoban supervised its reconstruction, and the exterior sandstone was painted white — a practice that became permanent and gave the residence its modern name.

Congressional tour requests allow visitors access to the State Floor rooms, including the East Room, the Red and Blue and Green rooms, and the State Dining Room. These spaces have hosted treaty signings, state dinners, press briefings, and presidential addresses throughout more than two centuries of American political history.