Why Is the White House White?

George Washington never set foot in the White House as the President of the United States.

Construction of the executive mansion in Washington, D.C., did not begin until 1792, three years after Washington took office. It was finished in 1800, and John Adams, America’s second president, moved in towards the end of his term.

The mansion was modeled after an Irish estate, and wasn’t white. Then, during the War of 1812, the original building was burned by British soldiers who captured Washington, and only the walls remained.

When the building was restored, the stone walls were painted white to hide the black marks left by the fire. And the building has been known as the White House ever since.

The White House has 132 rooms!