Who Was The First President To Live In The White House?

Who Was The First President To Live In The White House? Photo White House

The official workplace and the residence of the US president is the White House, which is located on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, DC. Who was the first President to reside in the White House?

Who Was The First President To Live In The White House?

The White House has been the residence of all the US presidents since John Adams in 1800 who was the second President of the nation.

John Adams Biography

Photo Havard Magazine

President John Adams was born on October 30, 1735, in their family farm located in Braintree (present-day Quincy) Massachusetts to John Adams Senior and Susanna Boylston Adams.

His father’s main occupation was farming, though he also doubled up as the town’s selectman and tax collector, church elder, and lieutenant of the militia.

Adams also had two younger brothers, Elihu and Peter. He was not keen on his studies when he was young as pointed out in his autobiography.

His love for hunting saw him carry guns to school and begin hunting even before getting home. It was his father who convinced and encouraged him to concentrate on his studies as he had noticed his great intellect.

His father died during the flu epidemic that hit the country in 1765. Adams was awarded a scholarship to study Law at Harvard where he graduated in 1755 aged 20 years.

He continued with his master's studies in the office of James Putnam and earned his degree in 1758.

After retirement, he went and settled in his Quincy farm where he lived with his wife Abigail and six children until his death on July 4, 1826, during the nations 50th independence anniversary.

After almost 10 years of diplomatic missions in Europe, Adams returned home to the first presidential election. He was on the ballot alongside George Washington who, as expected, won with more votes.

The constitutional requirements at the time required that the runners up become vice president. He lost again to George Washington in the second election in 1792, but his popularity grew during this time that he won the next election against Thomas Jefferson in the 1796 election.

The construction of the White House took place between 1792 and 1800. At the time of his election, the official residence of the president was at 190 High Street in the city of Philadelphia. John Adams became the first president to move into the White House on November 1, 1800.

During his time in office, he involved the US in the war between the British and French which saw him lose popularity and lost to Thomas Jefferson in the 1800 election. John Adams left the White House on March 4, 1801.

READ MORE: Who Are The First Ladies In The United States: Full List and Little-Known Facts

Why didn't the first president reside in the White House?

The first president of the US, President George Washington, chose the land that the White House was to be built in 1971.

In 1972, he instructed the builders to lay the cornerstone.

That same year, President Washington hand-picked the architect who was to lead the construction of the building.

The architect was an Irish-born man named James Hoban.

Because the White House was in its early stages, George Washington did not get the opportunity to live in the building. Thus, he is the only president never to have lived in the White House.

However, eight years after the cornerstone of the White House was laid in 1972, President John Adams moved into the White House with his wife in 1800, even though the building was still under construction.

READ MORE: Which US Presidents Were Never Elected?

How Many Rooms Are in the White House?

Photo President Mirror

At 55,000 square feet, the six-floor White House boasts 132 rooms (16 are family guest rooms), along with 35 bathrooms. According to the official White House web page, it’s home to 28 fireplaces, eight staircases, three elevators, 412 doors and 147 windows—and has a kitchen equipped to serve full dinner for up to 140 guests, or hors d'oeuvres for 1,000-plus visitors. And when it gets a new coat of paint every four to six years? It takes 570 gallons to cover the exterior.

Does the US President Have to Live in the White House?

U.S. presidents may have yet to turn down living in the White House, but governors all over the country have backed off living in governor's mansions, for a variety of reasons (often because it's not really home). The governor of New York (Andrew Cuomo) is just one of many chief executives not living in their state's big house. When California's former Governor Jerry Brown moved into that state's Governor's Mansion in 2017, it had been without a full-time resident for more than half a century before. Massachusetts, Idaho, Arizona and Rhode Island are among the states that don't even have an executive residence.

Photo Getty

But the White House has endured as a home base for sitting presidents for more than two centuries. The President's Palace (a one-time name) is not always immediately occupied by whomever takes office. But whoever takes office, ever since Adams first crossed the threshold in 1800, lives there eventually.

"Often presidents are not there in the first few weeks of their terms if they succeeded a president who died in office," said Treese. "Like [Theodore] Roosevelt didn't move in right away [after William McKinley's assassination]. Truman didn't move in right away [after Franklin Delano Roosevelt's death]. Nor did the Johnsons [after John F. Kennedy's assassination]. Nor did Andrew Johnson [after Abraham Lincoln's assassination]. They give the departing first family a little grace period."

White House and US Presidents

White House has become a familiar place with US President. Most of them regarded it as home. Check out stories and memories of US Presidents and White House

John F. Kennedy's family later reflected on how much he enjoyed the gardens surrounding the White House.

"Jack took both pride and interest in the rose garden. He wanted to know the varieties. He had ideas about the juxtaposition of colors, and if there were yellow leaves or other signs of distress he wanted to know what ought to be done and who would take care of it," Rose Kennedy wrote in "Times to Remember."

"I must say I was a bit surprised, for I had never heard nor seen him demonstrate any interest in horticulture at home."

President Harry S. Truman referred to the White House as a "glamorous prison."

While security in the White House is undeniably top-notch, and presidents never leave without a full security detail, that didn't mean Truman wouldn't put his own touches on his own personal "prison."

In March 1948, Truman replaced the original awnings overlooking the south lawn with a balcony.

"I'd like to take better advantage of the view. I'm going to put a balcony there," the president reportedly said of the renovation.

Nancy Reagan said living in the White House was like living in a fancy hotel.

"Every evening, while I took a bath, one of the maids would come by and remove my clothes for laundering or dry cleaning. The bed would always be turned down. Five minutes after Ronnie came home and hung up his suit, it would disappear from the closet to be pressed, cleaned, or brushed," the former first lady wrote in her memoir "My Turn."

"No wonder Ron used to call the White House an eight-star hotel," she continued.

President Obama made time for family dinners while his family lived in the White House.

"When we're in town here in Washington, in the evenings, 6:30 we want to be at the dinner table with our kids and I want to be helping with the homework," he said, according to the Obama Foundation.

However, President Obama also described the lacking Wi-Fi in the giant house and the many "dead spots" that "frustrated" his two daughters.

President Trump described the lavish renovations he made to the dining room of the White House.

"We found gold behind the walls, which I always knew. Renovations are grand," he told Time.

Trump also added a crystal chandelier to the room, joking, "I made a contribution to the White House."

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