The White House, the official residence of the President of the US, contains 132 rooms. The six story structure contains approximately 55,000 square feet (5,109 sq m) and stands 70 feet (21 m) tall. It has an estimated value of around $110 million US Dollars (USD). Out of its 132 rooms, 35 are bathrooms, 16 are family-guest rooms, and three are kitchens. There are 412 doors and 147 windows in the White House, and it would take around 570 gallons (2.16 mL) of paint to cover the entire of the outside surface of the residence.
More about the White House:
- Although the first US President, George Washington, selected the site for the White House, it was not completed during his presidency, making him the only President to not have resided there.
- The White House had its first elevator installed in 1881, and has a total of three, along with eight staircases.
- The President and family are charged monthly for food and other incidentals, such as toiletries, that they use while living in the White House.
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Discussion Comments
Wow, I didn't know that the White House had such a high estimated value. Although it really shouldn't come as a surprise. Speaking of which, after reading some of these tidbits on the White House, does anyone else wonder what kind of job the President of the United States has, in order to be able to afford his food and living expenses?
I know that being in charge of the United States is considered his "job", but I still wonder how that all works out. What counts as the hours he actually works? How much does he get paid? What kind of job does he/she find when their presidency ends? These are definitely some interesting things to look into.
The White House only has three kitchens? That actually leads me to a question that I've been thinking about for a while.
What does the President eat in his spare time? Is his food the same everyday food that most other people eat, or is it high class and gourmet?
This is just my guess, but I'm assuming that since the President has rights that are far higher than that of the average person, my guess is that he gets whatever he wants. It's also possible that he requests anything from his chefs, and they fix it up rather properly.
Also, don't quote me on this, but I've heard that the kitchens are monitored, and the President isn't allowed to eat anything that's not prepared and supervised under the White House.
Even though this does seem pretty extreme, I think this also makes a lot of sense. The White House and the Secret Service want to ensure that nothing he eats is poisoned. After all, you can never be too sure, right?
I've always wondered what goes on in a place as secure as the White House. Though it's true that some things will never be revealed, these are some interesting facts about the President's residence, regardless. Who would have ever thought that The White House would have so many rooms?
Also, I didn't know that the President and his/her family were charged monthly for food and other kinds of expenses. For some reason, I thought he lived there for free, being the President and whatnot. That's really interesting.
While it doesn't say how much the President gets paid, considering that he's in charge of an entire country, I wouldn't be surprised if his monthly charges cost a lot more than the average person who might live in a ratty apartment. After all, with great power comes and even greater responsibility.
On a final note, while it's true that the White House is a very complex place, I can't help but wonder if there are always modifications being made to it. After all, it's always good to keep up with the times.
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