Random Things You Didn't Know About the White House (14 items)

(#7) The White House Was Built And Staffed By Enslaved Workers

The White House was built over the course of the 1790s - well over half-a-century before slavery would be abolished nationally. Thus, the roll of laborers building the White House included enslaved workers. At least five enslaved men labored as carpenters on the White House construction project: Tom, Daniel, Harry, Peter, and Ben, who were unpaid and often worked seven days a week.

Enslaved workers were also employed inside the White House. Many of the pre-Civil War presidents were slave-owners and brought their enslaved workers to the White House as domestic staff. Thomas Jefferson was the first president to move his enslaved staff into the White House.
(#5) Presidents Left Their Own Mark On The White House Based On Their Unique Tastes

As a residence for an ever-changing parade of families, the White House has been the home to numerous presidents with a variety of tastes and needs. Presidents thus usually renovate the estate to accommodate their interests.

For example, Ulysses S. Grant used a room for billiards. Dwight D. Eisenhower, who golfed 800 times while president, had a putting green added in 1954. Similarly, the athletic Theodore Roosevelt added a tennis court to the White House grounds in 1902. Though Roosevelt was an enthusiastic player, he was cautious about the public seeing him play tennis, due to the sport's high-brow association. He once wrote:

You never saw a photograph of me playing tennis. I'm careful about that. Photographs on horseback, yes. Tennis, no.

But not every addition was related to sports. Franklin Delano Roosevelt transformed a cloakroom into a movie theater in 1942, and the Clintons added a music room to the White House.
(#8) Many Exotic Pets Have Called The White House Home

Common pets like cats and dogs - such as the Coolidges' collie Rob Roy or the Clintons' cat Socks - have lived at the White House. But exotic animals have called the building home as well. The Coolidges treated a raccoon called Rebecca just as they would any other pet, complete with baths and games.

Other non-traditional pets at the White House include possums, alligators, and even tiger cubs. Some of these animals were gifts from Americans or foreign dignitaries.
(#3) Presidential Ghosts Are Said To Haunt The Place

The White House has stood for more than two centuries and has seen more than its fair share of tragedies. So it's not surprising that the building is said to be haunted by a variety of ghosts.

Among the specters that supposedly haunt the White House are presidential ghosts. Illustrious residents and guests like First Lady Grace Coolidge and Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands all claimed that they encountered Abraham Lincoln's ghost. The ghosts of Harry Truman and Andrew Jackson are also believed to haunt the White House.
(#2) It Didn't Have Running Water Until 1833

The White House didn't get running water until 1833. At first, it supplied drinking water and pools that could be used to put out fires. The White House sourced its water from the Potomac, and this would become a health issue: Abraham Lincoln's 11-year-old son Willie succumbed to typhoid, likely after drinking contaminated water from the river. Similarly, William Henry Harrison may have passed after consuming unclean water.

Running water seems to have been limited to the first floor of the building at first. The White House had to wait another 20 years for its second floor to get running water. Thanks to Franklin Pierce, these additions included hot water.
(#12) The White House Has Its Own Resident Calligraphers

The White House hosts a large number of events each year, ranging from formal state dinners to informal parties on the lawn. To help prepare for these events, the White House relies on a staff of calligraphers, a tradition that dates back to the Lincoln administration. Their sole job is to produce the lettering for items like invitations and hand-written menus.

Due to the secretive nature of some of the information they handle, the lead calligrapher actually has a higher security clearance than other White House staff.