1

The numbers behind it

Image: Melo Liu

One could say the White House is a home, but a more accurate description would be "small city." With 132 rooms, 32 bathrooms, and six levels, it accommodates everyone from the First Family to visiting dignitaries.

As if that wasn’t enough in terms of numbers, add 412 doors, 147 windows, 28 fireplaces, seven staircases, and three elevators, and you’ve got a place that’s as grand as it is functional. The only number left to wonder about is how many people it takes to clean it! With so much going on, it’s safe to say the White House is always buzzing.

2

From "President’s House" to "The White House"

Image: Saul Rodriguez

Did you know the White House wasn’t always called that? Over the years, it’s been referred to as the "President’s Palace," the "President’s House," and the "Executive Mansion."

But it wasn’t until 1901 that President Theodore Roosevelt made "The White House" the official name. The change reflected a more democratic image, distancing the building from European-style palaces.

3

6,000 visitors a day: A popular destination

Image: Saul Rodriguez

You have probably toured the White House at least once, haven’t you? Well, on any given day, the White House welcomes around 6,000 visitors.

From local and foreign tourists on a guided tour, diplomats, to school groups, the building sees a steady stream of guests. That’s a lot of handshakes, selfies, and security checks! More than power and politics, the charm of the White House lies in the national history it holds.

4

Presidential firsts: Planes, photos, and more

Image: Jainam Sheth

Every president brings something new to the White House, but some have achieved truly historic "firsts."

For example, John Tyler was the first to have his photograph taken. Theodore Roosevelt rode in the first presidential car and became the first president to travel abroad, to Panama. Franklin Roosevelt added air travel to the mix as the first president to fly.

You may be wondering who the first president to live there was, but we’ll cover that fact later in this article!

5

A kitchen built for a crowd

Image: Odiseo Castrejon

We may not know about the cleaning crew, but we do have some facts about the chefs!

There are five full-time chefs in the White House, so the kitchen is ready for any occasion. It can serve dinner to 140 guests or hors d’oeuvres to more than 1,000 people at a time. From state dinners to casual family meals, the kitchen staff handles it all with finesse. Five stars for them, please!

6

Painting the town (or the House) White

Image: Steve Johnson

Keeping the White House pristine is no small task: Can you guess how much paint it takes to cover it? Here’s the answer: It takes a whopping 570 gallons of paint to cover its iconic exterior. This monumental paint job ensures the building remains the picture of elegance and charm. Over the years, this white coat has become a symbol of the presidency itself. Who knew painting could carry so much historical weight? Fun fact: ours is not the only presidential home with a trademark color!

7

Fun and games at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue

Image: Jay Wennington

When you think of the Executive Mansion, you probably picture people in suits going from one point to another, solving national and international matters, right? Well, that may be true, but the White House isn’t all business; there are some recreational rooms, too.

Residents (which range from the presidential family to diplomats to staff) enjoy a tennis court, jogging track, swimming pool, movie theater, billiard room, and even a bowling lane. Talk about a house with some serious amenities, huh?

8

George Washington never slept here

Image: Kenny Eliason

While George Washington oversaw the creation of the White House, he never got to live in it. The mansion wasn’t completed until 1800, a year after Washington’s death.

So, to answer the question from the "presidential firsts" section, John Adams became the first president to move in, and it’s been the home of every president since. Washington’s influence is still felt, but don’t expect to see his ghost wandering the halls.

9

The White House has survived two fires

Image: Cullan Smith

Well, the title pretty much covers it, right? The White House has faced fire twice in its history.

In 1814, British forces burned it during the War of 1812, though some exterior walls and the famous Gilbert Stuart portrait of George Washington were saved. Then, on Christmas Eve in 1929, a chimney flue sparked a blaze that gutted parts of the West Wing. President Herbert Hoover even directed firefighting efforts during the chaos. Now, this is proof of its true Americanness: It only came back stronger and taller!

10

Teddy Roosevelt built the West Wing

Image: Srikanta H. U

Teddy Roosevelt is the man behind the West Wing. In 1902, he expanded the White House by adding this now-famous section to house presidential offices.

The project replaced some old conservatories and introduced the colonnaded gallery that connects it to the main residence. Later presidents, like Taft and Franklin Roosevelt, expanded the West Wing further, but it all started with Teddy’s vision. Today, the West Wing is the spinal cord of the presidency as it holds the Oval Office.

1

12 years of all tweets

Image: Marten Bjork

If you were an active and public Twitter user between the years 2006 and 2017, guess what? Your words are preserved in the Library of Congress .

The platform’s first twelve years are contained in a digital collection meant as a historical record of a new communications channel. From 2018 onwards, the Library started acquiring only "particularly interesting" tweets.

2

Oddly specific movies, like "Shrek" or "Wall-E"

Image: Denise Jans

The Library preserves film culture through the National Film Registry and other collections.

Recent registry additions have included animated hits such as Shrek , while the Library’s preservation programs and official announcements explain why even mainstream animated features matter as cultural artifacts worth saving. The Registry also contains enduring classics such as Grease , Citizen Kane , and The Wizard of Oz .

3

Specific songs, like "Livin’ La Vida Loca"

Image: Bruno Guerrero

Music enters the Library’s life via the National Recording Registry and the Music Division. Ricky Martin’s "Livin’ La Vida Loca" is one of the recordings the Library has recognized for cultural impact; these entries help posterity understand what particular songs meant to listeners at the time.

Other anthems are also preserved in the collection, like Aretha Franklin’s " Respect " and Journey’s " Don’t Stop Believin. "

4

A moldy wedding cake

Image: gryzoon

A sliver of wedding cake from P.T. Barnum’s era spectacles survives in the Library of Congress’s Manuscript Division as a historical oddity. Donated in the 1950s, it now sits darkened with age and mold.

The cake came from the wedding of Charles Stratton, who was 25 years old and just 35 inches tall at the time. Stratton performed in Barnum’s shows under the name General Tom Thumb, delighting audiences with his song-and-dance routine.

5

A map of the Grand Canyon made of chocolate

Image: Steve Johnson

Yes, that is a real thing. The Geography and Map Division highlights a 1991 topographic map of the Grand Canyon molded in chocolate , made by the Chocolate Topographic Company.

6

What Lincoln was carrying when he died

Image: Engin Akyurt

The Library’s Treasures and related pages describe the modest, deeply human contents found on Abraham Lincoln after he was shot : a silk-lined wallet with newspaper clippings, a Confederate five-dollar bill kept as a curiosity, spectacles, a pocketknife, a handkerchief, and a watch fob, among other everyday items.

7

Locks of hair from Jefferson, Beethoven, and others

Image: benjamin lehman

Why not? The Library’s Manuscript and Music Divisions preserve numerous strands of hair attributed to notable figures : from presidents such as Thomas Jefferson to composers like Ludwig van Beethoven, as well as other cultural icons including Walt Whitman, Clara Barton, and George Washington!

8

Thomas Jefferson’s vanilla ice cream recipe

Image: Colin Fearing

Among Jefferson’s papers, which the Library and Monticello both reproduce and discuss, is his handwritten vanilla ice cream recipe : cream, egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla, frozen using ice and salt. A fundamental (and surprisingly delicious) document of history!

9

A precursor of the Monopoly Game (The Office Boy)

Image: Kathy Marsh

Monopoly’s genealogy includes several predecessors. Most famously, Elizabeth Magie’s 1904 The Landlord’s Game is the well-documented precursor.

Other commercial board games , such as Parker Brothers’ The Office Boy (an 1889 Horatio Alger–style career game), along with various moral and occupational boards, helped shape the emerging mass-market game industry that ultimately produced Monopoly .

1

The most expensive presidential inauguration

Image: Nils Huenerfuerst

Presidential inaugurations are grand events attended by politicians and influential figures, so it’s no surprise they can come with a hefty price tag. The record for the most expensive US presidential inauguration goes to Donald Trump, with an estimated cost of around $230 million. He had already set the record in 2017 with a $107 million inauguration, which at the time surpassed Barack Obama’s 2009 expenditures of roughly $53 million.

2

The US president with the most Time magazine covers

Image: History in HD

Of course, presidents are always in the spotlight: We see them on social media, on TV, and on the covers of newspapers and magazines. As of April 2025, Donald Trump had appeared on 46 Time magazine covers, tying with Ronald Reagan. But the record still belongs to Richard Nixon, who holds the title with an impressive 55 covers!

3

The president who lived the longest

Image: Claudio Schwarz

Jimmy Carter was the US president who lived the longest. Born in October 1924 and passing away in December 2024 at the age of 100 years , 2 months, and 29 days, Jimmy Carter surpassed the previous record held by George H. W. Bush, who lived to be 94. Pretty impressive, wouldn't you agree?

4

The president with the most children

Image: freestocks

If managing a household with three kids sounds tough, imagine having 15! John Tyler holds the record for the most children of any US president. He had 15 in total: eight with his first wife, Letitia Christian Tyler, and seven with his second wife, Julia Gardiner Tyler.

5

Most handshakes by a head of state

Image: Constantin Wenning

Yes, there's even a record for this. Believe it or not, Guinness World Records lists Teddy Roosevelt as the US president who gave the most handshakes in a single day. Want to know how many? On New Year's Day in 1907, President Roosevelt held an open house where he shook hands with an incredible 8,513 people.

6

Most pets in the White House

Image: Bruce Warrington

Which president holds the record for having the most pets living in the White House? With an incredible 48 animals, that would be Theodore Roosevelt! We couldn’t list them all here, but a few examples speak for themselves: during his presidency, Roosevelt owned a black bear, a badger, a hyena, several dogs and cats of different breeds, horses, ponies, guinea pigs, a lizard, a pig, and even an owl!

7

First president to be given a Secret Service code name

Image: Will Ma

Secret Service protection for US presidents became permanent in the early 1950s. In 1951, the first presidential code name was assigned: "General." Who used it? Our 33rd president, Harry S. Truman. Since then, every US president and their immediate family members have been given Secret Service code names.

8

The youngest

Image: History in HD

The youngest president in US history was Theodore Roosevelt. However, he wasn't elected to his first term; he assumed office at age 42 following the assassination of William McKinley. Considering that, the youngest president ever elected was John F. Kennedy, who won the presidency in 1960 at the age of 43.

9

Oldest elected as US president

Image: History in HD

While JFK and Teddy Roosevelt hold the record as the youngest men to become US presidents, Donald Trump sits on the opposite end. President Trump was 78 when he was elected to his second term, making him the oldest person ever elected to the office. In doing so, he broke the record previously held by Joe Biden, who was elected in 2020 at 77.

10

First US president to use email in office

Image: Mariia Shalabaieva

There's a first time for everything, even for presidents! And that includes sending an email. Although email is everywhere today, the first US president to use it was Bill Clinton. He was the first to have a White House email address , though he admitted to using it only sparingly.