- The man who designed the White House, James Hoban, wasn’t American – he was born in Ireland.
- It was not always known as the White House. In fact, it got its official name in 1901 thanks to Theodore Roosevelt. Before that, it was known as the President Mansion.
- George Washington is the only president of the United States who never lived in the White House. The first president to live there was John Adams.
- The White House is said to be haunted: Winston Churchill was sure he had once seen Lincoln’s ghost there.
- The White House has a secret pool underneath the briefing room.
- Even though George Washington never lived in the White House, the Oval Office’s peculiar shape was inspired by him – his house in Philadelphia reportedly had rounded walls.