Executive Residence

White House Ground Floor showing location of principal rooms.

White House State Floor showing location of principal rooms.

White House Second Floor showing location of principal rooms.

The Executive Residence is the central building of the White House Complex located between the East Wing and West Wing. This central building, first constructed 1792–1800, is home to the President of the United States and the First Family. The Executive Residence primarily occupies three floors: the Ground Floor, State Floor, and Second Floor. A third floor contains a solarium and guest rooms, and staff bedrooms. Two sub-basements, created during the 1948–1952 Truman reconstruction, contain storage and service areas, and a war time shelter for the president and first family.

Principal floors

Ground Floor

Originally intended as a service area for cooking, laundry and heating. The Ground Floor was rebuilt during the administration of Theodore Roosevelt in 1902, and again 1948–1952 during the Truman reconstruction. Today this floor houses several official rooms including the Diplomatic Reception Room, Library, China Room, Map Room, and Vermeil Room. This floor continues to house some White House domestic operations. The kitchen and florist shop are located on this floor, along with the office of the curator, and the office of the White House physician.

State Floor

The State Floor is used for official entertaining and ceremonial functions. The following rooms are found on the State Floor: Entrance Hall, Cross Hall, East Room, Green Room, Blue Room, Red Room, State Dining Room, Family Dining Room, and the Chief Usher's office.

Second Floor

The Second Floor contains the private living apartments of the president and first family. Some of these rooms are used for official entertaining, but most are reserved for private use. The following rooms are found on the Second Floor: Yellow Oval Room, Treaty Room, President's Dining Room, Lincoln Bedroom, Lincoln Sitting Room, Queens' Bedroom, Queens' Sitting Room, Central Hall, East Sitting Hall, and West Sitting Hall. The Truman Balcony is also located on this floor. Four private bedrooms and a dressing room are reserved for the president. Different presidents have used various rooms as their bedroom.

References

• Garrett, Wendell. Our Changing White House. Northeastern University Press: 1995. ISBN 1-55553-222-5.
• McKellar, Kenneth, Douglas W. Orr, Edward Martin, et al. Report of the Commission on the Renovation of the Executive Mansion. Commission on the Renovation of the Executive Mansion, Government Printing Office: 1952.
• Seale, William. The President's House. White House Historical Association and the National Geographic Society: 1986. ISBN 0-912308-28-1.
• West, J.B. with Mary Lynn Kotz. Upstairs at the White House: My Life with the First Ladies. Coward, McCann & Geoghegan: 1973. SBN 698-10546-X.
• The White House: An Historic Guide. White House Historical Association and the National Geographic Society: 2001. ISBN 0-912308-79-6.