The White House

 

5 Surprising Facts About The White House

On April 25, 1947, President Harry S. Truman opened the first White House bowling alley — because even presidents need to have a little fun! Here are 5 surprising facts you didn't know about the White House...

The White House Has its Own Movie Theater Although the White House doesn't look that large from the outside, it has six stories and contains about 55,000 square feet. Some houses may have home theaters, but they are no match for the White House movie theater, with armchairs that were installed by President Eisenhower. Originally a cloakroom, the White House theater seats about 40 people and is occasionally used by a president to rehearse speeches. Unlike a normal home theater, the first family can obtain movies straight from Hollywood before films are released to the public.

President Bill Clinton Added a Jogging Track The jogging track installed during Bill Clinton’s presidency was probably a good idea since he reportedly disrupted the traffic in the area when he was out getting his exercise. The track was funded privately at a cost of about $30,000, and both Clinton and President George W. Bush used the 4-foot-wide jogging path. Clinton also converted a third-floor room into a place to work out, although considering the White House has 132 rooms, it might be exercise enough just finding out where you are at any given time.

There Are Secret Tunnels Leading From the White House It’s important to keep the president and his staff safe and to make it convenient to reach other buildings, so the White House has a tunnel system that does just that. Accessible through an unmarked storage closet, the tunnel system leads to a bomb shelter beneath the East Wing. During Truman’s presidency, it connected the East and West Wings. There are also tunnels leading to Blair House, the Executive Office Building and the Treasury Building, and possibly others that have never been confirmed.

A Pool or Billiards Table Is a Popular Perk Among Presidents The first president to have a billiards table in the White House was John Quincy Adams in 1825, although it was a used one that had been refurbished. Abraham Lincoln described himself as a “billiards addict,” and Teddy Roosevelt had a Brunswick table. President George H.W. Bush had a game room on the third floor of the White House, and while it might move to a different room from time to time, many presidents enjoy their leisure time playing a game with friends.

There Is Almost a Mini Mall in the Basement It can be difficult for the president to go out for something as mundane as getting a tooth filled, so a dentist’s office is located in the White House’s basement underneath the North Portico. A chocolate shop, florist, bowling alley and shops for those who take care of the White House are also there. The basement also houses an old broadcast room used by President Eisenhower.