The White House Complex is the designation of the three principal structures of the White House and the adjoining outdoor ceremonial areas, which, along with the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, serve as the seat of the executive branch of United States government. The structural components include the Executive Residence, where the First Family resides; the West Wing, the location of the Oval Office, Cabinet Room, and Roosevelt Room; and the East Wing, which houses the offices of the First Lady and the White House Social Secretary, and also provides public access to the State Rooms of the Executive Residence for tours and social events.
The adjoining outdoor spaces are used for ceremonial and social events. They include the Rose Garden, Jacqueline Kennedy Garden, North Lawn, and South Lawn.
The central executive residence, the original building of the complex, was built 1792–1800. The east and west porticos were designed by Thomas Jefferson and built in 1803. In 1859 the East Colonnade was dismantled. The East Wing and West Wing were constructed in 1902, and a modified version of the east colonnades was constructed in 1902 on the same foundations as Jefferson's 1803 original.
The White House Chief Usher is the head of household staff and operations.
Famous quotes containing the words white, house and/or complex:
“The white man regards the universe as a gigantic machine hurtling through time and space to its final destruction: individuals in it are but tiny organisms with private lives that lead to private deaths: personal power, success and fame are the absolute measures of values, the things to live for. This outlook on life divides the universe into a host of individual little entities which cannot help being in constant conflict thereby hastening the approach of the hour of their final destruction.”
—Policy statement, 1944, of the Youth League of the African National Congress. pt. 2, ch. 4, Fatima Meer, Higher than Hope (1988)
“If the main timbers in the house are not straight, the smaller timbers will be unsafe; and if the smaller timbers are not straight, the house will fall.”
—Chinese proverb.
“I have met charming people, lots who would be charming if they hadn’t got a complex about the British and everyone has pleasant and cheerful manners and I like most of the American voices. On the other hand I don’t believe they have any God and their hats are frightful. On balance I prefer the Arabs.”
—Freya Stark (1893–1993)