Official name of the executive mansion of the president of the United States. It is on the south side of Pennsylvania Ave.,Washington,D. C. , facing Lafayette Square. The building, constructed of Virginia freestone, is of simple and stately design. The portecochere on the north front, which forms the main entrance, is a portico of high lonic columns reaching from the ground to the roof pediment: it is belanced by a semicircular colonnaded balony on the south with a second-floor poroh, completed in 1948. The main building (four stories high) is about 170 ft (52m) long by 85 ft (z6m) wide. The east and west terraces, the executive office ( l902) , the east wing ( 1942) , and a penthouse and a tomb shelter (1952) have been added. The colonnade at the east end is the public entrance. The executive office is approached by an esplanade. Large receptions are usually held in the East Room, which is 40 ft (12m) by 82 ft (25m) . The elliptical Blue Room is the scene of many social, diplomatic, and official receptions. The Red Room and the Green Room are used for private and quasi-official gatherings. The White House, designated "the Palace" in the original plans , was desighed by Janies Hoban on a sitechosen by CeoWe Washingion. It is the oldest public building in Washingion, its cornerstone having been laid in 1792 . Jobzi Adanis was the first Pesident to live there (1800) . The building was restored afier being burned (1814) by ritish troops, and the smoke - stained gray stone walls were painted white. Despite popular myth the cognomen "White House" was applied to the building some time before it was painted. The name became official when President Theodore Roosevelt had it engraved upon his stationery. Part of the house was rebuilt (1949 - 52) on a steel-supporting frame. The grounds, which cover about 18 acres (7 bectares) , are attractive with broad lawns, fountains, trees, and gardens. They were planned by Anddraw Jackson Dowiiing.