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White House
While James Madison was President, the White House was torched by British troops during the War of 1812. Although the fire was extinguished by a summer thunderstorm, all that remained were the outside charred walls and interior brick walls. The restoration took three years, and it was during this construction that the house was painted white to cover fire damage on the exterior. Although informally referred to as the "white house" for some time, President Theodore Roosevelt gave the White House its official name. The White House Visitor Center, located inside the north end of the Department of Commerce Building between 14th and 15 Streets on Pennsylvania Avenue, is open seven days a week from 7:30 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. The Center features exhibits on the many aspects of the White House, including its architecture, furnishings, first families, social events, and relations with the press and world leaders, as well as a 30-minute video. The White House policy is that all tours of the White House must be scheduled through a Congressional office and are only available for groups of 10 or more people. These self-guided tours are free of charge and are scheduled Tuesday through Saturday (excluding federal holidays), between 7:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Congressional offices can place a request for a tour on behalf of a group of 10 or more constituents up to six months in advance, but the White House does not schedule the tour until approximately one month in advance of the requested date. There is a limited number of tours available and the White House schedules tours on a first-come, first-served basis. Congressional Reserved Tours Information White House Links Places of Interest Nearby |
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