Could you afford the White House?

In my previous blog post I talked about the many different houses of the President. When the Residence Act of 1790 was passed, it gave President George Washington the sole power to pick the ideal location for the seat of the Capitol and the White House. The first corner stones were laid on October 17, 1792. It would take 8 years to build the first official White House and cost roughly $200,000 plus (in 1792). Many different people, from many different backgrounds and ethnic groups would complete the work on the White House. The Primary residence and the footing of the White house would be built and completed by enslaved and free African-American workers. Other workers such as European immigrants would help with the inside crown work and finishing'. These workers would help provide the reason for why this is the People’s home and not just the president’s home.

President Truman would have the House gutted and redone for how the White house looks today. His total renovations would cost 5 million plus dollars to redo the White House. The White house is both a home and a living museum. When the Kennedy’s moved in, they formed a committee to bring historical artifacts into the home. One of the main reasons it’s the peoples home is because it is a large museum that as Americans we pay for. It’s also been where the Presidents will sign key pieces of legislation into law that have been pushed for by average citizens.

This is the only home of a head of State that is open to people to tour. The current White house may have the strictest security in the nation and the world but it is also the only one that the public can pass through its doors and see the vast treasure hidden inside. Though their have been many struggles at the beginning for where the White house would sit, it has evolved into one of the most centralized privately owned homes in America. We may never know all the real secrets that are hidden deep inside of its walls or how many rooms are inside, but in today’s market value it is estimated that the White House could sell for up too $110 million. That’s just for the house that doesn’t include the historical price tag that comes with it that would take that price into the millions and millions of dollars range.