Secrets of the White House: "8-star hotel" or "glamorous prison"?

The White House, built in 1800, was home to all US presidents with the exception of George Washington. Many of the national leaders adjusted the residence for themselves. For example, Bill Clinton ordered the installation of a luxurious Jacuzzi, and Calvin Coolidge decided to create a spacious glazed room for relaxation and sunbathing.

The attitude of the leaders to their homes also differed. Harry Truman called it a "glamorous prison," and Ronald Reagan called it an "eight—star hotel." Let's try to figure out which of them was closer to the truth by studying some of the features of the White House.

In everyday life, any room needs a full set of security measures, because alarming situations happen, so the installation of video surveillance is one of the most rational and comprehensive methods for monitoring a specific object or territory.

Basement Resort

Under the northern wing of the building there is an extensive basement, which in its infrastructure is more like a boulevard in some resort town. In addition to the office premises, a pastry shop, several shops, a dentist's office and a bowling alley opened under Nixon operate here on a daily basis. In Roosevelt's time there was also an indoor swimming pool.

Wine embargo

The White House can be compared to a hotel, if only because at the end of each month residents are billed for household services and food. Former residence manager Harry Walters said that all the presidential families complained about the high prices. By the way, according to local rules, only American-made wine is served for dinner.

Underground passage

In the 1920s, an underground tunnel was laid between the buildings of the Treasury and the State Department. And during the Second World War, in case of an unexpected armed attack, the tunnel was connected to the east wing of the White House and a separate exit was made. It is under round-the-clock security and video surveillance.

"Blue Goose"

Attentive viewers of TV broadcasts from the White House could pay attention to the fact that two different cabinets are used for briefings. For the speeches of the president, they put a special construction, nicknamed the "blue goose" (blue goose). It is made of bulletproof material and is much bulkier than usual. In which case, the president will be able to hide behind it.

The waiter is under the heel

Only the President has the right to hold meetings in the Meeting Room. This right is symbolically expressed in the presidential chair, which is 5 centimeters taller than the rest. In addition, there is a special button under the table, which many people take for a button from a "nuclear suitcase". In fact, this is a button for calling the president's personal waiter.

It can be fun

From time to time, noisy informal events are held in the White House. The closest relatives of the presidents celebrated the wedding here 17 times. Once Andrew Johnson held a "cheese party" for more than ten thousand guests. And Susan Ford, Gerald Ford's daughter, invited her classmates to the residence to celebrate graduation.

The index is not for everyone

As soon as a new president is elected in the United States, the postal service assigns him a personal zip code, which he can pass on to close people. If this were not done, then due to the large number of requests and multi-level checks, it would be very difficult to separate confidential correspondence from official correspondence. And so letters and parcels sent with a secret index, after checking for threats, get to the president as soon as possible.

Stone Kindergarten

In 1968, Lyndon Johnson, at the end of his presidential term, ordered to set up a kind of kindergarten on the territory of the White House. On one of the paths, the handprints of his grandchildren were embedded in the stone. Other presidents supported the tradition that was started, and now this path symbolizes the connection of families with home.