Anyone who had the chance to visit the White House will truly be inspired by it. Some of the usual questions that visitors have includes when was the White House built and what purpose does it serve. It's really a magnificent structure that everyone can appreciate.

1. Welcome to the White House
Visitors to the United States are usually familiar with the White House. It's been featured in a
lot of movies throughout the years from horror flicks to heart warming comedy. Anyone
inquisitive about the place might ask when was the White House built and what is it for.
Every American should at least know the gist of the story behind this magnificent edifice.
Those struggling with the details and who are caught in a situation where you have to explain
them to a foreigner friend then the following bits of info can be of help.
The White House in a Nutshell
First off, the White House is the official residence of the current president of the United
States. This is where he lives and where his family lives as long as he is in office. This is also
the place he reports to work.
The construction of this building started during the days of the first American president,
George Washington. Unfortunately, the place was only completed in the year 1800. By that
time George Washington's term was already over and the very first president and his family to
ever make their residency here was John Adams.
Of course the building itself is more than enough for president's family. Some members of the
president's staff and other employees have temporary residences in here as well. Well,
somebody has to make the president's coffee and there should also be rooms for those
responsible for the building's security.
The White House has six stories and a total of 132 rooms. Note that the actual room where the
president and his family are staying in is never made known to the public for security reasons.
It has three elevators and eight staircases. With all that many people who live and work here,
they hired five full time chefs to prepare hearty meals for everyone.
Of course, people can visit the White House. It's not a prison but note that there are visiting
hours scheduled. Well, people do actually work there so you don't want to be disturbing them
when their doing their official duties to serve the people of the United States.
The on site tours are free but note that they are on a first come first served basis. Tours
usually start around seven in the morning. You will also notice that security and background
checks will also be conducted. This practice started after the horrible incidents of the 9-11
attacks. Now, if you don't have time and still want to see what the place is like, then just take
the virtual tour. It's always available since all you need is an Internet connection and a
computer.
References:
http://www.whenguide.com/when-was-the-white-house-built.html
http://www.visitthewhitehouse.org/