CAPITAL CAT

A Stop at the White House

It being the month we celebrate Presidents Day, I thought a tour of the President's House would be in order.

A competition held for the design of the new President's House received nine entries. James Hoban, an architect of Irish descent, won. His neo-classical design is based on the Leinster House in Dublin, the building that houses the national parliament of Ireland.

Construction started in 1792. In 1798, after receiving a protective lime-based whitewash, the President’s House took on its distinctive color. In 1800, President John Adams moved into the nearly completed building, Each President since then has lived in the President’s House.

In 1814, British troops invaded Washington and torched several buildings, among them the Capitol, the Treasury, the War Department and the President’s House. President James Madison decided that the public buildings would be rebuilt, with Irish architect, James Hoban, taking on the responsibility for the President’s House, almost a total rebuild since only the outer walls were still standing after the fire. Hoban stuck with the original plans for the renovation.

For the first 100 years this home of the President was called in addition to the “President's House”, the “President's Palace” or “Executive Mansion”. The nickname “White House” caught on late in the 19th Century with President Theodore Roosevelt making it the official name when he took office in 1901.

Modified and extended numerous times, the White House is now a complex of office, reception and residential space. The East and West Wings serve as the most important additions, providing the President (West) and First Lady (East) offices away from the residence. The West Wing center is the Oval Office, the President’s main office, with key advisors’ offices within a few steps. The “Oval” is modeled on the “Blue Room”, the central and most famous façade on the south side of the White House. 

The White House has 132 rooms, with a few available to visitors on tours. Since Sept. 11, 2001, any tour needs to be arranged through Congress. Some of the rooms open for tours include the Green Room, Blue Room, Red Room and State Dining Room.

John Adams planted the first White House garden. Andrew Jackson planted the two magnolia trees that today frame the exterior wall of the oval Blue Room.

Over the years many of the presidents and first ladies have redesigned the garden. Ellen Wilson, wife of President Woodrow Wilson added the most famous section in 1913…the Rose Garden, just outside the Oval Office. John F. Kennedy later redesigned it and used it as a venue for official ceremonies. In 2009, Michelle Obama planted an organic garden just off the South Lawn.

Dwight D. Eisenhower, an avid golfer, installed a putting green in 1957 and it’s been enjoyed by avid “first golfers” since.

The White House is the center of power in Washington. When cats have roamed these halls they knew who was really in charge. Look below at the names of the cats that have graced this mansion and the Presidents they exercised their power over:

Tabby – The first White House cat – Abraham Lincoln

Siam – The first Siamese to reach the United States – Rutherford B. Hayes

Slippers and Tom Quartz – Theodore Roosevelt

Smokey, Blackie, Timmy & Tiger – Calvin Coolidge (He carried Tiger around his neck.)

Tom Kitten – The press gave him an obituary notice in 1962 – John F. Kennedy

Shan – Gerald Ford

Misty Malarky Ying Yang – A Siamese – Jimmy Carter

Cleo & Sara – Tortoiseshell strays (also several unnamed cats) – Ronald Reagan

Socks – a black and white “Tuxedo”, unceremoniously removed when Buddy, the dog, moved in – Bill Clinton

Ernie & India "Willie" Bush – George W. Bush

The artistry in CATtitude Means...

Now through April 3rd, Capital Cat is appearing in an art show titled We The People. The show is an exhibition by immigrant artists who have interpreted the hope and opportunity, through their thoughts, ideals and vision, of a country that embraces the arts and celebrates innovation, diversity and creativity.

Capital Cat has been spotted in the capital city visiting some of the great buildings, instilling a little Capital CATtitude on them. CC’s human has captured our feline on those buildings with his own unique illustrations and now has them on display at the show. Capital CATtitude is:

• Enjoying liberty and cherry blossoms at the Jefferson Memorial
• At the Lincoln Memorial honoring our greatest president
• Learning some history at the Smithsonian Castle
• Being just divine at the National Cathedral
• Declaring who has the real power at the White House
• Imposing a feline filibuster in the Capitol

The artistic interpretations of these appearances are on display at We The People, a great chance to view CC in action.

Sponsored by Empowered Women International and The Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton, Va., the We the People exhibition has a public reception and performance event on Sunday, March 29, 2-5 pm at the Gallery W-16 of the Workhouse Arts Center located at 9601 Ox Road Lorton, VA 22079. The artists’ reception starts at 2 pm and a performance program will begin at 3 pm. Prints of Capital Cat’s Capital CATtitude means...are for sale at the show.

Come down and purr along with us at the Workhouse Art Center as you view how these immigrant artists have embraced their new country.