Spooky Facts of the White House
The White House is one of the most iconic buildings in America. Built in 1792, and has suffered 3 disasters since, meaning there is only little left of the original structure. Not only is this building historic, but it also has a fairly creepy past with some terrifying facts that pair with it. The White House has been home to several presidential deaths, ghostly encounters, exotic pets, and hauntings!
The White House is one of the most iconic buildings in America. Built in 1792, and has suffered 3 disasters since, meaning there is only little left of the original structure. Not only is this building historic, but it also has a fairly creepy past with some terrifying facts that pair with it. The White House has been home to several presidential deaths, ghostly encounters, exotic pets, and hauntings!
Deaths that have Occurred in the White House Walls
Having a house as old as the White House we can probably guess at least one person has passed away there, it’s quite normal. Actually, the White House has seen the deaths of 10 people (that we know of)! The White House Historical Association states that it includes “all known deaths” but some in the earlier days could have gone undocumented. This list includes: President William Henry Harrison; first lady Letitia Tyler; President Zachary Taylor; Abraham Lincoln’s son Willie; first lady Julia Grant’s father, Fredrick Dent; Minister of the Kingdom of Hawaii to the United States, Elisha Hunt Allen; first lady Caroline Harrison; first lady Ellen Wilson; White House Press Secretary Charles G. Ross; and first lady Bess Truman’s mother, Margaret Wallace.
Ghost Stories
Who doesn’t love a good ghost story during ‘spooky season’? Well, the White House can provide many. One of the most famous stories involves Winston Churchill and Abraham Lincoln. It is said, Churchill, who was at the time, the Prime Minister of Britain, took a bath one night while staying at the White House. After he emerged from the tub, he walked into the room next door. Here he found Lincoln lounging by the fireplace’s mantel. They looked at each other, and allegedly Churchill took a moment to say, “Good evening Mr. President. You have seemed to have me at a disadvantage.” Churchill still yet to have gotten dressed; after saying this, Lincoln quickly vanished into thin air.
Winston Churchill is not the only one who has spotted Mr. Abraham Lincoln wandering the halls of the White House. Others have such as: first lady Grace Coolidge; Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands; Mary Eban (first lady Eleanor Roosevelt’s maid); and Maureen, President Ronald Reagan’s daughter.
Lincoln is said to have company in the White House from Andrew Jacksons ghost. In fact, first lady Mary Todd Lincoln allegedly told her friends that she has heard Jackson “stomping and swearing” in the halls. The Rose Room, Jackson’s former bedroom is said to be one of the most haunted rooms in the entire White House; and just to let you know, the White House has 132 rooms total. That must be an extra spooky room.
First lady Abigail Adams seems to be a lady still practicing her routine. Abigail liked to hang laundry to dry in the East Room. Later on, Taft’s administration used the East Room for receptions – people enjoying these receptions would often see the ghost of Abigail in a cap and lace shawl wandering through the room…probably wondering where her laundry had gone. Today, people still claim to catch the scent of wet laundry and lavender in that room!
Also, during Taft’s administration reports of a ghostly body, called ‘the Thing’, came up in conversation a lot. Allegedly, the spirit of a teenage boy would have a habit of sneaking up behind people, grabbing their shoulders, and immediately disappear when they would turn around.
Other Presidents have been reportedly seen or heard on the White House grounds such as Thomas Jefferson playing his violin in the Yellow Oval Room, John Tyler proposing over and over again to Julia Gardner in the Blue Room, and William Henry Harrison hanging out in the attic…for whatever reason.
Exotic Pets That Called the White House Home
There has been only two Presidents that never had a First Pet while in office, but not every President that has had a First Pet had your normal cat or dog. Teddy Roosevelt, had six kids…those six kids owned a small bear, a lizard, five guinea pigs, a pig, a badger, a blue macaw, a hen, a one-legged rooster, a hyena, a barn owl, a rabbit, and a pony. Safe to say they owned a literal zoo.
Calvin Coolidge also had a plethora of wild pets. Among the more normal, he owned, four cats, nine dogs, and five birds! As for the exotic, he had; first favorite, Rebecca the Raccoon; Bruno the black bear; a wallaby (small kangaroo); two lion cubs; a very small antelope; and thirteen pekin ducks! Herbert Hoover’s son Allen Henry had two pet alligators!
We are sure there has been more ghostly encounters in the White House but not all of them probably get shared. If you believe in ghosts or not, stories of them are fun to share; and of course, at The National Presidential Wax Museum we prefer our ghost stories presidential! Feel free to read more of our recent blogs here.
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