Blair House facts for kids

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Quick facts for kids Blair House The President's Guest House

The President's Guest House pictured in 2007.
Alternative names	Blair House
General information
Type	Official residence
Architectural style	Federal (Blair House and Lee House) Victorian (Peter Parker House and 704 Jackson Place)
Address	1651 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Town or city	Washington, DC
Country	United States
Coordinates	38°53′56.5″N 77°2′18.9″W / 38.899028°N 77.038583°W / 38.899028; -77.038583
Current tenants	Vice President of the United States Kamala Harris and her husband Douglas Emhoff (temporary)
Construction started	1824
Completed	1989
Owner	United States
Landlord	Chief of Protocol of the United States
Technical details
Material	Brick and stucco
Floor count	4
Floor area	70,000 sq ft (6,500 m²)
Design and construction
Architecture firm	Mendel, Mesick, Cohen, Waite, Hall Architects (1982 merger of four existing structures)
Other information
Number of rooms	119

Blair House, also known as The President's Guest House, is a special home in Washington, D.C.. It's like a super exclusive hotel for important visitors. These visitors are usually leaders from other countries or special guests of the U.S. president.

This historic place is made up of four old houses that were joined together. They are Blair House, Lee House, Peter Parker House, and 704 Jackson Place. It's located right across Pennsylvania Avenue from the White House.

Blair House is one of several homes the U.S. government owns for the president and vice president. Other famous ones include the White House and Camp David.

From 1948 to 1952, President Harry S. Truman and his family lived in Blair House. This was while the White House was being fixed up. During this time, a brave police officer saved President Truman from an attack right there.

What's in a Name?

The name Blair House can be a bit confusing. It actually refers to just one of the four original buildings. However, the U.S. State Department often uses Blair House to mean the entire complex. They say it's the official name for the President's Guest House.

The General Services Administration calls the whole place the "President's Guest House." They use Blair House to talk about the oldest part of the building.

History of Blair House

Blair House has a long and interesting past. It started as separate homes before becoming one big guest house.

Early Days of the Houses

Each part of the President's Guest House has its own story.

Blair House's Beginning

Blair House, as a separate building, around 1919.

The original Blair House was built in 1824. It's the oldest of the four buildings. It was first a private home for Joseph Lovell, a U.S. Army surgeon.

In 1836, Francis Preston Blair bought the house. He was a newspaper publisher and a close advisor to President Andrew Jackson. His family owned the house for the next 100 years.

Francis Blair's son, Montgomery Blair, also lived there. He was the Postmaster General during Abraham Lincoln's time. Important meetings happened here. For example, in 1861, Abraham Lincoln offered Robert E. Lee command of the Union forces here.

In 1939, Blair House became the first building to be recognized as a federal landmark. Later, in 1973, it was named a National Historic Landmark.

A marker on Blair House honors police officer Leslie Coffelt, who died defending the building in 1950.

In 1942, the Blair family started renting the house to the U.S. government. It was used for visiting leaders. The government bought it a year later. This happened partly because Eleanor Roosevelt wanted a separate place for guests like Winston Churchill. Churchill sometimes visited President Franklin Roosevelt very early in the morning!

From 1948 to 1952, Blair House was the home of President Harry S. Truman and his family. This was while the White House was being fixed. On November 1, 1950, two people tried to harm President Truman at Blair House. White House policeman Leslie Coffelt bravely stopped the attack but was seriously injured.

Lee House's Story

In 1859, Francis Preston Blair built another house next door. This was for his daughter, Elizabeth Blair Lee, and her husband, Samuel Phillips Lee. This house became known as Lee House.

Peter Parker House and 704 Jackson Place

The Peter Parker House and another home at 704 Jackson Place were built in 1860. Peter Parker House was named after its first owner, a doctor named Peter Parker. The U.S. government bought these two properties between 1969 and 1970. Like Blair House, Peter Parker House is also a National Historic Landmark.

Joining the Houses Together

Over time, these separate homes were connected to form the large President's Guest House we see today.

Blair House and Lee House Connect

The front of the original Blair House during Queen Elizabeth II's visit in 2007. The British Royal Standard flag is flying.

In the early 1950s, Blair House and Lee House were joined. They became one building, often called Blair–Lee House.

Connecting with Jackson Place Buildings

Two women and several men meeting around a table. Park Geun-hye of South Korea (left) meets with World Bank leaders in 2013 at the President's Guest House.

In the early 1980s, money was set aside to make the guest house even better. The two Jackson Place houses were joined together. Then, they were connected to the Blair–Lee House. This was done by building a new section in the alleyway between them. The big renovation and joining of all four homes took place from 1982 to 1988.

Famous Guests

Many important people have stayed at the President's Guest House. These include leaders like Nikita Khrushchev, Queen Elizabeth II, Charles de Gaulle, Vladimir Putin, Margaret Thatcher, and Justin Trudeau.

The outgoing U.S. president also traditionally lets the president-elect stay here for five days before their inauguration.

When a former U.S. president passes away, their family often stays at the guest house during the funeral events.

Currently, Kamala Harris, the Vice President, and her husband, Doug Emhoff, are living at Blair House. This is while their official residence, Number One Observatory Circle, is being repaired.

Inside and Out

The President's Guest House is a large and impressive building.

Outside Spaces

Aerial view of Pennsylvania Avenue, showing the President's Guest House near the White House.

The guest house is located at a busy intersection in Washington, D.C. It faces the Eisenhower Executive Office Building and Lafayette Square. Next to it is the Renwick Gallery.

At the back of the property is the Ross Garden. This beautiful garden is named after Arthur Ross, who helped create a fund to keep the grounds looking nice forever.

Inside the House

The President's Guest House has 119 rooms. This includes 14 bedrooms and 35 bathrooms. It's huge, with about 70,000 square feet of space. That's even bigger than the White House!

Basement Areas

The Coffelt Memorial Room is in the basement. It's named after police officer Leslie Coffelt, who was killed defending Blair House in 1950. This room is used by the United States Secret Service officers who protect the building. It has a portrait of Officer Coffelt and his medals.

Special Rooms in the Blair–Lee Wing

The wallpaper in the Dillon Room dates back to 1770.

The Dillon Drawing Room is a very fancy room. It's named after C. Douglas Dillon, who was a U.S. Secretary of the Treasury. He donated the room's special Chinese wallpaper, which is from 1770! The room has old English furniture and Chinese vases. Leaders use this room to meet important visitors.

The head-of-state suite is where the most important guests stay. It has a sitting room, two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and dressing rooms. It's filled with valuable 18th-century English antique furniture.

The library at the President's Guest House has books given by former guests.

The small library in the Blair House part has about 1,500 books. Guests often give a book to add to the collection. A painting of Francis Blair hangs above the fireplace.

The Lincoln Room features a portrait of Abraham Lincoln. This room also has many other pictures of Lincoln. The sitting room in this wing was where the Blair family used to welcome U.S. presidents. It's where Montgomery Blair, following Lincoln's orders, offered Robert E. Lee command of the Union Army.

The Truman Study has a fireplace mantel that was originally in the White House. President Truman used this room as his office. Later, Nancy Reagan used it to meet visitors before Ronald Reagan's state funeral.

Rooms in the Jackson Place Wing

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton hosts a working lunch for French president Francois Hollande in the Treaty Room in 2012.

The Treaty Room has a large 22-seat mahogany table. A photo of Empress Dowager Cixi from China, given as a gift in 1905, hangs here.

The Lee Dining Room is used for formal dinners. It has a beautiful Irish crystal chandelier from 1825. The dining room has special china and silver flatware from Tiffany & Co..

How Blair House is Managed

Who Runs the House?

Two special agents guard a car outside the President's Guest House in 2005.

The U.S. government owns the President's Guest House. It's managed by the chief of protocol and other government departments. The U.S. government pays for its upkeep. A private group, the Blair House Restoration Fund, helps pay for preserving the old furniture and art.

The house has a full-time staff. They don't live there all the time, but they do stay overnight when important guests are visiting. In 2001, the staff included managers, butlers, housekeepers, chefs, and maintenance workers. The United States Secret Service provides security when foreign leaders are staying there.

Guest Rules

When a foreign leader stays at the President's Guest House, their country's flag is flown outside. If two leaders of the same rank visit at the same time, neither is invited to stay at Blair House. This avoids showing favoritism.