White House Plumbing History Quick Facts

Things to Know About The White House’s Plumbing Past

The White House is full of history, and its plumbing is no exception. From the installation of running water to the first flushing toilet, to the massive home of modernity and convenience it has turned into, there are so many little-known facts about the White House. Find out when these entrances into the modern world turned from idea to reality. 

Learn about the people who spear-headed and made way for them to arrive. Marvel at the ingenuity and creativity of the people who took from promising ideas into a working system that led to the classic home of democracy we see today.

Running Water Is Added To the White House

The process of installing plumbing into the White House was a long and arduous task that carried on for decades-lagging behind most of the rest of the world. The idea of running water, specifically, was first brought up during James Madison’s administration to quickly deal with potential fires. Ironically enough, when the White House was burned down during the War of 1812, those plans were put on hold. 

It would be almost two decades later, in the year 1833, before running water became a reality. An engineer named Franklin Leckie was placed in charge of the project. Using the natural aid of gravity, Leckie built iron pipes running from the spring located in the higher ground of Franklin Square to a reservoir at the White House. 

While its primary purpose was helping extinguish fires, Andrew Jackson did not hesitate to also use it for bathing and cleaning. Thus, the first rudimentary form of running water was introduced to the White House. 

For The Very First Time 

With all of its most current modern amenities, state-of-the-art technology, and top-notch service, one may be left wondering when the basic amenity-the flushing toilet-came to the White House. The answer to that question is…1853. 

While flushing toilets had already been in existence for centuries and were popularized by Sir John Harrington in the late 1500s, the White House took a while to catch up. President Millard Fillmore receives credit for bringing the not-so-modern flushing toilet (or first flush) to the White House. His successor, Franklin Pierce, would later add a bathtub to the room with the flushing toilet, marking the first “modern” bathroom for the White House.

Some Extra Details

With a house so full of history that has housed so many people, it stands to reason that there are many other interesting facts. One such detail is that the White House has a total of thirty-five bathrooms. It’s a good thing the White House is well-staffed, so the cleaning and inevitable clogs can be taken care of quickly! 

Speaking of White House staff, in addition to taking care of those plumbing issues, they are also trained to keep an eye for anything amiss for security purposes and the protection of the president and their family. 

One staff member during the Obama administration discovered a broken window. When the FBI investigated further, they realized that someone had shot at the White House seven times. Talk about observant multi-taskers!

About Reeves Family Plumbing

Reeves Family Plumbing is a plumbing company serving Dallas, TX, for the past 50 years. They provide 24-hour emergency service in all plumbing needs, from clogged toilets to water heater replacements. Contact them for any and all plumbing services in the Dallas area.

• 
  +
• 
  +
• 
  +