View of the East Front of the President's House, with the Addition of the North and South Porticos
This elevation drawing was created by Benjamin Henry Latrobe in 1807. The architectural drawing shows an east view of the White House, with guests entering and departing the house from the proposed North and South Porticos. The North and South Porticos were not part of James Hoban's original 1792 design for the White House. Although this drawing anticipates the prominent use of columns on the North Portico (completed ca. 1829-1820) and South Portico (completed 1824), it does not reflect the appearance of the North and South Porticos as they were constructed.
Families taking up residence at the White House since the Theodore Roosevelt administration have encountered the public's insatiable appetite for stories of everyday life in the Executive Mansion. With the common reproduction of photographs in newspapers and magazines by the early 20th century, presidential pets had to accept the same scrutiny as their distinguished masters. Whether providing companionship or humanizing
Since the beginning of the American presidency, dogs have often shared a presence in both the first family and the White House. In fact, 30 out of the 44 presidents have had a dog at some point during their respective presidencies. These dogs were not only important in the lives of the presidents and their families, but also to the American public.