How did the White House gets its name? Some historical sources say the name came to be popular simply because the building happened to be white in color. Another legend says that George Washington called it the "White House" in memory of the house in which Martha Washington grew up. According to Gilson Willet's 1909 book, Inside the White House, the naming of the house can be said to have gone through three phases.
The first period is the "President's House," from 1800 to 1814, spanning from its formal opening under John Adams to its burning by the British during Madison's presidency. The second was the "Executive Mansion," from 1818 to 1902, which includes the period from rebuilding after the fire to Theodore Roosevelt. The third of the three is when it officially became the "White House," from 1902 on, which includes the turn-of-the-century remodeling and restoration of the building until the present day.
