White House Plumbing Facts On President’s Day
President’s Day is a holiday that occurs on the third Monday in February. It was initially established in 1885 to celebrate George Washington. Now, it’s a celebration for all United States presidents, past and present. So what’s a better time to talk about some strange White House plumbing facts? There is no better time! There are plenty of fun facts to learn- from bathtubs to general indoor plumbing.
The Establishment of Indoor Plumbing on Pennsylvania Avenue
Before 1902, there wasn’t a single piece of indoor plumbing in the White House. Water had to be brought in by servants from a Franklin Park spring, five blocks away. An 1814 fire at the White House, caused by a British raid, began a series of projects to revamp some features.
It wasn’t until 1902 when a $500,000 project consisted of indoor plumbing. This was a central idea which brought bathrooms, pipes, electrical wiring, and more, beginning a series of strange plumbing upgrades and other renovations.
By 1948, the White House required some serious restoration, or it would have been demolished. This turned into a $5.7 million project overseen by President Truman. Even then, the plumbing system was considered to be unsanitary and largely makeshift by modern standards. The plumbing system was impractical and needed to be upgraded again to include new piping. The pipes are made from brass, hot and cold lines are red brass, and the heating, vent, and waste lines are brass and copper tubes.
The Custom Bathroom of President Taft
William Howard Taft was, without a doubt, the heaviest president in United States history. He was six feet tall and weighed 340 pounds. You could only imagine what kind of issue this would cause when it came to be bath time. Since he couldn’t fit into the tub that was already in the White House, he had to have an extra-large tub manufactured specifically for him. It was large enough to fit four adult men.
Fun fact about the bathtub: it was the same tub installed on the ship he took to oversee the Panama Canal construction. He didn’t always take baths, and the tub was covered when he preferred to shower (which was often).
The White House “Plumbers”
No, they weren’t actual plumbers, but the concept was the same. After the Pentagon Papers were released, the White House chose specific individuals to ensure that internal security was at its highest. They called them “Plumbers” because they were in charge of stopping information leaks. The group consisted of James W. McCord Jr., Frank Sturgis, Bernard Barker, Virgilio Gonzalez, and Eugenio Martinez.
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