A LITTLE HISTORICAL TRIVIA

(1) QUESTION: Which President kept an alligator at the White House?

ANSWER: John Quincy Adams. A grateful citizen had given the alligator to the Marquis de Lafayette when he toured the country in 1825. Thus, Lafayette had the alligator with him when he later visited Adams. The alligator lived in the East Room of the White House during Lafayette’s stay. Some people say the alligator was Adams’s pet, but it sounds more like Adams was simply being a good host.

(2) QUESTION: When did the White House officially become “The White House”?

ANSWER: The President’s house was commonly called “The White House” for many years, but Teddy Roosevelt was the one who made it an official name in 1901. Other names for the residence over the years have included: the “President’s Palace,” the “President's House,” and the “Executive Mansion.”

(3) QUESTION: Which President was married in a “White House,” but not THE “White House”?

ANSWER: George Washington. George Washington married Martha Dandridge Custis in her home, which was known as the White House.