A Peek At The White House Pool

The White House has had two swimming pools since the 1930s. The first was an indoor pool built for President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who used it for physical therapy after contracting polio. The second, an outdoor pool, was built in 1975 by President Gerald Ford, an avid swimmer who wanted to restore the ability to swim at the White House after the indoor pool was converted into a press briefing room.

The indoor pool

The White House has had two pools since the 1930s. The indoor pool was opened on June 2, 1933, after a campaign led by the New York Daily News to raise money for building a pool for President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who suffered from poliomyelitis. The rectangular pool was encircled by arched ceilings and high rows of half-moon windows. It was built inside the west terrace between the White House and the West Wing.

Harry Truman, John F. Kennedy, and Lyndon B. Johnson made frequent use of the indoor pool. However, when Richard Nixon became president, the press was growing at an incredible rate, and he was forced to build a new press room over the pool. In 1970, the indoor pool was converted into the White House Press Room, now known as the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room.

The "ghost pool", as it is often called, was discovered in 2000 by workers installing cables, who descended through a trap door and found the empty pool still intact. Visitors have since covered its walls with their signatures, including Bono, Sugar Ray Leonard, the Jonas Brothers, and former First Lady Laura Bush.

The outdoor pool

The White House has had two different pools since the 1930s. The indoor pool was built in 1933 and was covered over in 1970 to make way for the Press Briefing Room. An outdoor pool replaced the indoor pool in 1975.

A cabana, or pool house, was added later, with showers and changing facilities. An underground passage connects the cabana to the West Wing for security. The cabana is solar-powered, with heated pipes providing hot water, with the remaining heat going to an outdoor spa. The pool was renovated in 2002 with extra windows and a raised roof.

The South Lawn

The outdoor pool was constructed over strong opposition from Ford's advisers, who warned that building a pool would ensure he only lasted a year in office. The pool cost approximately $52,417 to $66,800 (or $252,101 in 2020), entirely funded by private contributions. The swimming pool committee was chaired by the vice chairman of the United States Olympic swimming committee, A. J. Sehorn.

The cabana

The design of the cabana is not known, but it is likely to be an elegant and functional space, reflecting the style and sophistication of the White House. It is positioned close to the pool and spa, providing easy access and a pleasant view. The cabana is an integral part of the White House pool area, offering a place of comfort and relaxation for the presidents and their families.

The 'ghost pool'

The White House has had two swimming pools since the 1930s. The first was an indoor pool built in 1933 during the presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt, who used it for physical therapy to treat his polio. The rectangular pool was encircled by arched ceilings and high rows of half-moon windows, and it was built inside the west terrace between the White House and the West Wing.

In 1970, President Richard Nixon had the indoor pool covered and converted into a press briefing room to accommodate the growing number of reporters assigned to the White House. The deep end of the pool is directly underneath the podium where the press secretary stands, and the shallow end is at the back of the room where the camera operators are. Over time, the "ghost pool", as it came to be known, was forgotten. In 2000, workers installing cables discovered the empty pool, still intact, through a trap door.

In 1975, President Gerald Ford, an avid swimmer, had an outdoor pool built on the White House's South Lawn. The pool cost $52,417 (or $61,417, or $66,800, depending on the source), and was funded by private donations. It measures 20 feet by 50 feet, or 22 by 54 or 55 feet, and has a diving board. A cabana with showers and changing facilities and an outdoor spa were added later, connected to the West Wing by an underground passage.

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