Have you ever wondered...
When did the White House first get plumbing?
The exact date of the first plumbing system in the White House remains unclear, and additions were gradually made over time. President Thomas Jefferson installed a cistern in the White House attic that distributed water through wooden pipes. The water then descended through the floors to service two water closets. During John Quincy Adams’ presidency, an iron garden pump with “nine spout holes” was attached to a well at the nearby Treasury Building and provided water to the White House Grounds. In 1833, President Andrew Jackson had installed iron pipes in the Ground Floor Corridor and a bathing room in the East Wing. By 1853, records indicate that the Second Floor of the White House had central plumbing, including hot and cold water taps. By 1876, a 2,000-gallon tank was installed in the attic to supply water throughout the White House.
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