Main Content
The White House has had two different pools since the 1930s. The indoor swimming pool 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 and often swam at therapy pools at his Hyde Park home in New York or at a rehabilitation center in Warm Springs, Georgia.
The rectangular pool, encircled by arched ceilings and high rows of half-mooned windows, was built inside the west terrace between the White House and the West Wing.
President Richard M. Nixon arranged for the construction of a press briefing room above the old pool to accommodate the growing demand for television news. Since April 1970 the White House press corps has assembled in a small theater to listen to the White House press secretary's briefings and reports. The doors opening to the Rose Garden allow the members of the media quick access to outdoor events.
President Gerald R. Ford, an avid swimmer, installed an outdoor pool on the White House grounds in 1975.
FDR's swimming pool was completed in 1933. The pool has been covered but remains beneath the floor of the press center.
National Archives
Show Me More
You Might Also Like
Video White House Historical Association Celebrates Obama Official White House Portraits
To celebrate the presentation of the official White House portraits of President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, the...
Event History Happy Hour: The History of Lafayette Square
Just north of the White House sits a seven-acre park named after a French revolutionary general, the Marquis de Lafayette – bu...
Content Specialist
The White House Historical Association Marketing, Communications, and Digital department is currently seeking a full-time Content Specialist. The ideal candidate...
Event Designing Camelot: Jacqueline Kennedy and the Restoration and Redefinition of America's White House
Coinciding with the White House Historical Association's recent publication of Designing Camelot: The Kennedy White House Restoration and Its Legacy,...
Video Unveiling of the Official White House Portraits of the Obamas
At a White House ceremony on September 7, 2022, the official White House portraits of former President Barack Obama and former First...
Press New Issue of White House History Quarterly, “The First Ladies: Fifty Years of Fashion and Style, 1960–2010” Available for Pre-Order Today
The White House Historical Association today released the 66th issue of its award-winning magazine, White House History Quarterly. Style makes...
Video Watergate and the White House
The summer of 2022 marked the 50th anniversary of the break-in of the Democratic National Committee offices at the Watergate Complex...
Press Official White House Portraits of President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama Presented
The White House Historical Association today presented the official portraits of former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle...
Event History Happy Hour: A Discussion on Presidential Portraiture
Presidential portraits not only provide a visual representation of the sitting president, but also historical clues and insights of the...
Podcast Obama White House Portraits: The Artists
The White House Historical Association commissions official portraits of the president and first lady. As is the custom, President Barack...
Prospect Management and Research Specialist
The Prospect Management and Research Specialist will assess the philanthropic potential of prospects and donors for the WHHA. They will...
Press Iconic Moments Partners with White House Historical Association to Produce NFT Art for Proof Collective's Grails II Release
Iconic Moments has partnered with The White House Historical Association (WHHA) to produce a limited edition NFT (non-fungible token) as...