South Portico

The President's Back Door Added around 1830, the South Portico was added to the White House, in keeping with the Federal Style and the original designs for the building. Rest Rooms The ground floor of the south portico (under the state floor porch) includes storage rooms and rest rooms. These are accessible from the outside of the building for guests on the south lawn.

More Images

The South Portico in 2007 (White House - Paul Morse)

The door under the staircase in 2008 (KRSPO)

A sitting area west of the stairs, around 2000

The South Portico porch, circa 2000

The South Portico porch, circa 1999

The Clintons prepare for a visiting dignitary at the South Portico porch, circa 1998

The South Portico porch in 1992 (HABS)

The South Portico porch in 1987 (Dept of Defense)

The bride, Tricia, and her father at the Nixon-Cox wedding in 1971

The wedding party of Luci (Johnson) Nugent and Patrick Nugent in 1966 (Library of Congress)

JFK outside the South Portico, circa 1962 (Kennedy Library)

The South Portico during the Eisenhower era (Life)

The South Portico during rebuilding in 1950, without the staircases (Truman Library)

The South Portico porch in 1948 (Truman Library)

President Franklin Roosevelt delivers his fourth inaural address from the South Portico porch in 1945
under the awnings commonly used at the time before the addition of the Truman Balcony (Library of Congress)

The South Portico in 1939 (Library of Congress - Harris & Ewing)

The South Portico, circa 1930, as the outdoors-loving Hoovers made it (NARA)

President Calvin Coolidge with his family on the South Portico in 1924;
behind the president is Calvin, Jr., who died soon after of blood poisoning at the age of sixteen (Library of Congress)

The White House housekeeper insisted on maintaining a carriage for shopping into the early 1920s

President Coolidge poses with bankers outside the South Portico in 1923;
note the privacy screen structure at right (Library of Congress)

President Warren Harding escorts Professor Marie Curie down from the South Portico, circa 1922 (Library of Congress)

Quentin Roosevelt astride the mighty Algonquin, circa 1902;
note the conservatories still on the west side (Library of Congress)

Sioux, Pawnee, Potawatomi, and Sac & Fox Indians visit the White House in 1858 (Library of Congress)

President James Polk and family (with future president James Buchanan, far left) on the South Portico, circa 1849;
the woman to the president's left (head blurred) is former First Lady Dolley Madison (George Eastman House)