Was the White House Built by Slaves?

For over 200 years, the White House has served as the home of the president of the United States and a "living museum of American history," as it is often described by historians and the government. 

The iconic building on 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue has been burnt down, rebuilt, reassembled and renovated. It has housed every president since John Adams — and it's seen everything from bugs and rats to a 1,400 pound block of cheese. 

Given its central role in U.S. politics and history, legends about the White House have circulated for years. For example, Snopes has looked into whether past presidents have kept live alligators on the White House grounds and whether past residents haunt the building's walls.

In 2025, Trump also began constructing a $200 million "golden ballroom" at the White House, leading readers to ask if the ballroom's construction would continue during the government shutdown and whether an AI-generated rendering of the planned expansion was authentic. 

Read on for 18 rumors we've examined about the White House.