Imagine living just two and a half miles from the White House. That’s Number One Observatory Circle. It is the official residence of the Vice President of the United States.
Originally, Number One Observatory Circle was not intended for the Vice President. Built in 1893, it was designed by architect Leon E. Dessez. The house was built for the superintendent of the Naval Observatory. It cost about $20,000.
In 1923, the Chief of Naval Operations liked the house so much he took it over. It remained the CNO’s residence until 1974. Congress then designated it as the Vice President’s official temporary residence. The decision was driven by the increasing costs of securing private homes for each new Vice President.
Though designated in 1974, it took a while for a VP to move in full-time. Gerald Ford became president before he could use it. Nelson Rockefeller already had a secure residence. He primarily used Number One Observatory Circle for official entertaining. Walter Mondale was the first VP to actually live there. Every Vice President since Mondale has called it home.
Number One Observatory Circle is a Queen Anne-style home. This style includes asymmetrical floor plans and round turret rooms. Broad verandas wrap around the ground floor. These features are all found here.
The house has 33 rooms and 9000 square feet of space. The first floor includes a dining room and living room. It also features a garden room and reception hall. The second floor contains the main bedroom suite and a study. The attic has four bedrooms. The main kitchen is in the basement.
Over the years, each vice-presidential family has redecorated Number One Observatory Circle. George H.W. Bush added a horseshoe pit and a quarter-mile track. Dan Quayle installed a pool, hot tub, and pool house. Joe Biden added a tree swing for his wife Jill. Mike Pence kept bees on the grounds.
Not all changes have been universally loved. Nelson Rockefeller brought in a surrealist bed designed by Max Ernst. It was called the “cage” bed. The Bushes and Quayles both turned it down.
In 2002, neighbors reported loud blasts. It was speculated that a bunker was being built. Joe Biden reportedly revealed the existence of an underground “9/11” bunker in 2009. His press secretary later clarified it was an upstairs workspace.
Unlike the White House, Number One Observatory Circle does not offer public tours. The 73-acre property is bordered by a dense forest. It is shielded from the noise of Massachusetts Avenue.
From its humble beginnings as the Superintendent’s House to its current role as the Vice President’s residence, Number One Observatory Circle has witnessed history. It continues to be a place where American leaders live.