Skip to content

Top Navigation

PEOPLE.com PEOPLE.com
    • All News
    • Coronavirus
    • Crime
    • Human Interest
    • Politics
    • Heroes
    • Stories to Make You Smile
    • All Entertainment
    • Celebrity
    • TV
    • Movies
    • Music
    • Country
    • Awards
    • Sports
    • Theater
    • Books
  • Royals
    • All Lifestyle
    • Style
    • Fashion
    • Beauty
    • Health
    • Parents
    • Home
    • Pets
    • Food
    • Tech
    • Travel
  • PeopleTV
    • All Shopping
    • People Tested
    • All Podcasts
    • Me Becoming Mom
    • People Every Day
    • PEOPLE in the '90s

Profile Menu

Join Now

Account

  • Join Now
  • My Profile
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • Premium
My Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • My Profile
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • Premium
Login
Subscribe

Explore PEOPLE.com

PEOPLE.com PEOPLE.com
  • Explore

    Explore

    • Rita Moreno Says She Dated Elvis as Revenge Against Cheating Ex Marlon Brando: 'It Was Wonderful'

      Rita Moreno Says She Dated Elvis as Revenge Against Cheating Ex Marlon Brando: 'It Was Wonderful'

      Rita Moreno revealed she dated Elvis Presley to get back at her ex-boyfriend Marlon Brando for cheating on her Read More
    • Machine Gun Kelly Poses with Daughter Casie at the 2021 American Music Awards

      Machine Gun Kelly Poses with Daughter Casie at the 2021 American Music Awards

      The American Music Awards, hosted by Cardi B, are broadcasting live from Los Angeles on Sunday Read More
    • Jennifer Lopez Sings from the Heart in New 'On My Way' Music Video

      Jennifer Lopez Sings from the Heart in New 'On My Way' Music Video

      Jennifer Lopez released the official music video for her song "On My Way," which is featured in her upcoming rom-com Marry Me Read More
  • News

    News

    See All News
    Stars Who Opened Up About Their Sexuality and Gender Identity in 2021

    Stars Who Opened Up About Their Sexuality and Gender Identity in 2021

    • Coronavirus
    • Crime
    • Human Interest
    • Politics
    • Heroes
    • Stories to Make You Smile
  • Entertainment

    Entertainment

    See All Entertainment
    The Best (& Worst) Jeopardy! Celebrity Guest Host Show Moments

    The Best (& Worst) Jeopardy! Celebrity Guest Host Show Moments

    • Celebrity
    • TV
    • Movies
    • Music
    • Country
    • Awards
    • Sports
    • Theater
    • Books
  • Royals
  • Lifestyle

    Lifestyle

    See All Lifestyle
    Billie Eilish Ditches Her Blonde Hair for Brunette Tresses: 'Miss Me?'

    Billie Eilish Ditches Her Blonde Hair for Brunette Tresses: 'Miss Me?'

    The singer revealed that she dyed her hair dark brown after debuting her blonde look earlier this year
    • Style
    • Fashion
    • Beauty
    • Health
    • Parents
    • Home
    • Pets
    • Food
    • Tech
    • Travel
  • PeopleTV
  • Shopping

    Shopping

    See All Shopping
    • People Tested
  • Podcasts

    Podcasts

    See All Podcasts
    Sen. Tammy Duckworth Calls Going Back to Work After Having a Miscarriage 'Inhumane'

    Sen. Tammy Duckworth Calls Going Back to Work After Having a Miscarriage 'Inhumane'

    "Even though we cleared my calendar for the day, I was still on the phone. There was no resting, you just kept on going," Tammy Duckworth says on an episode of PEOPLE's podcast Me Becoming Mom
    • Me Becoming Mom
    • People Every Day
    • PEOPLE in the '90s

Profile Menu

Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
Join Now

Account

  • Join Now
  • My Profile
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • Premium
My Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • My Profile
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription
  • Premium
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

  1. People.com
  2. Home
  3. All About the Vice President's Rarely-Seen Residence, One Observatory Circle

All About the Vice President's Rarely-Seen Residence, One Observatory Circle

See inside — and learn the history behind — one of America's most elusive properties: the vice president's residence, soon to be home to Vice President Kamala HarrisĀ 

By Hannah Chubb January 21, 2021 05:42 PM
Skip gallery slides
FB Tweet

1 of 19

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message

Number One Observatory Circle

Washington, DC: Mansion on the grounds of the Naval Observatory
Credit: Getty Images

When Vice President Kamala Harris and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff move into Number One Observatory Circle in Washington, D.C., they will be the eighth vice-presidential family in American history to do so.

The official residence of the veep — often referred to as the Superintendent's House, the Admiral's House, or simply VPR (vice president's residence) — the property has been home to every vice president since Walter Mondale (who served under Jimmy Carter) in 1977.

1 of 19

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 19

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message

The Grounds

UNITED STATES NAVAL OBSERVATORY, WASHINGTON D.C
Credit: DigitalGlobe via Getty Images

Built in 1893, the home is located on 12 of the 72 acres of land that comprise the U.S. Naval Observatory, a government agency where scientists work on providing astronomy-related insights for the U.S. Navy and Department of Defense. It's located approximately two-and-a-half miles north of the White House, the President's official residence.Ā 

Before it housed American vice presidents, Number One Observatory Circle first served as a home for U.S. Naval Observatory superintendents. Twelve superintendents lived in the home, then, according to the White House, "the house was so lovely that in 1923, the chief of naval operations kicked out the superintendent so he could move in himself."Ā 

2 of 19

3 of 19

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message

The Architect

Vice President Residence
Credit: Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP/Shutterstock

The 33-room Victorian-style property was built by Washington resident and architect Leon E. Dessez, who had a hand in creating plans for the Washington Monument before he passed away in 1918.

Utilizing a Queen Anne-style architectural design, which was popular at the time, Dessez imbued the home with a sense of grandeur by giving it an expansive reception hall, classic columns, a wraparound porch, elegant turrets and more.

3 of 19

Advertisement
Continued on next slide.
Advertisement

4 of 19

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message

The Design

Interiors of the Vice President's newly remodeled residence in Washington, DC
Credit: Stacy Zarin Goldberg for The Washington Post via Getty Images

According toĀ author Charles Denyer, who has written one of the most detailed books on the property, titled Number One Observatory Circle, the three-story house cost approximately $20,000 to build.

It measures approximately 9,150 square feet of living space. The second floor is where the main suite, office and den are located, while the other bedrooms — typically used for guests and family members — can be found on the third floor.

4 of 19

Advertisement

5 of 19

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message

The History

Interiors of the Vice President's newly remodeled residence in Washington, DC
Credit: Stacy Zarin Goldberg for The Washington Post via Getty Images

Prior to 1974, vice presidents lived in their own homes, and those who did not own properties in or around Washington were put up in hotels, according to the New York Times.Ā 

"The cost of securing these private residences grew substantially over the years," according to the White House. This cost — plus the challenges the Secret Service faced by having to learn how to properly secure all the different locations — led Congress to come up with a more permanent solution.Ā 

5 of 19

6 of 19

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message

The First Second Family

Jimmy Carter and Rosalynn Carter with Walter Mondale and Joan Mondale for dinner at the Vice-President's residence
Credit: National Archives Catalog/Jimmy Carter Library

Walter and Joan Mondale, the home's first VP and Second Lady, are pictured here hosting President Jimmy and First Lady Rosalynn Carter for dinner in January 1977.

Congress actually first designated Number One Observatory Circle as the vice president's residence in 1974, but no one moved in for three years. According to the White House, this is because "Vice President Gerald Ford acceded to the Presidency before he could use the home, and his Vice President, Nelson Rockefeller, only used it for entertaining."Ā 

6 of 19

Advertisement
Advertisement
Continued on next slide.
Advertisement

7 of 19

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message

The Residents

Interiors of the Vice President's newly remodeled residence in Washington, DC
Credit: Stacy Zarin Goldberg for The Washington Post via Getty Images

In addition to Mondale, George H.W. Bush, Dan Quayle, Al Gore, Dick Cheney, Joe Biden and Mike Pence have all called Number One Observatory Circle their home during their vice presidency — each bringing their own unique changes and additions to the residence.Ā 

7 of 19

Advertisement
Advertisement

8 of 19

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message

The Inside

Interiors of the Vice President's newly remodeled residence in Washington, DC
Credit: Stacy Zarin Goldberg for The Washington Post via Getty Images

Though tours of the home are not available to the public, photographers and reporters are let in from time to time, allowing glimpses at the ways the property has changed through the years.Ā 

8 of 19

Advertisement

9 of 19

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message

George H.W. Bush's Additions

Vice President George H.W. Bush answers a phone call in the Vice President's Residence circa 1983
Credit: David Hume Kennerly/Getty Images

George H.W. Bush, who served as Vice President from 1981 to 1989 and then as President from 1989 to 1993, added a few outdoor features to Number One Observatory Circle, including a horseshoe pit and a quarter-mile-long running track.Ā 

According to the Washington Post, the Bush family entertained frequently during their time in the home, hosting more than 900 parties.Ā 

9 of 19

Advertisement
Advertisement
Continued on next slide.
Advertisement

10 of 19

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message

Dan Quayle's Additions

vp residence

Vice President Dan Quayle, who served from 1989 to 1993 and is seen here hosting Prince Charles in February 1989, had to delay his move into the home for a month so that extensive renovations could take place.

Like Bush, Quayle also added a few features that have kept the home's residents happy and healthy: an exercise room on the top floor, and a pool out back.Ā 

10 of 19

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

11 of 19

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message

The Pool

The Quayle family had the pool installed when they lived at the Vice President's residence
Credit: Katherine Frey/The Washington Post via Getty Images

In 2010, now-President Biden told reporters that Quayle was his "favorite vice president" because he put in the pool, noting, "my granddaughters love it."Ā 

Pence and his wife, Karen, used it to hold yearly pool parties for military families.Ā 

11 of 19

Advertisement
Advertisement

12 of 19

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message

The Gore Era

US Vice President Al Gore celebrates scoring a touchdown
Credit: JOYCE NALTCHAYAN/AFP via Getty Images

Al Gore and his wife Tipper resided in the home while Al served under President Bill Clinton from 1993 to 2001.
Along with their four kids, the couple were known to take full advantage of the property's many acres of green space, playing frisbee, catch and football (Al is seen here after scoring a touchdown during a game in November 2000).

According toĀ government records, Tipper began a collection of new and antique Christmas ornaments to be used by the home's residents for years to come.

12 of 19

Advertisement
Advertisement
Continued on next slide.
Advertisement

13 of 19

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message

The Cheney Era

Vice President Dick Cheney bids farewell to Vice President-elect Joe Biden
Credit: Shutterstock

Dick Cheney — seen here welcoming his soon-to-be successor Joe Biden into the home in November 2008 — and his wife Lynne lived in the house from 2001 to 2009, while Dick served under President George W. Bush.

The pair enlisted the help of interior designer Frank Babb Randolph to freshen up the home, changing the color scheme to include creams and greens.

In an essay forĀ Architectural DigestĀ in December 2001, Lynne wrote, "One of the great pleasures of living in the vice president's house is being able to borrow art to display in it," sharing that they held several dinner parties to celebrate the artists they featured.

13 of 19

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

14 of 19

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message

The Biden Era

Joe Biden, Jill Biden Vice President Joe Biden and Dr. Jill Biden host a barbeque for wounded service members
Credit: Charles Dharapak/AP/Shutterstock

Joe and Jill Biden, whose tenure lasted from 2009 to 2017, are seen here hosting a barbeque for wounded service members in May 2010.

The Bidens welcomed many guests and even made it a tradition to host Ireland's Prime Minister Enda Kenny on St. Patrick's Day for all eight yearsĀ they were in the home.

14 of 19

Advertisement
Advertisement

15 of 19

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message

Joe and Jill Biden's Additions

Dr. Jill Biden helped create the Family Heritage Garden
Credit: Katherine Frey/The Washington Post via Getty Images

In 2012, Joe and Jill Biden created the Family Heritage Garden of the Vice President, located just off the front lawn. Stone pavers surrounding a fountain commemorate all of the vice-presidential family members (including kids and pets!) that have ever called Number One Observatory Circle home.

Jill told the Washington Post in 2017 that the idea was inspired by the White House Children's Garden.

15 of 19

Advertisement
Advertisement
Continued on next slide.
Advertisement

16 of 19

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message

Joe's Love Note

a commemorative plaque on a tree on the grounds of the Vice President's residence
Credit: Katherine Frey/The Washington Post via Getty Images

In 2010, Joe surprised Jill with a sweet Valentine's Day present: a commemorative plaque reading "Joe Loves Jill" affixed to a tall tree in the backyard, which still hangs there today.Ā 

16 of 19

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

17 of 19

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message

The Pence Era

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence (C), his wife Karen Pence, their daughters Audrey (2nd L) and Charlotte (2nd R) and their son Michael and his wife Sarah pose for photographs on the front porch of the vice presidential residence
Credit: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Vice President Mike Pence and his family lived on the property while he served under President Donald Trump from 2017 to 2021.

Here, they're pictured on the front porch of the home on Inauguration Day in 2017.Ā 

17 of 19

Advertisement
Advertisement

18 of 19

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message

Mike and Karen Pence's Additions

Interiors of the Vice President's newly remodeled residence in Washington, DC
Credit: Stacy Zarin Goldberg for The Washington Post via Getty Images

In addition to hanging some of Karen's watercolors (she's an artist by trade), the Pences also added a few more prominent features to the historic property.Ā 

According to the Washington Post, the family added a beehive in 2017. A nod to their home state of Indiana, they also put a "Hoosiers" logo on the basketball court — making sure it was removable for the next resident.Ā 

18 of 19

Advertisement
Advertisement
Continued on next slide.
Advertisement

19 of 19

FB Tweet
Pinterest Email Send Text Message

New Digs!

U.S. Vice President-elect Kamala Harris and husband Doug Emhoff arrive to the inauguration of U.S. President-elect Joe Biden on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol on January 20, 2021 in Washington, DC
Credit: Drew Angerer/Getty

Officially sworn in on January 20, 2021, Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband Doug Emhoff will be Number One Observatory Circle's next residents — and there's certainly plenty of room for their blended family. They're sure to put their own special touches on the home!Ā 

19 of 19

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

By Hannah Chubb

    Share the Gallery

    Pinterest Facebook
    Trending Videos
    Advertisement
    Skip slide summaries

    Everything in This Slideshow

    Advertisement

    View All

    1 of 19 Number One Observatory Circle
    2 of 19 The Grounds
    3 of 19 The Architect
    4 of 19 The Design
    5 of 19 The History
    6 of 19 The First Second Family
    7 of 19 The Residents
    8 of 19 The Inside
    9 of 19 George H.W. Bush's Additions
    10 of 19 Dan Quayle's Additions
    11 of 19 The Pool
    12 of 19 The Gore Era
    13 of 19 The Cheney Era
    14 of 19 The Biden Era
    15 of 19 Joe and Jill Biden's Additions
    16 of 19 Joe's Love Note
    17 of 19 The Pence Era
    18 of 19 Mike and Karen Pence's Additions
    19 of 19 New Digs!

    Share & More

    Pinterest Email Send Text Message
    PEOPLE.com

    Magazines & More

    Learn More

    • Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
    • Advertise this link opens in a new tab
    • Content Licensing
    • Accolades this link opens in a new tab

    Connect

    Follow Us
    Subscribe to Our Newsletter
    Meredith© Copyright 2022 Meredith Corporationthis link opens in a new tab. People is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporation All Rights Reserved. People may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab Manage Push Notificationsthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab

    Manage Push Notifications

    If you would like to opt out of browser push notifications, please refer to the following instructions specific to your device and browser: Google Chrome and Android, Firefox, Safari, or Microsoft Edge.
    © Copyright PEOPLE.com. All rights reserved. Printed from https://people.com

    Sign in

    View image

    All About the Vice President's Rarely-Seen Residence, One Observatory Circle
    this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.