The Vice President of the United States resides at Number One Observatory Circle, a Queen Anne-style house within the United States Naval Observatory. It is not open to the public but is occasionally used to entertain US guests. The house was built in 1893 and was originally intended for the Superintendent of the Naval Observatory. In 1974, the US Congress designated it as the official residence of the Vice President. Each Vice President redecorates the residence, and taxpayer funds are used for maintenance. It is rumored to have a secure bunker for the Vice President and family in case of a disaster or terrorist attack.
The official residence of the Vice President of the United States is at Number One Observatory Circle, within the United States Naval Observatory. Unlike the White House, it is not open to the public, although it is occasionally used to entertain US guests. Photographs of the interior of the Number One Observatory Club also sometimes appear in photographs of chance meetings hosted by the Vice President.
This house was built in 1893, and was originally intended to house the Superintendent of the Naval Observatory. It is built in the Queen Anne style, with a distinctive turret, gabled roof, large wrap around porches and a large entrance hall. Originally, the residence was clad in terracotta-colored brick, but has since been painted white with green trim, giving it a more colonial feel.
In 1923, the Chief of Naval Operations took over the house. 51 years later, the US Congress decided to officially designate the home as the Vice President’s residence, providing funds to renovate and update it, although historic preservation was unfortunately not an issue at the time. This decision was made to address concerns about the expense of finding appropriate housing in Washington, DC, where the housing market is often tight; recognizing the valuable service of the Vice-President, Congress thought it would be reasonable to provide a residence for the holder of this office. The first vice president to live in the official vice president’s residence was Walter Mondale.
As with the private rooms in the White House, this residence is typically redecorated between administrations. Each vice president has brought furniture and personal items, and temporary loans are often arranged with museums so that original art and antiques can be displayed. While some voters may resent this, the argument is that since the Vice President’s residence is used to entertain US guests, it is entirely appropriate to ensure that it is furnished and decorated with high quality items.
Occasionally, the use of taxpayer funds to perform maintenance on the Vice President’s residence, such as replacing the air conditioning system, repainting or rewiring, is authorized by Congress. Allegedly, the house has also been equipped with a secure bunker for the use of the vice president and family in the event of a disaster or terrorist attack, although the White House has not confirmed this.
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