John Adams was the first U.S. president to live in the White House. He moved into the newly built executive mansion on November 1, 1800, near the end of his presidency.
The building was then commonly called the President's House. Irish-born architect James Hoban designed it, and construction took place between 1792 and 1800. Adams's wife, Abigail, joined him there, making their family the first presidential household to reside in the building.
Washington, D.C., had replaced Philadelphia as the national capital in 1800. Adams had previously lived in Philadelphia, which served as the capital from 1790 to 1800. Thomas Jefferson became the first president to occupy the White House for a full term after Adams left office in March 1801.
A common mix-up is assuming George Washington lived there because the building is sometimes associated with him. Washington selected the building's site and oversaw early planning, but he left office before construction was complete and never lived in it.