Mystery unravelled: White House fence intrigues X users, but history has answers

The top trend among the American users of X (formerly Twitter) at the moment reads "Barricades Erected at White House and Treasury". The curated news on the medium is elaborated with the following passage:

"Construction crews in Washington, D.C. were observed setting up large anti-scale barricades around the White House and the Treasury during the night. The installation of these barriers has sparked speculation about potential major announcements or events. No official statements have been released regarding the purpose of these measures, leaving the public and media to conjecture."

Hundreds of users are commenting on it, speculating with wild guesses about the reason for this hectic construction activity. However, the history of fences around the White House suggests such constructions did not always precede or succeed a significant event or incident. It was often a routine necessity.

According to the White House Historical Association, "From its start as a wooden post and rail fence in 1801, the fence around the White House has evolved with the changing landscape of Washington and the security needs of the First Family." The association's records tell the following story.

Timeline of White House fence: Security and history in focus

1801

From its inception as a wooden post and rail fence in 1801, the enclosure surrounding the White House has transformed alongside the evolving landscape of Washington and the security requirements of the First Family.

President Thomas Jefferson commissioned the building of a wooden post and rail fence encircling the White House.

1808

By 1808, he had replaced this fence with a stone wall that enclosed the White House Grounds. At the southern end of the grounds, a ha-ha wall (a sunken wall that acts as a vertical barrier while allowing an unobstructed view of the landscape) was constructed to deter livestock from grazing in the garden.

President Jefferson envisioned the South Grounds as a secluded garden featuring serpentine pathways and a lawn that extended down to Tiber Creek (which flows beneath present-day Constitution Avenue), bordered by a flower bed. The North Grounds were intended to be formal, symmetrical, and accessible to the public.

1818-'19

A new semicircular driveway, characterised by eight stone piers, an iron fence, and gates, was established across the North Front of the White House.

1833

A lengthy and robust wrought iron fence was erected along Pennsylvania Avenue on the northern side of the White House. Jefferson’s stone wall was truncated along this stretch and served as the base for the new fence. This construction was incorporated into the existing semicircular fencing, which had been done in 1818-'19.

1866, '72

East (1866) and West (1872) Executive Avenues were constructed on either side of the White House to function as public thoroughfares.

1873

In 1873, President Ulysses S Grant extended the grounds to the south and surrounded them with iron fencing. He initiated a policy of closing the grounds at sunset; however, subsequent presidents established their own policies upon assuming residency at the White House.

1893

In 1893, Grover Cleveland closed the South Grounds after strangers attempted to take photographs with his youngest daughter, Esther.

1901

Theodore Roosevelt briefly reopened the South Grounds in 1901, but visitors continued to overstep boundaries by trying to photograph and meet the Roosevelt family, which compelled the president to close the South Grounds once more.

1913

In 1913, William Howard Taft limited access to the North Grounds, allowing the public entry only on designated days and at specific times.

1917, '21

In 1917, President Woodrow Wilson closed the White House Grounds in response to America's involvement in World War I. The grounds were reopened by President Warren G Harding in 1921.

1923, '29

Between 1923 and 1929, President Calvin Coolidge permanently closed both the South and North Grounds for security reasons, following the advice of the United States Secret Service. Nevertheless, pedestrians continued to stroll outside the fencing that enclosed the White House Grounds.

1935

In 1935, Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr, presented his report on the White House Grounds to President Franklin Roosevelt. This plan served as a foundation for enhancements and work carried out by the National Park Service and reinforced the policy of limiting public access to the grounds.

1937-'38

From 1937 to 1938, the perimeter fencing along East, West, and South Executive Avenues was taken down and replaced with a new fence designed to match that along Pennsylvania Avenue.

December 7, 1941

Following the bombing of Pearl Harbour in 1941 and the commencement of World War II, the grounds, along with East and West Executive Avenues, were restricted to individuals with appointments and were secured at their boundaries by newly established gatehouses.

The driveway was cleared of visitors, and the tradition of leaving calling cards at the North Door was abolished.

1942-45

During the United States' participation in World War II, both avenues were closed as a significant security precaution. West Executive Avenue, which lies between the White House and the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, was converted into a staff parking area and has not reopened since the war.

March 1965-September 1967

As part of a renovation project costing $272,000, the north perimeter fence along Pennsylvania Avenue was set into a new foundation during the administration of Lyndon Johnson.

1976

The wrought-iron gates from 1818-1819 on Pennsylvania Avenue were replaced with reinforced steel gates designed to endure automobile collisions.

November 1983

In reaction to the tragic attack on the U.S. Marine barracks in Beirut, Lebanon, three-foot-high concrete barricades, commonly referred to as jersey barriers, were installed at the northwest and southwest entrances to the White House Grounds. Comparable barricades were also erected outside the State Department and the Pentagon.

1984, '86

East Executive Avenue, which runs between the White House and the Treasury Department, was closed to vehicular traffic in 1984 and subsequently transformed into a service road and park in 1986.

March 1988

Robust 38-inch high concrete bollards, connected by chains, were positioned four feet apart along the Pennsylvania Avenue sidewalk in front of the White House fence, situated between East and West Executive Avenues.

May 20, 1995

President Bill Clinton enacted a closure of Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the White House to all vehicular traffic, a security measure in response to the Oklahoma City bombing.

September 11, 2001

In the aftermath of the terrorist attacks on September 11, new protective measures were implemented outside the White House Grounds. Jersey barriers were installed around the entrances, and Pennsylvania Avenue was subsequently closed to pedestrian traffic.

November 2004

Pennsylvania Avenue was reopened as a pedestrian-friendly civic area where individuals could walk and cycle between Lafayette Park and the White House fence. Jersey barriers were removed, and retractable bollards were installed at both the east and west ends of Pennsylvania Avenue.

July 2015

A detachable anti-climb mechanism featuring sharp metal spikes was added to the upper section of the White House fence to discourage any efforts by individuals to scale the fence.

July 2016

The Commission of Fine Arts sanctioned designs for a new White House fence put forward by the National Park Service and the United States Secret Service. The suggested fence will be higher, more robust, and fitted with anti-climb and intrusion detection systems.