The official temporary residence of the Vice President of the United States

Number One Observatory Circle was built in 1893 for the superintendent of the Naval Observatory. The house, designed by architect Leon E. Dessez, served the observatory's leadership until 1923, when the chief of naval operations took over the residence. For the next 45 years, it was known as Admiral's House and served as the home of several admirals, including Richard Leigh, Chester Nimitz, and Elmo Zumwalt.

In the 1960s, the government considered constructing a new three-story vice presidential residence at the Naval Observatory. However, President Lyndon B. Johnson suspended construction due to the economy, and the project was never restarted. Instead, an investigation showed it would be cheaper to establish a residence at the existing Admiral's House. In 1974, Congress passed a law authorizing its transformation into the official temporary residence for the Vice President of the United States.

While Gerald Ford became president before he could use the house, his vice president Nelson Rockefeller used it for official entertainment. Walter Mondale became the first vice president to move into the house full-time, and every vice president since has lived there. By law, the house remains the official temporary residence of the vice president of the United States.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons