Where does the US Vice President live? The Harris and Emhoff family's new home
The second family's home is much more private than the White House. Picture: Mark Wilson/Getty Images
The address Number One Observatory Circle might not ring a bell as quickly as 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, but it’s sure to become one of Washington DC’s most noteworthy properties as soon as its new residents move in.
Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband Doug Emhoff are yet to move in to the 128-year-old property that usually houses the vice president, but they are set to relocate once the current repairs are finished. Until then, it's assumed that they will remain at their current apartment in DC.
One Observatory Circle is located on the private United States Naval Observatory plot, about three kilometres from the White House — meaning you can’t drive past and take a nose.
We do know that the three-story white brick house was built in 1893, however, and it has a library, several sitting rooms, about five bedrooms, and it occupies 12 acres of land.
The extensive verandas are a part of its Queen Anne style of architecture, a design that usually includes a lot of asymmetries.
It was designated as the vice-presidential home in 1974 and the first vice president to move in three years later was Walter Mondale, who was elected with President Jimmy Carter.
Before that, the home was used by the Navy and the second-in-command lived at their own home, which proved too costly to secure.
The destination of One Observatory Circle for second families was meant to be temporary, but another residence is yet to be built. It’s still known as the vice president's “official temporary residence” and the cost of redecorations and upgrades is fundraised by a special foundation.
Notable changes that previous vice presidents have made include a running track installed by George H.W. Bush, the refurbishment of the putting green, and the building of a pool and gym by Dan Quayle, and the Pence’s beehives. It’s also widely rumoured that Dick Cheney had an underground bunker designed on the property following the September 11 attacks.
.@Secondlady & I were honored to welcome military families to the Naval Observatory to celebrate an early Thanksgiving. Thank you to all who are currently serving & who have served! pic.twitter.com/siVdUKrw3o
— Vice President Mike Pence Archived (@VP45) November 17, 2017
While President Biden was vice president, his family created a special garden on the grounds dedicated to all of the second families that lived there previously. The proud husband also dedicated a plaque on a certain tree in the yard reading “Joe Loves Jill, Valentine’s Day 2010”; and his grandchildren were big fans of the swimming pool.
Moving in to the 19th century home will be a change for Harris and Emhoff, who previously lived in a 3,500-square-foot house in Brentwood, L.A., worth more than $5 million.
While not much more is known about their new home and the plans for it, it’s sure to be big enough to host the couple's family whenever they come to visit.
Vice President Kamala Harris has many titles, but to her two stepchildren, she is simply "Momala".
Cole (26) and Ella (21) Emhoff gave the endearing nickname to their father’s second wife long before she entered the White House.
Doug Emhoff introduced Harris to his children when they were in high school and the family bonded immediately.
Emhoff and Harris married in 2015 and Harris is “dear friends” with Cole and Ella’s mother, Hollywood producer, Kerstin Emhoff, who volunteered on the campaign trail and attended the inauguration this week.
"They are brilliant, talented, funny kids who have grown to be remarkable adults," Harris wrote last year for an essay featured in magazine. "I was already hooked on Doug, but I believe it was Cole and Ella who reeled me in."
Harris’ husband Doug is the first-ever Second Gentleman in US history. Prior to his wife becoming vice president, however, he was a prominent entertainment lawyer in California for more than 30 years.
Before moving to the Golden State with his family as a teenager, the attorney and proud father spent his childhood in New Jersey. He completed his undergraduate degree in California State University, Northridge, and went to law school at the University of Southern California.
He left the firm he was a partner at when his wife was elected as Vice President-elect in November and will soon start teaching law at Georgetown University.
Emhoff married his first wife in 1992 but the couple split 16 years later. He met his current wife on a blind date set up by a friend in 2013. Not long later, he and Harris were married in a Santa Barbara ceremony officiated by Harris’ sister Maya.
Both of his children call him Doug instead of Dad — a term of “endearment” according to his son. He is also extremely close to his brother and sister.
Cole was named after the musician John Coltrane. The 26-year-old is a Colorado College graduate — often mocked by his sister for his Birkenstocks — and works in the entertainment industry like his mother. He and his girlfriend live together in L.A.
”I remember I saw a tweet that someone did,” Cole told in an interview about his stepmother. “It was a photo of Kamala at the Kavanaugh hearing, and someone tweeted, like, ‘I’d hate to have to look at that face and explain why I’m late for curfew'. And I was thinking, ‘I’ve literally had to do that'.”
Ella, whose inauguration outfit quickly caught the attention of the world, is a fashion student at Parsons School of Design in New York City. She specialises in textiles and her knitwear designs are already taking the internet by storm.
Ella is extremely close to her family, often popping up on her brother’s Instagram page. She posts her colourful creations on her own Instagram account, which has nearly 200,000 followers. She’s previously joked that she’s happy that her father and stepmother don’t see her Instagram account, after her mother found out about her tattoos through the platform.
Kamala Harris is extremely close to her younger sister Maya, who acted as her campaign chairwoman when she ran for the presidency. Maya is also a lawyer and is a Stanford graduate. She was previously a senior advisor for Hillary Clinton.
The 53-year-old has made it clear that she won’t be a part of her older sister’s administration, as she wants to avoid nepotism, but she will no doubt remain a close confidante.
Many have commented on the differences in Maya and Kamala Harris’ careers. The younger Harris has worked extensively in the area of criminal justice reform, where prosecutors (her sister’s former role) are often seen as the bad guys. The two are extremely close, however, having been raised together by their mother Shyamala.
Maya Harris gave birth to her daughter Meena at just 17-years-old and later married a law school peer, Tony West, who is the chief legal officer at Uber.
Meena Harris has been vocal in supporting her beloved aunt in the media since the campaign began. The 36-year-old is a successful civil rights activist, Harvard Law graduate, and recently founded a female-focused clothing line favoured by celebrities such as Serena Williams and Lizzo. She is married to entrepreneur Nikolas Ajagu, who currently works at Facebook.
Their two adorable daughters, Amala (4) and Leela (2) are the toddlers the world has been doting over whenever they appear on stage with their great aunt.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
