White House Gets Taller, Tougher Fence to Stop Intruders
2020-03-15
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1American President Donald Trump is finally getting his wall, but it is not along the southern border with Mexico.
2It is around the White House.
3The White House fence is being rebuilt under the direction of the U.S. Secret Service and the National Park Service.
4The move comes after several security problems over the years, including a 2014 incident in which a Texas man climbed the fence.
5He was able to enter the White House without being stopped.
6These days, a temporary white barrier interferes with tourists' view of the White House, as the building of the new fence continues.
7The first part of the new barrier is already up.
8At almost four meters tall, it is nearly two times the size of the former fence.
9It is also equipped with anti-climb technology.
10"Everything, all the pieces, had to be beefed up," says Thomas Luebke.
11He is secretary of the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, which advised the Secret Service and the Park Service on the design of the new fence.
12The new fence is much different from the very first White House fence.
13It was made of wood and put up by Thomas Jefferson in the early 1800s.
14A few years later, he replaced the wooden fence with a stone wall.
15By 1819, parts of the fence were made of iron.
16The early fences were designed to keep out animals, not people.
17Visitors often freely walked around the White House.
18"It was relatively easy to get inside and go upstairs to the second floor. That's where the president worked before the West Wing was built," says Matthew Costello.
19He is with the White House Historical Association.
20President Abraham Lincoln had a doorway cut between his office and his private living area so that he could avoid the crowds waiting outside his office door.
21Until the 1920s, presidents decided how open to keep the land around the White House.
22In the 1880s, President Grover Cleveland kept the White House completely open, until strangers tried to pick up his children.
23President Theodore Roosevelt decided to reopen the White House grounds in the early 1900s,
24but changed his mind when people kept walking over to the West Wing to see him.
25All the presidents up until John Tyler in the 1840s used their own employees to guard the White House.
26The U.S. Secret Service took control of security after three sitting presidents were killed between 1865 and 1901.
27"Between Abraham Lincoln's assassination, James Garfield's assassination, William McKinley's assassination, if you had been born in 1840, over the course of your lifetime, you would have witnessed three presidential assassinations," says Costello.
28During the presidency of Calvin Coolidge in the 1920s, the White House grounds were closed for good to wandering visitors.
29Since then, anyone who wants to visit the White House must have an appointment.
30For the new fence, the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts worked to help balance security improvements to the new fence while keeping the barrier pleasant to look at.
31"You actually have to start rethinking the pieces, what they're made of, how well they work together," says Luebke.
32The new fence is expected to be completed by 2021.
33I'm Susan Shand.
1American President Donald Trump is finally getting his wall, but it is not along the southern border with Mexico. It is around the White House. 2The White House fence is being rebuilt under the direction of the U.S. Secret Service and the National Park Service. The move comes after several security problems over the years, including a 2014 incident in which a Texas man climbed the fence. He was able to enter the White House without being stopped. 3These days, a temporary white barrier interferes with tourists' view of the White House, as the building of the new fence continues. 4The first part of the new barrier is already up. At almost four meters tall, it is nearly two times the size of the former fence. It is also equipped with anti-climb technology. 5"Everything, all the pieces, had to be beefed up," says Thomas Luebke. He is secretary of the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, which advised the Secret Service and the Park Service on the design of the new fence. 6The new fence is much different from the very first White House fence. It was made of wood and put up by Thomas Jefferson in the early 1800s. A few years later, he replaced the wooden fence with a stone wall. By 1819, parts of the fence were made of iron. 7The early fences were designed to keep out animals, not people. Visitors often freely walked around the White House. 8"It was relatively easy to get inside and go upstairs to the second floor. That's where the president worked before the West Wing was built," says Matthew Costello. He is with the White House Historical Association. 9President Abraham Lincoln had a doorway cut between his office and his private living area so that he could avoid the crowds waiting outside his office door. 10Until the 1920s, presidents decided how open to keep the land around the White House. 11In the 1880s, President Grover Cleveland kept the White House completely open, until strangers tried to pick up his children. 12President Theodore Roosevelt decided to reopen the White House grounds in the early 1900s, but changed his mind when people kept walking over to the West Wing to see him. 13All the presidents up until John Tyler in the 1840s used their own employees to guard the White House. 14The U.S. Secret Service took control of security after three sitting presidents were killed between 1865 and 1901. 15"Between Abraham Lincoln's assassination, James Garfield's assassination, William McKinley's assassination, if you had been born in 1840, over the course of your lifetime, you would have witnessed three presidential assassinations," says Costello. 16During the presidency of Calvin Coolidge in the 1920s, the White House grounds were closed for good to wandering visitors. Since then, anyone who wants to visit the White House must have an appointment. 17For the new fence, the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts worked to help balance security improvements to the new fence while keeping the barrier pleasant to look at. 18"You actually have to start rethinking the pieces, what they're made of, how well they work together," says Luebke. 19The new fence is expected to be completed by 2021. 20I'm Susan Shand. 21VOA's Dora Mekouar reported this story. Susan Shand adapted it for VOA Learning English. Ashley Thompson was the editor. 22Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. 23________________________________________________________________ 24Words in This Story 25tourist - n. one who visits a place for pleasure 26beef up - phrasal verb. to increase 27relatively - adv. in some way 28assassination - n. to kill (someone, such as a famous or important person) usually for political reasons