Last known picture of Abraham Lincoln

[L Verge]

Kees, the only explanation that I can make about the use of the word "balcony" is that the south facade has a raised entrance porch with ground level doors leading underneath. Perhaps whoever wrote the descriptions using "balcony" was not good at architecture?

The north facade is what you see the most of today and was definitely built as a porte de cochere (hope I spelled that right) for carriages pulling up in the old days - and limousines in modern times. The north is also the one photographed the most today. I believe that Marine One takes off from the south lawn, and it is also the south facade that faces the Ellipse (and the holiday displays).