White House Ellipse

Stop on Washington DC National Mall Walking Tour, a free self-guided tour.

The Ellipse is the oval park just south of the White House, part of President's Park and run by the National Park Service. During the Civil War, Union troops camped here and it was used to pen horses and cattle, which earned it the nickname the White Lot.

Each December the president lights the National Christmas Tree, a ceremony that began in 1923 and has been held here on the Ellipse since 1954.

At the north edge, look for the Zero Milestone, a small granite post set in 1923 as the starting point for measuring road distances from the nation's capital. Nearby is the Boy Scout Memorial, dedicated in 1964.

From the north side of the park, across E Street, you get one of the best public views of the south side of the White House and its South Lawn, where the annual Easter Egg Roll is held. The Ellipse is open to the public, though parts can close for security or events.