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143-574: The White House Reconstruction , also known as the Truman Reconstruction , was a comprehensive dismantling and rebuilding of the interior of the White House from 1949 to 1952. A century and a half of wartime destruction and rebuilding, hurried renovations, additions of new services, technologies, the added third floor and inadequate foundations brought the Executive Residence portion of

286-691: A Mass be held in the White House at 10:00 AM on November 23. White House Chief Usher J. B. West initially had the Family Dining Room set for this service. But Jacqueline Kennedy asked that the Mass be moved, and it was held in the State Dining Room instead. (A second Mass, held on November 24 at 11:15 AM, was held in the East Room .) During the presidency of Barack Obama , the annual White House Seder

429-625: A White House swimming pool . He maintained a close working relationship with President Truman throughout his administration. The Commission selected General Glen Edgar Edgerton as the overall manager of the project. His experience included selecting the route of the Panama Canal and constructing the Alaska Highway during World War II. He began work for the Commission in July 1949, just before they made

572-410: A load-bearing wall which had supported the floor and walls above and then hanging them from the existing attic (later third floor) and roof structure. Many structural deficiencies were noted and partially addressed in what McKim termed a "nip and tuck". Third floor addition: In 1927, President Coolidge engaged architect William Adams Delano to design and add a concrete and steel third floor under

715-691: A Common Dining Room (now the Green Room ) served as additional dining and living space. During the presidential administration of Thomas Jefferson , the Common Dining Room rather than the Public Dining Room was used primarily for family meals. At Jefferson's request, Latrobe drafted plans for altering the State Floor. In 1807, he proposed turning the Porter's Lodge into a sitting room , and partitioning

858-468: A National Wing on the east for a historical art gallery, and a wing on the west for official functions. A plan was devised by Colonel Theodore A. Bingham that reflected the Harrison proposal. These plans were ultimately rejected. In 1902, however, Theodore Roosevelt hired McKim, Mead & White to carry out expansions and renovations in a neoclassical style suited to the building's architecture, removing

1001-454: A canal and swampy lands, which provided conditions ripe for malaria and other unhealthy conditions, was questioned. Brigadier General Nathaniel Michler was tasked with proposing solutions to address these concerns. He proposed abandoning the use of the White House as a residence, and he designed a new estate for the first family at Meridian Hill in Washington, D.C. Congress, however, rejected

1144-525: A convoy of British ships led by HMS Fantome sank en route to Halifax off Prospect during a storm on the night of November 24, 1814, even though Fantome had no involvement in that action. After the fire, President James Madison resided in the Octagon House from 1814 to 1815, and then in the Seven Buildings from 1815 to the end of his term. Meanwhile, both Hoban and Latrobe contributed to

1287-507: A copy of the Lansdowne portrait , and in 1939 a Canadian man returned a jewelry box to President Franklin Roosevelt, claiming that his grandfather had taken it from Washington; in the same year, a medicine chest that had belonged to President Madison was returned by the descendants of a Royal Navy officer. Some observers allege that most of the spoils of war taken during the sack were lost when

1430-483: A four-year term didn't have the time, and in many cases, the patience, needed for proper design and construction. For the 1902 renovation, President Theodore Roosevelt allowed just four months. By late 1948, three main options were considered for replacement of the White House: During 1949, the investigations were completed, the architectural and engineering design was finalized, and cost estimates concluded that

1573-519: A ground-floor double staircase leading to an Ionic colonnaded loggia and the Truman Balcony , built in 1946. The more modern third floor is hidden by a balustraded parapet and plays no part in the composition of the façade. The building was originally variously referred to as the President's Palace , Presidential Mansion , or President's House . The earliest evidence of the public calling it

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1716-734: A large mahogany table and a sideboard from Henry L. Fry of Cincinnati, Ohio . The table was transformed into a console table two years later. During the first administration of President Chester A. Arthur , the D.C. firm of W. B. Moses & Son manufactured a large table for the dining room, which could be extended with leaves, and a mahogany sideboard. An oak sideboard was supplied by John C. Knipp & Brothers of Baltimore. Eighteen leather-upholstered dining room chairs were ordered in 1882 from Hertz Brothers of New York, and another 12 more in 1883. A few years later, 22 copies of these chairs were manufactured by Daniel G. Hatch & Company of Washington, D.C. But by 1901, these 40 chairs were moved to

1859-518: A model, McKim installed a similar groin vault ceiling. The surface was articulated with a low relief plaster meander (Greek key) and five-pointed star decoration, and an eagle within a laurel wreath on the east wall above the mantel. McKim commissioned the Boston furniture manufacturer A. H. Davenport and Company to build a somewhat overscaled Federal-style sideboard, china cabinet, and dining table. Reproduction Chippendale -style sidechairs replaced

2002-474: A more thorough investigation. Additional engineers and other professionals were engaged from the private sector. Walls, ceilings, and floors were opened up to provide access to the investigators. In June 1948, a leg of Margaret Truman 's piano crashed through the floor in her second floor sitting room and through the ceiling of the Family Dining Room below. Investigators found the floor boards had rotted,

2145-470: A new chandelier and wall sconces for the room. The chandelier design was copied from 18th-century English and French chandeliers, and cut glass was used for the chandelier and wall sconces. A photograph of the ceiling area taken while the room was being dismantled previous to the Truman reconstruction, shows the simple c. 1818 moulding and several pieces of Victorian era wallpaper. Plaster decoration and wood trim

2288-462: A rebuilt roof. The original roof and attic floor were supported only on the heavy exterior walls. This renovation transferred much of their weight onto the interior walls which by 1948 began to fail. Bathrooms added to this new floor were outfitted with second-hand pipes that over the following years leaked and caused water damage on the floors below. Construction flaws: The interior supporting walls were made of brick without proper foundations, unlike

2431-459: A reconstruction and to live across the street at Blair House from 1949 to 1951. The work, completed by the firm of Philadelphia contractor John McShain , required the complete dismantling of the interior spaces, construction of a new load-bearing internal steel frame, and the reconstruction of the original rooms within the new structure. The total cost of the renovations was about $ 5.7   million ($ 67 million in 2023). Some modifications to

2574-487: A set of solar water heating panels that were mounted on the roof of the White House, was removed during Reagan's presidency. Redecorations were made to the private family quarters and maintenance was made to public areas during the Reagan years. The house was accredited as a museum in 1988. In the 1990s, Bill and Hillary Clinton refurbished some rooms with the assistance of Arkansas decorator Kaki Hockersmith, including

2717-718: A similar treatment by her in the Yellow Oval Room . A series of mantels and chandeliers were tried, finally resulting in permanent installation of a late Louis XVI green marble mantelpiece with a carved eagle and festoons in white marble. This mantel was acquired for the Yellow Oval Room but proved too small for the scale of that room. Baseboard trim was painted to match the green marble of the mantel, and Federal period dining and side chairs were installed. Several pieces of early 19th-century furniture, made in Maryland, were also added to

2860-529: A state visit by Queen Juliana of The Netherlands. Soon afterwards he announced he would be returning to the White House two weeks earlier than previously stated. The first family returned to the White House on the evening of March 27, 1952. It was ready for its residents, but the work was not complete. Deficiencies included the main kitchen not being operable in time for a state visit; some rooms without electrical outlets; drafty fireplaces rendering rooms unfit to sleep in; and kitchen sinks found to be too small for

3003-415: A structural survey of the safety of the White House". Their one-day investigation concluded with a report issued that same day which said the second floor structure was a fire hazard and was in danger of collapse. They recommended that the second floor should be reconstructed as soon as possible, electricity use be cut to a minimum, and that further investigations be undertaken. Congress provided $ 50,000 for

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3146-479: A team of consulting architects, engineers, and contractors. It continued its work until October 1952. The United States Commission of Fine Arts (CFA) had approving authority for most of the design work, including interiors. Advising the commission was architect William Adams Delano of the New York firm of Delano and Aldrich , former chair of the commission, and architect of the 1927 third floor addition and advisor for

3289-663: A theme for each room: the Federal style for the Green Room , French Empire for the Blue Room , American Empire for the Red Room , Louis XVI for the Yellow Oval Room , and Victorian for the president's study, renamed the Treaty Room . Antique furniture was acquired, and decorative fabric and trim based on period documents was produced and installed. The Kennedy restoration resulted in a more authentic White House of grander stature, which recalled

3432-455: A ton of stone, or special paperweights. The program ended in October 1951 and reported a profit of over $ 10,000. During the very hasty move-out from the White House in late 1948, the B. Altman and Company department store offered to move and store the more valuable White House furnishings in their climate-controlled warehouses, for a nominal sum. The government deemed it to be "in the interests of

3575-530: Is hidden by a balustraded parapet . The three-level southern façade combines Palladian and neoclassical architectural styles. The ground floor is rusticated in the Palladian fashion. The south portico was completed in 1824. At the center of the southern façade is a neoclassical projected bow of three bays. The bow is flanked by five bays, the windows of which, as on the north façade, have alternating segmented and pointed pediments at first-floor level. The bow has

3718-409: Is hidden by a raised carriage ramp and parapet . The central three bays are situated behind a prostyle portico that was added c.  1830 . The windows of the four bays flanking the portico, at first-floor level, have alternating pointed and segmented pediments , while the second-floor pediments are flat. A lunette fanlight and a sculpted floral festoon surmount the entrance. The roofline

3861-648: Is recorded as being brief, and he quickly selected Hoban's submission. The Neoclassical design of the White House is based primarily on architectural concepts inherited from the Roman architect Vitruvius and the Venetian architect Andrea Palladio . The design of the upper floors also includes elements based on Dublin's Leinster House , which later became the seat of the Irish parliament ( Oireachtas ). The upper windows with alternate triangular and segmented pediments are inspired by

4004-612: Is speculated as the source of inspiration due to its similarity with the South Portico, although this matter is one of great debate. Italian artisans, brought to Washington to help in constructing the U.S. Capitol , carved the decorative stonework on both porticos. Contrary to speculation, the North Portico was not modeled on a similar portico on another Dublin building, the Viceregal Lodge (now Áras an Uachtaráin , residence of

4147-481: The 1939 New York World's Fair . The service is accompanied by ceramic , porcelain , and glass servingware. The World's Fair servingware and other 20th century American tableware are on display in the Philadelphia bookcase (which is against the south wall), while the tea service is on display on the sideboard on the west wall. A mirror replaced C. Gregory Stapko 's 1952 portrait of Frances Folsom Cleveland over

4290-496: The Burning of Washington in the War of 1812 . Only a heavy rainstorm prevented the entire structure from being destroyed. By 1817, the building had been rebuilt. Key portions of the scorched wooden structure were re-used. Services: Technological advances in heating, plumbing, lighting, communications, and elevators were all added into the White House during its first century-and-a-half. When

4433-522: The Charleston County Courthouse then under construction, which had been designed by Hoban. Washington is reputed to have met with Hoban during the visit. The following year, Washington summoned the architect to Philadelphia and met with him in June 1792. On July 16, 1792, the president met with the commissioners of the federal city to make his judgment in the architectural competition. His review

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4576-640: The Croatian island of Brač , specifically the Pučišća quarry whose stone was used to build the ancient Diocletian's Palace in Split , was used in the building's original construction. However, researchers believe limestone from the island was used in the 1902 renovations and not the original construction. Others suggest the original sandstone simply came from Aquia Creek in Stafford County, Virginia , since importation of

4719-706: The Dordogne region of France. Construction on the French house was initially started before 1789, interrupted by the French Revolution for 20 years, and then finally built between 1812 and 1817 based on Salat's pre-1789 design. The conceptual link between the two houses has been criticized because Hoban did not visit France. Supporters of the connection contend that Thomas Jefferson , during his tour of Bordeaux in 1789, viewed Salat's architectural drawings, which were on file at École Spéciale d'Architecture . On his return to

4862-692: The Entrance Hall to provide a more ceremonial procession from the upstairs. The opening to the south was kept with a railing providing a balcony-type overview into the Cross Hall . On the second floor, the rooms above the East Room were lowered due to a thinner, yet stronger, steel floor structure. This allowed access from the Center Hall via a short ramp in a central passageway that was narrowed to accommodate an additional service stair and added closets. Additions to

5005-744: The Executive Office of the President of the United States . The residence was designed by Irish -born architect James Hoban in the Neoclassical style. Hoban modeled the building on Leinster House in Dublin , a building which today houses the Oireachtas , the Irish legislature. Constructed between 1792 and 1800, its exterior walls are Aquia Creek sandstone painted white. When Thomas Jefferson moved into

5148-515: The Great Depression and World War II . In 1946, Congress authorized $ 780,000 ($ 11 million in 2020 dollars) for repairs. The mansion's heaving floors and mysterious sounds had been known by staff and first families for many years. For the first two years of his presidency, according to White House photographer Abbie Rowe , President Truman heard "ghosts" roaming the halls of the second floor residence. Government agencies had expressed concern about

5291-451: The Korean War brought inflation and shortages of key materials and labor. The biggest change during construction was announced on August 1, 1950, when the president authorized a separate and highly secret project. Project 9 was officially described as "certain protective measures" to be added to the new basement: an underground shelter to resist attack from an atomic bomb. It was designed by

5434-524: The Oval Study above moved noticeably when walked on, and a valet was then attending the president while he was taking a bath. Truman described a potential scenario of him in his bathtub falling through the floor into the midst of a Daughters of the American Revolution tea "wearing nothing more than his reading glasses.". In early 1947, a "stretching" chandelier in the East Room and another swaying in

5577-674: The President's Park . In 2007, it was ranked second on the American Institute of Architects list of America's Favorite Architecture . Following his April 1789 inauguration, President George Washington occupied two private houses in New York City , which served as the executive mansion. He lived at the first, the Walter Franklin House , which was owned by Treasury Commissioner Samuel Osgood , at 3   Cherry Street, through late February 1790. The executive mansion moved to

5720-583: The State Department and other departments (it now houses additional offices for the president's staff and the vice president ), and Blair House , a guest residence. The Executive Residence is made up of six stories: the Ground Floor, State Floor, Second Floor, and Third Floor, and a two-story basement . The property is a National Heritage Site owned by the National Park Service and is part of

5863-540: The president of Ireland ), for its portico postdates the White House porticos' design. For the North Portico, a variation on the Ionic Order was devised, incorporating a swag of roses between the volutes. This was done to link the new portico with the earlier carved roses above the entrance. By the time of the American Civil War , the White House had become overcrowded. The location of the White House, just north of

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6006-410: The presidential pool and spa. One hundred sixty-seven solar photovoltaic grid-tied panels were installed at the same time on the roof of the maintenance facility. The changes were not publicized as a White House spokeswoman said the changes were an internal matter, but the story was covered by industry trade journals. In 2013, President Barack Obama had a set of solar panels installed on the roof of

6149-487: The "White House" was recorded in 1811. A myth emerged that during the rebuilding of the structure after the Burning of Washington , white paint was applied to mask the burn damage it had suffered, giving the building its namesake hue. The name "Executive Mansion" was used in official contexts until President Theodore Roosevelt established "The White House" as its formal name in 1901 via Executive Order. The current letterhead wording and arrangement of "The White House" with

6292-561: The 1800s and 1900s continued to use it for private family dining, but nearly all disliked it, finding it too cavernous. In 1961, First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy had a new kitchen and President's Dining Room created on the Second Floor of the White House, which largely ended the practice of the First Family eating in the Family Dining Room. After the assassination of President John F. Kennedy on November 22, Jacqueline Kennedy asked that

6435-429: The 1946 Truman Balcony. The CFA was granted Congressional authority to review, but did not have formal authority. President Truman had all but ignored them after they rejected his balcony, but their opinion carried significant weight with public and Congressional opinion and so their approval was sought for major design decisions of the reconstruction project. The president was both the recent and future resident, and also

6578-426: The 1948 Congressional survey. In the 1880s, secondhand bricks had been acquired for the staircase's supporting structure and were 'disintegrating' beneath it by 1948. This was a notable safety concern as the White House had only one small elevator at the time and the grand staircase supported significant human traffic. Schedule: A contributing factor common to most of this work was a rushed schedule. Presidents facing

6721-549: The 1998 Robert Rauschenberg work Early Bloomer [Anagram (A Pun)] took its place. On the north wall, a mirror was removed and replaced with the 1966 Alma Thomas work Resurrection . On the south wall are two paintings by Josef Albers : the 1963 Study for Homage to the Square: Asking and the 1966 Homage to the Square . President Abraham Lincoln and his family used the Family Dining Room frequently. Presidents throughout

6864-544: The East Terrace and colonnade. Inside the mansion a heavily reinforced concrete tunnel to connect the West and East Wings was added through the middle of the new basement, which complicated and delayed the main construction. Historic preservation of buildings during this time was not as strict or defined as it became later. For its time, simply not demolishing the entire structure was deemed "preservation". Winslow envisioned many of

7007-542: The Executive Residence, the third floor attic was converted to living quarters in 1927 by augmenting the existing hip roof with long shed dormers. A newly constructed East Wing was used as a reception area for social events; Jefferson's colonnades connected the new wings. The East Wing alterations were completed in 1946, creating additional office space. By 1948, the residence's load-bearing walls and wood beams were found to be close to failure. Under Harry S. Truman ,

7150-505: The French taste of Madison and Monroe. In the Diplomatic Reception Room , Mrs. Kennedy installed an antique "Vue de l'Amérique Nord" wallpaper which Zuber & Cie had designed in 1834. The wallpaper had hung previously on the walls of another mansion until 1961 when that house was demolished for a grocery store. Just before the demolition, the wallpaper was salvaged and sold to the White House. The first White House guidebook

7293-579: The Grand Stair. Now, only a single staircase led up the north wall to the landing, while a second stair on the south wall led from the landing to the Second Floor. Because so much new room was created on the landing by this renovation, this area on the State Floor became known as the West Sitting Hall. In 1880, during the administration of Rutherford B. Hayes , First Lady Lucy Webb Hayes purchased

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7436-499: The Irish building. Additionally, several Georgian-era Irish country houses have been suggested as sources of inspiration for the overall floor plan, including the bow-fronted south front and the former niches in the present-day Blue Room . The first official White House guide, published in 1962, suggested a link between Hoban's design for the South Portico and Château de Rastignac , a neoclassical country house in La Bachellerie in

7579-641: The Kennedy period were donated to the White House by wealthy philanthropists, including the Crowninshield family , Jane Engelhard , Jayne Wrightsman , and the Oppenheimer family. Stéphane Boudin of the House of Jansen , a Paris interior-design firm that had been recognized worldwide, was employed by Jacqueline Kennedy to assist with the decoration. Different periods of the early republic and world history were selected as

7722-628: The Oval Office moved to its present location: adjacent to the Rose Garden . Decades of poor maintenance, the construction of a fourth-story attic during the Coolidge administration , and the addition of a second-floor balcony over the south portico for Harry S. Truman took a great toll on the brick and sandstone structure built around a timber frame. By 1948, the house was declared to be in imminent danger of collapse, forcing President Truman to commission

7865-630: The Oval Office, the East Room, Blue Room, State Dining Room , Lincoln Bedroom , and Lincoln Sitting Room. During the administration of George W. Bush , First Lady Laura Bush refurbished the Lincoln Bedroom in a style contemporary with the Lincoln era ; the Green Room, Cabinet Room , and theater were also refurbished. The White House became one of the first wheelchair-accessible government buildings in Washington, D.C., when modifications were made during

8008-425: The Oval Study caused further alarm. "Floors no longer merely creaked; they swayed." The Public Buildings Administration was asked to investigate the condition of the White House, but no action was taken until January 1948. After the commissioner of the Public Buildings Administration, which had responsibility for the White House, noticed the Blue Room chandelier swaying overhead during another crowded reception, he and

8151-469: The Private Dining Room from 1817 to 1825, and subsequent presidents used it as a formal dining room for the First Family or as a space for official but small official events. An 1829, 18-light chandelier (fueled by whale oil and of unknown make) was moved from the East Room into the State Dining Room in 1834 to provide light. In time, the term "Family Dining Room" began to replace the name "Private Dining Room." In 1869, President Ulysses S. Grant rebuilt

8294-418: The Public Dining Room. The eastern part of the room would contain a toilet and dressing room, while the western two-thirds of the room would become a bedroom. Latrobe envisioned this as private space for the president to use during the day, or as quarters for a high-ranking presidential aide. Latrobe's changes, however, were never implemented. Following the Burning of Washington and the near-destruction of

8437-424: The State Dining Room. The White House was extensively renovated in 1902, during which the Stair Hall and its staircase were demolished and the State Dining Room expanded northward. Renovations by architect Charles Follen McKim during the administration of Theodore Roosevelt architecturally transformed the Family Dining Room. Using White House architect James Hoban's groin vaulted ground floor hall ceilings as

8580-417: The Tiffany screen and all Victorian additions. Charles McKim himself designed and managed the project, which gave more living space to the president's large family by removing a staircase in the West Hall and moving executive office staff from the second floor of the residence into the new West Wing. President William Howard Taft enlisted the help of architect Nathan C. Wyeth to add additional space to

8723-404: The U.S., Jefferson then shared the influence with Washington , Hoban, Monroe, and Benjamin Henry Latrobe . Construction of the White House began at noon on October 13, 1792, with the laying of the cornerstone. The main residence and foundations of the house were built largely by both enslaved and free African-American laborers, and employed Europeans . Much of the other work on the house

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8866-441: The United States" and therefore not subject to public bidding requirements. The store later offered their interior design, decorating, and furniture supply services at true cost with no profit or ability to advertise the work. The government also deemed this to be in the public interest. Cost escalations due to labor shortages and wartime inflation caused an expected cost overrun of $ 321,000. Congress agreed to fund $ 261,000, bringing

9009-443: The West Wing, which included the addition of the Oval Office . In 1925, Congress enacted legislation allowing the White House to accept gifts of furniture and art for the first time. The West Wing was damaged by fire on Christmas Eve 1929; Herbert Hoover and his aides moved back into it on April 14, 1930. In the 1930s, a second story was added, as well as a larger basement for White House staff, and President Franklin Roosevelt had

9152-449: The West Wing. Temporary sheds and buildings were erected on the South Lawn . By March 20, 1950, the removal of historic material slated for salvage had been completed. New underpinning foundations extending down 20 feet (6 m) to better bearing material were hand dug under the existing exterior walls. Interior steel shoring was added to brace the exterior walls and support the existing third floor and roof. Demolition began with much of

9295-409: The White House Architect conducted their own on-site investigation the next day. They discovered split and gouged-out beams supporting the ceiling and second floor above. He reported "that the beams are staying up there from force of habit only." The number of occupants in the second floor was restricted, temporary fixes were made to some of the beams, and scaffolding-type supports were erected throughout

9438-470: The White House Complex to near-imminent collapse. In 1948, architectural and engineering investigations deemed it unsafe for occupancy. President Harry S. Truman , his family, and the entire residence staff were relocated across the street to Blair House . For over three years, the White House was gutted, expanded, and rebuilt. When the Trumans moved into the executive mansion in 1945, they found it badly in need of repair after twelve years of neglect during

9581-425: The White House in 1814, the State Floor was rebuilt. This 1817 recreation saw the old Cabinet Room/Presidential Library turned into the State Dining Room, and the President's Antechamber into a Yellow Parlor. The Public Dining Room now became the Private Dining Room. The room was partitioned to make it smaller, and the western third of the room turned into a pantry . President James Monroe gave State Dinners in

9724-471: The White House the day after winning the election, the president was informed by the Federal Works Agency to vacate the White House so critical repairs could be made. On November 7, 1948, the news was made public. The Trumans departed town and within two weeks the White House was vacated. Furniture, staff, and the first family moved into Blair House , the President's guest house, across Pennsylvania Avenue . There were multiple contributing factors that led to

9867-435: The White House was constructed, it had no indoor plumbing, on-site running water, fire fighting systems, electricity, or communications systems. Many of these were cut through major structural supports, including reducing wooden beams from 14 to 2 inches thickness. Earlier systems that became obsolete, such as old water pipes, gas pipes for lights, and forced-air heating ducts, were abandoned in place, adding significant weight to

10010-414: The White House's pending collapse in 1948, including original and subsequent design flaws, improper materials, multiple small and major renovations carried out by many presidents to accommodate differing tastes, needs, and advances in technologies. Collectively, they were described as a "slow murder" of the White House. Fire: In August 1814, the White House was gutted by a fire set by British troops during

10153-445: The White House, making it the first time solar power was used for the president's living quarters. Family Dining Room Architect James Hoban 's 1792 design for the White House featured a Grand Stair in the western part of the mansion on the State Floor. Not completed when the White House was occupied in 1800, the Grand Stairs were probably finished by architect Benjamin Henry Latrobe in 1803 or shortly thereafter. To

10296-575: The White House, no substantive architectural changes have been made to the house since the Truman renovation. Since the Kennedy restoration, every presidential family has made some changes to the private quarters of the White House, but the Committee for the Preservation of the White House must approve any modifications to the State Rooms. Charged with maintaining the historical integrity of the White House,

10439-468: The addition of the semicircular South Portico in 1824 and the North Portico in 1829. Because of crowding within the executive mansion itself, President Theodore Roosevelt had all work offices relocated to the newly constructed West Wing in 1901. Eight years later, in 1909, President William Howard Taft expanded the West Wing and created the first Oval Office , which was eventually moved and expanded. In

10582-576: The autumn of 1949, Congress authorized funding of $ 5.4 million ($ 61.4 million in 2021 dollars) for the entire project to reconstruct the White House while keeping the exterior walls in place. Congress created the Commission on the Renovation of the Executive Mansion following the March 1949 recommendation of the president. It was granted authority to act on behalf of the federal government in the execution of

10725-520: The building and sold at a public auction . All that was saved were bust portraits of John Adams and Martin Van Buren . A proposal was made to build a new residence south of the White House, but it failed to gain support. In the fall of 1882, work was done on the main corridor, including tinting the walls pale olive and adding squares of gold leaf , and decorating the ceiling in gold and silver, with colorful traceries woven to spell "USA." The Red Room

10868-485: The building was in "good shape". He estimated the cost of repairs might be $ 1 million. The on-site forensic investigations continued while the first family was away campaigning. In October, the ceiling of the East Room began to collapse and required wood supports. The structure under the Grand Staircase was found to be crumbling. The president's bathtub had begun sinking into the floor. The investigators discovered that

11011-470: The building. 1902 renovation: In 1902, President Theodore Roosevelt engaged architect Charles F. McKim of McKim, Mead, and White for a major renovation. In addition to adding a "temporary" West Wing and upgrading interior finishes, the work included adding bathrooms, removing the west stair, expanding the second floor West Sitting Hall, and expanding the State Dining Room . This involved removing

11154-473: The building. It remained vacant until 1800 when it was sold to the University of Pennsylvania . On Saturday, November 1, 1800, Adams became the first president to occupy the White House. The President's House in Philadelphia was converted into Union Hotel and later used for stores before being demolished in 1832. The President's House was a major feature of Pierre (Peter) Charles L'Enfant's 1791 plan for

11297-429: The capital be permanently located in the new Federal District , and temporarily in Philadelphia for ten years while the permanent capital was built. Philadelphia rented the mansion of Robert Morris , a merchant, at 190 High Street, now 524–30 Market Street , as the President's House , which Washington occupied from November 1790 to March 1797. Since the house was too small to accommodate the 30 people who then made up

11440-514: The condition of the building, including a 1941 report from the Army Corps of Engineers warning of failing wood structure, crumbling masonry , and major fire hazards. The report was dismissed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt . In early 1946, during a formal reception in the Blue Room , the First Lady noticed the very large crystal chandelier overhead swaying and its crystals tinkling. The floor of

11583-549: The congressionally authorized committee works with each First Family — usually represented by the first lady, the White House curator , and the chief usher — to implement the family's proposals for altering the house. During the Nixon Administration (1969–1974), First Lady Pat Nixon refurbished the Green Room, Blue Room, and Red Room, working with Clement Conger , the curator appointed by President Richard Nixon . Mrs. Nixon's efforts brought more than 600 artifacts to

11726-806: The construction of both the U.S. Capitol and the White House. Hoban was born in Ireland and trained at the Dublin Society of Arts . He emigrated to the U.S. after the American Revolution , first seeking work in Philadelphia and later finding success in South Carolina , where he designed the state capitol in Columbia . President Washington visited Charleston, South Carolina , in May 1791 on his Southern Tour, and saw

11869-483: The current occupant of the West Wing. While the commission was in overall charge of the project, President Truman was a highly influential participant from early design and throughout all stages of construction. From an early meeting he made known he had a history of watching over the general contractor, while a senator overseeing construction of the Pentagon . The president was also known to conduct tours, sometimes daily, of

12012-576: The decision on reconstruction. The general contractor was John McShain Inc., headed by John McShain , the "Builder of Washington" who had constructed (among other works) the Jefferson Memorial , the Pentagon, and the FDR Library at Hyde Park. McShain's on-site construction manager was Paul Hauck, who had also been in charge of the Pentagon project. The scope of the project involved the complete removal of

12155-543: The design and oversight of the reconstruction, which lasted from 1815 until 1817. The south portico was constructed in 1824 during the James Monroe administration. The north portico was built in 1830. Though Latrobe proposed similar porticos before the fire in 1814, both porticos were built as designed by Hoban. An elliptical portico at Château de Rastignac in La Bachellerie, France, with nearly identical curved stairs,

12298-527: The design for the East and West Colonnades, small wings that helped conceal the domestic operations of laundry, a stable and storage. Today, Jefferson's colonnades link the residence with the East and West Wings. In 1814, during the War of 1812 , the White House was burned by British forces during the Burning of Washington , in retaliation for acts of destruction by American troops in the Canadas ; much of Washington

12441-460: The dinner service. White House The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States . Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C. , it has served as the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in 1800 when the national capital was moved from Philadelphia . The "White House" is also used as a metonym to refer to

12584-418: The early estimate of $ 1 million was inadequate. In addition to simply replacing the interior, the mansion was to be modernized, the third floor expanded, two basement levels added, and there would be a major expansion of underground spaces for air conditioning and other services. The total number of rooms was nearly doubled to 132. There was significant debate among Congressional committee members considering

12727-442: The finished structure contained only two main floors instead of the planned three, and a less costly brick served as a lining for the stone façades. When construction was finished, the porous sandstone walls were whitewashed with a mixture of lime, rice glue, casein, and lead, giving the house its familiar color and name. The main entrance is located on the north façade under a porte cochere with Ionic columns. The ground floor

12870-416: The fireplace in the east wall. The mirror has a historic connection to the room: It was present in the room in 1901 when President Theodore Roosevelt hosted a dinner attended by Booker T. Washington . (The informal event triggered protests by racists who opposed African Americans as guests in the White House.) A 1902 portrait of Edith Roosevelt by Theobald Chartran was taken down from the west wall, and

13013-546: The first family's second floor living quarters. On January 30, 1948, the president received a confidential report from the Commissioner of Public Buildings warning of the "imminent collapse" of the second floor of the mansion. In February, the president invited the president of the American Institute of Architects , Douglas Orr , and the president of the American Society of Civil Engineers , Richard E. Dougherty , to "make

13156-530: The floor plan were made, the largest being the repositioning of the grand staircase to open into the Entrance Hall, rather than the Cross Hall. Central air conditioning was added, as well as two additional sub-basements providing space for workrooms, storage, and a bomb shelter. The Trumans moved back into the White House on March 27, 1952. While the Truman reconstruction preserved the house's structure, much of

13299-402: The following year-and-a-half, the new interior walls, doors, windows, wiring, pipes, services, and finishes were constructed. From the outset the reconstruction project faced significant challenges. Access to the area of work was highly restricted, both by security, the occupied West Wing, and by the exterior stone walls which had to remain in place. The logistics of construction were complex; it

13442-409: The foundations of the interior walls supporting the upper floors and roof were all but non-existent. As they sank into the ground, the interior walls and floors were pulling away from the exterior walls leaving large gaps. They determined that the interior of the house was sinking and in danger of collapsing inward; the entire mansion was unsafe, except for the new Truman Balcony . Upon returning to

13585-486: The ground floor included additional service elevators to service the upper floors, a bowling alley, expanded kitchen, broadcast studio, barber shop, medical and dental clinics, carpentry and upholstery shops, and large service and equipment spaces. The style Winslow selected for the interior finishes of the re-created main public rooms was the Federal style from the 1800-1820 period of President James Monroe 's rebuilding. This

13728-558: The house in 1801, he and architect Benjamin Henry Latrobe added low colonnades on each wing to conceal what then were stables and storage. In 1814, during the War of 1812 , the mansion was set ablaze by British forces in the burning of Washington , destroying the interior and charring much of the exterior. Reconstruction began almost immediately, and President James Monroe moved into the partially reconstructed Executive Residence in October 1817. Exterior construction continued with

13871-529: The house, the largest acquisition by any administration. Her husband created the modern press briefing room over Franklin Roosevelt 's old swimming pool. Nixon also added a single-lane bowling alley to the White House basement. Computers and the first laser printer were added during the Carter administration , and the use of computer technology was expanded during the Reagan administration . A Carter-era innovation,

14014-435: The insertion of a register in the frame above the room's northeast door "in incredibly poor taste". In 1981, First Lady Nancy Reagan hired Ted Graber to update the Kennedy design slightly. Yellow silk draperies based on an English Regency pattern were installed to cover the window frames. Reagan also had the chairs reupholstered and the carpet replaced. A silver mirror plateau, made in New York by John W. Forbes about 1820,

14157-555: The interior items – from doors, trim, woodwork, and ornamental plaster – would be reused. Most were carefully dismantled, labelled, catalogued, and stored. Much of the paneling was reinstalled in the main public rooms, but other historic elements were simply copied to accommodate increasing cost and time constraints. Many of the original materials that were not deemed of significantly identifiable historic value, such as marble fireplace mantels, or not deemed to be readily reused, such as pipes, were sent to landfills. To avoid profiteering from

14300-462: The interior of the White House, except for the third floor, and included salvage and storage of critical interior elements, excavation of new basement levels, and construction of new foundations, steel and concrete structure, masonry interior walls with plaster finish and wood paneling, custom plaster moldings, refurbished and replacement windows, and new heating, ventilation, air conditioning, plumbing, electrical, and communications systems. The bulk of

14443-547: The interior rooms were completely dismantled and a new internal load-bearing steel frame was constructed inside the walls. On the exterior, the Truman Balcony was added. Once the structural work was completed, the interior rooms were rebuilt. The present-day White House complex includes the Executive Residence, the West Wing, the East Wing, the Eisenhower Executive Office Building , which previously served

14586-490: The larger quarters at Alexander Macomb House at 39–41 Broadway , where Washington stayed with his wife Martha and a small staff until August 1790. In May 1790, construction began on a new official residence in Manhattan called Government House . Washington never lived at Government House since the national capital was moved to Philadelphia in 1790, where it remained through 1800. The July 1790 Residence Act designated

14729-421: The lowering of the window height by extending a cornice across the north wall of the room. These changes had the dual effect of unifying the room and giving the vaulted ceiling more presence. Parish had the walls painted a soft yellow, and yellow silk curtains, tied back twice with ornamental cords and tassels , installed within the frame of the windows. French interior designer Stéphane Boudin had recommended

14872-400: The main floor beam was split completely through, and the ceiling below had dropped 18 inches (46 cm). The investigators determined that the west end of the second floor was sinking. The first family was relocated from the west to the east end of the floor. Steel bracing was added to support the second floor and ceilings throughout the residence. The investigation concluded that the problem

15015-478: The main residence were paneled in wood from the timbers. Jacqueline Kennedy , wife of President John F. Kennedy (1961–63), directed a very extensive and historic redecoration of the house. She enlisted the help of Henry Francis du Pont of the Winterthur Museum to assist in collecting artifacts for the mansion, many of which had once been housed there. Other antiques, fine paintings, and improvements from

15158-408: The mantel in the State Dining Room. Adams lived in the house only briefly before Thomas Jefferson moved into the "pleasant country residence" in 1801. Despite his complaints that the house was too big ("big enough for two emperors, one pope, and the grand lama in the bargain"), Jefferson considered how the White House might be expanded and improved. With Benjamin Henry Latrobe , he helped lay out

15301-399: The material removed from the interior via chutes through window openings and by wheelbarrow. By mid-1950 the White House exterior was essentially a shell encompassing over one million cubic feet (28,000 m) of mostly empty space. By October the new, permanent steel structure was in place and construction of suspended concrete floors to replace the former wood and masonry structure began. For

15444-477: The millions of items being carted away from the work site, the project ran a highly publicized souvenir program. Prior to its establishment in January 1951, over 20,000 requests were made for everything from nails to charred wood. Under the program, people could request an order form. From a warehouse, pre-assembled kits were distributed for as little as 25 cents. The kits included items such as an individual brick, nearly

15587-458: The nation's first president courted the first lady in the mid-18th century. On Saturday, November 1, 1800, John Adams became the first president to take residence in the building. The next day he wrote his wife Abigail: "I pray Heaven to bestow the best of blessings on this House, and all that shall hereafter inhabit it. May none but honest and wise men ever rule under this roof." President Franklin D. Roosevelt had Adams's blessing carved into

15730-468: The new interior finishes were generic and of little historic significance. Much of the original plasterwork, some dating back to the 1814–1816 rebuilding, was too damaged to reinstall, as was the original robust Beaux Arts paneling in the East Room. President Truman had the original timber frame sawed into paneling; the walls of the Vermeil Room , Library , China Room , and Map Room on the ground floor of

15873-511: The newly established federal city of Washington, D.C. After L'Enfant's dismissal in early 1792, Washington and his Secretary of State, Thomas Jefferson , who both had personal interests in architecture, agreed that the design of the President's House and the Capitol would be chosen in a design competition . Nine proposals were submitted for the new presidential residence with the award going to Irish-American architect James Hoban . Hoban supervised

16016-408: The north of this wing was a Public Dining Room and (between the dining room and the entrance hall) a Porter's Lodge and a narrow, winding Private Stair. To the south of the Grand Stair was a smaller room, to be used as a Cabinet Room or President's Library. To the east of this room was a President's Antechamber (later known as the Red Room ). An oval-shaped Drawing Room (now the Blue Room ) and

16159-496: The plan. Another option was Metropolis View, which is now the campus of The Catholic University of America . When Chester A. Arthur took office in 1881, he ordered renovations to the White House to take place as soon as the recently widowed Lucretia Garfield moved out. Arthur inspected the work almost nightly and made several suggestions. Louis Comfort Tiffany was asked to send selected designers to assist. Over twenty wagonloads of furniture and household items were removed from

16302-641: The presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt , who used a wheelchair because of his paralytic illness . In the 1990s, Hillary Clinton , at the suggestion of the Visitors Office director, approved the addition of a ramp in the East Wing corridor, affording easier wheelchair access for the public tours and special events that enter through the secure entrance building on the east side. In 2003, the Bush administration reinstalled solar thermal heaters. These units are used to heat water for landscape maintenance personnel and for

16445-409: The president at a football game on January 1, 1951, and jokingly told the president he would be in the White House that summer. The president took him seriously, announced it publicly, and invited Princess Elizabeth to visit in the autumn. The state visit occurred, but not in the (unfinished) White House. In early 1952 the president directed that the work needed to be complete by early April in time for

16588-467: The president. This prevented them from being sold (as many objects in the executive mansion had been in the past 150 years). When not in use or display at the White House, these items were to be turned over to the Smithsonian Institution for preservation, study, storage, or exhibition. The White House retains the right to have these items returned. Out of respect for the historic character of

16731-570: The presidential family, staff, and servants, Washington had it enlarged. President John Adams , who succeeded Washington and served as the nation's second president, occupied the High Street mansion in Philadelphia from March 1797 to May 1800. Philadelphia began construction of a much grander presidential mansion several blocks away in 1792. It was nearly completed by the time of Adams' 1797 inauguration. However, Adams chose not to occupy it, saying he did not have Congressional authorization to lease

16874-544: The project, including many in Congress who were outwardly hostile toward the president. Both Trumans lobbied in favor of preserving the exterior walls intact. Eleanor Roosevelt wrote a newspaper column advocating for its preservation, and the White House Architect also expressed his support. The desire to seek the most economic solution was weighed against the costs of maintaining the White House's historic presence. In

17017-643: The project, including responsibility for the White House and its site. It was composed of six men: two each appointed by the president, the Senate, and the House of Representatives. The president appointed American Institute of Architects president Douglas Orr and American Society of Civil Engineers president Richard E. Dougherty. Additional members of the commission were Senator Kenneth D. McKellar (chairman), Senator Edward Martin , Representative J. Harry McGregor , and Representative Louis C. Rabaut . Supporting them were

17160-429: The room was designed largely by Sister Parish who asked preservation architect Robert Raley, a consulting architect to Henry Francis du Pont 's Winterthur Museum , to assess the room. Raley considered the room to be very strong and in keeping with the White House's time of construction. He made two proposals which were followed: the removal of moulding that organized the walls into a series of upper and lower panels; and

17303-411: The room were retained, such as the buffet table. New red drapes, influenced by the 1961 Kennedy redesign but less formal, graced the windows. The room's new brown, beige, black, and white rug has a design adapted from the 1950 work Black, White, and Gray by textile artist Anni Albers . The silver tea service was manufactured by Graff, Washbourne, & Dunn of New York City and was manufactured for

17446-411: The room. The Kennedy alterations were both praised and criticized. Patrick Phillips-Schrock, writing in 2013, noted that the room's "furniture, fireplace and fixtures serve the space well" and praised the lowering of the upper sill of the window to more correctly match the cornice line of the room. But he harshly disapproved of the room's painting scheme (calling it a "Yellow Fever Epidemic"), and called

17589-457: The same architect and contractor as the main project and installed under the East Terrace and the garden to the south, between the mansion and the East Wing . Access was through the northeast corner of the new basement level. This additional construction included major excavation, heavy concrete reinforcement of the mansion's basement, upgrading the existing air raid shelter, and dismantling much of

17732-471: The series of Victorian chairs used in the nineteenth century. The style combined both Jacobean and Chippendale styles. McKim also ordered a new mahogany console table based on Anthony Quervelle's 1829 console table (made for the East Room, but since about 1860 having stood in the Family Dining Room), and a new mirror. To light the room, McKim hired Edward F. Caldwell & Co. of New York to design

17875-490: The state floor were reconstructed with few significant changes. The second floor rooms were adjusted to provide built-in closets and additional bathrooms, but otherwise were rebuilt largely as they had been. The third floor was expanded and the rooftop solarium replaced. Two new basement levels were added under the ground floor. The most noticeable change to the state floor was revising the Grand Stair to discharge eastward into

18018-442: The stone at the time would have proved too costly. The initial construction took place over a period of eight years at a reported cost of $ 232,371.83 (equivalent to $ 4,172,000 in 2023). Although not yet completed, the White House was ready for occupancy circa November 1, 1800. Pierre L'Enfant 's plan for a grand palace was five times larger than the house that was eventually built. Due in part to material and labor shortages,

18161-413: The thick exterior sandstone walls supported on relatively deep and wide foundations. By 1948, the interior walls were settling significantly into the underlying clay soils and thin rubble base, causing them to pull away from the exterior walls. In time, the exterior walls would have been pulled in and collapsed. The structural integrity of the marble grand staircase was found to be in 'imminent danger' during

18304-422: The total cost of the project to $ 5.7 million. The difference was made by cutting into other areas, including the budget for furniture and interiors. The secret bomb shelter cost $ 881,000 but was funded out of a separate fund controlled by the president. The original schedule called for the work to be finished in late 1951. By the end of 1950 the contractor estimated it would take until 1952. John McShain encountered

18447-455: The word "Washington" centered beneath it dates to the administration of Franklin D. Roosevelt . Although the structure was not completed until some years after the presidency of George Washington, there is speculation that the name of the traditional residence of the president of the United States may have been derived from Martha Washington 's home, White House Plantation , in Virginia , where

18590-523: The work was to be accomplished within the exterior stone walls which were to be kept in place and repainted. Landscaping around the house was to be replaced. All workers were subjected to security clearance by the Secret Service . The West Wing was to be kept fully operational and occupied by the president and his staff. All work was to be completed for a total cost of $ 5.4 million and completed by late 1951, in 660 days, approximately 22 months. The rooms of

18733-471: The worksite, including climbing scaffolding. Truman was a man of strong opinions relating to architecture and history, and in directing the work he made his presence felt. Lorenzo Winslow, the White House Architect, was employed by the Public Works Administration. He had been in the position since it was created for him by President Franklin Roosevelt. In 1933 Winslow won a competition to design

18876-429: Was a collapsing building, not just a floor, and "heroic remedies" would be required. That year was an election year and the president feared that news of the collapsing White House would serve as an unflattering metaphor for his administration. On September 30, 1948, the White House Architect announced that the White House's "structural nerves" had been damaged, the second floor would need to be rebuilt, but that overall

19019-539: Was a reversal from the variety of styles added in the previous 120 years. Winslow incorporated more marble flooring and paneling for aesthetics and ease of maintenance. Some changes requested by the Trumans, such as brightening the State Dining Room by painting the dark wood paneling "Federalist" celadon green, were also popular in the mid-20th Century. In September, 1949 the Commission invited bids from interested general contractors. Screening for required experience and capacity

19162-455: Was affected by these fires as well. Only the exterior walls remained, and they had to be torn down and mostly reconstructed because of weakening from the fire and subsequent exposure to the elements, except for portions of the south wall. Of the numerous objects taken from the White House when it was sacked by the British, only three have been recovered. White House employees and slaves rescued

19305-461: Was described as needing to "balance a stone house in the sky" while new foundations were dug beneath its walls. The architect was often behind in providing key drawings, specifications, and reviews to the contractor, in part due to delays in obtaining numerous approvals from the commission. There were almost no record drawings showing the existing construction, which required added investigations and details to be developed during construction. In 1950,

19448-437: Was done by immigrants, many of whom had not yet obtained citizenship, including the sandstone walls, which were erected by Scottish immigrants , the high-relief rose, and garland decorations above the north entrance and the fish scale pattern beneath the pediments of the window hoods. There are conflicting claims as to where the sandstone used in the construction of the White House originated. Some reports suggest sandstone from

19591-401: Was for $ 100,000 from John McShain Inc.; by the end of the project, he had reportedly lost approximately $ 200,000, bringing his total costs for supervision, management, and other overhead to around $ 300,000. On December 13, 1949, construction work began on site. There was no groundbreaking or commencement ceremony. Security fencing went around the work area and a solid screen provided privacy for

19734-417: Was held in the Family Dining Room. President Obama would host the traditional meal for Passover . When events are held in the State Dining Room, the Family Dining Room is often used as a pantry. Since the White House kitchen is on the mansion's Ground Floor , this helps alleviate many of the inconveniences which occur when moving food, china, and serving dishes up to the State Floor. On February 10, 2015,

19877-405: Was painted a dull Pomeranian red, and its ceiling was decorated with gold, silver, and copper stars and stripes of red, white, and blue. A fifty-foot jeweled Tiffany glass screen, supported by imitation marble columns, replaced the glass doors that separated the main corridor from the north vestibule. In 1891, First Lady Caroline Harrison proposed major extensions to the White House, including

20020-478: Was placed on the table. In February 2015, a newly redecorated Old Family Dining Room was unveiled. The redecoration marked the first time since the Kennedy administration that the room was entirely renovated. The room was repainted a light gray to make it look more airy. The room's new style is Mid-Century American, and features a rug, artwork, table, gilded metal and glass wall light sconces, and tea service typical of mid-20th century American design. Some elements of

20163-543: Was produced under the direction of curator Lorraine Waxman Pearce with direct supervision from Mrs. Kennedy. Sales of the guidebook helped finance the restoration. In a televised tour of the house on Valentine's Day in 1962, Kennedy showed her restoration of the White House to the public. Congress enacted legislation in September 1961 declaring the White House a museum. Furniture, fixtures , and decorative arts could now be declared either historic or of artistic interest by

20306-451: Was removed from the room with the intention of reinstalling it after the reconstruction. Like much of the salvaged wood and plaster from the house, it was pronounced unusable. McKim's groin vaulted ceiling and plaster decoration was copied, along with the Greek key, stars and large eagle ornament. Most of McKim's Colonial Revival furniture was returned to the room. During the Kennedy restoration

20449-533: Was undertaken by each bidder having to complete a detailed questionnaire. The construction delivery method, or type of construction contract, was a "fixed-fee-cost-plus", meaning the work would be performed for the cost of the materials and labor plus a fixed fee for the general contractor's overhead and profit. On October 28, 1949, the General Services Administration received bids from 15 general contractors ranging up to $ 950,000 for fees. The low bid

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