The White House

Construction of the White House was was begun on October 13, 1792, with Washington overseeing the laying of the cornerstone. He never lived to see it complete, however, as construction was slow.

Second President of the United States John Adams became the first chief executive to take residence in the building now called the Residence on November 1, 1800, while it was still unfinished.

The north and south porticos were not part of the structure for three decades. In 1835, running water and central heating were installed. In 1848, gaslight was installed. Covered pavilions and then large greenhouses for growing flowers and vegetables were constructed on either side of the mansion. Victorian ornamentation and decor were added from the 1870s to the 1890s.

Electric lights supplemented gaslights in 1891, and the first electric elevator was added in 1898. In 1902, Theodore Roosevelt removed the Victorian ornamentation and restored the mansion to the federal style with Georgian touches. A new roof and third floor were added in 1927. In 1949, after adding a balcony on the south side, Harry Truman's engineers found the rest of the house to be unsound and completely rebuilt the interior, even digging sub-basements. The Kennedys remodeled extensively in the early 1960s and occasional renovations continue today. The West Wing

Before the building of the West Wing, presidential staff worked on the second floor of the Residence. However, when Theodore Roosevelt became president, he realized that the rooms in the mansion were too small for his large family and his staff. In 1902, he had a temporary office structure constructed on the site of the greenhouses.

In 1909, William Howard Taft expanded the building and created an oval office for the president. In 1923 is was remodeled; in 1930 it was rebuilt after a Christmas fire. In 1934, Franklin Roosevelt had a second floor constructed and moved the Oval Office to the southeast corner for better light and privacy. He also had a swimming pool and gymnasium constructed in the gallery to allow him to exercise regularly.

Many presidents renovate the Oval Office and Cabinet Room. Richard Nixon converted the pool and gym to a briefing room and offices for the press. He also dedicated the conference room to Theodore and Franklin Roosevelt. In 2006, the George W Bush renovated the press areas and enlarged and updated the Situation Room. East Wing

Along with the West Wing, Theodore Roosevelt also built an early, one-story East Wing as a formal guest entrance. The present East Wing was added to the White House in 1942 in part to balance the enlarged West Wing and in part to cover the construction of an underground air-raid bunker now known as the Presidential Emergency Operations Center. Among its uses, the East Wing has sometimes housed the offices and staff of the first lady and provides a covered entrance to the White House that allows guests to easily flow through the mansion for large social events.