National Archives (Abbie Rowe, National Park Service). Feb. 27, 1950
Demolition began in late 1949 without fanfare (perimeter fencing was used to hide construction from the public). Steel shoring and debris was passed through openings in the left-intact facade.
Soon after Harry S. Truman ascended to the presidency in April 1945, he and his family moved into the White House and discovered that “America’s most famous residence” was literally falling apart. What began as annoying creaky floors and mysterious ghost-like sounds would later give way to more serious incidents.
According to presidential historian Michael Beschloss, writing for The New York Times: “One day, while President Harry S. Truman took a bath upstairs, a great Blue Room chandelier threatened to crash down on his wife, Bess, and her guests from the Daughters of the American Revolution. The president later joked that he might have unexpectedly dropped through the ceiling naked on the ladies below, and he confessed that the incident made him nervous. The upstairs floor, he noted, ‘sagged and moved like a ship at sea.’”
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The President's House by George Munger, 1814-1815 (White House Collection)
By 1948, the White House was said to be still standing only "out…
By 1948, the White House was said to be still standing only "out of habit” after a century-and-a-half of architectural abuse. It had barely survived being burned to the ground by British troops in 1814 and later endured numerous hurried renovations by tenants wanting to put their mark upon the Executive Mansion before the next presidential election cycle began. The watercolor painting above (ca. 1814-1815) depicts the White House as it looked following the fire of August 24, 1814.
National Archives (Abbie Rowe, National Park Service). February 20, 1950
Inadequate interior foundations, installed during its original c…
Inadequate interior foundations, installed during its original construction in 1800, were further compromised by major renovations in 1902 and 1927. In 1902, a load-bearing wall was removed to enlarge State Dining Room on the first floor (the floor and walls above were supported by a steel truss and suspended rod system shown in the photo above). The truss, located within a second-floor West Sitting Room wall, transmitted concentrated loads to already burdened interior foundations. More worrisome was the 1927 addition built during the Coolidge administration where a third-floor level was expanded into existing attic space. The new concrete-and-steel story transferred much of its weight onto the interior walls (up until then, the original roof and unused attic floor were supported only on the heavy exterior walls). Coolidge’s third-floor addition would accelerate the White House’s structural demise, the warning signs of which were largely ignored by the succeeding Hoover and Roosevelt presidencies too busy with trying to navigate the country through the Great Depression and later World War II.
National Archives (Abbie Rowe, National Park Service). January, 1950
Over the years, bearing walls and structural members were haphaz…
Over the years, bearing walls and structural members were haphazardly cut into to make way for various advances in heating, plumbing, lighting, and communications. Here, a myriad of electric and telephone conduits on the second floor corridor are exposed during demolition (left), while a load-bearing brick wall was weakened at some point in time to make way for water pipes (right). To make matters worse, substandard materials were used in a number of renovation projects. Repurposed scorched timbers from the 1814 fire and used bricks contributed to premature structural failure, while second-hand water piping installed in 1927 caused water damage shortly after installation.
National Archives (Abbie Rowe, National Park Service). February 1948
By the time the Trumans moved into the White House in April 1945…
By the time the Trumans moved into the White House in April 1945, interior walls and floors had settled and pulled away from the mansion’s robust masonry façade leading Truman to note that, “The upstairs floors sagged and moved like a ship at sea.” Then in 1948, First Daughter Margaret Truman’s piano broke through the floor in First Family’s private quarters, which prompted a more-invasive structural inspection. Here, First Daughter Margaret Truman is seated before her baby grand piano in the family quarters of the White House ca. 1948.
National Archives (Abbie Rowe, National Park Service). March 7, 1950
An underlying support beam had cracked from the weight of Margar…
An underlying support beam had cracked from the weight of Margaret's piano and was temporarily held together by metal clamps in late 1948. According to whitehouse.org, Margaret would write “for most of 1948, we lived in a forest of steel pipes in our bedrooms and sitting rooms. They were supposed to hold up the ceilings, but they could do nothing about the rot that was destroying the old timber.” Robert Klara, author of “The Hidden White House: Harry Truman and the Reconstruction of America’s Most Famous Residence” (St. Martin’s Press, 2013), noted that the “investigation concluded that the problem was in fact a collapsing building, not just a floor, and ‘heroic remedies’ would be required.”
National Archives (Abbie Rowe, National Park Service). January 9, 1950
Restoration work began on December 12, 1949 and was spearheaded …
Restoration work began on December 12, 1949 and was spearheaded by general contractor John McShain, a.k.a. “The Builder of Washington". McShain had built the Jefferson Memorial (1943), the Pentagon (1943), and the FDR Library at Hyde Park, NY (1941). In the photo above, workers hand-excavate pits for new concrete piers in order to “underpin” the mansion’s exterior walls (portions of the existing stone foundation were removed in order to sink the pits below the existing façade). The photo was taken at northwest corner of the White House.
National Archives (Abbie Rowe, National Park Service). January 13, 1950
Concrete is being poured into a hand-excavated pit. Pits were du…
Concrete is being poured into a hand-excavated pit. Pits were dug anywhere from 24 to 27 feet below grade down to gravel soils; clay soils closer to grade contributed to the settling of the original interior foundations.
National Archives (Abbie Rowe, National Park Service). January 19, 1950
A “T”-shaped structural steel support is installed on top of…
A “T”-shaped structural steel support is installed on top of a cured “underpinning” pier, then…
National Archives (Abbie Rowe, National Park Service). January 31, 1950
…later formed out and filled with concrete. The “T”-shaped…
…later formed out and filled with concrete. The “T”-shaped concrete pours allowed access to the interior to remove earth. The process was repeated and the existing stone foundation was gradually removed. The access holes were later infilled with concrete.
National Archives (Abbie Rowe, National Park Service). March 21, 1950
National Park Service photographer Abbie Rowe (shown here) photo…
National Park Service photographer Abbie Rowe (shown here) photographs progress completing the underpinning east of South Portico of the White House. Work crews would pour 126 new concrete piers to support the building’s historic masonry façade. The underpinning was completed by the end of June 1950.
National Archives (Abbie Rowe, National Park Service). January 19, 1950
The dismantling of the White House coincided with the underpinni…
The dismantling of the White House coincided with the underpinning of its exterior walls. Here, dismantled items are labelled and catalogued in the East Room (the salvaged pieces would later be stored off site). According to presidential historian Michael Beschloss, writing for The New York Times: “The historian in Truman consoled himself with the expectation that after the gut renovation, much of the original mansion — paneled walls, hardwood floors, ceiling fixtures and other decorations — could be grafted onto the new steel skeleton so that the White House would remain authentically historic…but as with many home improvement ventures, harsh economics soon collided with Truman’s grandest hopes.”
National Archives (Abbie Rowe, National Park Service). January 9, 1950
Plasterers cut ornamental plaster from the East Room ceiling. Th…
Plasterers cut ornamental plaster from the East Room ceiling. The salvaged plaster flatwork samples were used to make molds for replacement pieces. Large decorative moldings, such as ceiling medallions and cornices, were similarly salvaged and recreated as needed.
National Archives (Abbie Rowe, National Park Service). February 23, 1950
Workmen remove limestone steps from the main stairway of the Whi…
Workmen remove limestone steps from the main stairway of the White House. To accommodate increasing project costs and time constraints, most of interior finishes ended up being copies of the original. By mid-February 1950, the dismantling of the White House was complete and demolition was well under way.
National Archives (Abbie Rowe, National Park Service). March 9, 1950
During the demolition phase of the project, construction debris …
During the demolition phase of the project, construction debris was sent to nearby Fort Myer in Alexandria, Virginia to avoid profiteering off the scrap material. A government-run program was established to sell off the discarded material as souvenirs, albeit most of the rubble was secretly sent to a landfill. Here, existing wood columns were stabilized with temporary cross-bracing while second-floor floor framing is demolished (left). Two workmen stand in what remains of the second floor Oval Study (right) above the “troublesome” Blue Room (a chandelier in the Blue Room threatened to crash down on First Lady Bess Truman as she entertained guests in 1947).
National Archives (Abbie Rowe, National Park Service). Circa May, 1950
A bulldozer — taken apart, then reassembled in the interior sh…
A bulldozer — taken apart, then reassembled in the interior shell to avoid cutting into the building’s historical façade — removes debris from the inside of the White House. Demolition work began in February 1950 and was complete by June 20, 1950. Days later the Korean War would begin, which would lead to project cost overruns and schedule delays due to rising material and labor costs.
National Archives (Abbie Rowe, National Park Service). Circa May, 1950
“Balancing a stone house in the sky”. Here, earth-moving equ…
“Balancing a stone house in the sky”. Here, earth-moving equipment digs a new basement within the building’s shell. By mid-1950, the White House interior was hollow and measured 165-feet long, 85-feet wide, by 80-feet high (roughly 1.1 million cubic feet of open space was created as a result). Project architect Douglas W. Orr noted in his jobsite chronology (published in “Report of the Commission on the Renovation of the Executive Mansion." 1952), “August 16, 1950: Excavation of basement and footings completed” and “September 14, 1950: “Due to delays, project schedule revised and general contractor’s completion date set as December 1, 1951 instead of September 26, 1951.”
National Archives (Abbie Rowe, National Park Service). September-October, 1950
Within the remaining exterior shell, a steel frame was built abo…
Within the remaining exterior shell, a steel frame was built above a new labyrinthine basement (which included a secretive fallout center). According to Michael Beschloss regarding whether to tear down and build a new Executive Mansion, “As one of the most voracious readers of history ever to serve as president, Truman recoiled from that prospect. He also felt that witnessing the old White House being torn to the ground would wound Americans’ psyches. He instead approved a plan to shore up the outer walls, tear out everything inside and install a new internal steel superstructure (‘of skyscraper strength,’ The Washington Evening Star said) above a large new, poured-concrete basement." Here, a worker dwarfed by the massive steel columns and beam connection plates inspects the new elevator well in the sub-basement of the White House (left). Rubber tired buggies are being used by workmen in transporting concrete from the mixer to the southeast corner of the ground floor (right). The first piece of “permanent” steel was placed on February 14, 1950 with the steel superstructure being completed on November 29, 1950.
National Archives (Abbie Rowe, National Park Service). June 21, 1951
The new ornamental plaster ceiling and wall furring installed in…
The new ornamental plaster ceiling and wall furring installed in the first-floor East Room. Carpenters work around stacks of lumber destined to become new floorboards.
National Archives (Abbie Rowe, National Park Service). May 28, 1951
Plasterers on scaffolding shape plaster cornice work on west wal…
Plasterers on scaffolding shape plaster cornice work on west wall of the second-floor Family Dining Room. Labor strikes were common during Truman’s Post-World War II presidency. In Summer 1951, a strike at plant furnishing hollow metal delayed work on the project as well as a strike by union plasterers on August 3, 1951. Project architect Douglas Orr noted, “on September 6, 1951 the plasterers strike was settled and plastering continuing… cumulative delay indicate completion date beyond January 15, 1952.” By September 21, 1951, the lath and plaster work was mostly complete.
National Archives (Abbie Rowe, National Park Service). April 11, 1951
Workmen mechanically fasten cork insulation on ceiling of center…
Workmen mechanically fasten cork insulation on ceiling of center hall of third floor.
National Archives (Abbie Rowe, National Park Service). July 19, 1951
Photographer Abbie Rowe staged workmen inside ductwork to illust…
Photographer Abbie Rowe staged workmen inside ductwork to illustrate the size of the massive HVAC system being installed in the new basement. Prior to the Truman Renovation, White House operations were significantly reduced during summer months as people departed the heat and humidity of Washington, DC for more hospitable climates. Air conditioning allowed the White House to operate year-round without regard for summer heat.
National Archives (Abbie Rowe, National Park Service). January 11, 1952
In preparation of laying strip subflooring in the first-floor Re…
In preparation of laying strip subflooring in the first-floor Red Room, carpenters set wooden blocks in tar over the new concrete deck.
National Archives (Abbie Rowe, National Park Service). January 23, 1952
Floor layers install white oak flooring in first-floor State Din…
Floor layers install white oak flooring in first-floor State Dining Room. The installation of the wood flooring particularly vexed the project managers. Architect Douglas Orr would note from late September 1951 to February 1952 in his jobsite chronology: September 21, 1951, “Much concern about delays in installation of wood flooring and structural glass”; November 19, 1951, “Very unsatisfactory progress of installation of wood flooring”; December 6, 1951, “Wood flooring installation still unsatisfactory”; December 20, 1951. “Shortage of skilled floor layers” and February 5, 1952, “Completion date hinges on flooring and interior millwork.”
National Archives (Abbie Rowe, National Park Service). March 27, 1952
On March 27, 1952, President Truman and First Lady Bess Truman a…
On March 27, 1952, President Truman and First Lady Bess Truman arrived at the White House to reoccupy the building. The scope of work, costs, and historical authenticity of the renovation work would remain controversial over time. Cost escalations due to labor shortages and wartime inflation caused a cost overrun of $321,000 ($3.1 million dollars today), bringing the total cost of the project to $5.7 million (roughly $57 million dollars adjusted for inflation).
Then, in 1948, one of the legs of first daughter Margaret Truman’s piano broke through rotting floorboards in her second-floor sitting room and caused ceiling plaster to fall in the Family Dining Room below. A team of architects and engineers was summoned to secretly inspect the structure. Truman knew the image of a collapsing White House was an apt metaphor for his plummeting approval ratings. He therefore didn’t want to publicize the sorry state of the building while running for re-election that year.
The inspectors determined that portions of the mansion were in imminent danger of collapse. As a result, the first family was moved to nearby Blair House for their safety, and thus began the Trumans’ three-year odyssey as displaced tenants. The first family wouldn’t return “home” until March 1952.
The restoration included leaving the historical structure’s facade intact, while completely gutting its interior. Within the remaining exterior shell, a steel superstructure “of skyscraper strength” was built above a new labyrinthine basement, which included a top-secret fallout shelter (the Soviet Union surprised the West by denoting its first atomic bomb in late summer 1949). The underground bunker’s “Cold War change order” as well as rising material and labor costs (the Korean War began in June 25, 1950, and put the U.S. economy in an inflationary period) led to schedule delays and further secrecy regarding the project (for more photos about the renovation, click on the slideshow “Truman’s White House Renovation (1948 to 1952)”, left).
National Archives (Abbie Rowe, National Park Service). May 17, 1950
Klara notes that, “The logistics of construction were complex; it was described as needing to ‘balance a stone house in the sky’ while new foundations were dug beneath its walls.” Here, the mansion’s exterior walls were “underpinned” by new concrete piers and the interior was removed (the underpinning and steel shoring allowed earth-moving equipment to dig a new basement within the gutted shell). By mid-1950, roughly 1.1 million cubic feet of open space was created as a result.
