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The White House Reconstruction 1948-1952 - Interior and Exterior Photos from Ghosts of DC
I was reflecting on White House history today, on the 205th anniversary of the British burning of it and found great photos of the Reconstruction of 1948-1952 via the Ghosts of DC website:
https://ghostsofdc.org/2013/11/20/interior-photos-white-house-renovation/
https://ghostsofdc.org/2013/11/21/exterior-photos-white-house-renovation/
Selections:
https://ghostsofdc.org/2013/11/21/exterior-photos-white-house-renovation/
Selections:
More from Wikipedia:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_House_Reconstruction
The White House Reconstruction, also known as the Truman Reconstruction, was a comprehensive dismantling and rebuilding of the interior of the White House between 1949-1952. A century-and-a-half of wartime destruction and rebuilding, hurried renovations, additions of new services, technologies, an added Third Floor, and inadequate foundations brought the Executive Residence portion of the White House Complex to near-imminent collapse. In 1948, architectural and engineering investigations deemed it unsafe for occupancy, and President Harry S. Truman, his family, and the entire residence staff were relocated across the street. For over three years, the White House was gutted, expanded, and rebuilt. The scope, costs, and historical authenticity of the work were controversial, with the reconstruction being called both structurally essential and a disaster.
Emerging problem
When the Trumans moved into the executive mansion in 1945, they found it badly in need of repair after twelve years of neglect during the Depression and war. In 1946, Congress authorized $780,000 ($11 million 2018 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 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 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 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 the Oval Study caused further alarm. “Floors no longer merely creaked; they swayed."
Investigations
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 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 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 W. Orr, and the president of the American Society of Civil Engineers, Richard E. Dougherty, to "make 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 a more thorough investigation and additional engineers and other professionals were engaged from the private sector. Walls, ceilings, and floors were opened up to provide access to the investigators.
Collapse
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 to have rotted, the main floor beam was split completely through, and the ceiling below had dropped 18 inches. 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 was in fact 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 provide an undesirable 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 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 Main Stair was found to be crumbling. The president's bathtub had begun sinking into the floor. The investigators discovered that 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 inwards; the entire mansion was unsafe (except for the new Truman Balcony).
Upon returning to the White House the day after winning the election, the president was informed that the Federal Works Agency was about to do what his political opponents could not: remove him from the White House. 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 the White House guest house across Pennsylvania Avenue.
Project definition
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 concluding 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 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 amongst Congressional committee members considering the project, including many in Congress who were outwardly hostile towards 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 the autumn of 1949, Congress authorized funding of $5.4 million for the entire project to reconstruct the White House while keeping the exterior walls in place.
</snip>
The White House Reconstruction, also known as the Truman Reconstruction, was a comprehensive dismantling and rebuilding of the interior of the White House between 1949-1952. A century-and-a-half of wartime destruction and rebuilding, hurried renovations, additions of new services, technologies, an added Third Floor, and inadequate foundations brought the Executive Residence portion of the White House Complex to near-imminent collapse. In 1948, architectural and engineering investigations deemed it unsafe for occupancy, and President Harry S. Truman, his family, and the entire residence staff were relocated across the street. For over three years, the White House was gutted, expanded, and rebuilt. The scope, costs, and historical authenticity of the work were controversial, with the reconstruction being called both structurally essential and a disaster.
Emerging problem
When the Trumans moved into the executive mansion in 1945, they found it badly in need of repair after twelve years of neglect during the Depression and war. In 1946, Congress authorized $780,000 ($11 million 2018 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 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 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 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 the Oval Study caused further alarm. “Floors no longer merely creaked; they swayed."
Investigations
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 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 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 W. Orr, and the president of the American Society of Civil Engineers, Richard E. Dougherty, to "make 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 a more thorough investigation and additional engineers and other professionals were engaged from the private sector. Walls, ceilings, and floors were opened up to provide access to the investigators.
Collapse
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 to have rotted, the main floor beam was split completely through, and the ceiling below had dropped 18 inches. 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 was in fact 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 provide an undesirable 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 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 Main Stair was found to be crumbling. The president's bathtub had begun sinking into the floor. The investigators discovered that 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 inwards; the entire mansion was unsafe (except for the new Truman Balcony).
Upon returning to the White House the day after winning the election, the president was informed that the Federal Works Agency was about to do what his political opponents could not: remove him from the White House. 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 the White House guest house across Pennsylvania Avenue.
Project definition
By late 1948, three main options were considered for replacement of the White House:
Demolish and rebuild the interior, keeping the exterior walls intact.
Demolish the building entirely and construct a new executive mansion.
Demolish the building entirely, salvage the exterior walls and rebuild them and a new interior.
During 1949, the investigations were completed, the architectural and engineering design was finalized, and cost estimates concluding 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 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 amongst Congressional committee members considering the project, including many in Congress who were outwardly hostile towards 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 the autumn of 1949, Congress authorized funding of $5.4 million for the entire project to reconstruct the White House while keeping the exterior walls in place.
</snip>
I'm glad they chose to retain the outer walls - despite the present occupant, it really is a beautiful building!
9 replies
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= new reply since forum marked as read
Thanks for sharing, it's interesting. 
It is heartbreaking to watch America's symbol known all over the world, with its rich history, soiled by the pig who is currently squatting it.
I knew nothing of this, so thanks again for enlightening us.
$11M in today's dollars seems very cheap considering the amt of work that needed to be done.
I don't understand why anyone back then would be contemptuous of Truman over the condition of the WH. It certainly wasn't his fault and the extensive repairs HAD to be done. So...
On the present day WH here:
https://www.oregonlive.com/hg/2016/11/trump_tower_white_house_privat.html
The total square footage of the structure is now 55,000.
I wasn't aware of this. Interesting history and great photos! I love these historical posts! 
