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.

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 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, 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."

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.

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