The 33rd President of the United States, Harry S.
Truman, moved into the White House in 1945. To his surprise and dismay, the
house had serious problems. Not only was it drafty and creaky, it was downright
unsafe. Chandeliers in the house were observed swaying for no apparent reason,
and floors moved underneath people’s feet when stepped
on.
All of the above resulted in a structural investigation of the building, revealing haphazard retrofitting, fire hazards, and a second floor that was on the verge of collapsing. What's more is that the White House's foundations were sinking, walls were peeling away and disused water and gas pipes were weighing down the building and making it unsustainable.
The situation was so bad that, in June 1948, one of the legs of First Daughter Margaret Truman’s piano fell right through a floorboard of her second-floor sitting room. This event, along with others, made the Presidential family and its aides realize that serious measures were required to save the historic building.
All of the above resulted in a structural investigation of the building, revealing haphazard retrofitting, fire hazards, and a second floor that was on the verge of collapsing. What's more is that the White House's foundations were sinking, walls were peeling away and disused water and gas pipes were weighing down the building and making it unsustainable.
The situation was so bad that, in June 1948, one of the legs of First Daughter Margaret Truman’s piano fell right through a floorboard of her second-floor sitting room. This event, along with others, made the Presidential family and its aides realize that serious measures were required to save the historic building.
In 1949, Congress approved a $5.4 million project to gut the building in its entirety, replacing its interior while retaining its historic facade. Architects, engineers, and workers toiled for the next 22 months, trying to figure out how to remove unstable structural elements while somehow ensuring the exterior of the building remained intact.
All of the construction
equipment used on the site had to be carried inside in
pieces, then re-assembled before being used in order to
prevent exterior damage. The first and second floors were
replaced, while several expansions and basement levels
were added, including a bomb shelter that was capable of
withstanding a nuclear attack.
President Truman and his family returned to reside in the White House in 1952, with a small ceremony marking the occasion. The First Family received a gold key to its newly-refurbished residence.
President Truman and his family returned to reside in the White House in 1952, with a small ceremony marking the occasion. The First Family received a gold key to its newly-refurbished residence.
Click the image below to view the photo album. (All images are copy written by the Library.)
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