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The Presidents House Was Planned
Pierre Charles L'Enfant planned and constructed the White House under the personal supervision of President George Washington -
The White House was Designed
Many architectural competitions were held to determine the design of the White House. James Hoban, and Irish-born architect, who was living in Charleston, South Carolina at the time, was the winner. -
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War of 1812
The War of 1812 start and end dates. -
Burning of the White House
British troops entered Washington DC and ate a dinner that was prepared for the President at the White House before burning the place down. Then President Madison and Congress decided to rebuild the buildings rather then move the capital to another city. James Hoban returned to reconstruct the Presidents House. -
South Portico was Constructed
The South Portico was finally constructed in 1824 under the supervision of James Hoban. Made of Seneca sandstone from Maryland. -
North Portico is Constructed
The North Portico was finally built after Andrew Johnson's election in 1828 when they finally had the funds. It was also made out of Seneca sandstone from Maryland. The North Portico covered the driveway and served as porte cochere. -
East Room Furnished
Andrew Johnson furnished the East Room for the first time. -
Statue of Jefferson
French sculptor, Pierre Jean David d'Angers, sculpted a statue of President Jefferson and it was placed in the center of the lawn. -
Wooden Greene House Added
President James Buchannon added a wooden greenhouse on the roof of the west terrace. It later burned in 1867 and was replaced with an iron one that was twice its size. -
Stables Moved
The states, at first only located a few blocks from the Executive Mansion, were shifted around until the greenhouses forced their removal in 1969 to the area located southwest of the President's Grounds. -
Additional Greenhouses Built
Additional conservatories were built from the 1870s to 1880s to house different plants like roses, camellias, or orchids. Later in 1902, all were removed to make room for the Executive Office Building AKA The West Wing. -
Chester A. Arthur refurnishes the White House
President Arthur calls upon Louis C. Tiffany to redecorate certain rooms in the White House like the East, Blue and Red Rooms, the State Dining Room, and the transverse corridor. This lasted from 1881 to 1885. -
White House Officially Named
President Theodore Roosevelt issued an order establishing the name for this building as the "White House". Before it was referred to as the "President's House" or the "Executive Mansion". -
White House Renovated
Mrs. Roosevelt called upon architect Charles McKim to renovate the White House. His plan called for doubling the space in the White House that was given to the family for living quarters, it provided a new wing for the president and his staff, as well as a new area on the east side for receiving guests. -
Oval Office
In 1909, President Taft made the West Wing permanent and enlarged it to accommodate the Oval Office. -
Rose Garden
Ellen Wilson planted the first Rose Garden in the 1910s. The rose garden today reflects how it looked back when it was first built with a long hedge boarding the "president's walk". -
President Truman Makes Changes
When he first moved in, he noticed large cracks in the plaster so he appointed a Commission on the Renovation of the Executive Mansion. This would keep the original walls, third floor, and roof while the interiors would be stripped and reinstalled with a steel skeleton structure. Two sub levels of basements were added and the Grand Stair Case was changed. -
Swimming Pool Removed
The Swimming Pool that was created in 1933 for Franklin D. Roosevelt was removed and replaced by the press center.
