Collection James Hoban: Architect of the White House
James Hoban's life is a memorable Irish-American success story. In his boyhood he learned the craft of carpenter and wheelwright,...
President Truman's Renovation
During the administration of President Harry S. Truman, the White House underwent a renovation and expansion so extensive, it changed the executive mansion more than the fire of 1814. The White House we know today is largely due to the renovation led by Truman. The construction took place between 1948 and 1952 and was a remarkable feat of engineering. National Park Service photographer Abbie Rowe captured the entire process on film and the below galleries document the transformation.
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Collection The President's Neighborhood
Since the White House was first occupied by President John Adams in 1800, influential people and organizations—or those who hoped to...
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Collection Tudor Place
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Collection An Artist Visits the White House Past
From its construction in 1792, until the 1902 renovation that shaped the modern identity and functions of the interior of the White...
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Collection Dining in the Executive Mansion
A dinner at the White House has always had significance beyond the merely gastronomical. The elegance of the State Dining...
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Collection Italy in the White House
Long before the emergence of the United States and Italy as nations, close connections between our two peoples influenced political...
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First Lady Helen Taft's Luneta
“That Manila could lend anything to Washington may be an idea that would surprise some persons, but the Luneta is an...
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Romantic Expansions
In our own time thoughts about “the West” have been rather vividly colored by popular culture imagery depicting the rugged indi...
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Caroline Harrison's 1891 Music Room
The Green Room, positioned between the East Room and the Blue Room, is one of the principal parlors of the...
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The Association's Decatur House on Lafayette Square
In the year 2011 the White House Historical Association entered its fiftieth year. Established during the administration of President John F....
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Days of Destruction: The United States Capitol
By nightfall on August 24, 1814, British forces had arrived on Capitol Hill and broken through the doors of the 14-year-old Capitol,...
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Rebuilding the White House and U.S. Capitol
The government hired James Hoban, designer of the original President's House to supervise the rebuilding of the mansion and executive...
