Collection Preservation of the White House
In the 1960s, First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy oversaw the task of restoring the White House interiors and thus founded the...
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Carpenters lay the quartered white oak flooring in a herringbone pattern in the State Dining Room on January 23, 1952.
Harry S. Truman Library Presidential Library and Museum/NARATwo men stand precariously in what remains of the Second Floor Oval Study above the Blue Room. The north wall and part of the floor have been removed for the installation of steel shoring columns on March 9, 1950.
Harry S. Truman Library Presidential Library and Museum/NARAEmployees of B. Altman Co. of New York install a blue and gold damask wall covering in the Blue Room on March 14, 1952.
Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum/NARAThe Blue Room as it appeared after the renovation on October 13, 1952.
Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum/NARAEmployees of O.R. Evans Company install the refinished silver plated chandelier in the State Dining Room on March 18, 1952.
Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum/NARA/National Park ServiceThe State Dining Room was the only room in the White House where most the original woodwork was saved and reinstalled during the renovation. This photograph from December 8, 1952, shows the previously dark oak paneling repainted a light green color.
National Archives and Records AdministrationAbout this Gallery
By the summer of 1951 most interior partitions were complete. Service areas were modern and functional, bearing no visible similarity to their historical counterparts. Public spaces and family quarters were generally rebuilt to resemble the original rooms. Work proceeded at a rapid pace six days a week. In February 1952, furniture began arriving as workers finished sanding floors, painting walls, and installing tile.
In the 1960s, First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy oversaw the task of restoring the White House interiors and thus founded the...
Since 1965, the White House Historical Association has been proud to fund the official portraits of our presidents and first ladies,...
Over 200 years ago, James Hoban left Ireland for America to pursue his dream of becoming an architect. Selected by President...
When First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy took on the herculean task of restoring the interior of the White House, she appointed...
James Hoban came from humble beginnings as a young carpenter and architect in Ireland, and went on to collaborate with...
President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy’s advocacy for the arts endures as a vital part of th...
Many people approach the decor of their homes as a reflection of oneself. But what happens when a home's interior...
Since the White House was first occupied by President John Adams in 1800, influential people and organizations—or those who hoped to...
During the administration of President Harry S. Truman, the White House underwent a renovation and expansion so extensive, it changed...
Two grand houses were under construction in the young Federal City in 1816: one the President’s House, reconstructed after it wa...
From the beginning of its construction in 1792, until the 1902 renovation that shaped the modern identity and functions of the interior...
James Hoban's life is a memorable Irish-American success story. In his boyhood he learned the craft of carpenter and wheelwright,...