White House Renovations from inception

Major White House Renovations Through the Years

Images of the East Wing of the White House being pulled down to make way for an expansive new ballroom have sparked controversy in some quarters.

As some historians have noted, however, the $300 million ballroom will join a long line of renovations that, regardless of how they were received at the time of construction, eventually became cherished parts of the building’s facade.

“The South Portico, the North Portico, the East Wing, the West Wing, and the Truman Balcony all raised concerns at the time—but today, we can’t imagine the White House without these iconic elements,” the White House Historical Association said.

Here is how those elements came to be, over a long history of renovations, since the first cornerstone was laid over two centuries ago.

Read about the White House history This is fascinating.

There is a great slide show through the years beginning in 1793.