Trump is adding a ballroom to the East Wing. Photos from the 1950s show the last major White House renovation.

The White House during the Truman renovation in 1950.

The U.S. National Archives

From 1948 to 1952, the White House underwent a complete gut renovation.
The building had numerous structural issues that made it unsafe for the Trumans to live in.
Archived photos show the massive renovation in progress, similar to Trump’s plan for a new ballroom.

When President Harry Truman took office for his second term, the White House was falling apart.

The East Room floor was sagging 18 inches. The president’s bathtub was sinking into the floor. And the structure could no longer support the third level and steel roof that were added in 1927.

In 1948, the Trumans were forced to vacate to the nearby Blair House — the official state guest house of the president — while the White House underwent a massive four-year renovation that cost about $5.7 million, according to the White House Historical Association.

More than 70 years later, another major White House renovation is underway. On Tuesday, demolition work began on the facade of the White House’s East Wing to make way for President Donald Trump’s planned $200 million ballroom.

The new ballroom will be able to seat 650 people, the White House said, a more spacious alternative to the East Room, which seats 200.

In a statement, the White House called the new ballroom “a bold, necessary addition that echoes the storied history of improvements and additions from commanders-in-chief to keep the executive residence as a beacon of American excellence.”

Photos of the Truman renovation, taken by National Park Service photographer Abbie Rowe and preserved by the US National Archives, illustrate how massive the undertaking really was.

National Park Service photographer Abbie Rowe photographed the White House renovations in 1950, halfway through the project.

White House demolition in 1950. — Construction outside the White House in 1950.

Abbie Rowe/US National Archives

The renovation cost $5.7 million, or around $76.4 million when adjusted for inflation in 2025.

Construction workers outside the White House in 1950. — Construction workers outside the White House.

Abbie Rowe/US National Archives

To support the walls, crews poured 126 new concrete support columns that reached depths of 26 feet.

Demolition work inside the White House.

Abbie Rowe/US National Archives

By 1950, the White House interior was hollow. It measured 165 feet long, 85 feet wide, and 80 feet high.

Construction work on the White House.

Abbie Rowe/US National Archives

Workers laid the white oak floor in the State Dining Room during the renovation.

The State Dining Room during the Truman renovation.

Abbie Rowe/US National Archives

The White House’s main stairway was completely rebuilt from scratch.

Stairs in the White House during the Truman renovation.

Abbie Rowe/US National Archives

Sun crept through the bare beams separating a bedroom and a sitting room.

A demolished wall in the White House.

Abbie Rowe/US National Archives

The only clue that this area was once the second-floor corridor of the White House is the arched door frame.

The second floor of the White House under construction.

Abbie Rowe/US National Archives

Here are the remnants of the fireplace in the East Room during the renovation.

The East Room during the Truman renovation.

Abbie Rowe/US National Archives

And finally, this is the second-floor oval study above the Blue Room in 1950.

The second floor above the Blue Room during construction.

Abbie Rowe/US National Archives

A similar scene unfolded on Tuesday during demolition work along the facade of the East Wing to make way for Trump’s new ballroom.

Demolition of the East Wing of the White House for President Donald Trump's ballroom. — WASHINGTON, DC – OCTOBER 21: The facade of the East Wing of the White House is demolished by work crews on October 21, 2025 in Washington, DC. The demolition is part of U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan to build a ballroom reportedly costing $250 million on the eastern side of the White House. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

Editor’s note: This story was originally published in March 2013. It was updated in October 2025.

Read the original article on Business Insider

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