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A Quick Tour of White House Renovations—President by President

From fires and full-gut rebuilds to solar panels and press rooms, nearly every president has left a mark on the Executive Mansion. Here’s a concise, chronological guide to the major renovations and additions—and who did what. The Founding Era to the 1800s James Madison / James Monroe (1814–1817; 1817–1824): After the British burned the house in August 1814, architect James Hoban rebuilt the residence, finishing in 1817. Hoban later returned to add the South Portico for Mo