White House Renovation Souvenirs: Souvenirs, Relics and Mementos of the President's House

The building that is home to the Presidents has gone through tremendous changes over the 221 years of its history. The burning by the British in 1814 resulted in the first complete rebuilding of its interior. In 1902 Teddy Roosevelt remodeled the whole ground level to update and "modernize" it. President Coolidge replaced the roof and added to the third floor in 1927. Harry Truman, in the early 1950s, completely gutted and rebuilt the White House because of major structural safety issues.

As...