The White House East Wing was first built in 1902 during President Theodore Roosevelt’s administration, and then substantially rebuilt and expanded into its more familiar modern form in 1942 under President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Key dates in one glance

  • Initial construction : 1902, as part of Roosevelt-era renovations that added both the East and West Wings to separate official business from the family residence.
  • Major rebuild/expansion : 1942, when Franklin D. Roosevelt added a larger two‑story structure that concealed the new underground bunker and created much more working space.
  • Earlier precursor : In the early 1800s, Thomas Jefferson had colonnades and terraces on the east side that later influenced where the modern East Wing went, but these were not yet the true East Wing building.