Visitor Alec sent me photos of a tiny government publication from 1995 called Architecture of the West Wing of the White House. He made modifications to the c1911 diagram to make it a more authentic 1909 diagram, and I used the photos he sent to create a 1935 diagram from the 1945 one. Other photos confirmed Pete's current floor plan. See the First Floor of the West Wing History page.
Thanks Alec!
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Very nicely done Derek. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI wish it was still like the 1935 plan which is essentially the same set-up they used in the TV show "The West Wing". I prefer the larger lobby with the columns. Not as practical mind you but nicer.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Derek, for giving us so much during 2008. Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad that by 1935 the fish had their own conference room... : )
ReplyDeleteFacinating - although a bit of a strange 1909 (100 years ago!!)floorplan progression from the "front door" of the West Wing through the Lobby and the General Waiting Room into the corridor and then (in a round-about way)finally to the Oval Office.
I much prefer the elegant plan of the 1935 Wing. Must have been Eric Gugler's work here. I'd love to know what else he did other than the White House. He had a great eye and a wonderful sense of design.
I guess the fish lived in FDR's pool?
My understanding is that FDR put an aquarium and nautical decor in today's Roosevelt Room (well, he put nautical decor everywhere) and the "Fish Room" name stuck thru at least the Kennedy era, when JFK had his huge sailfish on the wall in there. (Bill Moyers put the sailfish on his office wall during his time as press secretary—you can see it in one of the photos of that room).
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