The White House

       http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/history

      The history of the White House is rich and full of defining moments of both the residence itself, the offices in it, the men who have served in it, and the nation as a whole. This “official story” of the history of the White House goes through many Presidents of the United States and their impact on the White House, particularly its construction under Washington, the two fires under Madison and Hoover, and the renovations that certain Presidents made to accomodate a growing American public. It truly illustrates how this building has been both an active participant in and a passive observer of the growth and prosperity of the nation.

       However, it does leave out a crucial part of this building’s history and the imprtant work a man who helped shape it and its importance. It leaves out the influence President Theodore Roosevelt had on making the White House a place for the public to connect with the President and the President to make permanent residence while in office. President Roosevelt established the White House Press room, and opened the executive branch to the public more than it had ever been. This was an important moment in the history of the White House, and the official page of the White House conspicuously left it out.