4:04This photograph, a courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress, depicts a gathering outdoors at the White House during the nuptials of Jessie Woodrow Wilson, daughter to President Wilson, in a White House ceremony situated in Washington, on Nov. 25, 1913. U.S. Library of Congress via AP
The dismantling of the White House East Wing this week signified the departure of over a century’s worth of American chronicles.
Housing the first lady’s formal office, a cinema, and even a clandestine subterranean shelter, the East Wing was razed to clear a space for President Donald Trump’s forthcoming $300 million, 90,000-square-foot grand ballroom.
The East Wing hallway at the White House is adorned for the festive period, Nov. 29, 2016, within Washington.Andrew Harnik/AP, Files
Anita McBride, the chief of staff for former first lady Laura Bush, communicated to ABC News that the destruction of the East Wing is "unnerving," yet "taking down those structures doesn’t lessen the importance of the undertakings we achieved there."
"First ladies’ staff existed and bore witness to history inside those confines. It’s a spot of dedication and assistance. Betty Ford offered the quintessential statement for illustrating the exceptional nature of the East Wing: 'If the West Wing embodies the nation’s intellect, then the East Wing is its spirit,'" McBride continued. "East Wing narratives must be maintained and imparted to successive generations so they can value the part this space played in White House heritage."
Below are a selection of those noteworthy junctures.
This image, made available by the U.S. Library of Congress, features the eastern entryway of the White House in Washington, captured in 1906.U.S. Library of Congress via AP
1902: Building of the East Terrace
The predecessor to the East Wing — designated as the East Terrace — was erected in 1902 during the tenure of President Theodore Roosevelt.
As mentioned by the White House Historical Association, the East Terrace functioned as an entry point for visitors, demonstrable in dated visuals.
This photograph provided by the U.S. Library of Congress shows a crowd outside the White House on the wedding day of Jessie Woodrow Wilson, daughter of President Wilson in a White House ceremony in Washington, Nov. 25, 1913.U.S. Library of Congress via AP
This image courtesy of the Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, shows a view of the White House and the White House East Wing, circa 1916-1919, in Washington.Library of Congress/AFP via Getty Images
1942: The East Wing Takes Shape
In the year 1942, the East Wing took the place of the East Terrace, principally as a disguise for an existing subterranean bunker beneath the construction, as communicated by the White House.
Currently recognized as the Presidential Emergency Operations Center (PEOC), the bunker has reputedly safeguarded national authorities in instances of jeopardy, as seen when Vice President Dick Cheney was relocated there following the 9/11 atrocities and Trump amidst the George Floyd demonstrations in 2020, as per White House documentation.
Around the period the East Wing was erected, Roosevelt's cloakroom in the complex was converted into the White House Family Theatre, according to the White House.
In this Feb. 2, 2008, handout from the White House, President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama wear 3-D glasses while watching the Super Bowl during a Super Bowl party in the family theater of the White House in Washington, D.C.Pete Souza/White House via Getty Images, FILE
Eleanor Roosevelt likewise initiated the practice of utilizing the East Wing as the first lady’s official workspace in this era, based on records from the White House Historical Association.
1970s: The Pursuit of Equal Entitlements from a Dedicated Bureau
With heightened attention directed toward the first lady stemming from Jacqueline Kennedy’s time spent in the White House, then-first lady Betty Ford conceived the recognized Office of the First Lady situated within the East Wing, which then debuted under then-first lady Rosalynn Carter in 1977, as noted by the White House Historical Association.
During this epoch, Ford, an advocate for women’s entitlements, lobbied for equitable salaries for her female employees in addition to a cessation of gender-based biases existing within the East Wing, according to the White House Historical Association.
This 1992 image courtesy of the Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, Historic American Buildings Survey, shows a view of the White House East Wing in Washington.Library of Congress/AFP via Getty Images
Contemporary Timeframe: First Ladies Stand Up For Numerous Principles
Contemporary first ladies have employed the East Wing as a foundation to spearhead a multitude of endeavors intending to better the country.
In this Nov. 5, 2001, file photo, First Lady Laura Bush celebrates her birthday with White House staff members in the East Wing of the White House.National Archives
Laura Bush headed nationwide literacy projects hailing from the East Wing throughout her stint as first lady in the beginning years of the 2000s, while Michelle Obama conducted her "Let’s Move" initiative to elevate public welfare during her husband's administration.
Recently, Jill Biden has chosen the East Wing as an anchor for her activities pertaining to military households and learning.
A Marine White House military social aide holds the door to the East Wing entrance of the White House during a press preview of the White House holiday decorations, Nov. 29, 2021, in Washington.Evan Vucci/AP, Files
2025: Ruination
The White House issued a statement Monday voicing displeasure towards the critiques the Trump administration has been subjected to for taking down the East Wing. Trump stated in July that constructing the ballroom "won’t interfere with the current building. It’ll be near it but not touching it," but then reversed course by demolishing it.
The Trump administration upheld that the "privately funded ballroom to the White House" is a "a bold, necessary addition."
Work continues on the demolition of a part of the East Wing of the White House, Oct. 21, 2025, in Washington, before construction of a new ballroom.Jacquelyn Martin/AP
President Donald Trump holds a rendering of his proposed ballroom as he meets with Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Mark Rutte in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, October 22, 2025.Kevin Lamarque/Reuters
The White House ensured that all historical attributes of the East Wing have been protected and conserved.
"All the historical components of the East Wing … have been preserved and stored under the supervision of the White House Executive Residence and the National Park Service with support from the White House Historical Association. Plans are in place for future use," a White House official told ABC News.
Sourse: abcnews.go.com
