Only thirteen years after the house was completed, disaster struck. The War of 1812 brought invading British armies who set the house afire. James Hoban rebuilt it according to the original design, but this time the sandstone walls were painted white.
The next major renovation began in 1824. Appointed by Thomas Jefferson, designer and draftsman Benjamin Henry Latrobe became "Surveyor of the Public Buildings" of the United States. He set to work completing the Capitol, the presidential home and other buildings in Washington D.C. It was Latrobe who added the graceful portico. This pedimented roof supported by columns transforms the Georgian home into a neoclassical estate.
Over the decades, the presidential home underwent many more renovations. In 1835, running water and central heating were installed. Electric lights were added in 1901. Although the building was often called the "White House," the name did not become official until 1902, when President Theodore Roosevelt adopted it.
Yet another disaster struck in 1929 - A fire swept through the West Wing. Then, after World War II, the two main floors of the building were gutted and completely renovated. For most of his presidency, Harry Truman was not able to live in the house.
