Under the First Lady’s Feet: The Forgotten Heart of White House History

Most visitors to the White House see polished floors, portraits, and flower arrangements. Few realize that under the East Wing—beneath the First Lady’s office, in fact—lies a Cold War–era command bunker built to protect the presidency in times of crisis.

From Cloakroom to Showpiece

In 1902, President Theodore Roosevelt hired architect Charles Follen McKim to overhaul the White House. The result was the first East Wing—a temporary, glassed-in structure that acted as a cloakroom and guest entrance for elegant receptions. It balanced the new West Wing and kept muddy boots and fur coats out of the family residence.

1942: The Bunker Beneath

Four decades later, another Roosevelt had different worries. With World War II raging, President Franklin D. Roosevelt asked architect Lorenzo Winslow to rebuild the East Wing. The public saw a handsome two-story addition with offices and a refined lobby. Hidden below it was the Presidential Emergency Operations Center (PEOC)—a bomb-proof bunker capable of sheltering the president from air raids. The 1942 East Wing’s above-ground charm masked its subterranean muscle.

Reinforcements and Renovations

• Truman era (1948–1952): The White House was gutted and rebuilt; the East Wing stayed but the PEOC was strengthened for nuclear-age threats.

• Kennedy era (1961–1963): Jacqueline Kennedy turned the adjoining garden into the elegant Jacqueline Kennedy Garden and formalized the First Lady’s staff offices in the wing.

• Post-9/11: The PEOC proved its worth when Vice President Dick Cheney, Condoleezza Rice, and others took refuge there during the 2001 attacks. Later upgrades added deeper, more secure facilities.

The East Wing Today

The East Wing now wears two faces:

• Public and ceremonial. It’s the entrance for tourists and guests who stroll the East Colonnade beside the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden.

• Private and operational. It houses the First Lady’s office, social-secretary suites, and visitor-services areas—while the PEOC remains ready below.

Why It Still Captivates

The East Wing began as a place to hang coats and now hides some of the nation’s deepest secrets. It embodies the White House’s dual nature—open to the public, yet built for resilience.

From parlor to bunker, the East Wing remains one of Washington’s most fascinating architectural double lives—part reception hall, part refuge.