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The 1929 West Wing Fire and Reconstruction

A fire on Christmas Eve 1929 gutted the Executive Offices in the West Wing of the White House. Once the fire was extinguished, Congress quickly approved a special appropriation to repair the damage. After repair work was completed, President Herbert Hoover and his aides moved back into the West Wing on April 14, 1930. This newsreel includes footage from the fire on Christmas Eve and the following reconstruction.

The 2016 White House Christmas Ornament On Sale Now

Credit
National Archives and Records Administration

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