Central Hall

The Third Floor Hall Like the other floors of the White House Residence, the third floor features a wide central hallway that offers seating for casual entertaining. Before the Truman reconstruction further enlarged the third floor, this hall was more open and featured a circular railing around a skylight that let light from the rooftop skylight filter down into the second floor below. This was later removed and the end of the hall screened off to make addional spaces, in particular the play room/sitting room that became the Music Room.

More Images

Central Hall around 2000, looking west

Central Hall in 1992, looking west (HABS)

Central Hall in 1992, looking east (HABS)

The arched hall to the Music Room in 1992, looking east (HABS)

The Central Hall in 1982, looking east

The Central Hall in 1981, looking west (Architectural Digest)

The Central Hall in 1981, looking east (Architectural Digest - Derry Moore)

The Central Hall, circa 1979 (White House Historical Association)

Central Hall about 1973

Julie Nixon Eisenhower doing some needlepoint at the east end of the hall in 1971 (NARA)

Caroline Kennedy's class performing for their families in Central Hall in 1963, looking northeast (Kennedy Library)

Central Hall in 1962, looking east (Kennedy Library - Robert Knudsen)

Central Hall in 1960, looking east (Kennedy Library - Robert Knudsen)

Central Hall in 1952, after reconstruction, looking east (Truman Library)

Far west end of the Central Hall in 1952, looking northwest into the penthouse and elevator hall (Truman Library)

Central Hall in 1952, after reconstruction, looking west (Truman Library)

Central Hall, looking east, circa 1950, during reconstruction; note the fenced off elevator shaft at left (Truman Library)

Central Hall, circa 1948 (Truman Library)

Central Hall, circa 1948 (Truman Library)

Center Hall, circa 1927, around the time the roof was replaced and the third floor expanded;
note the railing around the "skylight" down to the second floor Central Hall (Library of Congress)