1909- Before it was the Press Briefing Room or even President Roosevelt's swimming pool, the current site of today's Press briefing room was the laundry room.
In the spring of 1933, the New York Daily Times published an ad calling for a campaign to build a pool at the White House in honor of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. The pool was built and finished in 1933 to help the President with his Polio therapy.
(Above Photo) 1948 - Roosevelt's swimming Pool.
1963 - The White House Pool during the Kennedy Administration. Joe Kennedy Sr. commissioned the mural located in the background. The image in the picture is the reflection of the mural off a mirrored wall.
1970- With a growing public demand for televised news, President Nixon built the new Press Briefing Room.
The room was remodeled in 1986 by President Reagan. In 2000, the Press Briefing Room was renamed to the "James S. Brady Press Briefing Room" to honor the Press Secretary who was shot and permanently disabled during an assassination attempt on President Reagan. It was also rewired with 18 miles of cable.
2006 - (Above Photo)The Press Briefing Room pretty much the same since 1986. On August 2, 2006, the room and Press Corp offices were shut down and to undergo renovation. July 11, 2007 the room was reopened.
2007- President Bush during the ribbon cutting ceremony for the reopening.
Veteran Press Correspondent Helen Thomas enjoys the new leather chairs. (She is the only person to have a chair with their name on it. All other news/media outlets are identified by their name.)
2008 - (Top photo) The Press Room facing east towards the cameras and Press Corp offices.
(Bottom Photo) The Press room facing west towards the podium and lectern.
2010 - President Obama making a surprise appearance at a press conference stressing the need for bi-partisanship during Health Care talks.
One change to the Press Briefing room was the installment of a flat screen on the podium displaying the White House Blog which scrolls through different topics, and events related to current issues and the White House.
A brief video tour of the room.
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My Photos
In the briefing room.
In the press chairs.
The podium.
Outside the offices of the Vice President and Chief of Staff.
Outside the front gates of the White House.
Source of some info and pictures:
http://www.whitehousemuseum.org/west-wing/press-briefing-room.htm
White House Tour
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