The White House Pool: What's The Deal?

The White House pool has had quite the history. The indoor swimming pool was initially built in 1933 for President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who used it for physical therapy for polio. The New York Daily News helped raise money from citizens to fund the pool's construction. The rectangular pool was encircled by arched ceilings and high rows of half-moon windows, built inside the west terrace between the White House and the West Wing. However, in 1970, President Richard Nixon had the pool covered to make room for the press, creating the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room. The White House basement still houses the original pool structure, now filled with computer servers and cables. In 1975, President Gerald Ford, an avid swimmer, installed an outdoor pool on the White House grounds, located on the South Lawn near the West Wing. This pool was financed by private donations and cost approximately $66,800. It was used by several presidents and their families, including Jimmy Carter's daughter, Amy, who practised her diving form, and Barbara Bush, who once encountered a rat in the pool.

The White House pool was built for FDR's polio therapy

The White House pool was built for Franklin D. Roosevelt's polio therapy. Roosevelt, also known as FDR, was diagnosed with polio in 1921 and often swam in therapy pools at his home in Hyde Park, New York, or at a rehabilitation centre in Warm Springs, Georgia.

FDR became the 32nd president of the United States in 1933, and shortly after his inauguration, the New York Daily News established a campaign to raise money for a swimming pool at the White House. Eleanor Roosevelt, FDR's wife, was an avid swimmer and encouraged the construction of the pool, believing it would be a great way for her husband to relax and recover from his hard work. The campaign was a success, raising over $12,000, and construction of the pool began soon after.

The indoor swimming pool was completed on June 2, 1933, and FDR took his first swim that same day. The pool was located in the West Gallery, between the White House and the West Wing. It was rectangular in shape, surrounded by arched ceilings and high rows of half-moon windows. FDR used the pool regularly for physical therapy, and it became a place of relaxation for him.

The pool was also enjoyed by future presidents, including Harry Truman, John F. Kennedy, and Lyndon B. Johnson. Kennedy, in particular, was a frequent swimmer, taking a dip twice a day and even racing with his cabinet members. He also had a mural of a Caribbean seaside landscape painted on three of the walls surrounding the pool.

However, when Richard Nixon became president, he decided to convert the pool into a press briefing room to accommodate the growing demand for television news. Nixon was not a regular swimmer and preferred bowling as a sport. In 1970, the pool was covered with a new floor, and the room was transformed into the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room, which still exists today. The original pool remains structurally intact beneath the press room, housing computer servers and miles of cables and fibre optic wires.

Nixon converted the pool into a press room

The White House has had two pools since the 1930s. The indoor pool was opened on June 2, 1933, after a campaign led by the New York Daily News to raise money for building a pool for President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who often swam at therapy pools due to his poliomyelitis. The rectangular pool, encircled by arched ceilings and high rows of half-moon windows, was built inside the west terrace between the White House and the West Wing.

President Richard Nixon, however, was not a frequent user of the pool. He was more of a bowler than a swimmer. In 1970, to accommodate the growing White House Press Corps and the expanding television media, Nixon had the pool covered with a new floor and the room was converted into a new Press Briefing Room. The project architect stated:

> We were told in no uncertain terms that Nixon did not want any harm done to the pool, and the design of the press room must be done in such a way that the pool could be restored easily, apparently in case he received comments that he destroyed the FDR pool.

Since April 1970, the White House press corps has assembled in a small theater to listen to the press secretary's briefings and reports. The room has been renovated multiple times, including during the Reagan administration and again in 2007 during the Bush administration. It was renamed the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room on February 11, 2000, to honour the former press secretary who was shot during an assassination attempt on President Reagan.

Under the press room is the "basement", which is the original pool, still structurally intact. It houses computer servers, along with over 500 miles of cable and fibre optic wires to accommodate the media. The tile walls of the former pool remain and have been signed by celebrities, dignitaries, media, and members from past administrations.

The pool room featured Caribbean murals

The White House has had two pools since the 1930s. The first was an indoor pool installed in 1933 for President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who often swam in therapy pools at his home in New York or at a rehabilitation center in Warm Springs, Georgia, due to his poliomyelitis. This rectangular pool was encircled by arched ceilings and high rows of half-moon windows, and was built inside the west terrace between the White House and the West Wing.

In 1961, President John F. Kennedy, who was noted to swim twice a day, received a Caribbean seaside mural from his father to be painted on three walls of the pool room. The mural transformed the space into a Caribbean-themed paradise, featuring a beachside view with palm trees and a seaside landscape. The pool room thus became a vibrant and tropical escape within the White House.

In 1970, President Richard Nixon had the indoor pool covered with a new floor and converted into a Press Briefing Room to accommodate the growing demand for television news. The room has since been renovated multiple times and currently serves as the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room, named after the former press secretary who was injured during an assassination attempt on President Reagan.

The "basement" of the Press Briefing Room still houses the original pool structure, which remains intact beneath the floor. This space now accommodates computer servers and miles of cables and fiber optic wires to support the media's technological needs. While the pool itself is no longer visible, the Caribbean mural that once surrounded it may still exist beneath the new flooring, preserving a hidden piece of the White House's artistic history.

In 1975, President Gerald Ford, an avid swimmer, installed an outdoor pool on the White House grounds, located on the South Lawn near the West Wing. This pool continues to be enjoyed by presidents and their families, offering a space for relaxation, exercise, and leisure.

An outdoor pool was installed in 1975

The pool was installed at the request of President Gerald Ford, an avid swimmer who had been disappointed to lose access to his own pool when he moved into the White House. Ford's advisers opposed the construction of a new pool, and aides reportedly warned him that it could cost him a second term. However, Ford was committed to the project, and private donations covered the entire cost of $52,417 (or $66,800, according to another source).

The pool was designed by Lorenzo Simmons Winslow, with Douglas H. Gillette as the engineer. Construction began on May 15, 1975, and was completed on June 30. President Ford took his first swim on July 1.

During the pool's construction, workers discovered various artefacts, including prehistoric Native American artefacts dating to the Woodland Period (1000 BCE-1000 CE) and historic artefacts from the first half of the nineteenth century. These artefacts suggest that the area was used as a trash pit following the burning of the White House in 1814.

The pool is now a server room

The White House has had two different pools since the 1930s. The indoor swimming pool was opened on June 2, 1933, after a campaign led by the New York Daily News to raise money for building a pool for President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who often swam at therapy pools due to his polio diagnosis. The rectangular pool was encircled by arched ceilings and high rows of half-moon windows, and was built inside the west terrace between the White House and the West Wing.

In 1970, President Richard Nixon had the indoor pool covered with a new floor and the room was converted into a new Press Briefing Room. The press room has since been renovated multiple times and was officially renamed the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room in 2000.

Under the press room is the "basement", which is the original pool, still structurally intact. It now houses computer servers, along with over 500 miles of cable and fibre optic wires to accommodate the media. The tile walls of the former pool remain and have been signed by various celebrities, dignitaries, media, and members from past administrations.

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