"The table was already set, the food prepared, and the British helped themselves to a sumptuous feast, toasting the future King George IV and commenting on the fine Madeira. When they were done, the men moved to the Madisons' private rooms. A bit scruffy from the campaign to reach Washington, one exchanged his dirty shirt for a fresh one from James's wardrobe."
"Late on August 24, 1814, a troop of about 150 British sailors and marines arrived at the White House. They did not come as honored guests, though they would treat themselves as such. James and Dolley Madison, the official residents, had fled earlier amid preparations for an event in the formal dining room. The table was already set, the food prepared, and the British helped themselves to a sumptuous feast, toasting the future King George IV and commenting on the fine Madeira."
"This week's demolition of the East Wing of the White House was not undertaken by a hostile foreign power, but it did come to many people as more of a surprise than the 1814 burning did. (The British, at least, had warned that they were coming.) Most learned of the East Wing's fate via the stunning images of heavy machinery reducing it to rubble, followed by off-the-cuff confirmations from within the administration."
British forces in 1814 entered the White House, ate prepared food, ransacked private rooms, took keepsakes, and set the residence on fire, which was later rained upon. Recent removal of the White House East Wing occurred unexpectedly and became widely known through images of heavy machinery and informal confirmations. An original ballroom proposal was abandoned and the East Wing was demolished. The White House has been altered repeatedly across presidencies, reflecting evolving presidential needs and national identity. Immediate demolition of a public portion without prior public process raises concerns about transparency and the public character of national symbols.
Read at The Atlantic
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