The White House was on the verge of collapsing in 1948 due to age, poor maintenance, and heavy construction projects. Many thought it would be easier to demolish the structure entirely, but Bess Truman preferred gutting and restoring it instead. The result is a White House that looks much like it did when Theodore Roosevelt lived there over a century ago. During World War II, federal government offices shut down for two years while Washington was under wartime conditions. When peace returned, the office of the President made many changes to their operation in order to cut costs. One of these changes meant moving the White House staff from its original location in Washington, D.C., to a new suburban town called Subdivision. The Trumans chose this site because of its proximity to family friends who could help them out during their move. The President's wife, Bess, wanted a house with rooms where her children could grow up and have their own space. So she decided to convert some of the existing structures on the new property into a home. She hired a local architect, Edward Bennett, to draw up plans for a family residence. Then she had some of her favorite things from the White House moved into the new house: the Wilson red chair, the Roosevelt tennis court light, and other historic items. Finally, the walls between the various rooms were removed and the house was filled with life again!