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Some readers have said the statement that TR started the 1902 construction of the White House and the new wing before Congress had appropriated funds for the work was “misleading.” We never want to mislead the readers:The chronology of events is as follows: Unknown date: TR engages the services of an architectural firm in NYC.May 10, 1902: TR writes writes the architect, Charles McKim, stating that the office building and reconstruction of the White House, including enlarging the State Dining Room, must finished by October 1.June 20, 1902: The White House is shut down to visitors. The House and Senate meet to consider the proposal. June 21, 1902: Newspapers report the renovation getting underway.June 23, 1902: The Roosevelt family moves out of the White House to 22Jackson Place.June 28, 1902: TR signs the Appropriation Act into law. This is the effective date of the appropriation.July 1, 1902: McKim writes that the White House is already “torn to pieces”; the “work of destruction” is “pretty well completed,” and reconstruction is beginning.Perhaps the builders tore the White House to pieces and completed the work of destruction in two days, but June 29 was a Sunday. That leaves a single work day, June 30 to do the “work of destruction.” It seems unlikely that the work was done in one day.