A Brief History of the White House Kitchen

Lights, Camera, Dumbwaiter!
Electrical lighting came to the White House in 1891, along with other kitchen upgrades. In 1902, a year after this photo was taken, President Theodore Roosevelt oversaw a massive renovation of the White House, including the service quarters. While an electric dumbwaiter was installed, an electric refrigerator would not come to the White House kitchen for two more decades.

• Presidential First Dogs