Truman Balcony Truman Balcony The Truman Balcony is the second-floor balcony of the Executive Residence of the White House, which overlooks the south lawn. It was completed in March 1948, during the presidency of Harry S. Truman. Truman's plans to build a balcony off the Yellow Oval Room were controversial. Truman argued that the addition of a balcony would provide shade for the first floor portico, avoiding the need for awnings, and would balance the White House's south face by breaking up the long verticals created by the columns. Critics of the proposal, including members of the Commission of Fine Arts, argued
Whitehouse Block roof line. The building has a projecting modillioned cornice, quoining at the corners, and a storefront with recessed entry. Second floor windows have rounded hoods and bracketed sills, while those on the third floor have more elaborate hoods. All four of these buildings were built beginning in 1865, after a fire devastated Augusta's downtown. This building was designed by Francis H. Fassett, Maine's preeminent architect of the time, and was built for O.C. Whitehouse, a dry goods merchant. He operated his store out of the building's second floor, while the first floor had as early tenants the Augusta Savings Bank