Before becoming the President's office, the Oval Office was used for what? A - Sleeping quarters
B - Bowling alley
C - Drying laundry
D - Staff lunch room
Answer: C - Drying laundry What is now one of the world's most recognizable rooms — the Oval Office — had much humbler origins than its current status would suggest. Throughout history, Presidents worked in different rooms around the White House until William Taft oversaw the remodeling of the West Wing in 1909 that included an oval-shaped office for himself. However, Taft's office was situated in the middle of the White House, and when Franklin Roosevelt came along, he disliked the location's lack of windows and privacy. So he built a new Oval Office in the southeast corner of the West Wing because it offered convenient access to staff and living areas, while also providing plenty of natural sunlight. The sunlight was the reason this part of the White House had previously been the prime spot for hanging wet laundry to dry.