White City’s history began in 1908 when its formerly flat agricultural land was transformed to host the Franco-British Exhibition and the 1908 Summer Olympics. The site continued to serve as an exhibition venue, hosting the Imperial International Exhibition in 1909 and the Japan-British Exhibition in 1910. Two final exhibitions were held there: the Latin-British Exhibition in 1912 and the Anglo-American Exhibition in 1914, the latter being cut short by the outbreak of the First World War. The area earned its name ’Great White City’ from the white marble cladding used on the exhibition buildings.

The White City Stadium stood until 1985, when it was demolished to accommodate the BBC White City building. The 1908 Olympics are now remembered through a list of athletes’ names inscribed on the BBC Broadcast Centre Building, while the athletics finish line remains marked in the outside paving. The 1908 Olympics made a significant contribution to modern athletics, particularly in standardising the marathon distance. Before 1921, Olympic marathon distances varied between 40km and 42.75km. The 1908 race, which started at Windsor Castle and finished at White City stadium, measured 26 miles 385 yards - a distance that became the international standard in 1921.

During the late 1930s, a five-storey housing estate was constructed to accommodate Shepherd’s Bush’s expanding population, also adopting the White City name. The streets within the estate were named after countries that had participated in the previous exhibitions.

White City tube station opened on 23 November 1947, replacing the previous Wood Lane station. Although construction began in 1938 with planned completion in 1940, the Second World War delayed its opening by seven years. The station’s architectural design achieved recognition at the Festival of Britain, commemorated by a plaque still visible to the left of the main entrance.