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The President and Washington During the War with Mexico
James Knox Polk was at home in Columbia, Tennessee, when he judged that it was about time to find out the results of the election. A dispatch from Washington was waiting for him at the post office. And the news of his presidential victory marked not only a change in his life, but marked, in retrospect, the start of the
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Lincoln in His Shop
In the summer of 1864, Kentuckian John Bullock called upon President Abraham Lincoln at the White House to make a personal appeal. The young Bullock took his seat in the reception area adjacent to Lincoln’s office alongside numerous other individuals, hoping for an opportunity to have but a few minutes with the nation’s leader. Uncertain if the president would even
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History in White House Silver
One of the most interesting collections of silver of which this country can boast is at the White House. It was begun by President James Monroe in 1818, after the war with Great Britain, and has grown over the years, remaining in continuous use by the Presidents and a constant parade of guests. Considering the duration of its service at s
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A Glimpse of Calvin Coolidge's White House
In addition to important holdings in historical memorabilia, art, and furnishings, the White House collection also has an archives of documentary material. Notable are the historic photographic images. Original photographs, stereographs, glass and film negatives, and color transparencies, as well as copies of photographs from other repositories, illustrate the history of the White House from the 1840s to
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White House History Live: Slavery and Freedom in the White House Collection
Join us in learning more about White House History right from your own home. Our Facebook Live series, White House History Live, delves into the stories that make up the history of the Executive Mansion. The White House Historical Association’s new digital exhibit, “Slavery and Freedom in the White House Collection” explores the history of slavery and emancipation in the Un
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From White House to Your House
Chicagos 1893 Worlds Columbian Exposition gave us many firsts, among them the Ferris wheel, Pabst Blue Ribbon beer, and the introduction by the U.S. Post Office Department of the picture post card. Printed on government-issued postal cards with an imprinted one-cent stamp were illustrations of the fairs structures. Privately printed souvenir cards were also sold that depicted the fairs attractions,
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The Hidden White House: The Truman Renovation, 1948-1952
When Earvin Ruddick's family took him on the White House tour on his 90th birthday two years ago, he became one of the millions who troop through the mansion to marvel at the sumptuous Federal interiors with their marble mantels and hand-tooled paneling. But unlike the wide-eyed masses, Ruddick's glance at the fine woodwork was both knowing and familiar. After
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The Life and Presidency of Calvin Coolidge
John Calvin Coolidge (he rapidly let go of "John") was born on the Fourth of July in 1872 to an old New England family. His father John Calvin Coolidge farmed in Windsor County, Vermont. The young Calvin lost his mother Victoria Josephine Moore to what may have been tuberculosis when he was twelve; when he was seventeen, his younger sister and
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The White House Historical Association Kennedy Rose Garden Exhibition
The White House Historical Association has the privilege of announcing the opening of a new exhibit, The Kennedy Rose Garden: Traditionally American, which explores President John F. Kennedy’s 1961 vision for a new garden adjacent to the Oval Office. The exhibit is free and open to the public July 16 – September 12, 2015; Monday – Saturday from 10 a.m – 3 p.m.
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John James Audubon and the American Presidency
Look at the John Syme portrait of John James Audubon that is now included in the White House art collection, and you get a quick idea of Audubon’s gifts as a showman. Today, Audubon (1785–1851) endures in popular memory as the world’s most famous artist of birds. But when he agreed to pose for Syme in 1826, Audubon was still strugg
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The Company Dining Room
During the nineteenth century, a series of “state dinners” were held every winter social season to honor Congress, the Supreme Court, and members of the diplomatic community. In recent times, the term “state dinner” has come to mean more specifically a dinner hosted by the president honoring a foreign head of state as the guest of honor. The State Dining Room, wh
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Dumbwaiters in Place of Servants
When Thomas Jefferson entertained informally, he ordered five small serving stands to be placed at strategic points around the room. These "dumbwaiters" were small tables, equipped with shelves placed at varying heights. Some might hold salads and wine; others would accommodate cutlery and serving utensils. Servants brought in hot food, but did not remain in the room during the meal.