You Might Also Like
-
Gallery
The Johnson White House: 1963-1969
On November 22, 1963, about two hours after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, Vice President Lyndon Banes Johnson took the Oath of Office, becoming the thirty-sixth president of the United States. As president, LBJ immediately set out to heal a mourning nation while advancing legislation to bolster Kennedy’s legacy. On July 2, 1964, Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 in th
-
Gallery
The Ford White House: 1974-1977
Gerald Rudolph Ford Jr., the nation’s only unelected president and vice president, served thirteen terms in Congress before rising to national attention in 1973, when President Richard Nixon nominated him as vice president. Less than a year later, Ford became president, following President Nixon's resignation from office. The Fords made and celebrated history during their time in the White House, fr
-
Gallery
Mr. Truman's Renovation: Transformation
Abbie Rowe's photographs captured the drama of the interior space as floors were removed to reveal levels above and below. Beginning in November 1950 when the weight of the empty exterior shell of the White House was transferred to a new skeleton of steel, Rowe, recorded in a little more than fifteen months, the rapid construction of a new White House
-
Gallery
Mr. Truman's Renovation
Abbie Rowe's photographs of the Truman renovation of the White House form a unique and invaluable visual record of one of the nation's most important architectural and engineering challenges of the time. A Virginia native, Rowe spent his career in government service and was a noted photographer for the National Capital Parks of the National Park Service.First hired by
-
Gallery
The White House is Falling Down
"The damned place is haunted, sure as shootin. . . . You and Margie had better come back and protect me before some of these ghosts carry me off." Harry Truman, in a letter to his wife Bess, September 9, 1946Shortly after moving into the White House, President Truman noticed the telltale signs of a building under serious physical stress. He frequently complained of
-
Gallery
Mr. Truman's Renovation: Demolition
To provide solid support for the interior walls, crews poured 126 new reinforced concrete support columns to a depth of 25 feet. This would eventually provide space for two newly excavated sub-basement levels. By autumn 1950, interior demolition had left the White House a cavernous hollow space 165 feet long, 85 feet wide, and 70 to 80 feet high.Abbie Rowe visited the construction site frequently. His
-
Gallery
A Modern House for the President
By the summer of 1951 most interior partitions were complete. Service areas were modern and functional, bearing no visible similarity to their historical counterparts. Public spaces and family quarters were generally rebuilt to resemble the original rooms. Work proceeded at a rapid pace six days a week. In February 1952, furniture began arriving as workers finished sanding floors, painting walls, and installing
-
Gallery
Mr. Truman's Renovation: Workmen
As skilled craftsmen molded the raw materials into finished floors, walls, and ceilings, Abbie Rowe captured on film the contributions of the various construction trades. To add scale and a human personality, he was careful to include the faces of workers in many of his photographs. Their expressions often revealed their pride in contributing to the rebuilding of the White
-
Gallery
The Return of the Chief
On the evening of March 27, 1952, in a small ceremony at the entrance door, President Truman received a gold key to the newly renovated White House. After spending more than three years living in the smaller quarters of the Blair House across the street, the first family returned to the mansion for their first night back in residence. It was both
-
Gallery
Remembering First Lady Nancy Reagan
As first lady, Nancy Reagan lent her support to the Foster Grandparent Program, the subject of her 1982 book, To Love A Child, and concentrated on the fight against drug and alcohol abuse among young people. Mrs. Reagan also directed a major renovation of the second and third floors of the White House during her time as First Lady, and commissioned
-
Gallery
Civil War Veterans at the White House
In May 1865, at the close of hostilities, a Grand Review throughout Washington, D.C., exhibited parading Union troops from the Eastern and Western Theaters of the Civil War. For numerous Civil War veterans, this was their last memorable act as soldiers, as many were soon mustered out of service and began civilian life. After the last Civil War veterans passed
-
Gallery
The United State Marine Band: Musical Airs
The Marine Band has been a premier performer on the White House stage, introducing America to Italian opera and the works of Wagner and Brahms as well as chamber music. Additionally, through the years the band has performed theatrical scores, folk music, and jazz. For over a century Saturday public concerts on the White House grounds were a fixture of