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White House Curator Collection
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2021 White House Christmas in Pictures
The White House and its residence share the holiday cheer felt by all of the country this time of year. Since 1961, the Executive Mansion decorates its halls with a holiday theme. This year’s theme, Gifts from the Heart, reflects the things Americans hold sacred — that unite us and transcend distance, time, and even the pandemic: faith, family, and friendship; a lo
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Nettie Rosenstein
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White House South Portico
The White House South Portico is one of the most defining architectural features of the Executive Mansion. James Hoban, designer and builder of the White House, completed the South Portico in 1824 for President James Monroe. In 1948, architect Lorenzo S. Winslow built a balcony on the South Portico for President Harry Truman, which then led to a full renovation of the
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Christmas Themes
The White House observance of Christmas before the twentieth century was not an official event. First families decorated the house modestly with greens and privately celebrated the Yuletide with family and friends. The first known White House Christmas tree, decorated with candles, was placed in the Oval Room on the Second Floor, then used as a library and family parlor,
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First Lady Portraits
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The Working White House: Learning the Ropes
White House workers have frequently come to their jobs with experience in hotels and resorts, in large town or country houses, or in the railroad industry as conductors and porters. In these settings, workers developed the poise, polish, and professionalism needed to attend to the most discerning patrons. Their prior training served these individuals well in the White House, but
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Imagining James Hoban
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Irish Roots
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Intrepid Innovation
The computer, the car, space travel. These technologies, while seemingly old hat now, are examples of monumental technological advancement. Even less glamorous technologies such as the modern bathroom, electrical lighting, and electric vacuum cleaners have fundamentally shaped modern life. For many of these technologies, the White House has acted as a testing ground, ultimately demonstrating to the American people their
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The Kennedy White House 1961-1963
At age 43, John Fitzgerald Kennedy was the youngest person ever elected to the presidency. Before his vibrant presidency was cut short by an assassin's bullets on November 22, 1963, he had reinvigorated the American spirit. His optimism and belief in America's responsibilities to the world live on as part of his legacy.