Podcast
The History of Wine and the White House
Featuring Frederick J. Ryan, author of “Wine and the White House: A History" and member of the White House Historical Association’s National Council on White House History
Presidents at the Races
No sport created more excitement, enthusiasm and interest in the colonial period and the early republic than horse racing. Presidents George Washington and Thomas Jefferson took immense pride in their horses and bred them to improve the bloodlines of saddle, work, carriage and racehorses. Early presidents loved horse racing, the most popular sport in America at that time.
George Washington, considered by his peers as the best horseman of his era, helped organize races in Alexandria, Virginia, and frequently attended race meetings throughout the region. Jefferson rarely missed the meets at the National Race Course in Washington, D.C., which opened just outside the city boundary two miles north of the White House in 1802. The best horses in the country competed there into the 1840s, and the Jockey Club dinner and ball, a highlight of the social season, concluded the meeting.
Andrew Jackson's passion for horse racing and gambling was renowned and he once fought a duel over an argument sparked by a wager. Jackson bred racehorses at the Hermitage and operated a racing stable from the White House during his presidency. It was an open secret that Jackson entered runners in the name of his nephew and private secretary Andrew J. Donelson. Ulysses S. Grant was the last president actively involved in horse racing. He bred Arabians and loved mounting a sulky and driving trotters at high speed down Pennsylvania Avenue.
Jackson’s gray mare, Bolivia, painted by Edward Troye in 1836, was a part of a White House racing stable that also included Lady Nashville, Emilie, and Busiris.
Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute, Williamstown, Massachusetts
Woodcut scene of a race meeting in 1834. The "carriage folk" paid a toll to look on from covered stands for spectators, especially for the ladies. Standees watched the races for free outside the rails. American Turf Register and Sporting Magazine, 1834.
Andrew Jackson on horseback, engraving by an unidentified artist, c. 1830.
Thomas Jefferson was a fine horseman who rode horses almost daily for exercise while president.
Washington, a skilled rider and an avid sportsman, greatly enjoyed fox hunting and horse racing. Rembrandt Peale, Oil on canvas on panel, c. 1823.
This 1837 map of Washington located the National Race Course. Booths selling wine, whiskey, rum and other refreshments and food insured a festive air on race day with lively betting.
Historical Society of Washington
Dexter, famed for his ideal trotting action called the "Dexter stroke," won 46 of 50 races and trotted the mile in a record 2:17.1/4 during the 1860s. Robert Bonner bought and retired the horse, but allowed presidential candidate Ulysses S. Grant the thrill of taking the reins at top speed in this popular 1868 lithograph by Currier & Ives.
Library of CongressA Day at the Races
One day at the National Race Course in Washington, D.C., President Andrew Jackson took Vice President Martin Van Buren up to the course to watch Busiris train. General Callender Irvine owned and stabled Busiris with Jackson when he raced in Washington. While on the track the horse became unruly and Jackson shouted, "Get behind me, Mr. Van Buren. He will run you over!" For a long time afterwards, newspapers and cartoonists used this incident to ridicule Van Buren's reliance on Jacksons fatherly political support. The faces of William Henry Harrison, Martin Van Buren, Daniel Webster and Hugh Lawson White have been pasted on the horses in this political cartoon depicting the 1836 presidential race. Van Buren, the Democratic candidate and eventual winner, was ridden by his advocate Andrew Jackson.
Library of Congress
You Might Also Like
-
-
PodcastAmerica’s Irish Roots
Featuring Geraldine Byrne Nason, Ambassador of Ireland to the United States
-
PodcastBlair House: The President’s Guest House
Featuring The Honorable Capricia Marshall, Ambassador Stuart Holliday, and Matthew Wendel
-
-
CollectionThe 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
-
PodcastDinner with the President
Featuring Alex Prud’homme, bestselling author and great-nephew of cooking legend Julia Child
-
PodcastBecoming FDR: The Personal Crisis That Made a President
Featuring Jonathan Darman, author of “Becoming FDR: The Personal Crisis That Made a President"
-
Podcast250 Years of American Political Leadership
Featuring Iain Dale, award-winning British author and radio and podcast host
-
CollectionThe 2023 White House Christmas Ornament
Every year since 1981, the White House Historical Association has had the privilege of designing the Official White House Christmas Ornament. These unique collectibles — honoring individual presidents or specific White House anniversaries — have become part of the holiday tradition for millions of American families. In this collection, explore the history behind our 2023 design & learn more about President Gerald R. Ford. Buy
-
CollectionThe 2021 White House Christmas Ornament
Every year since 1981, the White House Historical Association has had the privilege of designing the Official White House Christmas Ornament. These unique collectibles — honoring individual presidents or specific White House anniversaries — have become part of the holiday tradition for millions of American families. In this collection, explore the history behind our 2021 design and learn more about President Lyndon B. Johnson.Buy
-
CollectionNative Americans and the White House
Native Americans hold a significant place in White House history. For thousands of years, Indigenous peoples, including the Nacotchtank and Piscataway, lived in the Potomac Valley prior to the construction of the White House. Since that time, Native Americans have come to the Executive Mansion to share their cultural heritage, meet with presidents, protest, and advocate for Indigenous rights. In
-
CollectionThe Decatur House Slave Quarters
In 1821-1822, Susan Decatur requested the construction of a service wing. The first floor featured a large kitchen, dining room, and laundry; while the second floor contained four rooms designated as living quarters. By 1827, the service wing was being used as an urban slave quarters. Henry Clay brought enslaved individuals to Decatur House, starting a trend that was solidified by
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
