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The State Dining Room, which now seats as many as 140 guests, was originally much smaller and served at various times as a drawing room, office, and Cabinet Room. Today's State Dining Room incorporates the space that President Thomas Jefferson used as a private office. Tall and generously proportioned, the room had fireplaces on the east and west and was flooded with daylight through tall south and west windows. When President James Madison and First Lady Dolley Madison took up residence in 1809, the room became a dining area. They displayed Gilbert Stuart's portrait of George Washington, now in the East Room, on its walls. Mrs. Madison ordered the rescue of the painting before the British arrived to burn the house in 1814.
State Dining Room, 1874.
National Archives and Records AdministrationAs the nation grew, so did the invitation list to official functions at the White House. The Cross Hall was used for large dinners even though drafts from the front door made it chilly. Seating for dinners was a matter of studied concern. Guests and their partners marched in unison with music to the table. Places were arranged by a seating chart reflecting diplomatic rank. The president always was served first, and no one could rise to leave the table before him.
President Rutherford B. Hayes and First Lady Lucy Hayes abstained from alcohol and often served non-alcoholic beverages instead of liquor at White House dinners and receptions. By the close of the Rutherford B. Hayes administration in 1881, teas had become a central part of White House entertaining and First Lady Lucy Hayes had acquired the nickname "Lemonade Lucy."
President Chester Arthur commissioned designer Louis Comfort Tiffany to redecorate the State Dining Room in 1882. By far the greatest cost was Tiffany's artistic painting. The walls were painted in many shades and textures of yellow and highlighted in silver.
State Dining Room, c. 1890.
Library of CongressDuring the 1902 renovation, President Theodore Roosevelt greatly enlarged the State Dining Room. He mounted a large moose head above the fireplace and placed other game trophies on the natural oak panels. Roosevelt ordered the carvings on the main stone mantel to be changed from lions to North American Bison heads. The current woodwork, eagle side pedestal tables, and lighting fixtures remain from the 1902 renovation.
State Dining Room during the Theodore Roosevelt administration, 1902.
Library of CongressIn the final year of World War II, President Franklin D. Roosevelt ordered John Adams' famous blessing carved on the stone fireplace of the State Dining Room where it can be seen today. On November 2, 1800, Adams wrote to his wife Abigail:
I pray Heaven to bestow the best of Blessings on this House and on all that shall hereafter inhabit it. May none but honest and wise Men ever rule under this roof.
President John Adams's blessing was carved into the State Dining Room mantel in 1945.
White House Historical Association/White House CollectionPresident Franklin D. Roosevelt hung George P. A. Healy's 1869 portrait of Abraham Lincoln, donated to the White House in 1939, above the mantel where it remains today.After the Truman renovation, the rich oak-paneled walls were painted a light celadon green to hide damage marks and a new dark green marble mantel was installed.
In 1962, the Kennedys had a replica of the 1902 mantel, complete with bison heads and the Adams quote, installed in the State Dining Room and painted the walls ivory white. Today, the State Dining Room serves as a banquet hall and ceremonial chamber for all manner of official events. It is the center of White House hospitality.
The State Dining Room, 2016.
White House Historical Association
In the 1960s, First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy oversaw the task of restoring the White House interiors and thus founded the White House Historical Association to enhance the understanding, appreciation, and enjoyment of the Executive Mansion. As a part of our mission, the Association provides financial support for acquisitions, refurbishing projects, and preservation initiatives of the White House, which involves collaboration
Since 1965, the White House Historical Association has been proud to fund the official portraits of our presidents and first ladies, a long-standing tradition of the White House Collection. Recent presidents and first ladies typically select their respective artists before leaving the White House and approve the portraits before their formal presentation to the public and induction into the collection. The
A State Dinner honoring a visiting head of government or reigning monarch is one of the grandest and most glamorous of White House affairs. It is part of an official State Visit and provides the president and first lady the opportunity to honor the visiting head of state and his or her spouse. In this collection, explore the history of
A dinner at the White House has always had significance beyond the gastronomical delights. The elegance of the State Dining Room and the intimacy of the Family Dining Room set the stage for the politics and diplomacy that takes place between courses. In this collection, learn how the style of each room has evolved with its purpose, and how the
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President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy’s advocacy for the arts endures as a vital part of their White House legacy. From 1961 to 1963, the White House became a focal point for the arts and cultural engagement. The Kennedys hosted numerous concerts and performances and infused the Executive Mansion and the country with the same vitality, youth, and id
For more than two hundred years, France and the United States have enjoyed a relationship unparalleled in world history. From the American Revolution and the Founding Fathers to the current administration, these two countries have shared a strong connection through art, culture, and history. This collection highlights that connection and the protocol of official foreign visits by French heads of
In 1961, First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy resolved to make the White House a “living museum” by restoring the historic integrity of the public rooms and displaying the very best of American artwork, furniture, and décor. In order to fulfill her vision, Mrs. Kennedy founded the White House Historical Association, a private, non-profit organization created in partnership with the National Park Servi
The collection of fine art at the White House has evolved and grown over time. The collection began with mostly presidential portraits, commissioned or purchased by Congress, or donated by presidential descendants. In the era before photography, some presidents invited painters to set up studios in the White House to record significant events and paint their likeness. In the late
