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title for full press release [PDF]
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"It is difficult to see the White House entirely as a piece if architecture. Time and occupants with different needs have altered it in many ways. However, the White House image, known to the world, is Hoban’s entirely. He took up this part of George Washington’s burden and designed and finished on time the first of the nation’s public buildings in the new city."
William Seale, Editor, White House History
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White House History visits the Eisenhowers in this issue. The presidency was only one part of Eisenhower’s fame. As the nation’s hero of World War II he presided at the White House in the decades of the 1950s. While his era saw great change, his presence, which was always tranquil, helps make it in memory a time of peace and calm.
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The National Heritage Lecture, Transitions and Traditions in the President’s House, will be given by former White House curator Betty C. Monkman on Wednesday, November 14, at 6:00 p.m. at the U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation and Naval Heritage Center, 701 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C.
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“Jefferson’s love of European cooking is well known; less familiar is James K. Polk’s preference for turnip greens and cornbread over pate, or General Grant’s horrifying of the diplomatic community by serving generous slices of apple pie topped by rat cheese.” William Seale, editor White House History
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The White House Historical Association announces today the acquisition of The Builders, a painting by Jacob Lawrence, the renowned 20th-century American artist. This 1947 painting (tempera on board, 20 x 24 inches) has been donated to the permanent White House collection and will be on display in the refurbished Green Room, one of three parlors on the State Floor of the White House.
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2007 Ornament celebrates a Presidential
Groom and his Bride
The
2007 White House Christmas ornament celebrates the
first administration of Grover Cleveland, the 22nd (1885-1889)
and 24th (1893-1897) president of the United States. The
first Democrat to become president in 24 years, he was
the only chief executive to leave the White House and return
for a second term four years later. The 49 year old
bachelor was also the only president to be married in the
White House.
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New Book Tells the Story of 200 Years of Living and Working
in the White House
The porticoed White House stands today
with simple dignity amid green and rolling grounds in the
heart of Washington. Since
John and Abigail Adams became the first residents in 1800,
forty-one presidents and their families have lived in this
very public building where hundreds of official events
are held each year and thousands of guests and visitors
walk through its public rooms and grounds. As author
Lonnelle Aikman wrote in the first edition in 1966, “Indeed,
it is this personal and domestic life, carried on in the
fierce glare of national affairs, that gives the White
House its fascinating dual character.”
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Animals – whether pampered household pets, working
livestock, birds, squirrels, or strays – have long
been a major part of life at the White House. A new exhibit, White
House Pets, organized by the White House Historical
Association and the White House Curator’s Office
in cooperation with the National Park Service looks at
the many ways in which these creatures have been part
of the history of the White House. The exhibit
will be on display from June 21, 2007, through March
9,2008 at the White House Visitor Center, 1450 Pennsylvania
Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C., open daily 7:30 a.m.
to 4:30 p.m., and free to the public.
“Some pets simply provided companionship to the
president and his family. Others served as ambassadors
without portfolio. They helped to shape the president’s
public image. No matter what job was bestowed upon
them, White House pets usually did it well,” said
Neil W. Horstman, president of the White House Historical
Association.
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The White House Historical Association announces the
opening of FDR @ 125, a new traveling exhibit
developed by the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential
Library and Museum in Hyde Park, New York. The
exhibit will be on display at the White House Visitor
Center, 1450 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington,
D.C. from May 22 through June 24, 2007. The
Visitor Center, operated by the National Park Service,
is open 7 days a week from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Free. Information:
(202) 208-1631.
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Issue 19 of White House History focuses on horses
and the White House. Beginning with George Washington,
many presidents have enjoyed the impressive beauty and skills
of these uncomplaining public servants. During the nineteenth
century the presidents, and their families and staff depended
on horses for transportation, communication and enjoyment.
Even after the automobile supplanted the horse in everyday
life, many first families continued to enjoy equestrian activities.
….“From the earliest time horses and carriages
were associated with the ceremonies and honor of being head
of state. Everyday use of horses at the White House
has long passed, but horses can still be seen at the White
House during official ceremonies and state occasions, at
anniversaries, and funerals, and each December, when a horse-drawn
cart delivers the White House Christmas tree to the first
lady.” said Neil W. Horstman, president of the White
House Historical Association…
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The Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service
(SITES) and the White House Historical Association (WHHA)
have announced plans to collaborate on two upcoming exhibitions
that explore the history and culture of the president’s
residence. These exhibitions, “The Working White
House: Two Centuries of Traditions and Memories” and “The White
House Garden,” will begin multiyear national tours in 2008.
"This
partnership provides an opportunity to share the story of the White House from
coast to coast,” said Neil W. Horstman, president of WHHA. “The
White House is at the service of presidents and their families but at the same
time transcends any particular administration.”
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[Full Press Release]: The appearance of the
White House is a concern to every president and it must
serve the office as each incumbent sees fit. A
cosmopolitan New Yorker, Arthur would not move into the
White House until a major renovation had been undertaken. 30
barrels of old china and 24 wagon-loads of furniture
and “junk” were
carted away to be sold at public auction. Louis
Comfort Tiffany went to work at the White House completing
one of the most famous decorative ensembles ever known. It
is remembered as one of the high points of 19th century
American decorative arts. Arthur’s house
was swept away entirely by the Roosevelt renovation of
1902, and it survives only in photographs and descriptions.
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Issue 18 of White House History takes you to
FDR’s Shangri-La, Truman’s house in Key West,
Lincoln’s Cottage at the Soldier’s Home,
Jefferson’s private villa and a visit to Walker’s
Point, George H.W. Bush’s
Maine home.
“The arduous road to the White House
notwithstanding, presidents waste no time in finding means of getting away from the “fish
bowl” for relaxation.” William
Seale, editor, White House History
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The Presidents of the United States of America
The important
stories of the lives and administrations of each of the
42 men who served as American president from George Washington
through George W. Bush are illustrated by portraits in
the White House collection. The profiles
presented in the book reflect how each president, in his
own way, committed himself to Washington’s first
precedent: “The preservation of the sacred fire of
liberty.”
The First Ladies of the United States of America
Since the time
of Martha Washington, first ladies have fascinated the
American people. The world of first
ladies is a small, magic circle of women, all of whom share
the same public title, but not the same definition of her
self or her role.
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The White House Historical Association announces The
West Wing: Workshop of Democracy, an exhibit of recently
uncovered photographs that trace the Roosevelt renovation of
the White House and the building of the West Wing. The
exhibit is on display at the White House Visitor Center,
1450 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C., from June
until January, 2007.
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Issue number 17 of White House History looks
at Thomas Jefferson’s White House, how
he used it, how he staffed it, and impressions of it
from contemporaries on the scene.
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The White House is old by our standards and yet it is
young. I can count nearly fifty years – a quarter
of the total life of the White House of walking up the
Northwest Drive in pursuit of news. And like almost
everyone who works in or around the White House for any
time at all, I have come to view the building as an enduring
and comforting friend in times of tragedy and as a counselor
of caution in moments of national euphoria. It
always whispers to me, “Nothing is as good as it
may seem right now – and nothing is as bad as you
may judge in the moment.” Hugh Sidey
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In an effort to bring White House history to schools,
the White House Historical Association is offering free
in-school outreach programs exploring what it’s
like to be first kid for a day; learning about the White
House through its art collection; assuming the various
roles of the president; and examining life and work in
the Civil War White House. (Grades K-6) .
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“When people set off to make a movie about a president,
whether it’s a fictional one or real one, I think
they start out good heartedly and seriously. And
its going to get into some of the ideas and some of the
issues that plagued this president; ‘we’re
going to deal with that’, but then the reality
of movies take over . . . . And the reality of movies
is always toward simplification.” Film
critic Richard Schickel.
The one-hour documentary will premiere
on Presidents’ Day, Monday, February 20 at 9:00 pm
on PBS (check local listings).
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The White House Historical Association announces the opening
of White House Horses, an exhibition exploring the many
ways in which horses have been a part of the history of
the White House.
The exhibit opens at the White House Visitor Center, 1450 Pennsylvania Avenue,
N.W., Washington, D.C. on Thursday, June 30 and will be on display through January
4, 2006.
The Visitor Center is open daily from 7:30 a.m.
to 4:00 p.m. and admission is free to the public.
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The oldest and most famous work found in the White House
is the presidential portrait of George Washington by Gilbert
Stuart purchased by the U.S. government for $800 on July
5, 1800. The full length portrait of General Washington
set the policy for gathering works of art that serve primarily
as historical documents. The new edition of White House
History (Number 16) addresses early portraiture beginning
with George Washington and also that of our own time including
the new portraits of President and Senator Clinton.
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Every four years since 1801 a presidential inauguration
has been held in Washington, D.C. Many of these ceremonies
marked a change of president and even a change of political
party in power, while others were second inaugurations for
incumbent presidents.
To honor this tradition, White House History, looks at presidential
inaugurations and the three key features that have come
to characterize nearly every presidential inauguration:
the oath of office taken by the president at the Capitol,
the inaugural parade and the inaugural ball.
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Excerpts from
The President’s House by William Seale and Art in
the White House: A Nation’s Pride by William Kloss
The oldest and most famous work of art found in the White
House is the presidential portrait. The first painting acquired
for the White House was George Washington by Gilbert Stuart,
purchased by the U.S. government for $800 on July 5, 1800.
The full-length painting of General Washington set the policy
for gathering works of art that serve primarily as historical
documents. (click title for more info)
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This exhibition of photographs, maps, documents, newsreel
clips, and artifacts portrays the inner workings of the
White House during World War II. Topics include
the close relationship between President Roosevelt and
British Prime Minister Churchill, the Map Room, war strategy
and diplomacy, and home-front activities plus a first-hand
account from a former aide to Presidents Roosevelt and
Truman.
Time: Daily 7:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Admission: Free
Location: White House Visitor Center, 1450 Pennsylvania
Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C.
Telephone: (202) 208.1631
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A new book, The White House ABC: A Presidential Alphabet,
written by John Hutton and published by the White House
Historical Association, brings the extraordinary 200-year
history of the White House to life in this positive, cheerful
and highly intelligent multilingual look at the presidency.
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The White House: An Historic Guide is in its 22nd edition.
More than 4 million copies have been sold and countless
more people around the world have read it. The guide
contains extensively illustrated room-by-room descriptions
of the décor and furnishings of the house accompanied
by historical text.
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The White House: An Historic Guide is in its 22nd edition.
More than 4 million copies have been sold and countless
more people around the world have read it. The guide
contains extensively illustrated room-by-room descriptions
of the décor and furnishings of the house accompanied
by historical text.
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