Main Content
Detail of floral ribbons and lace trimming a pink satin brocade ball gown that belonged to Sarah Childress Polk. The gown fits the description of a “robe satin rose” made for Mrs. Polk by Madame Oudot Manoury in Paris in 1847. The gown cost 500 francs (about $100). Unless otherwise noted, the costumes of Mrs. Polk shown here are in the collection of the Polk Home, Columbia, Tennessee.
Featuring Anita McBride, founding member of the First Ladies Association for Research and Education and co-author of U.S. First Ladies: Making History and Leaving Legacies
Animals, whether pampered household pets, working livestock, birds, squirrels, or strays, have long been a major part of White House life. Some pets provided companionship to the president and his family. Others gained fame for a role in shaping the president's image. No matter what job was bestowed upon them, pets at the Executive Mansion did it well.This collection
On January 20, 1969, Richard Nixon was inaugurated as the thirty-seventh president of the United States. During his time in the White House (1969–74), President Nixon sought to unite a divided nation after the social, political, and cultural turbulence of the 1960s. Before becoming president, Nixon served in the U.S. Navy, the U.S. House of Representatives, the U.S. Senate, and as
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
