President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron walk across the South Lawn of the White House, July 20, 2010. Official White House Photo by Pete Souza.

White House Sketches is the name of a new section on our web site that features stories from the rich history of the White House. Each brief entry includes a summary of a historic event, related historic images, and links to newspaper accounts or related information. Over time, the collection of sketches will become a resource to discover the story of America as seen through the lens of the White House.

Current sketches include the story of an 1878 White House wedding, a 1917 attack on a suffragist protest outside the White House gates, and President William Taft’s silver anniversary celebration on the White House South Lawn that included more than 6,000 guests.

Upcoming sketches over the next month will feature the story of the establishment of the White House War Room, the report of a Union victory at Gettysburg, and Harry Atwood’s daring flight to land his biplane on the White House South Lawn. Check White House Sketches often for these updates and more, and follow us on Twitter to be alerted when new stories become available.