
Presented by the White House Historical Association
Freemasons and the White House
- Host
- Stewart McLaurin
- Guest
- Jason Van Dyke, Director of Communications, Grand Lodge of Washington, DC, and Chris Ruli, Historian & Librarian, Grand Lodge of Washington, DC
- Date
- 4/28/21
- Duration
- 51 minutes
Since the laying of the cornerstone in 1792, Freemasons have played an important role in the construction and the history of the White House, with members including Irish architect James Hoban and many presidents from George Washington to Gerald Ford. In this episode, White House Historical Association President Stewart McLaurin interviews Jason Van Dyke, Director of Communications of the Grand Lodge of Washington, DC, and Chris Ruli, the DC Grand Lodge’s Historian & Librarian, about Freemasonry and the White House.
Episodes
-
James Hoban: The Charleston Years
Featuring Shea McEnerney, historic preservationist and Next-Gen Leader
-
Incomparable Grace: JFK in the Presidency
Featuring Mark K. Updegrove, author and President and CEO of the LBJ Foundation
-
The Next Generation: What the White House Means to Me
Featuring Next-Gen Leaders: Emily Bedard, Genevieve Bellaire, Royce Dickerson, Giacomo Ferragamo, Lindsay Moynihan, Dean Vu, Sean Sandrock, Tyler Burkhardt
-
The White House Recording Library: The Forgotten Collection
Featuring John Chuldenko, writer, director, and grandson of President Jimmy Carter
-
Abraham Lincoln, Robert Burns, and the Scottish Connection
Featuring Professor Murray Pittock, Burns historian and professor of literature at the University of Glasgow; Mr. Ian Houston, President of the Scottish Business Network Americas
-
The History and Making of the Official White House Christmas Ornaments
Featuring Richard Rovsek, Board Trustee at Spirit of Liberty Foundation; Dave Marquis, President of ChemArt, Kim Fyfe, Graphics Manager at ChemArt

President of the White House Historical Association
As President of the White House Historical Association Stewart McLaurin leads the nonpartisan, nonprofit in its mission to preserve, protect, and provide access to White House history. As a lifelong student of history, Stewart is an avid reader and storyteller. His first book, White House Miscellany was published this past year and he authors a quarterly column in the White House History Journal. Drawing on his own experiences, relationships, and knowledge he provides listeners with a front row seat to history at the White House.