Monuments to the American Revolution in Lafayette Park
In 1853, Clark Mills’ statue of President Andrew Jackson on horseback is in the center of Lafayette Park. The park’s four...
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Gardens & Grounds
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Hoover Easter Egg Rolls
The annual White House Easter egg roll was a well-established tradition when President Herbert Hoover took office, and the Hoovers...
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Lady Bird Johnson's Floral Legacy
Few first ladies have been so attuned to the natural beauty inside and outside the White House as First Lady...
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"A Beautiful Spot Capable of Every Improvement"
On July 16, 1790, Congress passed the Residence Act into law. It granted President George Washington authority to select a “district of te...
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Reflections: A Secret Garden
Tucked away on the South Lawn, behind a tall hedge of hollies, is the White House Children’s Garden, a sp...
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A History of White House Flowers and Florists
April showers might bring May flowers, but White House florists keep the executive mansion in bloom year round. Today the...
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Steve Vasilakes, the White House's Peanut Man
Nicholas Stefanos “Steve” Vasilakes emigrated from Ligerea, Greece, to the United States in 1910 and soon thereafter set up his hot pean...
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Nash Castro: A Board Member's Role with the Kennedy Rose Garden
I recently had the opportunity to visit with Nash Castro, the last surviving founder of the White House Historical Association,...
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President Kennedy's Rose Garden
The inspiration for renewing the rose garden at the White House came from President Kennedy in 1961. My involvement began at...
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Gardening Past at the White House
George Washington in 1792 had set aside 85 acres for the “President’s Square,” presumably to have paddocks, sheepfolds, hay fields, meadows, and th...
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Easter Egg Roll: Games, Old and New
The primary Easter Monday entertainment at the White House has always involved egg rolling. Participants roll dyed, hard-boiled eggs across...
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Fall Foliage at the White House
Throughout the history of the White House and the grounds surrounding it, visitors have commented on the trees and foliage...