Collection First Children
What was it like to grow up in a home where some of the most important political decisions are being...
Main Content
In the early decades of the republic a president's wife, like other wives, seldom displayed her private life to the eyes of the public. Few images of first ladies in recreational roles appeared until the early twentieth century, when American women gained new status and freedom in a fast-changing society.
Today along with the title first lady, the president's wife inherits a host of public duties and a mountain of responsibilities that never seem to crest. She has the most demanding, the most complex volunteer assignment in our country. Time spent in leisure activities provides an opportunity to relax away from the demands of public duties and to enjoy a private life out of the public eye.
Jacqueline Kennedy rides with John Jr. and Caroline on their farm in Middleburg, Virginia, on November 19, 1962.
Patricia Nixon takes a ride around the South grounds of the White House in a Park Drag, a four-in-hand coach, driven by its owner George Weymouth. Members of the board of directors of the Washington International Horse Show arrived at the White House in the vintage coach to invite Mrs. Nixon to their charity event, October 27, 1970.
Lady Bird Johnson astride Silver Jay with Senator Lyndon B. Johnson at the family ranch in Texas, 1959.
Nancy Reagan often rode with President Reagan at Rancho Del Cielo in the mountains above Santa Barbara, California.
What was it like to grow up in a home where some of the most important political decisions are being...
Biographies & Portraits
Fearless leaders have walked the halls of White House for centuries. In this episode, White House Historical Association President Stewart...
Presidents have found different ways to escape the pressures and politics of the position. For early leaders, it was a...
At age 43, John Fitzgerald Kennedy was the youngest person ever elected to the presidency. Before his vibrant presidency was cut...
The White House Historical Association and the Eleanor Roosevelt Papers Project present this collaboration in an effort to open a...
From diplomatic dinners to holiday gatherings, the White House has always played a central role in the nation’s official en...
Animals, whether pampered household pets, working livestock, birds, squirrels, or strays, have long been a major part of White House...
Every year since 1981, the White House Historical Association has had the privilege of designing the Official White House Christmas Ornament....
While there has yet to be a female president, women have played an integral role in shaping the White House...
President Harry S. Truman was close to his friends and associates, had a grin for strangers, but could be less...
Every year since 1981, the White House Historical Association has had the privilege of designing the Official White House Christmas Ornament....