Collection Roosevelt White House 1933-1945
President Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected to office at the height of the Great Depression. He ushered in an environment...
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Thomas Jefferson gave orders for the demolition of the outdoor wooden privy and had two water closets installed upstairs, one on each end of the house. He also had a wine cellar built just west of the house and called it an "ice house." Jefferson made changes to many of the fireplaces, including equipping the kitchen with its first iron range fitted to the existing firebox and adding hob-grates for coal to several others. A call bell system was installed for summoning servants, and artificial light came in part from "patent" oil lamps that featured innovative Argand burners. On the outside of the building, lead and wood gutters were replaced with iron ones. The White House's first heating system, the gravity-based Pettibone furnace, was installed when James Madison took office in 1809.
This photograph from 1902 shows the original arch that spanned the
protruding round ice house that was first enclosed in wood along with
the original well.
President Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected to office at the height of the Great Depression. He ushered in an environment...
For more than two centuries, the White House has been the home of American presidents. A powerful symbol of the...
Every year since 1981, the White House Historical Association has had the privilege of designing the Official White House Christmas Ornament....
Presidents have found different ways to escape the pressures and politics of the position. For early leaders, it was a...
Every year since 1981, the White House Historical Association has had the privilege of designing the Official White House Christmas Ornament....
Since 1878, American presidents and their families have celebrated Easter Monday by hosting an 'egg roll' party. Held on the South...
During the administration of President Harry S. Truman, the White House underwent a renovation and expansion so extensive, it changed...
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....
No sport is more closely tied to the American presidency than baseball. One of Washington’s first baseball fields was lo...
A dinner at the White House has always had significance beyond the merely gastronomical. The elegance of the State Dining...
Since the White House was first occupied by President John Adams in 1800, influential people and organizations—or those who hoped to...