State Dining Room in 1904

This photograph of the State Dining Room was taken by the Detroit Photographic Company in 1904 during the Theodore Roosevelt administration. In 1902 President Roosevelt spearheaded a large renovation of the White House alongside architect Charles McKim. The State Dining Room, seen here in its completion, had oak paneling, floral wall paper, and was decorated with trophy animal heads, much in line with Roosevelt's personality and tastes. Roosevelt's love of the wilderness went so far as to have American bison carved into the mantelpiece in the dining room.