Collection Weddings and the White House
From First Lady Dolley Madison's sister Lucy Payne Washington's wedding in 1812 to the nuptials of President Joseph Biden and First...
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An Interview with White House historian William Seale
The President's House: A History by noted historian William Seale, published by the White House Historical Association in two rich volumes, chronicles both the unique continuum of the White House in American history and its human side as home to presidents and their families. It chronicles every president from George Washington to George H. W. Bush. The William J. Clinton and George W. Bush years are included in an epilogue.
"Granting that walls can't talk, I've done my best to make them seem to in The Presidents House," says author Seale. "I've sought out documents, old letters and books and brought them together, president by president. And I've made every use I possibly could of the house as it stands, going over it carefully, attic to cellar, for what it can tell about its past and how it was, as well as how it is today."
In this series of video clips, Seale shares some of his book's most compelling White House stories and fun facts.
Presidents Who Shaped the White House
The White House Historical AssociationHoban's exterior drawing, or "elevation," 1793.
The Maryland Historical SocietyNorth Front of the President's House, c. 1800, by Samuel Blodget, Jr.
The White House as a Symbol
The White House Historical AssociationThe south front of the White House, daguerreotype by John Plumbe Jr., probably in the late winter or early spring of 1846.
The Tradition of Presenting Diplomatic Credentials
The White House Historical AssociationThe Blue Room as redecorated in a soft sky blue by McKinley in 1899, after the Spanish-American War. James Buchanan's gilt furniture was still in use.
The Tradition of the New Year's Reception
The White House Historical AssociationPresident James Buchanan and Harriet Lane appear in the East Room as the last phase of a great public reception, 1858.
An Interactive White House
The White House Historical AssociationPresident Ronald Reagan toasts Australian prime minister Malcolm Fraser in the State Dining Room, June 30, 1981.
The White House as a Museum
The White House Historical AssociationThe Blue Room as completed shortly before President Kennedy's death, 1963.
The White House Historical AssociationThe White House as an Office
The White House Historical AssociationPresident William McKinley's War Room, upstairs at the White House, 1898.
Library of CongressThe White House as a Home
The White House Historical AssociationFrances Folsom Cleveland photographed by Frances Benjamin Johnston in the west-hall sitting room upstairs at the White House, 1888.
From First Lady Dolley Madison's sister Lucy Payne Washington's wedding in 1812 to the nuptials of President Joseph Biden and First...
On January 20, 1969, Richard Nixon was inaugurated as the thirty-seventh president of the United States. During his time in the White...
Every year since 1981, the White House Historical Association has had the privilege of designing the Official White House Christmas Ornament....
Since the laying of the cornerstone in 1792, Freemasons have played an important role in the construction and the history of...
Thousands of people traverse historic Lafayette Park every day to get a glimpse of the White House. The park, right...
Since the James Madison presidency, St. John’s Church has been an important part of the life of Lafayette Square an...
Honoring some of the greatest moments in sports history has become a tradition at the White House. Presidents and their...
Native Americans hold a significant place in White House history. For thousands of years, Indigenous peoples, including the Nacotchtank and...
Since 1965, the White House Historical Association has been proud to fund the official portraits of our presidents and first ladies,...
Over 200 years ago, James Hoban left Ireland for America to pursue his dream of becoming an architect. Selected by President...
Every year since 1981, the White House Historical Association has had the privilege of designing the Official White House Christmas Ornament....
In 1821-1822, Susan Decatur requested the construction of a service wing. The first floor featured a large kitchen, dining room,...