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By the late nineteenth century the former ice house, so important to Jefferson, had evolved into a servants' dining room and still later into an office and then the West Garden room. 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.
The White House and its residents share the holiday cheer felt by all of the country this time of year. Since 1961, the Executive Mansion decorates its halls with a holiday theme. President Joseph R. Biden and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden selected "A Season of Peace and Light" as the 2024 holiday theme. For President and Dr. Biden’s final winter ho
For most of American history, the only December holiday ever celebrated in the White House was Christmas. Now, however, the White House hosts an annual Hanukkah party where traditional holiday candles are ceremonially lit on an official White House Hanukkah menorah. When and how did this happen, and what does it mean? In this episode of History Happy Hour, Jonathan
Why did Woodrow Wilson oppose women’s voting rights? More than a century after he dominated American politics, Woodrow Wilson still fascinates. Christopher Cox’s Woodrow Wilson: The Light Withdrawn discusses Wilson’s life and legacy, unearthing a man superbly unsuited to the moment when he ascended to the presidency in 1912, as the struggle for women’s voting rights in America
A State Dinner honoring a visiting head of government or reigning monarch is one of the grandest and most glamorous of White House affairs. It is part of an official state visit and provides the president and first lady the opportunity to honor the visiting head of state and his or her spouse. In this short video, learn the history
