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Murder and Untimely Tragedy: The Haunting of Lafayette Square
Places believed to be "haunted" are often the setting of an assortment of numerous grisly stories. Lafayette Square, the area directly north of the White House, is frequently considered a "ghostly" site. Several gruesome tales contribute to its deservedly spooky reputation. The most harrowing occurrence is a legendary Washington, D.C. story involving murder, intrigue, lust, and revenge. On February 27, 1859,
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The Households of James Buchanan
James Buchanan is often regarded as one of the worst presidents in United States history.1 Many historians contend that Buchanan’s sympathy toward the South and reluctance to stop the first seven states from seceding led to the American Civil War, but less attention has been given to how his upbringing and earlier experiences shaped his views on slavery.2 Although Pe
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Freemasonry and the White House
On July 16, 1790, Congress passed the Residence Act, formally the Act for Establishing the Temporary and Permanent Seat of the Government of the United States. The act empowered President George Washington and his three appointed commissioners to develop the country’s new capital and manage construction of the White House, United States Capitol, and other federal buildings. To meet their 1800 deadline, th
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Girl Scouts and First Lady Lou Hoover
Girl Scouts have been connected to the White House for almost as long as they have existed. Juliette Gordon Low founded Girl Scouts of the USA in 1912. Low came from a prominent southern family and lived abroad for many years in England, where she first encountered the scouting movement.1 After befriending Robert Baden-Powell, author of the book Scouting for Boys
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The Life and Presidency of Gerald R. Ford
Gerald Rudolph Ford Jr., the nation’s only unelected president and vice president, was born Leslie Lynch King Jr. in Omaha, Nebraska, on July 14, 1913, the year his parents, Leslie and Dorothy King, divorced. Following his mother’s marriage in 1916 to Gerald R. Ford Sr. in Grand Rapids, Michigan, the future president was renamed for his stepfather and became known to his
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Liberty: America's Dog
When the Fords moved into the White House in August 1974, they did not have a dog. However, the family’s transition to life in the White House was disrupted on September 26, when First Lady Betty Ford was diagnosed with breast cancer. Two days later, Mrs. Ford underwent a radical mastectomy at Bethesda Naval Hospital. She recovered at the facility for se
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Khrushchev Goes to Washington
In September 1959, President Dwight D. Eisenhower invited Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev to the United States for an official State Visit. Eisenhower’s invitation marked a historic moment: the first time a Soviet head of state received an invitation to the White House. This event marked an opportunity for each leader to learn about their counterpart while sharing their country’s imme
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Prom Night at the White House
Senior prom is a night to remember — especially if your venue is the White House! On May 31, 1975, First Daughter Susan Ford hosted the Holton-Arms School senior class for prom at the Executive Mansion, marking the first and only celebration of its kind to take place there. The class of ‘75 at the Holton-Arms School, located in Bethesda, Maryland, had saved for the
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A Pool for the President
Gerald Ford was an avid swimmer, swimming twice a day in his backyard pool in Alexandria, Virginia. When President Ford moved into the White House, he no longer had immediate access to a pool. Although the White House had previously featured an indoor swimming pool, it was converted into the White House Press Room during Richard Nixon’s presidency.1
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A Resolute Myth: Debunking the Resolute Desk Panel
As historians, one part of our job is to question and investigate oft-repeated stories in history. Myths, inaccuracies, and questionable documentation abound in White House history, and historical facts can be ignored, altered, misremembered, or forgotten as time passes. One such example is the history of the Resolute Desk—one of the most important symbols of the presidency and a pr
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The Life and Presidency of Jimmy Carter
James Earl Carter Jr. was born on October 1, 1924, in the small rural town of Plains, Georgia, about 150 miles south of Atlanta. His father, James Sr., was a businessman and farmer. His mother, known to the nation as Miss Lillian during her son’s presidency, was a nurse who served as a Peace Corps volunteer after her children were grown and wr
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Jimmy Carter, Iran, and the Canadian Caper
The Iran Hostage Crisis was one of the most important issues of Jimmy Carter’s presidency and likely one of the reasons for his election loss in 1980. But at the beginning of Carter’s presidency, the United States and Iran were allies. Carter called Iran “an island of stability in one of the more troubled areas of the world” during a visit