The President's House
An Interview with White House historian William Seale
Copyright © White House Historical Association. All rights reserved under international copyright conventions. No part of this article may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Requests for reprint permissions should be addressed to books@whha.org
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 Association
Hoban's exterior drawing, or "elevation," 1793.
The Maryland Historical Society
North Front of the President's House, c. 1800, by Samuel Blodget, Jr.
The White House as a Symbol
The White House Historical Association
The 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 Association
The 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 Association
President 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 Association
President 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 Association
The 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 Association
President William McKinley's War Room, upstairs at the White House, 1898.
Library of CongressThe White House as a Home
The White House Historical Association
Frances Folsom Cleveland photographed by Frances Benjamin Johnston in the west-hall sitting room upstairs at the White House, 1888.
You Might Also Like
-
PodcastThe History of Wine and the White House
Featuring Frederick J. Ryan, author of “Wine and the White House: A History" and member of the White House Historical Association’s National Council on White House History
-
PodcastAmerica’s Irish Roots
Featuring Geraldine Byrne Nason, Ambassador of Ireland to the United States
-
PodcastWashington National Cathedral & the White House
Featuring Very Reverend Randolph Hollerith and Reverend Canon Jan Naylor Cope
-
-
PodcastBlair House: The President’s Guest House
Featuring The Honorable Capricia Marshall, Ambassador Stuart Holliday, and Matthew Wendel
-
CollectionThe Carter White House 1977 - 1981
On January 20, 1977, Jimmy Carter was inaugurated as the thirty-ninth president of the United States. During his time in the White House (1977–81), President Carter made many decisions guided by his fundamental commitment to peace and democratic values, emphasizing human and civil rights above all else. Putting these ideals into practice, President Carter negotiated the Camp David Accords, secured the release of Am
-
-
CollectionThe 2024 White House Christmas Ornament
Every year since 1981, the White House Historical Association has had the privilege of designing the Official White House Christmas Ornament. These unique collectibles — honoring individual presidents or specific White House anniversaries — have become part of the holiday tradition for millions of American families. In this collection, explore the history behind our 2024 design and learn more about President Jimmy Carter. Buy the
-
-
-
-
CollectionThe Nixon White House 1969 - 1974
On January 20, 1969, Richard Nixon was inaugurated as the thirty-seventh president of the United States. During his time in the White House (1969–74), President Nixon sought to unite a divided nation after the social, political, and cultural turbulence of the 1960s. Before becoming president, Nixon served in the U.S. Navy, the U.S. House of Representatives, the U.S. Senate, and as
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
