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The White House: Its Historic Furnishings & First Families
New edition features never-before-published photographs of rooms decorated during the Obama and Bush presidencies. Published in conjunction with the White House Historical Association.
Ever since the White House was built over 200 years ago, its decor has been of great interest to visitors, historians, and anyone interested in our nation's history and how it was manifested in our country's most famous residence. Influenced not only by styles of the moment, the White House interiors are even more affected by the sensibilities of its occupants, our presidents and their first families.
This updated edition features new photos and information from recent renovations of the Green Room, the Queens' Bedroom, Family Dining Room, Lincoln Bedroom and Lincoln Bed, Lincoln Sitting Room, and the Oval Office. Also highlighted will be china from the Clinton and Bush administrations and a fire screen acquired during the Obama administration.
Author Betty Monkman shares historical facts and anecdotes revealing how the furnishings and artwork showcased in this book came to the White House, sometimes under controversial circumstances. She describes how Mary Todd Lincoln earned public criticism for indulging in excessive shopping expeditions and expenditures during the early days of the Civil War. Readers also learn how Jacqueline Kennedy took a vastly different approach to changes in the president's residence, by working to transform the White House into a place where visitors could learn about the history of the country.
Ever since the White House was built over 200 years ago, its decor has been of great interest to visitors, historians, and anyone interested in our nation's history and how it was manifested in our country's most famous residence. Influenced not only by styles of the moment, the White House interiors are even more affected by the sensibilities of its occupants, our presidents and their first families.
This updated edition features new photos and information from recent renovations of the Green Room, the Queens' Bedroom, Family Dining Room, Lincoln Bedroom and Lincoln Bed, Lincoln Sitting Room, and the Oval Office. Also highlighted will be china from the Clinton and Bush administrations and a fire screen acquired during the Obama administration.
Author Betty Monkman shares historical facts and anecdotes revealing how the furnishings and artwork showcased in this book came to the White House, sometimes under controversial circumstances. She describes how Mary Todd Lincoln earned public criticism for indulging in excessive shopping expeditions and expenditures during the early days of the Civil War. Readers also learn how Jacqueline Kennedy took a vastly different approach to changes in the president's residence, by working to transform the White House into a place where visitors could learn about the history of the country.
- GenresHistory
320 pages, Hardcover
First published November 1, 2000
About the author
Betty C. Monkman
11 books5 followersBETTY C. MONKMAN served more than thirty years in the Office of the Curator, the White House, retiring as Chief Curator in 2002. She contributed to Art in the White House: A Nation’s Pride, and is the author of The White House: Its Historic Furnishings and First Families and The Living White House. She was the managing editor of 50th Anniversary Edition of The White House: An Historic Guide.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
June 26, 2019
Beautiful book
Recommended for any coffee table
Recommended for any coffee table
November 14, 2021
A lovely book on how the White House and its furnishings have changed and evolved over the years. For a lot of its history, every time there was a new president the White House was refurbished because everything was shabby and worn out. It seems more an excuse to redecorate in the current style since in the past few decades a decent amount of the worn out furniture that was auctioned off has been restored and returned to the White House. This book is not exhaustive, focusing on only a small amount of the furnishings, but is a good overview.
December 21, 2016
Beautiful updated version. I want to read this book every day!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews