U. S. Grant Hl — January 1, 1926, to April 5, 1933;
James A. Woodruff — April 5, 1933, to August 10, 1933

On January 1, 1926, Ulysses S. Grant III was appointed director of
public buildings and public parks. Grant was born in Chicago,
Illinois, July 4, 1881, and as a child lived with his parents in Europe
and New York. In 1898 he entered Columbia College in New York,
but enlisted in the U.S. Army upon the outbreak of the Spanish-
American War. Along with Douglas MacArthur, he entered West
Point in 1899 and received the rank of second lieutenant in the Corps
of Engineers on graduation. He served in the Philippines in 1904, re-
turning to Washington to work with the Second Battalion of
Engineers and to serve as aide-de-camp to the president while
attending engineering school; he graduated in 1908. During this per-
iod he also served in Cuba in 1906, as quartermaster and adjutant
for the Second Battalion of Engineers in Vera Cruz in 1914, and on
the Mexican border in 1916-17. He was secretary to the American
section of the Supreme War Council in Paris and was awarded the
Distinguished Service Medal in 1918. After the war he worked on
various engineering projects before being appointed director of public
buildings and public parks in 1926.”

Grant’s proprietary attitude concerning his administration of the site
often caused conflicts. His education, his own military career, and his
successful participation in various administrative duties during
World War I made it possible for his career to flourish. These,
together with his marriage to the daughter of former Secretary of
War Elihu Root and his sister’s marriage to the Russian émigré Prince
Cantacuzene placed him in the highest social circles.”

Grant wielded authority with a demanding personality, and the
Office of Public Buildings and Public Parks continued to expand. With
the inauguration of Franklin D. Roosevelt, Republican Grant could
not adjust to the new Democratic administration. It is said that his
refusal to cooperate with Mrs. Roosevelt in hanging a swing in a
White House tree for her grandchildren resulted in his immediate
dismissal. His involvement in various city recreation planning
projects for Washington, D.C., in the 1930s and the ensuing racial
controversies may have also contributed to his dismissal. Later he

189. Thompson, Who's Who in the Regular Army, 123; USMA, Register of Graduates and
Former Cadets, U.S. Military Academy, 691; “In Grandfather’s Shadow: Ulysses Sitnpson.
Grant 34,” New York Times, Jan. 9, 1961; “Gen. Ulysses $. Grant III Dies,” The Washington
Post, Aug. 30, 1968; “ULS. Grant 3D Dies; General Was 87,” New York Times, Aug. 30,

1968.
190. Seale, The President's House, 874, 925.

U.S. Grant Il — January 1,

1926, to April 5, 1933;
James A. Woodruff — April
5, 1933, to August 10, 1933

U.S. Grant I

Courtesy: History Office,
U.S, Army Corps of
Engineers

219

U.S. Anny Corps of Engineers, Office of Public Buildings and Public Parks of the National Capital — February 26, 1925, to June 10, 1933


1997, over 22,000 drawings representing nearly 1,900 design and
construction projects had been catalogued and indexed. Also in 1992
the original mainframe computer inventory system designed in
1978-79 was replaced under contract with a new White House
Inventory Management Systems (WHIMS II), using the original
database but designed for personal computer network operating
systems.

Jurisdiction

As public demonstrations continued, court decisions still supported
restrictions on numbers and even decibel levels for demonstrators.
Demonstrators protesting nuclear weaponry and similar issues could
still occupy the south side of Lafayette Park, and court cases defined
the nature of First Amendment rights in the White House area."

The closure of East Executive Avenue raised questions over jurisdic-
tion and the authority of the National Park Service to close a right-
of-way. The Department of the Interior’s Solicitor’s Office invoked
the 1894 map attached to the act of July 1, 1898 (30 Stat. 570),
which established the District of Columbia park system, the act of
September 22, 1961 (75 Stat. 586), and the act of August 25, 1916.
Sidewalks on the south side of the White House were also determined
to be under NPS jurisdiction. Even though public vehicular traffic
was restricted, the space remained open to pedestrians.”

The Office of White House Liaison continued to work closely with
various cooperating agencies. Both the General Services Adminis-
tration and the District of Columbia continued to prove crucial as
cooperators with the Park Service in providing services and facilities
to the presidency. The General Services Administration remained re-
sponsible for the maintenance and preservation of the East and West
Wings of the White House, as well as the Old Executive Office Build-
ing. The cooperative basis for the General Services Administration
and the Park Service to function at the site was initially spelled out in
a September 1966 memorandum of agreement, which had not been

50. Rick Napoli (WHL/NPS), interview with O'Brien, Sept. 1997, ESF/WHL/NPS.
51. Robbins to Langstrom, Sept. 14, 1994, ESF/ARD/WHL/NPS.

52. Mayor Barry's Environmental Design Awards 1989, n.p.; John F Rogers (asst. sec.,
Treasury) to Fish, Apr. 29, 1987; Fish to Rogers, June 4, 1987; ARD (Professional
Services) to [McDaniel], Nov. 3, 1987; all in PRJ-7001 /East Executive Pedestrian Mall, 86-
003, USSS 1986, Blanket Account, Plant Pathologist. Regional IPM coordinator to supt.
(White House Div.}, Aug. 5, 1987, box 120, ESF/ARD/WHL/NPS; solicitor to reg. dir.
(NCR), July 22, 1986, A8031/Administration/Parking Space (1972-73}, box 31, acc. 79-
80-0002, ESF/ARD/WHL/NPS.

Manus J. Fish — Continuing
to September 4, 1988; Ronald
N. Wrye — September 4,
1988, to December 18, 1988;
Robert G. Stanton —
December 18, 1988, to
January 3, 1997; James 1.

McDaniel (Associate Regional
Director) — December 31,
1983, to-

377

National Park Service — 1983 to 1997


Thomas Munroe — May 1,
1802, to March 3, 1817

48

commissioners were John P. Van Ness, Richard Bland Lee, and Tench
Ringgold, and they were under the direction of the president.”

The commissioners established offices and began to make arrange-
ments for rebuilding the city. Both Robert Mills and Benjamin Latrobe
applied for a position as architect, and although Latrobe had made
himself unpopular in many circles, the commissioners appointed him
to oversee the reconstruction of the Capitol. James Hoban was
appointed superintendent of the reconstruction of the President’s
House on March 25. Hoban also redesigned the office buildings for
the Treasury and War Departments in the Federal style.”

An act of April 29, 1816, abolished the commission and the position
of superintendent, assigning the duties to a new commissioner of
public buildings effective March 3, 1817. On that day Munroe turned
his records over to the new commissioner, Samuel Lane, although
Lane had actually been functioning in that capacity since April 30,
1816, Richard Davis served as clerk to the new commissioner until
Davis's death on June 20, 1816. Joseph Elgar assumed the duties of
clerk on June 24 and was assisted by a messenger, Benjamin Thomas,
who was paid one dollar a day.”

Collection Management

During the Madison administration three rooms — the State Dining
Room, the present Red Room, and the present Blue Room — were
redecorated under the supervision of Benjamin Latrobe. Latrobe also
designed furniture, which was lost in the fire of 1814. Only Gilbert

29. Madison to John P Van Ness, Richard 8, Lee, and Tench Ringgold, Mar. 13, 1815,
Proceedings of the Commissioners, 2; Seale, The President’s House, 139.

30, Dolkart, The Old Executive Office Building, 4: Seale, The President's House, 139;
applications of Robert Mills and Benjamin Latrobe, Mar. 15, 1815, Proceedings of the
Commissioners, 5; commissioners to appoint architect for President’s House and executive
offices, Mar. 22, 1815, ibid., 7; appointment of James Hoban, Mar. 23, 1815, ibid., 8;
Hoban regarding executive offices, Mar. 24, 1815, ibid., 9; Hoban to commission, Mar.
25, 1815, ibid., 10; Hoban to commission, Mar. 27, 1815, ibid., 10.

31. Act of Apr. 29, 1816, 3 Stat. 324-25; Lanman, Biographical Annals, 249; “Records of
the Commissioners," iii-vi, RG 42; NPS, “The White House,” 17-18; death of Richard
Davis and appointment of Joseph Elgar, June 25, 1816, “Journal, Commissioner of
Public Buildings,” 7:13, RG 42; appointment of Benjamin Thomas as temporary
messenger, Dec. 14, 1816, ibid., 7:14; Dowd, Records of Public Buildings and Public Parks,
24-25, 27-28. Dowd states that the offices were in the ULS. Post Office, where the
superintendent of the city also had offices. It is unclear if the offices were moved after the
Capitol was sufficiently repaired; references are made in the records to Capitol offices.

CHAPTER 2. THE GROWTH OF THE REPUBLIC: 1802-1849


*Frank T. Gartside — August
10, 1933, to October 9,
1933; C. Marshall Finnan —
October 9, 1933, to July 31,
1939

248

that this would not be possible since “all week long there is a
continuous stream of visitors — as many as 10,000 a day at times”
and that the president deserved to have some privacy."

In 1935 repairs to the White House were made by James Baird and
Company of Washington, with work beginning on June 21 and
totaling $159,530.25. In addition, the White House was closed
during the summer of 1936 as the west half of the ground floor was
remodeled. The remodeling included the kitchen and pantries, the
west hall on the ground floor, adjacent rooms, and the servants’
dining room in the old machine room. About 4,200 square feet of
work and storage space was created under the north drive, including
food storage, a carpenter shop, servants’ locker rooms, and furniture
storage. A small kitchen was constructed on the third floor of the
house, A new main kitchen contained all modern appliances, includ-
ing dishwashers, electric refrigerators, and stoves. The contract called
for changing the entrance driveway for delivery trucks and service
vehicles and for repaving the west court. New electrical mains were
installed to change the system from direct current to alternating
current, along with a new fire alarm system."

Between 1934 and 1939 the Bulfinch gatehouses were repaired and
stabilized at a cost of $6,318.07 as a WPA project. Plans to reorient
the gatehouses to Constitution Avenue failed. The final report rec-
ommended their removal at some future date to an area more central
to Washington, where their relationship to the Capitol might be
better illustrated."

Rumors of impending international war caused speculation in the
local Washington papers about the defense of the city, and traffic
circulation became an important issue. For example, portions of the E
Street right-of-way had been established soon after the turn of the
century on the eastern side of the park, in conjunction with the
construction of the Sherman monument. A lighting diagram dated
September 8, 1932, showed E Street cut through on the west. E Street
was extended on the recommendations of the Olmsted Brothers and
other professionals. As part of this work, Sherman Plaza was
redesigned, based on input from Frederick Law Olmsted Jr., and its

16. Crammer to FDR, Aug. 9, 1935; Demaray to Crammer, Sept. 25, 1935; both in
9996 v2/Visitors, box 9, acc. 64A-42, ESF/WHL/NPS.

17, [Smith], “History of Changes,” 11-12; “Historical Information on the White House
and Its Furnishings,” 11-12, HSTL.

18. NPS, President's Park South, 40-42; correspondence relating to Bulfinch gatehouse
reconstruction, 1934-39, passim, 1460/Grounds South, box 11, acc. 64A-42,
ESE/WHL/NPS.

‘CHAPTER 6. THE NEW DEAL, WORLD WAR Il, AND PEACE: 1933-1958


452

INDEX

McCulloch, Hugh, 397

McCullough, David, 361

McDaniel, James 1., 363-364, 364,
370, 372

McDermott, James, 25

McElroy, May Arthur, 142

McGregor, J. Harry, 396

McKean, Samuel, 67

McKee, Mary, 151

McKellar, Kenneth D., 396

McKim, Mead & White, 164, 172-
174, 185, 279

McKim, Philip, 151

McKinley, Ida, 172

McKinley, William, 163, 166-172

McLaughlin, Thomas, 82

McManus, Edward, 107

McMillan Commission, 197

McMillan plan, 164, 170

McNalt, John J., Jr., 333

MeQuarie, Sandra, 315

McShain, John, 270, 280

media facilities: Hoover tenure,
229-230; Johnson (LB) tenure,
318; Roosevelt (T) tenure, 184

Melah, Valentino, 123, 135

Mellon, Mrs. Paul, 308, 323, 326,
337

memorials, 409-418, 411; Adams
(JQ) tenure, 63-64; Cleveland
tenures, 160; Clinton tenure,
375-376; Coolidge tenure, 213-
215; Eisenhower tenure, 292-
294; Grant tenure, 133;
Harrison (B) tenure, 156; Hoover
tenure, 227, 232-233; Jackson
tenure, 78; Kennedy tenure, 329;
Nixon tenure, 352-354; Pierce
tenure, 97-98; Polk tenure, 83;
Roosevelt (FD} tenure, 252;
Roosevelt (T) tenure, 177-178,
188; Taft tenure, 195-196;
Truman tenure, 275-276;
Wilson tenure, 208

menagerie, Grant tenure, 131-132

Mercie, Antonin, 412

Metcalf, Victor H., 398

Metropolitan Police, 114, 115;
Arthur tenure, 146; Grant
tenure, 134; Harrison (B) tenure,

152; Roosevelt (T} tenure, 174-
175

Metro system, plans for, 318-319

Mexican War, 40, 78

Meyer, George von L., 398

Meyers, William E., Mr. and Mrs.,
418

Michler, Nathaniel, 117, 120, 120-
125, 143, 397

Mideast peace accord signing, 350-
351

military: and administration, 240;
barracks, 260-261; billeting, 50;
Civil War and, 86, 109-110; and
design of White House, 35;
Harrison (B) tenure, 155;
Truman tenure, 298; and
wartime security, 209; White
House tours for, 257. See also
United States Army Corps of
Engineers

Miller, Harriet, 341

Miller, John, 80

Millet, Francis Davis, 187, 196,
416

Million Man March, 361

Mills, Clark, 94, 409

Mills, Robert, 40, 48, 51, 68-69,
88; city plan, 74; and labor
unrest, 70; and office space, 78;
and Treasury Building, 39, 67;
and Winder Building, 101

Mission ‘66 Program, 289, 310

Monkman, Betty, 305

Monroe, Elizabeth, 53

Monroe, James, 38, 52-59

Monroe, Winnie, 135

Montrose Park, 222

Moody, William H., 398

Moore, Charles, 164, 196, 242

Moore, Leslie, 285

Moore, Thomas, 32

Morris, Robert, 24

Morse, Samuel F. B., 99

Morton, Paul, 398

Mose, Carl, 252, 417

motion picture filming, 291

motion picture theater, 260; Carter
tenure, 351

Mount Vernon, 255


William S. Wood — May
31, 1861, to September 5,
1861; Benjamin B. French —
September 5, 1861, to
March 2, 1867

112

public property from the building. Mrs. Lincoln stayed in the
mansion for nearly six weeks, not leaving until May 22, 1865.

Steward Thomas Stackpole did not manage the house well during the
period between Lincoln’s death and Mrs. Lincoln’s departure. Four
days after Mrs. Lincoln left, Commissioner French and a clerk from
President Johnson’s office had a complete inventory of the house
done before Johnson moved in, as a question of missing public
property was now an issue.”

The Andrew Johnson Administration. Andrew Johnson moved into
the White House on June 9, 1865. William Slade ill, a black man,
served as Johnson’s initial steward and became the first to officially
use the title. When Slade died in March 1868, James L. Thomas
became steward. Johnson increased his personal office staff from two
to six secretaries and six clerks. When chief secretary William A.
Browning died, Johnson’s son Robert took the position.”

Various improvements were needed after the war. In October 1865
the commissioner of public buildings in his annual report obliquely
referred to Lincoln’s assassination as “the terrible and tragic event” of
the previous April, saying that it had caused many unforeseen ex-
penses at the President’s House. He asked to have those expenses
covered. The greenhouse had been repaired, and a 6-inch pipe was
run down Pennsylvania Avenue to replace the 1-inch waterline that
had formerly served the Executive Mansion.

Office accommodations in the house had not been revamped since the
Jackson administration. After the war the rooms at the east end of
the second floor were reorganized into an extensive office area. A
reception area was created, plus offices for the six clerks and
secretaries, a new cabinet room, and a new telegraph office (which
went into operation in 1866). The telegraph office represented the
first modern communication equipment in the structure.”

On the recommendation of architect Alfred Mullett, the east colon-
nade and terrace of White House were demolished in June 1866.
Mullett added a small porch at the east door, with gardens and a

89. Seale, The President’s House, 418-24.

90. Seale, The President's House, 425.

91. Seale, The President's House, 425-27, 437, 445, 456.
92. Annual Report, Commissioner of Public Buildings, 1865, 3.
93. Seale, The President's House, 426-27.

Ciaprer 3: THE ANTEBELLUM, CIVIL WAR, AND RECONSTRUCTION YEARS: 1849-1867


412

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Brigadier General Tadeusz Andrzei Bonawentura Kosciuszko Statue

Sculptor: Antoni Popiel

Dedication: May 11, 1910

Given to the American people by the Polish American Alliance and Polish
American people. Cost not available. Accepted by a joint resolution of
Congress on April 18, 1904. An act of Congress on February 25, 1910,
appropriated $3,500 for the dedication of the statue.*

Major General Frederick William Augustus Henry Ferdinand, Baron von

Steuben Statue

Sculptor: Albert Jaegers

Dedication: December 7, 1910 -

Acts of Congress February 27, 1903, and June 25, 1910, appropriated
$50,000 for the statue and pedestal, with $2,500 for the dedication.’

General Jean Baptiste Donatien de Vireure, Comte de Rochambeau Statue

Sculptor: M. Hamar, Paris

Dedication: May 24, 1902

A total of $22,500 for the statue and pedestal was authorized by Congress
March 3, 1901 ($7,500}, and February 14, 1902 ($15,000). On March
21 and May 15, 1902, Congress appropriated an additional $10,000 for
the expenses of the French government and for the Lafayette and
Rochambeau families to attend the dedication.*

Major General Marie Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de

Lafayette Statue

Sculptors: Alexandre Falquiere and Antonin Mercie

Architect: Paul Pujol

Dedication: Unveiled without ceremony April 5, 1891.

An act of Congress March 3, 1885, authorized the memorial and appro-
priated $50,000 for the statue.? :

Lafayette Square National Historic Site Plaque

Old Dominion Foundation Plaque
Commemorates the support of the Old Dominion Foundation in the
restoration of Lafayette Park; 1979.

Lee House 1858 Marker

Commemorates the history of the Lee family of Virginia and their
association with the White House.

Dedication: Society for the Lees of Virginia, 1981.

6. NPS, ‘A History of National Capital Parks,” table 1V; NPS, Lafayette Park, 35-37.
7. NPS, Lafayette Park, 37-39.

8. NPS, ‘A History of National Capital Parks,” table TV; NPS, “The Marshall
Rochambeau Statue,” by Stanley McClure, 1430/Histories of Various Statues and
Monuments, box 16, acc. 66A-1097, ESF/WHL/NPS.

9. NPS, ‘A History of National Capital Parks,” table IV.


the President's House was an “immense and gloomy wilderness”
suitable for despotic governments but not for the United States.”

When it was selected for the federal capital, the area between the
towns of Alexandria and Georgetown was mostly rural in the Euro-
American sense. However, it was not entirely undeveloped: Hamburg
{Funkstown) had been platted at the mouth of Goose (later Tiber)
Creek in 1771 by Jacob Funk, and Carrollsburg had been platted on
the north bank of the Anacostia by Daniel Carroll of Duddington in
1770. Other properties were owned by numerous farmers and
speculators.'*

Washington himself met with landowners in the vicinity of the pro-
posed capital in March 1791. Among them were speculators such as
Samuel Davidson, who had purchased the Peerce farm, today part of
the White House grounds, and David Burnes, one of the first prop-
erty owners to sign the purchase agreement dated March 30, 1791.
By June 1791 the land for the new federal city had been acquired.
The property was purchased for £25 (or $67) per acre, with the
purchase of 540 acres costing the new government approximately
$36,000. Major Andrew Ellicott and free black Benjamin Banneker
later surveyed the city, and lots and streets were soon marked.
Burnes delayed the longest in selling his 225 acres near the mouth of
Goose Creek to the government, earning him the designation of “the
obstinate Mr. Burnes.” Farms and plantations and their buildings

17, Bowling, Creating the Federal City, 44, 49, 56, 83, 85, 88, 98; National Park Service,
U.S. Department of the Interior, Historic Resource Study: Rack Creek Park, District of Colum-
bia, by William Bushong (1990), 17; Wilhelmus Bogart Bryan, A History of the National
Capital, 2 vols. (New York: The Macmillan Co., 1914-16} 1:121-22, as noted in the Stanley
McClure collection, Executive Support Facility, White House Liaison, National Park Service
(hereafter cited as ESF/WHL/NPS); Monroe Johnson to John Calgett Proctor, July 12,
1938, Biography file, Thomas Johnson, Historical Society of Washington, DC; “Johnson,
Maryland Patriot, Man who Nominated Washington,” The Sunday Star, Washington DC,
April 3, 1927, part 5.

18, Bowling, Creating the Federal City, 45, 87-88, 93-95, 107 (Bowling gives the date of
the platting of Funkstown as 1768; see p. 45).

Native Americans had originally occupied the area of the capital city for thousands
of years. In historic times the Piscataway, a subset of the Conoy tribe (thought by an-
thropologists to have been later absorbed into the Delaware [Lenai Lenape] and Mohican
peoples), had made their homes in the region. Robert L. Humphreys and Mary Elizabeth
Chambers, Ancient Washington: American Indian Cultures of the Potomac Valley, G.
Washington Studies 6 (Washington, DC: George Washington University, 1976), 29-31;
Paleo-Indian artifacts were discovered on the President's Park site by Robert S. Marshall in
1975 and 1976, both in the vicinity of the present-day swimming pool and on the
Ellipse. Extensive fill and the quality of the points and other artifacts make any determi-
nation of site occupancy by native peoples inconclusive. The points may have been
brought in from elsewhere. However, the geography of the site makes such occupancy
probable. See Humphreys and Chambers, Ancient Washington, 30-31.

Daniel Carroll, Thomas
Johnson, David Stuart,
Gustavus Scott, William
Thornton, Alexander White,
William Cranch, and
Tristram Dalton

13

Commissioners for the District of Columbia — January 22, 1791, to May 1, 1802


416

BIBLIOGRAPHY

the Termessee contributed $11,000. Subfoundation, mosaic, granite
curbing, and grounds improvement amounted to $40,055.05 as of
1952. Recent lighting, sidewalks, landscaping, curbing, and other work
finished as of 1993 by the Pennsylvania Avenue Development
Corporation. Carl Rohl-Smith died before the monument could be
completed; it was finished under the supervision of his wife, Sara Rohl-
Smith.TM*

Butt-Millet Fountain

Sculptor: Daniel Chester French

Architect: Thomas Hastings

Dedication: None

A memorial fountain established by friends in the memory of presidential
aide Archibald Butt and Fine Arts Commission member Francis Millet,
who died aboard the Titanic. A public resohution of August 24, 1912,
authorized placement at no expense to the government."*

Haupt Fountains

Sculptor: Gordon Newell/James Hunolt

Architect: Nathaniel Owings

Engineers: Palmer, Campbell and Reese

Contractors: Curtin and Johnson

Dedication: None .

The 18’ square/1’ thick Minnesota Rainbow granite fountains weigh 55
tons apiece. Mrs. Lyndon Johnson made arrangements to install four
fountains on the Ellipse to frame the view of the White House in water
when seen from the Washington Monument. Through arrangements
by Mrs. Albert D. Lasker, president of the Society for a More Beautiful
Capital, Mrs. Enid Annenberg Haupt donated two fountains, to be
placed on either side of 16th Street south of the Ellipse. The Cold
Springs Granite Company supplied the granite; Wallace F. Whitney,
vice president of Hydrel Corporation, supplied the fountain equipment;
and Harry M. Atherton Jr., of Macon, Inc., supplied hand-made brick
pavers. Nathaniel Owings, chairman of the President’s Temporary
Commission on Pennsylvania Avenue, offered to design the site for the
fountains as a gift to the Ellipse project. The National Park Service
supplied the electrical work. Cost, with donations, $135,653.20."

14. NPS, ‘A History of National Capital Parks,” table IV; NPS, The President's Park South,
33; “The Memorial to General William Tecumseh Sherman,” 1430/Histories of Various
Statues and Monuments, box 16, acc. 66A-1097, ESF/WHL/NPS.

15. NPS, ‘A History of National Capital Parks,” table IV; NPS, The President's Park South,
44-45.

16. NPS, The President's Park South, 42-43; Ralph E. Becker to W.1.N.A.C. Burlingame,
Underwood, Wright, White and Lord, Aug. 11, 1969, D24/Maintenance/ Rehabilitation
(1969), box 31, acc. 79-80-0002, ESF/WHL/NPS. Castro to reg. dir., Dec. 19, 1966;
Owings to Castro, Jan. 31, 1968; Castro to Owings, Feb. 12, 1968; all in D24/General
Beautification (7/1/66-6/30/67) (2), box 21, acc. 72A-6215, ESF/WHL/ NPS. Atkins to
dir. (NCP and Urban Affairs}, memorandum, Mar. 22, 1971; Atkins to dir. (NCP), Aug.
31, 1971; both in D46/General Fountains (1/1/70), box 28, acc. 72A-6215,


General Administration

The Richard Nixon Administration. By 1970, the title general super-
intendent, White House Liaison, was in use. The position of assistant
regional director, White House Liaison, was established soon after
May 1971 to deal with the day-to-day functions.**

The sidewalks around Lafayette Park were paved with brick after
problems with the D.C. government about the treatment of side-
walks were settled. Final payment was made to John Carl Warnecke
and Associates on January 12, 1970. The National Park Service
completed additional work in July 1970. A plaque acknowledging
the participation of Mrs. Paul Mellon and the Old Dominion Founda-
tion was placed in the park that summer.”

Possibly in response to the war protests in the capital city, the 1969
Fourth of July celebration took on the character of a Hollywood
spectacular, Twenty searchlights were positioned behind the Lincoln
Memorial, and U.S. flags were placed in a large “USA” Styrofoam
holder on the Ellipse all day until 7 p.m. A flagpole 80-90 feet high
was erected on the Ellipse for one day. The Mall was turned into a
large celebration area with displays and processions. The day ended
with a large pyrotechnic display, all at a cost of $97,200."

For the 1969 Christmas season 500,000 people were expected to visit
the Pageant of Peace celebration on the Ellipse. The tree was a 65-foot
Norway spruce given by citizens from Glenn Falls, New York. In
addition, 57 red pine trees, each 12 feet tall and representing the
states and territories, were provided by the Ohio Power Company.
They were arranged in a bell-shaped design to form what was
termed a “Pathway of Peace.” By 1972 members of Congress,

83. Atkins to Richard De Crew, Sept. 28, 1970, D46/General Fountains (1/1/70), box
28, acc. 79-7524, ESF/WHL/NPS; NPS, “The Park Service in Washington,” McClure,
11971], 3; McClure to asst. gen. supt. (WHL), Mar. 13, 1970, A8219/White House
Visitors (1/1/69), box 24, acc. 79-7524, ESF/WHL/NPS; Atkins to Castro, Sept. 24,
1969, A7217/1969 ARD Pinks, box WHL-AM-002, ESF/WHL/NPS.

84. Failor (supt. NCP Central) to reg. dir. (NCP), Apr. 25, 1972, box 20,
ESF/ARD/WHL/NFPS; Failor to Mrs. Ollin J. Owens, Dec. 1, 1969, D6231/Museum and
Exhibit Activities Exhibit for Other Agencies, box 31, ace. 79-80-000, ESF/ARD/WHL/
NPS; Dickenson to Thomas H. Beddall, June 16, 1970, and Beddall to Dickenson, Oct. 13,
1970, D66/General Memorials, (1/1/69), box 28, acc. 79-7524, ESE/ARD/WHL/NPS;
Ralph R. Ross (acting reg. chief, Property Management and General Services) to Warnecke
and Associates, Jan. 12, 1970, D52/Lafayette Park Study (1/1/69-1/1/70)/contract 14—
10-0028-2755, box 28, acc. 79-7524, ESF/ARD/WHL/NPS; Castro to John B. Duncan,
memorandum, Nov. 17, 1967, D24/Lafayette Park Beautification (1967-68), box 21, acc.
72A-6215, ESEF/ARD/WHLNPS.

85. Chief (Special Events) to gen. supt. (NCP), June 15, 1970, A8227/Independence Day
(1/1/69), box 27, acc. 79-7524, ESF/ARD/WHL/NPS.

Russell E. Dickenson —~
September 26, 1969, to
November 11, 1973; Manus
J. Fish — November 11,
1973, to September 4, 1988;
Elmer S, Atkins (Assistant
Regional Director) — May 4,
1969, to December 31, 1983

337
‘The National Park Service — 1958-1983


because of the construction of the State, War, and Navy Building. The
Bulfinch gatehouses were moved to their present locations in 1880.
(The gatehouses, originally at the Capitol, had been moved in 1874
from B Street North to B Street South and from First Street Northeast
to First Street Northwest.) The officer of public buildings and
grounds again called for the north drive at the White House to be
paved to correct the winter and spring muddiness.”

Rockwell revived Michler’s schemes of the late 1860s for new build-
ings, but they were rejected. Moving the presidential residence was
not possible because of its associations. In November 1881 Treasury
architect George E. Waring Jr. made a study of the residence. He
found the basement kitchen areas and servants’ quarters in an ad-
vanced state of decay. Plumbing was in disrepair, and the entire sew-
age system was leaching into primitive septic fields and sometimes
draining under the house itself, saturating the building’s basement
floors. Waring’s report gave Arthur the impetus he needed. Plans
were passed through the Army Corps of Engineers to Secretary of

War Robert Lincoln and then to Congress. The recommendation was ©

to tear down the White House and build a replica in its place to be
devoted to office space. A residence building to the south would be
connected to the north building by a narrow hallway. The Senate
approved a bill in February 1882 giving $300,000 for the new south
building. The measure failed to pass the House, however, and the
plans ended.”

Since the White House was not rebuilt, Arthur spent $110,000
updating it instead. New plumbing and piping were installed, and
new septic fields were established. Arthur redecorated the state rooms
only 6 months after the completion of the first redecorating scheme.
Twenty-four wagons of furniture and other items were moved to
the auction house of Duncanson Brothers in Washington, where the
items were sold.”

In May 1882 Louis Comfort Tiffany of New York consulted with the
president regarding the White House interior. Tiffany and his firm,
Associated Artists (composed of himself, Samuel Coleman, and
Candace Wheeler Tiffany) charged $15,000 for the service. Arthur
moved to Anderson cottage in the summer of 1882, using only the
offices in the White House. A red, white, and blue etched glass screen

89, Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1881, 2711-12, 2716; NPS, President's Park South,
39-40.

90. Seale, The President’s House, 535-37, 545.
91. Seale, The President's House, 538-39.

Almon F. Rockwell — April
1, 1881, to June 1, 1885

143

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Office of Public Buildings and Grounds — March 2, 1867, to March 9, 1897



Thomas L. Casey — March
3, 1877, to April 1, 1881

138

had been established during the Johnson administration as a family
event, while some attribute its institution as early as the Madison
administration; it had also been conducted earlier at the Capitol. On
Easter Monday 1879, after being turned away from the Capitol
grounds by police, children took their celebration to the National
Observatory and the White House. It has been held at the White
House ever since, with the exception of wartime prohibitions.”

As an additional public event, the Marine Band gave weekly per-
formances in the area south of the mansion. Casey purchased seats
for the public and had them installed in the south portion of
President's Park.?

In 1879 the board fence around the paddock of the executive stables
at 17th Street was replaced by an iron one. A border of elm trees for
the Ellipse was started, and all dead trees were removed. In addition,
the Engineering Commission of the District of Columbia asked to run
a large 8-foot intercepting sewer diagonally across the lower section
of the Ellipse. A 4-inch water main 525 feet long, which supplied
springwater to the Executive Mansion, was replaced with new pipe.”

Various improvements such as new walks and flower beds were
made in Lafayette Square. “Orchard” and bluegrass were sown in
heavily shaded areas of the park. Overgrown English holly plantings
were removed from the oval beds and replanted along Pennsylvania
Avenue. The magnolias, English yews, and evergreens held up well in
the park environment, but more water was needed for the plant
material, so Casey recommended that additional mains be laid.”

During 1880 an additional 59,980 cubic yards of earth, 9,053 cubic
yards of silt, and 2,228 cubic yards of gravel were dumped at the
Ellipse and graded, bringing the area to grade. The entire area was
sown in “lawngrass seed” and winter rye. Casey supervised the
finishing work except for a small area in the center, where sewer
work continued. The west section of a 50-foot roadway encircling
the Ellipse was finished, and grading continued on the northeast
section of the grounds. Evergreens to screen the executive stables
were planted, plus deciduous trees and shrubs. The eastern part of

68. OF 50 Misc. (Egg rolling folder), box 311, HSTL.
69. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1877, 9-10, 12; ibid., 1880, 2339,
70. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1879, 1881-82.
71. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1879, 1881-82.

(CHAPTER 4. THE UNITED STATES ON THE THRESHOLD OF WORLD POWER: 1867-1897


Administrative History

1791-1983
Epilogue 1983-1997

White Hee
& President's Park

Washington, D.C.

December 2001

United States Department of the Interior * National Park Service


John B, Blake — June 5,
1855, to May 31, 1861

108

open and to repair streets, sewers, drains, and to make other
improvements, along with other privileges. However, the “ultimate
jurisdiction” remained with the federal government. The congres-
sional committee also found

a too common practice of permitting assemblages of people
to attend auctions or the like, exhibitions on the footways
and principal thoroughfares of the city, or so near them as
to incommode the public.”

Jurisdiction of the rights-of-way adjacent to President's Park con-
tinued to be held by the executive branch and Congress and were
shared with the city of Washington. Arguments between the city of
Washington and the federal government over gas rates and similar
cooperative topics continued.”

Site Security

Blake noted his satisfaction with the capital police but said the
Auxiliary Guard needed to be more tightly controlled and that
members of the guard were not accountable enough in the current
arrangements. Day and night watchmen were added to the payroll at
the President’s House in 1855. Blake stated that if Congress was
going to turn over the Auxiliary Guard to the city of Washington,
his office should be relieved of the responsibility of its administra-
tion,”

Tensions ran high in the late 1850s. A man shot a Treasury clerk to
death at his desk on January 28, 1857, after the clerk accused him of
being a thief at a White House levee the day before. In summer
Buchanan resided at Anderson cottage at the Soldiers’ Home outside
Washington, traveling to the White House daily by coach. Security
was better at the cottage, and such considerations became more
important, particularly after the October 1859 raid on Harpers
Ferry.”

76. Senate Doc. 136, 34th Cong., Ist sess., Apr. 16, 1856, 2.

77. Public Law 173, July 1, 1898, “An Act to Vest in the Commissioners of the District
of Columbia Control of Street Parking in Said District,” 1-2, In 1898, the federal
government turned over to the municipal authorities the jurisdiction over street parking.
See PL 173; Annual Report, Commissioner of Public Buildings, 1855, 600, 602-4.

78. Annual Report, Commissioner of Public Buildings, 1855, 600, 602-4; ibid., 1856, 852-
55, 859-61,

79, Seale, The President's House, 331-32, 346-55.

(CHAPTER 3: THE ANTEBELLUM, CIVIL WAR, AND RECONSTRUCTION YEARS: 1849-1867


464

INDEX

Monroe tenure, 57; Nixon
tenure, 339, 344; pavilion, 371;
Pierce tenure, 98; Polk tenure,
76, 83; Roosevelt (FD) tenure,
247-248; Roosevelt (T) tenure,
176, 180-182, 184; Truman
tenure, 266, 282-283, 298; Van
Buren tenure, 79; World War I
and, 204; World War II and,
257. See also White House visitor
center

Vitale, Ferrucio, 234

von Steuben statue, 188, 195-196,
412

Ww

Waite, Morrison R., 117

Walker, George, 16, 22

walks. See paths and walks

walls: Adams (JQ) tenure, 59-61;
Buchanan tenure, 105; Cleveland
tenures, 158-159; Downing plan
and, 90; Jackson tenure, 65-66;
Jefferson tenure, 41; Monroe
tenure, 57; Pierce tenure, 100

walnut tree, 293

Walter, Thomas U., 67, 93, 95-96,
110, 144

War Bond drives, 261

War Department Building: Civil
War and, 110; construction of,
27-32; Monroe tenure, 54; plans
for, 124; reconstruction of, 53;
site of, 21, 23; Taylor tenure, 88

warehouses: Carter tenure, 355;
Clinton tenure, 376; Coolidge
tenure, 223; Johnson (LB)
tenure, 332-333; Nixon tenure,
343; Roosevelt (FD) tenure, 253;
Roosevelt (T) tenure, 186;
Truman tenure, 276. See also
storage facilities, collection.
management

Waring, George E., Jr., 143

Warnecke, John Carl. See John Carl
Warnecke and Associates

War of 1812, 38, 47

Warren, Earl, 356

Washington Gas Light Company,
88

Washington, George, 4, 12-25; and
commissioners, 7, 9-10;
criticism of, 73; Latrobe on, 43;
and L'Enfant, 17-18; and
location of DC, 5-6; memorials
to, 232; and Patowmack
Company, 7; and President's
House, 21, 23; Stuart portrait
of, 32, 48-49

Washington Health Hiking Club,
214

Washington, Martha, portrait of,
139

Washington Monument: bridle
path, 169; Civil War and, 110;
completion of, 118, 135;
construction of, 40; cornerstone
ceremony for, 99; dedication of,
154; greenhouses on grounds of,
201; grounds of, 128; informa-
tion kiosk, 315; living nativity
scene at, 341; Roosevelt (FD)
inauguration and, 262; storage
buildings, 203; visitors to, 176

Washington, William Augustine,
10

watchmen: Adams (JQ) tenure, 65;
Arthur tenure, 146; Buchanan
tenure, 108; Fillmore tenure, 92-
93; Harrison (B) tenure, 152;
Hayes tenure, 140; Lincoln
tenure, 115; Roosevelt (T)
tenure, 180-182, 190-191;
standards for, 209; Taft tenure,
198-199; Wilson tenure, 205,
See also Park Police; Park
Watchmen; White House Police

waterproofing, Reagan tenure, 365

water supply: Adams (JQ) tenure,
62; Buchanan tenure, 106;
Cleveland tenures, 148, 150;
Harrison (B} tenure, 151, 155;
Hayes tenure, 138-139; Hoover
tenure, 231; Johnson (LB)
tenure, 318; Kennedy tenure,
309; McKinley tenure, 166;
Pierce tenure, 102-103;
Roosevelt (FD) tenure, 232;
Roosevelt (T} tenure, 186; Taft
tenure, 194; Taylor tenure, 88



passing through any public square or reservation. Regulations estab-
lished the placement of footstones and curbstones for lots belonging
to the United States, other improvements, and the way in which they
were to be installed and paid for.

In accordance with an act of May 26, 1824, nuisances occurring on
government properties in the city of Washington could be corrected
by the city and billed to the Commissioner's Office.**

Site Security

Under the Monroe administration public access to the President’s
House was restricted to the front hall. Tipping of the head steward
sometimes enabled some people to tour the house, but only at his
pleasure. Violence and revolution during Monroe’s years as minister
to France also may have been the reason that security became more
of an issue at the President's House. Monroe employed civilian
guards, and a guard remained on duty in the main hall at all times,
with guns available. In addition, Jefferson’s stone wall was cut down
in size on the north side, and an iron fence and gates with substantial
locks were installed. Also, a fire engine was purchased for the White
House and housed in stables on the property.*

Joseph Elgar — May 8, 1822, to February 10, 1834

Joseph Elgar assumed the position of commissioner of public build-
ings in 1822. Although personal information is limited, Elgar and
Gen. Stephen Van Rensselaer, the chairman of the Committee on
Public Buildings, were active in unseating John Quincy Adams by
providing information to Jacksonian supporters on White House
expenditures. During Jackson’s administration Elgar recorded for the
president the names of the people who had made recommendations

59. “An Act to Incorporate the Inhabitants of the City of Washington, and to Repeal All
Acts Heretofore Passed for That Purpose,” May 15, 1820, ‘Act Supplementary to the Act
to Incorporate the Inhabitants of the City of Washington,”” May 26, 1824, and
“Supplementary Act,” May 20 1826, all as noted in the Annual Report, Commissioner of
Public Buildings, January 24, 1850, 16, RG 42. The act of May 20, 1826, defined the
properties applicable as open spaces as well as public squares and reservations.

60. Seale, The President's House, 156-59, 162-63, 167, 173, 202; Message from the
President, Public Buildings, 1818, 15-18.

Joseph Elgar — May 8,
1822, to February 10, 1834

57

Commissioner of Public Buildings — March 3, 1817, to March 3, 1849



Manus J. Fish — Continuing
to September 4, 1988; Ronald
N. Wrye — September 4,
1988, to December 18, 1988;
Robert G. Stanton —
December 18, 1988, to
January 3, 1997; James I.
McDaniel (Associate Regional
Director) — December 31,
1983, to -

370
CHAPTER 8. EriLoGue: 1983-1997

Other .groups enacted initiatives concurrently with the compre-
hensive design plan, such as the “Greening of the White House”
project, resulting from the observance of the 1993 Earth Day.
President Clinton directed that an interagency team be put together to
audit energy, water, and pollution problems. James McDaniel, as the
director of White House Liaison, represented Secretary of the Interior
Bruce Babbitt on this team. The American Institute of Architects
coordinated 100 national experts to help the interagency team
identify “greening” opportunities. Five action categories were
identified: energy efficiency; building ecology; air, water, and land-
scape; material, waste, and resource management; and managerial
and human factors.”

The William J. Clinton Administration. During the Clinton admin-

istration the office of White House Liaison, in addition to its own
employees, made use of various other NPS entities as needed for the
administration of the site. The Denver Service Center provided
assistance in planning, design, and construction, including the
comprehensive design plan for the White House and President’s Park
and the redesign and restructuring of the White House heating,
ventilating, and air conditioning system. Both the National Park Ser-
vice’s Brentwood shops and the Harpers Ferry Center’s conservation
center provided construction and conservation services, at the request
of White House Liaison and the White House. Services were routinely
provided by other parks in the National Capital Region, and
occasionally parks in other regions assisted with special events and
other needs.”

During the Clinton administration the National Park Service installed
a donated running track on south lawn drive; the president was
encouraged to use this system because of security problems associ-
ated with jogging in public. However, as president of a democratic
nation, he continued to run elsewhere, despite safety concerns.”

Parking on the Ellipse remained a logistical and security problem, and
interest again surfaced in the possibility of Skidmore, Owings &
Merrill’s underground parking schemes of the 1960s.”

26. Summerlin, interview with O'Brien, Nov. 1997, ESF/WHL/NPS.
27. Director’s Office, Records of President’s Park, ESF/WHL/NPS.

28. ["Running Track", Washington Post, Feb. 15, 1993; Krause, personal communication
with O’Brien, June 17, 1996.

29. “Discussion of West Executive Avenue and Planning Needs of President’s Park,” p.
8, A8031/Ellipse/Uinderground Parking, ESF/ARD/WHL/NPS.


U.S. Grant HI — January 1,
1926, to April 5, 1933;
James A. Woodruff — April
5, 1933, to August 10, 1933

224

The Corps of Engineers had begun reassessing Lafayette Square as
early as 1925. Some work in removing plantings and obstructions
was begun, including the blasting of a 30-foot by 30-foot abandoned
concrete foundation on the south side of Lafayette Square on line
with 16th Street; the Corps marked the location on a map in red. By
192.8, however, Grant had for the most part abandoned plans to open
the north vista from the White House due to a lack of funds. Work
on the south side of the park was complete; it included flagstone
walks and lawns that replaced trees and shrubbery and opened the
park visually. The north side, however, remained intact because of
the size of plant materials and the effect of base changes on older
elements. Additional work in Lafayette Square would not be
accomplished until the early 1930s, when the National Park Service
revived the Corps’ earlier schemes for reestablishing UEnfant’s
original vista and visually opening the park, reducing its heavily
planted and intimate nature.?°

Managing the natural environment remained an important part of
daily activities at President’s Park. Insect pests, inchiding roaches,
continued to be a problem for the office. Elm-leaf beetles and cater-
pillars were still controlled with applications of arsenate of lead; scale
insects such as the San Jose scale were eliminated through use of
lime of sulfur. Infestation of the roof beams of the White House by
powderpost beetles (Hexarthrum ulkei horn) necessitated rebuilding the
roof and attic areas. Rat infestation of the house and grounds became
so serious that steps were taken to block the passages that rats used;
poisons were also used. By 1928 Grant boasted that the rat problem
had been virtually eliminated; in reality rats remained a continuing
problem.?*

White House resources continued to suffer from the lack of any
organized program. For example, in April 1928 Congress authorized
the removal of the iron gates between the grounds of the State, War,
and Navy Building and the White House. However, the original
intent of the legislation was to also remove the large granite

205. Sherrill to ILt. Col. J. E Bell] (D.C. eng. com.)}, July 8, 1925; Bell to Sherrill, July
11, 1925; both in 1460/Lafayette Park (file 2), box 11, acc. 644-42, WH&PP files,
ESF/ARD/WHL/NPS. “Bars Opening Vista in Lafayette Park,” Evening Star, Aug. 14,
1928, 10; "Gen. Ulysses 5. Grant I Dies,” The Washington Post, Aug. 30, 1968.

206. B.C. Gardner to Mrs. M. A. McAdoo, June 25, 1925; E W. Hoover to Bonault
(chief, Bldg. Main}, Aug. 4, 1925; T. E. Snyder, “Report on Insect Damage to Yellow and
White Pine Timbers in the Roof of the White House,” June 3, 1927; Grant to chief (LLS.
Biological Survey}, July 28, 1927, and Grant to W. C. Henderson, July 3, 1928; Paul C.
Redington (chief) to Grant, Aug. 23, 1927; E. F Clark to Mrs. Franklin Roosevelt, Apr. 5,
1939, “Rats, Mice, Insects, etc.”; all in 987/Rats, Mice, Etc., box 6, acc. 64A-42,
WH&WPP files, ESF/WHL/NPS.

CHAPTER 5. THE WHITE HOUSE, WASHINGTON, AND THE WORLD: 1897-1933


General Administration

The James Garfield Administration. With Garfield’s inauguration,

Congress appropriated $30,000 for “repairs” at the White House. The
Garfields consulted A. R. Spofford, the librarian of Congress, about
the building’s history and appropriate sources to be used for repairs
and redecorating. Garfield noted how odd it was that little was
known of the history of the building. Lucretia Garfield fell i] in May
and went to a resort near the sea in Long Branch, New Jersey, in
June to recuperate. Rockwell took advantage of her incapacity and
his relationship with the president to take charge of the entire
operation in the name of organization and efficiency. All employees
except personal servants now had to go through Rockwell to reach
the president. Tommy Pendel and Alonzo Dunn remained at the door,
and William T. Crump remained in his position as steward. Mrs.
Nugin served as daily cook."

Almon F. Rockwell — April
1, 1881, to June 1, 1885

Under the Garfield administration the Office of Public Buildings and
Grounds was headquartered at Pennsylvania Avenue and 21st Street.
Its records, however, remained in the Capitol Building until 1884
when they were moved to the Winder Building at 17th and F
Streets.

After Garfield was shot, he convalesced at the White House for a
period of time. An experiment with air conditioning was undertaken
by Navy scientists and engineers in an attempt to keep the president
comfortable. A number of systems were tried, none of which worked
perfectly; however, the principle of interior air cooling was estab-
lished as a result. Geologist and explorer John Wesley Powell, later
director of the United States Geological Survey, was among the many
experts who contributed to the experiment.”

After Garfield's death on September 19, his body was taken to the
Capitol instead of the East Room of the White House, which was still
being redecorated. Garfield’s assassination and the ensuing confusion
only served to strengthen the roles and responsibilities of the officer
in charge.”

81.
82.
83.
84.

Seale, The President's House, 513-18, 535.
Dowd, Records of Public Buildings and Public Parks, 37-38.
Seale, The President's House, 523-25.

Seale, The President's House, 528.

141
U.S. Army Corps of Enginecrs, Office of Public Buildings and Grounds —~ March 2, 1867, to March 9, 1897



William Noland —
February 10, 1834, to
November 5, 1846

68

expenditures inchided $229.61 for improvements to Lafayette Square
and $3,828.58 for the White House, its immediate grounds, and the
gardener’s salary. In 1836 a surplus was noted, with $2,022.12 to be
credited for the sale of scrap metal.”

The Martin Van Buren Administration. During Van Buren’s adminis-
tration the staff at the President’s House remained, for the most part,
in place. Steward Joseph Boulanger stayed through the Van Buren
administration. Doorkeeper (“porter”) Martin Renehan, who had
replaced Jemmy O’Neil in the Jackson administration, also remained.
In addition, five free persons of color worked on the White House
staff. Two or three white servants completed the retinue. White
House gardener John Ousley remained, with assistance from Jemmy
Maher, public gardener for the city of Washington and owner of a
greenhouse in Washington. Maher handled the large landscaping
projects and earth moving, while Ousley managed the details of
garden arrangement and design and general maintenance of the
grounds. Accusations that Van Buren maintained an extended house
staff can only be regarded as political whimsy, according to Seale.
Only the doorkeeper, Ousley, Maher, their workers, and two night
patrolmen were federal employees; the rest of the house staff came
out of the private presidential pocket. Lipon the marriage of Van

. Buren’s son in 1838, the president’s daughter-in-law, Angelica Van

Buren, served as official White House hostess.*

Van Buren continued the tradition of many of his predecessors by
leaving the White House during the summer and privately renting a
summer retreat known as Woodley near the present-day Washington
Cathedral. This was a common custom of the well-to-do,
particularly in southern tidewater regions. In that season, houses
took on what was known as “summer dress” — carpets were rolled
and stored, drapes changed, grass matting laid down, and furniture
covered. The custom continued into the 20th century.*

During much of this period Robert Mills acted as general architect for
the city. He sketched plans for the President’s House, worked up a
new plan for the White House furnace system, and developed plans

93. Mills to the commissioner of public buildings, pp. 2-4, as included in the Annual
Report, Commissioner of Public Buildings, Dec. 8, 1836, 1~4, RG 42.

94. Seale, The President's House, 200-4, 216-18.

95. Seale, The President's House, 219. Many presidents later chose to retreat to both
government-owned facilities as well as private quarters. Franklin Roosevelt's Hyde Park
and Shangri-La, Truman's Summer White House and Little White House, Eisenhower's
Camp David, Kennedy's Hyannis Port, and Bush's Kennebunkport are only a few
examples.

(CHAPTER 2. THE GROWTH OF THE REPUBLIC: 1802-1849


Frank T. Gartside — July 31,
1939, to February 1, 1940;
Edmund B. Rogers —
February 1, 1940, to April
18, 1940; Francis F. Gillen
— April 18, 1940, to
January 2, 1941; Irvin C.
Root — January 2, 1941, to
July 28, 1950

258

working at the White House in particular. (In October 1947 the NPS
directorate moved back to Washington.)”

In 1941, at the request of the president, the national community
Christmas tree was moved to the interior of the south lawn for
security reasons. Evidently there was some difference of opinion
concerning the move. In a memorandum dated May 21, 1941,
President Roosevelt had written,

1 was not fooling and | think the proper place for the tree is
right next to the fence at the south end of the White House
grounds. The crowd would come in through the East Gate
and the West Gate but would be roped off from the White
House, ie., south of the road leading up to the South Por-
tico. At that point, south of the roadway, would be located
the Glee Club, the Band and the Bugler. The Chairman, the
two clergymen and I will speak from the South Portico and
1 will press the button from there. ED.R.&

As a result of extending Independence Avenue from 15th Street to the
Tidal Basin, and establishing sight lines to the new Jefferson Memor-
ial, the propagating gardens, the White House greenhouses, the
tourist camp, heating plants, and other ancillary structures and
services had to be removed. Some officials believed that military
personne) were using the war effort and national emergency as a
means to further their own agendas without regard for thoughtful
municipal planning and tradition in the capital city. In July 1941
recommendations were made to repair the greenhouse complex with
an eye to moving it from the site in three to four years. Sites at
Arlington Farm, Anacostia, and at the new National Airport were all
considered for the relocation. Acting Director A. E. Demaray sug~
gested giving the operation to the Bureau of the Budget and the
Department of Agriculture, but Secretary of the Interior Harold Ickes
refused to consider such a transfer. Plans for relocating the operation
continued, although much smaller facilities were contemplated than
the complex of 98,841 square feet that the operation had expanded to
over the years.”

41. Annual Report, Secretary of the Interior, 1942, 179-80; ibid., 1948, 363-64,

42. Roosevelt to Col. Starling, memorandum, May 21, 1941, 1115-30-15/Executive
Mansion Grounds, acc. 644-42, WH&WPP files, ESF/WHL/NPS.

43. Charles W. Andrae (architectural eng.} to chief of planning, memorandum, July 22,
1941; Ickes to Morris Sheppard, June 18, 1940; Demaray to [Ickes], memorandum, Aug.
6, 1940; Gillen to Mrs. Frank B. Noyes, Nov. 28, 1940; “Repair and Construction Area in
Shops and Garages at Present Time,” [1941}; Sanders (chief, Greenhouses) and G. W.
Harding (chief, Horticulture and Maintenance} to Gillen, memorandum, Dec. 2, 1940;
Demaray to [Ickes]; memorandum, Mar. 12, 1941; Ickes to Demaray, memorandum,
Mar, 18, 1941; [draft-statement to Commission of Fine Arts re. extension of Independence

(CHAPTER 6. THE NEW DEAL, WoRLD WAR II, AND PEACE: 1933-1958


timelessness. The familiar images of the north and south elevations
of the White House seem to be an unchanging part of the landscape.
In reality, however, the evolution of President's Park and its adminis-
tration reflect various periods of the nation’s history and
temperament.

President’s Park is part of a larger planned urban environment, and it
is integral to Pierre U'Enfant’s 1791 design for the nation’s seat of
government. It represents a primary element of the federal city’s
plan, and it is both physically and visually connected to the expan-
sive vista of the Nationa] Mal] and the Capitol.

Jurisdiction over President’s Park is an issue that is as old as the
property itself. As of 1933, legislation placed responsibility for the
maintenance and preservation of the property with the National Park
Service in the U.S. Department of the Interior. (The Department of
the Interior had previously managed the property from 1849 to
1867.) However, on a day-to-day basis jurisdiction is shared by
nearly a dozen separate agencies with various missions on the site.
Their relationships hinge on precedents and legislation that have
accrued over time.

As an element of an overall city plan, a recreation area, a point of
public assembly, an office park, a formal garden, a security area, a
military seat, and a ceremonial stage, President’s Park accommodates
both public and exclusive functions on a daily basis. The history of
the administration of this most important and complex parcel of
ground — its functions, its structures, and the people and agencies
that have contributed to its evolution as the nation’s home and
executive center — is presented in the following pages.*

4. The names of all those who have been in charge of planning, and later managing the
White House and President's Park, are detailed in appendix A, together with the beginning
dates of their service.

3

Introduction


U. S. Grant HI — January 1,
1926, to April 5, 1933;
James A. Woodruff — April
5, 1933, to August 10, 1933

James Woodruff

Courtesy: History Office,
ULS. Army Corps of
Engineers

220

was promoted to brigadier general and served as chief of the
protection branch of the Office of Civilian Defense during World War
Il until 1944; he retired from the army in July 1945. He served as
chairman of the National Park and Planning Commission until 1949
and as vice president of George Washington University from 1946 to
1951. In 1961 he became chairman of the Civil War Centennial
Commission at the age of 79. He later served as board chairman for
Government Service, Inc., and president of the Columbia Historical
Society. He died August 29, 1968.’

Col. James Woodruff took over administrative duties following
Grant’s departure in June 1933, until they were transferred to the
National Park Service the following August. Woodruff was born at
Fort Shaw, Montana, on June 19, 1877, and graduated from West
Point February 15, 1899, being given the rank of second lieutenant in
the Corps of Engineers. He initially served at Rosebank, New York,
and acted as an assistant to the officer in charge of engineer works in
New York Harbor. He was promoted to first lieutenant on February
1, 1901, captain on July 11, 1904, major on February 27, 1912,
lieutenant colonel on May 15, 1917 (he graduated from the Army
War College in 1917}, colonel on May 10, 1921, and brigadier gen-
eral on February 7, 1935. He was awarded the rank of major general
as of March 1, 1938, and retired June 30, 1941. No information
about the rest of his life has been found."*

General Administration

The Calvin Coolidge Administration. There was an unprecedented
increase in administrative organization in the Office of Public Build-
ings and Public Parks in 1926. The office now consisted of the
Administrative, Building Maintenance, Design and Construction,
Horticulture, Park Maintenance, Protection, and Transportation and
Supply Divisions.”

Efforts to cut federal budgets were manifested in the establishment of
the “One Per Cent Club” by the director of the Bureau of the Budget,
who encouraged various departments to “comply with the express

191. Seale, The President's House, 925; U.S. War Office, “Retired List, Ino date},” in U.S.
Army Register, 20; “In Grandfather's Shadow: Ulysses Simpson Grant 3d," New York
Times, Jan. 9, 1961; “Gen. Ulysses S. Grant Ill Dies,” The Washington Post, Aug. 30, 1968;
“US. Grant 3D Dies; General Was 87,” New York Times, Aug. 30, 1968.

192. Thompson, Who's Who in the Regular Army, 315; U.S. War Office, “Retired List,
1942" in U.S. Army Register, 3:1281; USMA, Register of Graduates and Former Cadets, US.
Military Academy, 658.

193. Dowd, Records of Public Buildings and Public Parks, 77.

‘CHAPTER 5. THE WHITE House, WASHINGTON, AND THE WORLD: 1897-1933


460

INDEX

sentry box, Jackson tenure, 79. See
also guardhouses

Seventeenth Street Historic Area,
325

Seward, William, 115

Sewell, John $., 157, 157-161

sewers: Arthur tenure, 143-144;
Cleveland tenures, 148, 159;
Fillmore tenure, 89; Hayes ten-
ure, 138; McKinley tenure, 166;
Roosevelt (T) tenure, 176, 185

Shea, Judith, 371

Sherman, John, 397

Sherman Park: Bush tenure, 368-
369; Coolidge tenure, 211;
establishment of, 160; Ford
tenure, 348; Roosevelt (FD}
tenure, 248-249; term, 188. See
also Christmas tree lighting
ceremony

Sherman Plaza, 188, 221, 222,
227, 231, 248. See also Sherman
Park

Sherman statue, 188, 415-416;
construction of, 177-178;
pedestal for, 178; plans for, 160;
Roosevelt (FD) tenure, 249;
Truman tenure, 275

Sherman, William T., 132

Sherrill, Clarence O., 210, 210-218,
398

Shipman, Fred W., 262

shops: automobile repair, 223;
blacksmith, 223; carpenter, 22,
248, 318; paint, 318, 346

sidewalks. See paths and walks

Simms, John A., 135

Sinclair, William T., 142, 151, 157

Sinding, Stephen, 415

Sioussat, Jean-Pierre, 46-47

Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, 326-
327, 338, 342, 371. See also
Owings, Nathaniel A.

Slade, William UI, 112

slaves: in construction of District
of Columbia, 25; Madison
tenure, 46; Polk tenure, 76;
Taylor tenure, 87. See also
African Americans

Smice, Bert, 271

Smith, Bridget, 142

Smith, Carol J., 319

Smith, C. Kirby, 211

Smith, Delos, 252, 417

Smith, furnace man, 76

Smith, Jerry, 135, 147

Smith, Merrick, 365, 369

Smithsonian Institution, 74, 99,
276, 331

Snow, William H., 96, 104

Snyder, Henry L., 398

Snyder, John W., 413

social functions: McKinley tenure,
171-172; Roosevelt (T) tenure,
184, 187; Secretary of State and,
109; Taft tenure, 194; Wilson
tenure, 200. See also White
House Social Office

Society for a More Beautiful Capi-
tal, 327, 336. See also Committee
for a More Beautiful Capital

Soldiers’ Home, 108, 115, 121

South Executive Avenue:
Eisenhower tenure, 289;
Kennedy tenure, 310

south lawn: Adams (JQ) tenure,
64; Buchanan tenure, 105;
Fillmore tenure, 89; Grant
tenure, 127; Johnson {A) tenure,
121-122; Pierce tenure, 101-
102; Polk tenure, 77, 82;
Roosevelt (FD) tenure, 261-263;
Roosevelt (T) tenure, 175; Van
Buren tenure, 72; Wilson tenure,
195, 203. See also lawns

South Leg Freeway, plan for, 344-
345

south portico: Monroe tenure, 55,
58; Roosevelt (FD) tenure, 250;
Truman tenure, 240, 267-269

souvenirs, of Truman renovations,
272-273

Spanish-American War, 163, 167,
179

sparrows, Grant tenure, 129

Special Projects Group, parking for,
287-288

Spencer, White, & Prentis, Inc., and
Truman renovations, 270-271

Spofford, A. R., 118, 141

squirrels, Truman tenure, 283-284


was granted for an experimental station to be placed there to monitor
the effects on the existing police radio system.”

After Roosevelt's death on April 12, 1945, a brief service took place in
the East Room, while thousands crowded the White House fence. His
body was returned to Hyde Park, New York, for interment. Six days
later 13 army trucks departed for Hyde Park carrying the Roosevelts’
Ppossessions.**

The Harry S$. Truman Administration. After the departure of Mrs.
Roosevelt on April 20, Bess Truman and assistant chief usher J. B.

West oversaw the washing of woodwork, painting, and reupholstery
(some of the latter being accomplished by the National Park Service).
The Trumans moved into the White House on May 8, 1945.

Truman learned that Roosevelt had discontinued the usual $50,000
appropriation for repairs at the White House, and because of the war,
there were no funds to paint or repair the building. On May 5, 1945,
Congress passed PL 49, authorizing $150,000 “for the care,
maintenance, repair and alteration, furnishings, improvements,
heating and lighting” for the Executive Mansion and grounds. Clean-
ing and repairs continued until the fall of 1946. A safety survey of
the White House, the grounds, and the temporary building known as
501 17th Street (the military barracks) was initiated on April 5,
1946, and completed by June. Policy, fire protection, water supply
problems, structural considerations, and related matters were
assessed. Recommendations were made for the alteration of orna-
mental gates leading to the presidential quarters from the first floor,
including the addition of bearings and a panic bar. Officials suggested
that the 3,500 feet of White House fence be repainted with “Rustox,”
a rust-inhibiting paint. The cost was $10,000, and work was to be

53. Irvin C. Root to George Y. Wheeler (asst. gen. station mgr., WRC), Nov. 25, 1944;
notes, NCP staff meetings, Jan. 3 and 17, 1945; map: “Traffic Control and Parking Plan:
inaugural Ceremonies, Jan. 20, 1945"; chief (U.S. Secret Service) to Edward Kelly (supt.,
U.S. Park Police), Jan. 23, 1945; all in 1115-45/Inauguration, box 10, acc. 64A-42,
WH&WPP files, ESE/WHL/NPS. PL 513, Dec. 20, 1944, (58 Stat. 832-34). By this time
over 40 pages of specifications accompanied the contract document for painting. See
"Specifications for Painting the Exterior of the Executive Mansion, the Executive Offices,
and the East and West Terraces, Washington, D.C.,” contract 1-28, p. 3, passim, White
House/Misc., box 13, acc. 64A-901, ESF/WHL/NPS.

54. Seale, The President's House, 1000-1.
55. Seale, The President's House, 1005.

Frank T. Gartside — July 31,
1939, to February 1, 1940;
Edmund B. Rogers —
February 1, 1940, to April
18, 1940; Francis F, Gillen
— April 18, 1940, to
January 2, 1941; Irvin C.
Root — January 2, 1941, to
July 28, 1950

263

Office of National Parks, Buildings, and Reservations — August 10, 1933, to March 2, 1934; National Park Service — March 2, 1934, to May 10, 1958



404

Act of June 25, 1910— Specified that the officer in charge of public
buildings and grounds would be the secretary and executive officer of
the Fine Arts Commission; required an annual inventory of White
House materials with bonded personnel at $10,000; required that copies
be provided to the chief steward with records held by the Office of
Public Buildings and Grounds (36 Stat. 728, 773, 774).

Act of August 24, 1912— Prohibited the erection of any building or
structure on any reservation, park, or public space of the United States
within the District of Columbia without the authority of Congress (37
Stat. 444).

Act of October 22, 1913— Authorized a memorial to the women of the
Civil War. The president laid the cornerstone on March 27, 1915. The
authorizing legislation specified that the building was to be used as the
permanent home for the American Red Cross (38 Stat. 223).

Act of August 1, 1914 — Assigned to the Office of Public Buildings and
Grounds, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 1,189.12 acres of parks and
777,75C square feet of canal spaces (for maintenance); authorized the
use of the parks for outdoor sports (38 Stat. 633-34).

War Department Special Order, February 2, 1915 — Detailed the officer in
charge of public buildings and grounds to act also as superintendent of
the State, War, and Navy Building as of March 1, 1915; duties to
include the Navy Building, a rented property on New York Avenue near
18th Street (War Department special order 27, paragraph 17).

Act of August 25, 1916 — Created the National Park Service; gave super-
visory, management, and governing authority to the secretary of the
interior and the director of the Park Service (39 Stat. 535}.

Act of December 5, 1919 — Changed the name of the Park Watchmen to the
United States Park Police (41 Stat 33).

Act of June 4, 1920 — Removed the automatic rank of colonel for the officer
in charge of public buildings and grounds (41 Stat. 759-813).

Act of June 5, 1920 — Provided the basis for the National Park Service to
formally accept and acknowledge gifts on behalf of the White House
{41 Stat. 917}.

Act of September 14, 1922 — Created the White House police force (42 Stat.
841).

Act of February 26, 1924 — Pertained to furnishing the White House (43
Stat. 983).

Act of May 27, 1924 — Placed Park Police under the control of the officer in
charge of public buildings and grounds, as designated by the chief of
engineers, U.S. Army, with appropriate officer ranks and equipment
corresponding to the Metropolitan Police Force of the District of
Columbia; gave the officer in charge authority to appoint special police
independent of either Metropolitan Police or Park Police (43 Stat. 175).

Act of June 6, 1924 — Created the National Capital Park Commission (43
Stat. 463).


Frank T. Gartside — July 31,
1939, to February 1, 1940;
Edmund B. Rogers —
February 1, 1940, to April
18, 1940; Francis F. Gillen
— April 18, 1940, to
January 2, 1941; Irvin C.
Root — January 2, 1941, to
July 28, 1950

276

Suggestions were also made for Lafayette Park, including flood-
lighting the memorial statues. However, the Commission of Fine Arts
opposed such lighting because it would distort the designs and make
the pieces ugly.*

Collection Management

In 1941 M. K. Green, then in charge of the White House inventory,
discussed with the chief usher the need for an updated inventory
numbering system for the White House collection and the need for
listing certain everyday items as expendable. The inventory was
adjusted accordingly, with the approval of both the National Park
Service and the Office of the Chief Usher.

During the war the inventory catalogue system was revamped and
equipped with a card file, and NPS staff contacted various museum
professionals, including the American Association of Museums and
the Smithsonian Institution, as to the best way to manage the
collection. R. A. Devlin of the NPS staff, who had worked on the
White House inventory since 1941, worked out an inventory system
that was approved and implemented. Devlin continued to refine his
system; in 1946 he recommended that most of the material in the
storage rooms at 1216 20th Street NW be eliminated.”

In April 1946 H. G. Crim asked the National Park Service to begin the
necessary research for an accurate, documented history of the White
House and its furnishings, with regard to manufacturers, acqui-
sition, disposition, and other relevant historical information. Not
only was the information needed for accurate daily accounts, but it
was important for the legislatively mandated annual inventory and
to provide the public factual information about the house and collec-
tion. President Truman approved an initial $15,000 expenditure and
followed it up with an additional $15,000 when more money was
needed. Stanley W. McClure, NPS historian and assistant chief for

85. Demaray fo the under secretary [DOI], memorandum, Mar. 4, 1949, 1460/
Lafayette Park (2), box 17, acc. 66A-1097, ESF/WHL/NPS.

86. Supt. to Crim, memorandum, May 13, 1941; Crim to Root, memorandum, May
29, 1941; both in 990-SO/inventories, box 7, acc. 64A-42, WHA&WEP files,
ESF/WHL/NPS.

87. Devlin to Gartside, memorandum, Nov. 8, 1944; “Notes from ‘Manual for Small
Museums,’ by Lawrence Vail Coleman” (n.d.}; Devlin to Kelly, Jan. 5, 1945; Devlin to
Gartside, Jan. 15, 1945; Deviin to Gartside, Jan. 20, 1945; Devlin to Gartside, Jan. 5,
1946; Devlin to Mrs. Taylor, Mar. 18, 1946; Devlin to files, Jan. 17, 1947; “Report on
White House Inventory,” Nov. 26, 1946; all in 990-50/Inventories, box 7, acc. 644-42,
WH&WP? files, ESF/WHL/NPS.

CHAPTER 6. THE NEW DEAL, Wort WAR il, AND PEACE: 1933-1958


The maintenance and coordination of social functions and band con-
certs continued to occupy the officer in charge in fiscal year 1908.
The Easter egg roll in April, once noted by Bingham as an item
requiring hundreds of dollars of cleanup expense, now cost only $23.
The decline in overhead for the event probably reflected an acceptance
of the function by the staff rather than increased neatness on the
part of the crowd.*

In 1908 U.S. Army Capt. Archibald (‘Archie’) Willingham Butt
became military aide and assistant to President Roosevelt. His
housemate, Francis Davis Millet, was an artist who was active in the
City Beautiful movement. Millet also provided the designs for the
single torch street lamp (known as the Millet lamppost) used in the
area.

As Roosevelt's aide-de-camp, Butt recorded the daily life of the White
House in a series of letters to his mother and his sister. These letters,
the only detailed chronicling of the daily life at the White House ever
produced, provide an unprecedented look at the inner workings of the
mansion. Butt reported that recreation facilities on the grounds for
the first family inchided a clay tennis court where the president
played sets with his aides and others. Riding on the bridle paths in
President’s Park and in Rock Creek afforded another form of recrea-
tion for the president, as did theatricals on the south lawn, complete
with stages. Butt mentioned that an aide named McCauley began
keeping records of the White House functions during the Roosevelt
administration, meticulously recording them and using them as a
basis by which to plan and judge similar future events. As
presidential aide-de-camp, Butt managed many of the social affairs at
the house, coordinating caterers, electricians, florists, and other
personnel.*”

At the end of the Roosevelt presidency, Butt wondered whether the
Tafts would try to change Roosevelt's official appellation “White
House” back to “Executive Mansion.” However, the name remained.*

85. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1908, 2377-81, 2390, 2392, 2404-5, 2409, 2412;
Seale, The President’s House, 736.

86, Seale, The President's House, 722-26; Susan Kohler, The Commission of Fine Arts: A
Brief History (Washington: U.S. GPO, 1991), 38. Other lightpost prototypes popular in
the President's Park area are the Bacon double-branched light standard and a single torch
post designed by Kathryn Harris ca. 1920. See Kohler, Commission of Fine Arts, 6, 38.
Millet later served as one of the original members of the Commission of Fine Arts.

87. Aschibald Butt, The Letters of Archie Butt, Personal Aide to President Roosevelt, ed.
Lawrence F. Abbott (New York: Doubleday, Page & Co., 1924), 37, 45, 84, 133, 135, 256.

88. Butt, Letters, 340-41, 343.

Thomas W. Symons — April
30, 1903, to April 26, 1904;
Charles S. Bromwell — April
26, 1904, to March 15, 1909

187

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Office of Public Buildings and Grounds — March 9, 1897, to February 26, 1925



Edward J. Kelly — July 28,
1950, to May 10, 1958

296

and subject categories; collecting a reference library of books and
magazine and newspaper articles; compiling a White House bibli-
ography; documenting work on the White House during the
Truman renovation; preparing a variety of publications and bro~
chures; and responding to inquiries.“

Jurisdiction

The rehabilitation of the White House grounds raised a question
concerning jurisdiction at the site. While the National Park Service
had been given stewardship of the site in 1933, as the successor of
the Office of Public Buildings and Public Parks, the building
supervision function was reassigned from the National Park Service
to the Federal Works Agency as a result of the Reorganization Plan
No. 1 of 1939, pursuant to an act of Congress approved April 3,
1939 (55 Stat. 561). World War II had made the question of actual
jurisdiction moot for over a decade, with the military controlling the
site. After the war and during the renovation of the White House,
agency jurisdiction again became a question. Gartside temporarily
settled any question of authority or jurisdiction over the site when he
sent a memorandum to Maj. Gen. Glenn E. Edgerton on January 24,
1952. Gartside averred that the White House grounds {ie., United
States Reservation No. 1} were part of the National Capital Parks
system and that funds would be available for the rehabilitation of the
grounds through that agency. He said further that the office of
National Capital Parks would “assume full responsibility for the
rehabilitation of the grounds.” The memorandum was delivered to
Edgerton by the U.S. Park Police.

In a memorandum on November 10, 1952, Gartside spelled out the
telationships between the National Park Service, the Chief Usher’s
Office, and the first family. He wrote that he was “reluctant” to
introduce another group of advisors on the site, due to the delicate
nature of the administrative relationships. Until the establishment of
the Curator’s Office and the Committee for the Preservation of the
White House in the 1960s, the National Park Service would continue

145. Stanley W, McClure, “Report on the Progress of the White House Historical Study,”
Sept. 1953, 955/Historical, box 5, White House and President's Park Related Information,
ESF/WHLNPS.

146. Gartside to Edgerton, memorandum, Jan. 24, 1952; “Jurisdiction Over the White
House Grounds, 1791-1952"; “Legislative Authority Governing the Control of the Park
System for the District of Columbia”; both in 950/Grounds (White House}, box 4, acc.
64A-42, ESF/WHL/NPS.

ClarTER 6. THe NEW DEAL, WoRLD Wan Il, AND PEACE: 1933-1958


Chapter 4. The United States on the
Threshold of World Power: 1867-1897

An Overview of the Period

nder the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the character of

President’s Park, and particularly the south grounds of

the White House, changed dramatically. Nathaniel

Michler, the first officer in charge, felt that the grounds
south of the President's House could be developed for public recrea-
tion and helped formulate plans for that eventuality. The election of
Ulysses S. Grant in 1868 reinforced the various changes to the
administration of President’s Park that had been initiated during the
Johnson administration. Grant brought to the presidency the -disci-
pline of his former position as head of the Union forces. Mark Twain
wrote that the White House “remained what it had always been,”
underscoring the potent iconography and symbolism of the struc-
ture. However, in true Twain style he continued to record his
impression of the interior as one of “dreariness, flimsiness [and] bad
taste reduced to mathematical completeness.”

The 1870s were critical for President's Park in terms of establishing
its present appearance. At this time the Corps of Engineers placed
Tiber Creek underground in a sewer system and reclaimed 15 or more
acres for the Washington Monument area — an action that had been
proposed since 1845. East and West Executive Avenues were joined at
the south, creating a horseshoe configuration around the White
House grounds. The Ellipse area was filled and developed according to
A. J. Downing’s 1851 plan.?

The election of Rutherford B. Hayes in 1876 was marked by violence,
and Grant feared a coup by disgruntled Democrats. The oath of office
was secretly administered to Hayes by Chief Justice Morrison R.
Waite during a dinner party at the White House, with the formal
public inauguration held the next day. Assassination threats caused
President Hayes to limit access to the south lawn and grounds
nearest the White House, except for the annual Easter egg roll, which

1. NPS, President's Park South, 11; Mark Twain, The Gilded Age, as quoted by Seale in
The President's House, 476.

2. Reps, Washington on View, 177-82; Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1880, 2339.

117

An Overview of the Period


Pageant of Peace, Inc., was formed as a private, not-for-profit organi-
zation to help support and sponsor the annual event. What had
begun as a community event in the 1920s had changed in scope to
include sponsorship by both the American Forestry Association and
the Department of the Interior. The celebration drew inspiration in
part from a similar festival held in Boston each December. Colonel
Hines, the director of the Boston celebration, had made both financial
and press books available to Colonel Kirby. However, Kirby insisted
that recommendations for the pageant had been made “at least a
month before I ever heard of the Boston festival” and that “our
Washington version of the PAGEANT OF PEACE is home-grown.” The
Pageant of Peace continued to be a big draw each December; in 1954
the first annual projected budget was $10,500, a substantial increase
from previous years. Damage to the Ellipse area during events was
sometimes substantial, and in 1954 trucks tore up the turf to such
an extent that much time and expense were required to restore the
area. In 1955 a total of 285,875 people visited the national Christmas
tree on the Ellipse from December 17 to January 7. Attendance
would reach 400,000 by the late 1950s, with the event lasting for a
number of weeks and having multiple corporate and private
sponsors and receiving national media coverage."

A citizen wrote in 1955 to complain about the barricading of the
Ellipse on days when foreign dignitaries visited. The complainant said
it was impossible for eastbound traffic to make a left turn into the
Ellipse area during the morning rush hour with these barricades in
place; evidently the Ellipse was functioning as part of the general
street system at this time.” Parking problems for the White House
police were also caused by the expansion of the president’s Special
Projects Group in fall 1955. The Special Projects Group requested
permission from the National Park Service to park on either side of E

118. Kirby to Kelly, Dec. 1, 1954; “Estimated Expense Budget for Pageant of Peace,”
[5954]; “United States Park Police Incidental Report, Pageant of Peace Attendance Report,
Jan. 12, 1955”; all in 1115-27/Christmas Pageant of Peace, box 9, acc. 64A-42,
WHA&WPP files, ESF/WHL/NPS. Gartside to Earl C. Hargrove, Dec. 5, 1955,
1460/Grounds South (3), box 11, acc. 644-42, ESF/WHL/NPS; Annual Report, Secretary
of the Interior; National Park Service, 1962, 114. Supt. (NCP Central) to assoc. sol. (Parks
and Recreation), memorandum, June 24, 1969, A 8227/Special, box 31, acc. 79-70005,
ESE/WHL/NPS; John W. Dixon (president, Christmas Pageant of Peace, Inc.) to Kirby,
Mar. 7, 1974, A8227/Christmas Pageant of Peace (1/1/74) (4}, box 30, acc. 79-770003,
ESF/WHL/NPS, “Meeting of the Executive Committee, National Community Christmas
Tree, 1948, Recreation Offices, 3149 16th Street, NW,” passim; “Meeting of the Executive
Comumittee, National Community Christmas Tree, 1949,” p. 4; Gartside to Mrs. Charles
R. Miller, Dec. 11, 1956; all in 1115-30-10/Executive Mansion Grounds, box 10, acc.
64A-42, ESE/WHL/NPS.

119. “Eclipsed Ellipse” (clipping, newspaper and date not recorded), all in 1460/Grounds
South (3), box 11, acc. 644-42, ESF/WHL/NPS.

Edward J. Kelly — July 28,
1950, to May 10, 1958

287

Office of National Parks, Buildings, and Reservations — August 10, 1933, to March 2, 1934; National Park Service — March 2, 1934, to May 10, 1958


scaped areas to ensure enough water for plant materials. A com- Nathaniel Michler — March
mittee still looked at the advisability of closing the Washington Cana} 13, 1867, to June 1, 1871
and converting it into an underground sewer; the waterway by this

time was impassable with offal and waste. In the 1869 report

Michler reported that he still recommended the connection of the

Mall and the presidential grounds as “one grand drive.”

The Ulysses S$. Grant Administration. Under the Grant administration
military influence in the administration of the property seemed only
natural, and Michler continued to supervise its management. General
Fred T. Dent, Mrs. Grant's brother, acted as the president’s secretary.
A military quartermaster replaced house steward James L. Thomas
for a brief time. Later, Valentino Melah, an Italian, became steward,
and Amos Thompson served as his assistant. Melah lived at the
White House for the duration of the Grant administration. Mrs.
Mary Muller saw to domestic chores inside the house, and Annie
Jackson acted as Mrs. Grant’s personal maid. The other 10 house
servants, who lived in the basement in a dormitory-style setting,
were paid out of the budget of the officer in charge. Additional
servants lived close to the White House. Grant's house staff consisted
of between 15 and 20 people, the largest ever to serve the property.
Clerks included personnel such as Octavius Pruden, whose hobby as
a calligrapher was put to use in addressing invitations; thus began a
White House custom that continues today."

Mrs. Grant made administrative changes in house management. She
required the doormen, like Col. William H. Crook, to wear black
business suits and white gloves. Staff members were not allowed to
smoke or loiter at the entrance, nor would they take their meals in
the house. Those not obeying the new rules would be discharged.
Mrs. Grant instructed them to admit all callers, regardless of race.
However, the police still stopped blacks at the gates.”

Mrs. Grant supervised her first redecoration of the interior of the
White House in 1869. The grand staircase was rebuilt, resulting in
the loss of the old “silver room,” a storage area for silver plate and

18. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1869, 497-99, 501-2, 511-14.

19. Seale, The President's House, 449-51, 456-59, 462, 470-72, 515; Annual Report,
Chief of Engineers, 1873, 11.

20. Seale, The President's House, 456-59, 462, 470-72, 515; [Harvey D. Smith], “His-
tory of Changes in Space at the White House and Executive Office Building, Taken from
Reports of Officer in Charge, Public Buildings and Grounds, and Successors, The Director
of Public Buildings and Public Parks, and Director, National Park Service, from 1872 to
1935," np., PSE file 1, box 301, HSTL; Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1873, 11.

123
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Office of Public Buildings and Grounds — March 2, 1867, to March 9, 1897



discovered during the pool excavation and possibly dating from the
1814 fire were put in storage."

In 1976 Chief Usher Rex Scouten requested the National Park Service
and the National Bureau of Standards to develop a plan to remove
the many layers of paint on the White House and to repaint it in a
way that would protect the building. The two agencies conferred
with representatives from Ramco Technologies and Duron Paints,
among others, to formulate a process. It would take five years to
determine the best course of action."

In 1976 the National Park Service began to assemble information in
conjunction with the White House and the White House Historical
Association about the architecture of the White House. The project
was divided into three major parts —~ exterior and interior recording,
photogrammetry of the exterior, and stone recordation. Photo-
grammetric work was accomplished by Denett, Muessig, Ryan and
Associates of Iowa City, lowa. Interior recording was done by the
Historic American Buildings Survey; completed in 1992, it was
funded by the American Architectural Foundation. These projects
generated 85 final drawings, almost 1,000 field notes, and over 600
photographs.”

Also, historian William Seale was hired in 1976 to conduct back-
ground research on the architectural history of the White House. A
historic resource preservation program was also initiated. Such
programs helped increase awareness and sensitivity to resource issues
on all levels. A role and function statement for White House Liaison
was created in August 1976. The associate director, White House
Liaison, became the line supervisor for an office staff and three
divisions: White House, Historic Furnishings, and President’s Park.
On October 21, 1976, National Capital Parks became the National
Capital Region. White House Liaison remained with the National
Capital Region under an associate regional director. In addition, the

115. Gary Walters (chief usher) to James C. McKinney (dep. asst. to the president and dir.
of the White House Military Office), memorandum, May 18, 1988, 40.0/The White
House/East Executive Avenue/General Correspondence, box 160, ARD/ESF/WHL/ NPS;
joan agreement: ‘Artifacts from Presidential Swimming Pool Excavation, Montgomery
County Community College and National Park Service,” Oct. 22, 1976, A7217/reading
file (Aug. 1976—Dec. 1976) (1 of 2), WHL-AM-010, ESF/ARD/WHL/NPS.

116. NPS, White House Stone Carving: Builders and Restorers, by Lee H. Nelson
(Washington, DC: U.S. GPO, 1992), 25-26.

117. “Document WH. interior 09-100. PRJ PRPK-452,” Records of White House Liaison,
ESE/WHL/NPS; notes, Krause (ESF/WHL/NPS), July 13, 2000,

Russell E. Dickenson —-
September 26, 1969, to
November 11, 1973; Manus
J. Fish — November 11,
1973, to September 4, 1988;
Elmer S. Atkins (Assistant
Regional Director) — May 4,
1969, to December 31, 1983

347

The National Park Service — 1958-1983


Frank T. Gartside — August
10, 1933, to October 9,
1933; C. Marshall Finnan —
October 9, 1933, to July 31,
1939

242

In 1933 Charles Moore, chairman of the Commission of Fine Arts,
made the following significant observation about plans for E Street:

It is important to eliminate all business traffic from the
roads located between 15th and 17th Street (sic), Pennsyl-
vania and Constitution Avenues. These roads should only be
considered park drives and only such commercial traffic
permitted as may be necessary to reach service entrances of
the White House, State War and Navy building’ and the
Treasury Department. . . . I think this is an opportune time
urgently to recommend that the parking of cars along these
drives be prohibited, with the exception of the necessary
parking along West Executive Avenue.*

Moore’s progressive vision, however, was unfortunately not a part of
the final plan; wartime considerations and security would later
reinforce inappropriate traffic patterns on the site.

Lafayette Park Redesign — As one of its first projects, the National
Park Service rehabilitated Lafayette Square, which was renamed
Lafayette Park. As a result, Andrew Jackson Downing’s 1851 plan
was substantially altered. In 1934 the NPS Branch of Planning and
Design created a new walkway system based on Downing’s original
scheme but eliminated the meandering gravel walks and added a
double walk on the north from the Jackson statue to H Street. New
underground restrooms were scheduled and funded, as was the re-
moval of the maintenance lodge on the north, which was approved
by the Commission of Fine Arts; however, these projects were never
started. In 1934 the commission also approved the addition of two
20-foot Norway spruce trees, planted 18 feet east and 18 feet west of
the Jackson statue. The spruces were to be used as national Christ-
mas trees in alternate years, and the annual ceremony did move to
Lafayette Park in 1934. However, NPS Director Arno Cammerer
suggested that the tree lighting ceremony be relocated to the Ellipse,
where there would be more room for parking and people; the
ceremony was moved to the Ellipse in 1939."

8. Moore to Woodruff, July 28, 1933, 1, 1460/Grounds South, box 11, acc. 62A-42,
ESF/WHL/NPS.

9. Charles Moore (chairman, CFA) to A. B. Cammerer, memorandum, Mar. 13, 1934;
“National Community Christmas Trees Selected,” press release, Nov. 4, 1934; A. B.
Cammerer to Finnan, memorandum, Nov. 6, 1934; Malcolm Kirkpatrick to Caemmerer,
memorandum, Mar, 5, 1935; Finnan to L. W. Fisher, memorandum, June 29, 1935;
Finnan to Nagle, memorandum, Oct. 15, 1935; Finnan to Gillen, Aug. 27, 1936; A. B.
Cammerer to Harry J. Brown, Aug. 21, 1937; all in 1460/Lafayette Park (10), box 11,
acc. 64A-42, ESF/WHL/NPS.

CHAPTER 6. THE NEW DEAL, WORLD WAR II, AND PEACE: 1933-1958

|


Many new furnishings were purchased in 1902, some of which are
still in use. Furniture purchased during the McKinley and Roosevelt
administrations was marked with brass plates denoting the date
purchased. An additional 150 gilt reception chairs with covers were
purchased, and 100 plush cushions were bought for state dinners.**

The White House renovation complicated Bingham’s yearly inven-
tory of goods. In the report for 1903 he listed in the appendix the
new items purchased and the old ones disposed of, stating that the
extensive rehabilitation of the house and its contents had made a
complete accounting impossible. As before, old furnishings were sold
at public auction; this was the last such event for White House
furnishings. The crystal chandeliers from the East Room and some
bookcases were sent to the Capitol for use there.”

The Sundry Civil Service act of June 30, 1903, authorized the
purchase of a portrait of President McKinley for $2,500, including
the frame. While formal curatorial duties remained unassigned, the
Office of Public Parks and Grounds took charge of all similar duties.*

Jurisdiction

On July 1, 1898, Congress transferred control of street parking in
the District of Columbia to the D.C. commissioners. The city park
system was placed under the control of the chief of engineers.
Control over the city plan still rested with the executive branch,
however, and Congress still had ultimate control over administrative
matters for the District.”

The end of the Spanish-American War was marked with a National
Peace Jubilee on May 23-25, 1899. A request from the head of the
decoration committee for a reviewing stand brought about an addi-
tional question regarding jurisdiction. Bingham contended that
temporary structures on public reservations could be erected only

Further Measures Ought to be Taken for the Accommodation of the President of the United
States, etc. Feb. 27, 1801, 6.

56. Notes, Monkman {OC/WH), July 19, 2000; Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1904,
3907-11.

57. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1903, 2523.
58. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1903, 2560-62.

59. “Report [to Accompany Bill $. 151] to the Committee on the District of Columbia
Instructing Them fo Inquire Into and Report What Jurisdiction the Congress of the
United States has Over the Avenues of the City, etc.,” Senate Doc. 136, 34th Cong., Ist
sess., April 16, 1856, 2; Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1897, 3661-62.

Theodore A. Bingham —
March 9, 1897, to April 30,
1903

179

US. Army Comps of Engineers, Office of Public Buildings and Grounds — March 9, 1897, to February 26, 1925



visitation hours had been considered as an interim solution. However,
the tunnel was never built, and E Street remained open.*”

In 1967 a total of 1,351,008 people toured the White House by sum-
mer’s end. Long lines and inadequate facilities frustrated both tour-
ists and staff. Programs were considered for tourists while they
waited, but longer tour periods seemed the only practical solution.
The following year, which was marked by anti-war demonstrations,
1,1 million visitors toured the house.

New fences, gates, and walks for West Executive Avenue and the
southwest entrance were constructed in 1967. In fall 1968 the
National Park Service contracted with Johnson W. Johnson, Inc., of
Washington to repaint the White House, the executive office, and the
guardhouses, for $27,462.20. Crews were directed to work weekends
to minimize inconvenience to the first family.”

In response to congressional inquiries about money being spent on
beautification initiatives, the National Park Service reported in 1968
that $700,000 had been received in donations and that for each dollar
received, $28 were required for annual maintenance.”

In 1968 White House staffer Sharon Francis asked Nash Castro about
commissioning a history of the White House grounds. She had talked
to Irvin Williams and the curator’s office, but few records were
available. “It would be highly appropriate to undertake a study and
report on the grounds while Mrs. Johnson is here, since her own
interest is so great, and such a report would be another important
element in the legacy she leaves,” wrote Ms. Francis, But such studies
would not be initiated for some years.”

47. Ryan to Udall, June 23, 1967; Udall to Ryan, July 22, 1967; both in A88/Discover
America (1/1/66 to -) (1), box 21, acc. 72A-6215, ESF/WHL/NPS.

48, Asst. dir. (WHL) to acting asst. dir. (Operations), Dec. 3, 1973, D2215/Pennsylvania
Avenue Design, box WHL-BF-004; NPS, “Monthly Public Use Report,” Aug. 1967,
A2615/White House Monthly [Reports] (1/1/66 to 1968) (1), box 21, acc. 72A-6215,
ESF/WHL/NPS.

49. "Construction of Fence, Gates, and Walk, West Executive Avenue, South Entrance,
White House, Reservation No. 1, Washington, D.C.,” contract 14-10-7:991-162, Aug.
29, 1967, passim, box 24, acc. 72A-6215, ESF/WHL/NPS. “Specifications for Painting of
Executive Mansion, Executive Offices, et al., and Guardhouses,” Sept. 12, 1968, change
order 1, Nov. 15, 1968; Exterior Painting of Executive Mansion/contract 14-10-6-960-
194, box 23, acc. 72A-6215, ESF/WHL/NPS.

50. Acting dir. (NPS) to Danicl M. Ogden (dir. of the Budget), Mar. 20, 1968,
D24/General Beautification (1/1/68), box 21, acc. 72A-6215, ESF/WHL/NPS.

31. Sharon Francis to Castro, May 16, 1968, D24/White House Grounds (1/1/66 to -},
{1}, box 21, acc. 72A-6215, ESF/WHL/NPS.

Harry T. Thompson — May
10, 1958, to February 25,
1961; T. Sutton Jett —
March 15, 1961, to January
14, 1968; J. J. Castro —~
January 14, 1968, to
September 25, 1969; Rex W.
Scouten (Assistant Regional
Director) — February 24,
1968, to May 4, 1969

321
‘The National Park Service — 1958-1983


Porter, J. Addison, 174

portico: east, 359; north, 60-61;
south, 55, 58, 240, 250, 267-
269

portraits: Buchanan tenure, 107;
Grant tenure, 133; Hayes tenure,
139; McKinley, 179; Roosevelt
(T) tenure, 188. See also
collection management

Potomac Electric Power Company,
194, 211

Potomac Park, entrance to, 203

Potter, William, 133, 397

Potts, Richard, 11

Powell, John Wesley, 141

Prather (superintendent), 82

Pratt, Harriet Barnes (Mrs. Harold
I, Pratt), 217-218, 231, 280-281

Presidential Advisory Council on
Executive Office Space, 307

presidential inaugurations: Cleve-
Jand, 145, 158; committee for,
date change and, 250; Eisen-
hower, 285; Hayes, 117, 140;
Hoover, 225-226, 235; Jackson,
60; Kennedy, 306; Lincoln, 114;
McKinley, 171; Nixon, 328;
Roosevelt (FD), 250, 253, 256-
257, 262-263; Roosevelt (T),
186; Taft, 192; Truman, 274-
275; Wilson, 195, 204

President’s Committee for the Aid
of the Physically Handicapped,
291

President’s House, 28; design and
construction of, 20-23; L’Enfant
plan on, 16; preparations for
occupancy of, 25-32. See also
White House

president’s office: Truman tenure,
269. See also Oval Office

President's Park: acreage of, 75,
148, 171, 233, 355; Adams (JQ)
tenure, 38-39; appearance in
1832, 61-62; Atkins plan for,
343-345; Comprchensive Design
Plan for, 369-370; construction
work at, 58; Hayes tenure, 136;
Jefferson tenure, 43, 45; land
for, 6; landscape of, 27, 28; legal
description of, 33-34; L’Enfant

plan on, 16-17; lighting of, 190;
Madison tenure, 46; memorials,
415-418; research on, recom-
mendations for, 387-389;
Reagan tenure, 358, 379;
Roosevelt (FD) tenure, 239, 256-
257, 261; site of, 12-13; Taylor
tenure, 87; Truman tenure, 273-
274; Van Buren tenure, 72;
White House Liaison and, 348

President’s Park Division, White
House Liaison, 373

President's Square, acreage of, 106

privet hedge, 251

Proctor, Redfield, 155, 397

protests: Bush tenure, 379; Hoover
tenure, 236; Johnson {LB)
tenure, 317, 321, 358; and
jurisdiction issues, 356~357;
Kennedy tenure, 312; Nixon
tenure, 328, 337; Reagan/Bush
tenures, 361; Wilson tenure, 209

Pruden, Octavius, 123, 142, 158

Public Buildings Administration:
Federal Works Agency, 239,
253; and landscaping, 262; and
White House barracks, 260

Public Buildings Commission, 204-
205, 208

Public Buildings Cooperative Use
Act of 1976, 408

Public Law 87-286, 399

Pujol, Paul, 412

Purdy, Charles, 30

R

Rabault, Louis C., 270, 396

Rabbitt, Alton E. “Ike,” 286, 310-
311, 317

radio, 298; Codlidge tenure, 165,
217; Harding tenure, 210

Ramco Technologies, 347

Rapin, Joseph, 42

tats: Coolidge tenure, 224;
Eisenhower tenure, 286;
Roosevelt (FD) tenure, 243;
Truman tenure, 283-284. See
also pest control

Reagan, Ronald, 302, 351-352,
358, 361, 364-366

457
Index



Theodore A. Bingham —
March 9, 1897, to April 30,
1903

168

telegraph pole in the northeast corner of President’s Park, replacing a
previous Western Union pole at 15th and G Streets. Bingham recom-
mended that the clay and gravel road (West Executive Avenue) be
paved, saying that the airborne road clay, “impregnated with iron,”
was causing deterioration of the granite surfaces of the building.

In the 1898 annual report Bingham also noted that the second floor
of the White House had begun to sag, particularly over the East
Room, and that the second-floor hallway was 4 inches “below
horizontal . . . about 8 times the allowable deflection.” Since supports
could not be added below, and since the installation of iron beams
would destroy the new ceiling in the East Room, Bingham devised a
temporary system to level the floor, using tie rods that ran from the
floor beams upward through the walls and second-floor faux
columns into the roof truss system. This system, unfortunately,
transferred the load to the roof structure and exterior walls. “The
above only accentuates the fact that the time has come when
something is imperatively demanded to relieve the actual physical
strain now made on the Mansion by overcrowding,” he wrote.*

In his annual report of 1899 Bingham for the first time addressed the
need for storage at the Executive Mansion. Under “The Pressing
Needs of This Department” he noted that a shed that had been built
for cement storage during the construction of the State, War, and
Navy Building was now being used to store records, equipment, and
supplies. It leaked badly and was totally dilapidated. Bingham asked
for $6,500 to construct a new building. He also recommended a
storehouse for White House furnishings and materials, saying that
the expense of such a building would “almost be paid for by the
money now expended to pay for storage of carpets, awnings,
furniture, cloak and hat boxes, band stands, chairs, music stands,
etc.” He did not mention where these items were stored or how they
arrived at the site when needed; however, the inference was that
private firms stored the materials offsite.”

In the 1899 report Bingham stated that the sectional band platform
used during Marine Band concerts on the south lawn was enlarged
by 700 square feet; the original dimensions were not reported.
Fencing, resodding, reseeding, and trash removal for the Easter egg
roll was reported to have cost only $160. A new sewer was installed
on the south side of Lafayette Square. The photographic building and

15. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1898, 3731, 3733, 3734-35, 3742-43.
16. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1898, 3665.
17. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1899, 3845.

CHAPTER 5. THE WHITE HOUSE, WASHINGTON, AND THE WORLD: 1897-1933


438

auctions: Adams (JQ) tenure, 63;
Arthur tenure, 143; Cleveland
tenures, 148; Roosevelt {T)
tenure, 178-179

automobiles, 164; repair shop,
Coolidge tenure, 223; Roosevelt
(T) tenure, 176-177; Taft tenure,
193. See also parking; traffic

Auxiliary Guard, 98, 108

Ayers, Eben, 264

Ayers, Robert, 315

B

Babbitt, Bruce, 370

Babcock, Orville E., 125, 125-134,
397

Bacon, Robert, 397

Baird, G. W., 155, 398

Baker, Newton D., 397

Baldrige Hall, 369, 374

B. Altman and Company, 281, 294

bandstand: Hayes tenure, 137. See
also concerts

banker’s marks, 23

Banneker, Benjamin, 13, 25

Barnola, Josephus, 409

barracks, construction of, 260-261

Barry, Marion, 365

Bartlett, William H., 45

Baruch, Bernard, 294, 410

baseball. See recreation

basement of White House: Arthur
tenure, 143; construction of, 23,
26; Fillmore tenure, 89;
Jefferson tenure, 42-43;
McKinley tenure, 173; Roosevelt
(FD) tenure, 247; Van Buren
tenure, 72

bathrooms: Adams (JQ) tenure, 62;
Cleveland tenures, 159;
McKinley tenure, 173; Pierce
tenure, 96. See also toilets;
restrooms

Bayard, Thomas F., 397

Beale, Charles, 87

Beaumont, Andrew, Commissioner
of Public Buildings, 51, 80-83

beautification projects: funds raised
for, 321; Johnson (LB) tenure,
323-324

Beckley, Edgar R., 158

Belgian pavement, 105, 111

Bellangé, Pierre-Antoine, 86

Bernard Baruch Bench of
Inspiration, 294, 410

Bicentennial of United States, 302,
346, 348-349

Bicentennial of White House, 361

Biderman, Ben, 374-375

Bingham, Hiram, 316

Bingham, Theodore A., 161, 166,
166-182

birds: Grant tenure, 129; Kennedy
tenure, 309-310

Bizet, Charles, 53, 59

blacksmith shops: Coolidge tenure,
223. See also shops

Blagden, George, 52

Blaine, James G., 397

Blair, Francis Preston, 413

Blair House: included in Lafayette
Square National Historic District,
339; markers, 413; Truman
tenure, 269

Blake, John B., 102-108

Bliss, colonel, 87

Blodgett’s Hotel, 27

Blue Room: Carter tenure, 351;
Cleveland tenures, 159; Madison
tenure, 48; McKinley tenure, 173

Board of Commissioners of District
of Columbia, 7-35; dissolution
of, 14, 34; powers of, 7

Board of Commissioners to
Supervise the Erection of Public
Buildings, 70-73, 396

bodyguard(s): establishment of, 80;
Pierce tenure, 98; Roosevelt (T)
tenure, 181-182. See also
security issues; watchmen

bomb shelter, construction of, 259-
260

Bonaparte, Charles J., 398

Bonus March, 236

Booth, John Wilkes, 86, 115

Borie, Adolph E., 397

Botero, Fernando, 371

Boulanger, Joseph, 63, 68, 76, 106

Bourgeois, Louis, 371

Boutwell, George S., 397

Bowman, Henry, 76, 80-81, 87


In 1833 Elgar spent a total of $14,660 on the property, including the
plumbing systern. In addition the east and west wings were repaired
and stuccoed, and new floors were laid in pine. A new circular
sidewalk of Seneca flagstone 10 feet wide, with granite curbing, was
laid out on the north lawn, complementing the new graveled car-
riageway, which replaced a mud road. A new stable for 10 horses
was “erected at a convenient distance,” and the grounds were graded,
turfed, and planted.”

As of December 23, 1834, Elgar reported that all work had been
completed for the year and that there was a balance of $1,625; this,
with the sale of scrap iron and copper, created a $2,567 surplus in
the public buildings accounts.”

In 1834, when Emily Donelson returned to Tennessee owing to ill
health, the Giustas tendered their resignations. After soliciting hotel
owners in the Washington area, Major Lewis engaged a chef by the
name of Boulanger, who also acted as steward. Jemmy O’Neil served
as doorkeeper and occupied the porter’s lodge at the main door. The
gardener was moved from his quarters in the White House east wing
into a gardener’s cottage on the grounds. In November 1833
Boulanger arranged a public auction of White House surplus furn-
ishings; an additional auction of this sort was also held in March
1834. Charles Alexandre oversaw decorating at the White House.
Staff at the executive residence continued to rely on Elgar for
appropriated funds for improvements to augment the president’s
private funds for running the property.”

Memorials

According to tradition, John Quincy Adams planted an American elm
on the south grounds of the White House. Known over the years as
the ‘Adams elm,” the tree took on a memorial status over time.”

77. Annual Report, Commissioner of Public Buildings, 1833, 1-3, RG 42.

78. Annual Report, Commissioner of Public Buildings, 1834, 1, RG 42.

79. See Seale, The President’s House, 193-97, 214, 1086 (n. 25), 1090 (ns. 27, 44), 1092
(ns. 6, 7).

80. The tree remained on the south lawn until the late 1980s, when it was removed due
to wind damage. Attempts to plant a seedling from the tree failed because of Jeaf scorch.
In 1991 a graft was finally successfully begun as a replacement. See NPS], The White
House Grounds and Gardens, 1988-1992 (Washington, DC: U.S. GPO, 1992}, 8, 15.

Joseph Elgar — May 8,
1822, to February 10, 1834

63

Commissioner of Public Buildings — March 3, 1817, to March 3, 1849



a
; -
— (
TM { eae
Nee! y
\
\ A >
!
Even
en

3

Fy

5
Penwsrevanin avenue

EXECUTIVE MANSION GROUNDS
WASHINGTON DC.
GENERAL PLAN FOR IMPROVEMENTS
” Pie ta
Waris petnas Unesco mame
Sie nae Sotoenses
vlan 0.8

was execurive

PILE NU r@esexers,

246

CHAPTER 6. THe NEW DEAL, WoRLD WAR II, AND PEACE: 1933-1958,



Harry T. Thompson — May
10, 1958, to February 25,
1961; T. Sutton Jett —
March 15, 1961, to January
14, 1968; 1. J. Castro —
January 14, 1968, to
September 25, 1969; Rex W.
Scouten (Assistant Regional
Director) — February 24,
1968, to May 4, 1969

316

of former Senator Hiram Bingham, documented the correct type of
carriage for the pieces. The old carriages, of the Civil War type, were
inaccurate (being 100 to 125 years too late) and were also
deteriorated. NPS personne] planned fo replace these with more

appropriate carriages.

Administrative changes in the National Park Service continued to
affect the property and its management. On May 23, 1965, the ad-
ministration of National Capital Parks was decentralized. Super-
intendents were placed in charge of specific units known as the
National Capital Parks—Central, North, South, and East. The Central
area included President’s Park as well as the area across the Potomac
(George Washington Memorial Parkway, Prince William Forest Park,
Great Falls, sections of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal system,
Catoctin Mountain Park, and the Baltimore-Washington Parkway).

While the Executive Mansion and grounds fell under the adminis-
tration of National Capital Parks-Central, the White House green-
houses were placed under National Capital Parks—East. Irvin Williams
assumed “exclusive” supervision of the White House grounds under
Nash Castro. The National Park Service cooperated with the White
House in everything from trash removal and sidewalk maintenance
to food storage. Two “interpretative” historians on detail from Inde-
pendence National Historical Park were also placed under Castro's
supervision.”

35. Ernest Brooks Jr. to Hartzog, Dec. 21, 1965; Walton to Jett, Oct. 10, 1966;
Warnecke to Robert W. Andrews, Feb. 3, 1967; Mrs. Mellon to Warnecke, May 23, 1967
(with annotation by Mike Painter, June 27, 1967); Warnecke to Mrs. Mellon, June 6,
1967; [| to ‘Ashton,” June 28, 1967; all in D24/Lafayette Park, box WHL-AM-002,
ESE/WHU/NPS. Castro to John Walker, Feb. 14. 1969, D24/Lafayette Park (1/1/69), box
28, acc. 79-7524, ESF/WHL/NPS; Painter to Jett, Aug. 30, 1966, D18/Lafayette Park
(1963-67), box 21, acc. 72A-6215, ESF/WHL/NPS. “List of Non-ferrous Cannon, Na-
tional Capital Parks Areas, Washington. D.C.,” 1430/Tablets, Markers, Etc., box 17, acc.
66A-1097, ESF/WHL/NPS. An article by former Sen. Hiram Bingham in the Washington
Post of August 23, 1942, gave more detailed information concerning the cannon. Bing-
ham evidently was instrumental in saving the cannon from a wartime scrap drive; see
“Article by ex-Senator Bingham, Washington Post, 8/23/42,” 1460/Lafayette Park (no. 2},
box 17, acc. 66A-1097, ESF/WHL/NPS. For a description of the cannon, see appendix D.

36. NPS, “The Park Service in Washington,” by Stanley W. McClure, (1971}, 2-3,,

H26/History of National Capital Parks, box WHL-AM-005, ESF/WHL/NPS.

37. Reg. dir. (NPS) to Horne et al., Sept. 10, 1965; Castro to Marvin Watson, Oct. 21,
1965; [West] to reg. dir. (NPS), Dec. 2, 1965; ail in AS6/Misc. (2 of 2} WHL-AM-020,
ESF/WHL/NPS. Later in the Reagan administration, because of the split in administration
between the grounds and greenhouses and other administrative complications, Williams's
position was transferred to the Chief Usher’s ‘Office to better provide day-to-day
coordination; however, his workers remained NPS employees.

CHAPTER 7. THE NATION'S FRONTYARD: 1958-1983


466

White House Police: Eisenhower
tenure, 287; establishment of,
115, 215; Hoover tenure, 234-
236; Johnson (LB) tenure, 313-
314; Truman tenure, 278, 283,
298. See also Secret Service, U.S.

White House Preservation Fund,
355-356, 367

White House Social Office,
establishment of, 118, 158

White House visitor center (in
Baldrige Hall), 344, 361, 365,
368, 373-375

White Mountain Apache Tribe, 318

White, Mrs. Miles Jr., 217

Whitney, Wallace F., 327, 416

Whitney, William C., 398

Wilbur, Curtis D., 398

Wiley and Wilson, 351

Williams, Howard H., 142

Williams, Irvin, 308, 311, 316

Williams, Morley, 244

Williamson, Collen, 21

Williamson, Thom, 398

Willis, Wiliam, 142

Wilson, Allen, 29

Wilson, David M., 83

Wilson, Ellen Axon, 165, 200-201

Wilson, Frank J., 278

Wilson, Henry, 131

Wilson, James, 188

Wilson, J. L., 317

Wilson, John Moulder, 146, 146~
153, 157-161

Wilson, Samuel, 29

Wilson, Woodrow, 164-165, 195,
199-205, 207-208, 211

Winder Building, 100-101

wine cellar, 42

wings: Adams (JQ) tenure, 61;
Fillmore tenure, 95; Monroe

tenure, 53. See also East Wing;
West Wing

Winslow, Lorenzo S., 259, 262,
264-265, 268-270, 271

Wirth, Conrad, 289, 331

Women in the Civil War Memorial,
195

Women Strike for Peace, 340

Woodbury, Levi, 70

Woodruff, James A., 220, 220

Wood, Waddy B., 225

Wood, William S., 109-116

World War I, 164-165, 204, 207,
209; veterans’ march, 236-237

World War II: and construction,
259-260; and Easter egg roll,
257; and traffic, 248-249

Wright, Luke E., 397

Wrye, Ronald N., 363

Wyeth, Nathan C., 192

Wyley, Allen, 29

Yy

Yale and Towne Manufacturing,
280

Young, Ammi B., 67, 102

Young, Ford E., Jr., 273

Young, Notley, 8, 18

Young, Warren S., 142, 158

Z

Zalles family, 327, 338

Zeiman, Hugo, 151

Zero Milestone, 417; American
Society of Civil Engineers plaque
at, 354, 417; dedication of, 213;
Eisenhower tenure, 289

Zimon, Bruno L., 186

Zuzolo, Matthew, 283



Manus J. Fish — Continuing
to September 4, 1988; Ronald
N. Wrye — September 4,
1988, to December 18, 1988;
Robert G. Stanton —
December 18, 1988, to |
January 3, 1997; James I.
McDaniel (Associate Regional
Director) — December 31,
1983, to -

366
‘CHAPTER 8. EPILOGUE: 1983-1997

deputy assistant to the president for management} oversaw the daily
operations of NPS personnel attached to the office.”

The George H. W. Bush Administration. Under the George H. W. Bush
administration the National Park Service continued to administer the
White House in conjunction with the General Services Administra-
tion, the Department of the Treasury, and other agencies that had
responsibilities at the site. The decentralized administration became
even more complicated as jurisdiction and security issues continued
to play ever-growing roles in the site’s evolution.

For example, the Department of the Treasury had operated as a sepa-
rate entity, maintaining its own architect and supervising its own
programs. The National Park Service, like the preceding adminis-
trators, acknowledged this special relationship and continued to offer
services as needed, such as the care and maintenance of the grounds.
The Treasury Department, however, continued to handle all interior
matters, including the preservation of cultural resources, through its
own historic preservation programs. A similar arrangement existed
with the Old Executive Office Building and the General Services
Administration.

In 1989 the National Park Service contracted with a roofing consul-
tant to assess the condition of the White House roof. The roof, built
in 1927 during the Coolidge administration, had been partially
replaced in the Truman administration in the late 1940s and early
1950s. Foot traffic, additional security units, the introduction of
incompatible material, and piecemeal repairs over the years made
moisture damage a continual problem. Catch pans in the attic and
repairs were tried, but they proved to be only stopgap measures. The
National Park Service's Denver Service Center designed a new roof
system, and in August 1997 the chief usher awarded a construction
contract to the James Myers Company, of Beltsville, Maryland, in
the amount of $1,324,520 to replace the roof in its entirety. A 24-
ounce lead-coated copper standing and flat seam roof was installed,
including gutters, downspouts, snow melting equipment, and
flashing. Contract administration and construction supervision was
provided by the National Park Service.

During Bush's administration horseshoes pits were established, and a
half-size basketball court and a putting green were installed in 1991.

13. P64/White House Visitors Office, box WHL-AM-009, Records of White House
Liaison, ESF/WHL/NPS.

14. Summerlin, interview by O’Brien, Nov. 1997, ESF/WHL/NPS.


warehouses. The collection was finally moved in the 1980s to a
leased facility in Springfield, Virginia. While this facility was in better
structural condition, it did not meet NPS museum storage standards;
a suitable structure would not be built until 1992.”

Jurisdiction

Jurisdictional matters continued to evolve on the site, and concerns
over adequate documentation occupied many administrators. The
Public Buildings Service requested “as-built” plans for the White
House from the National Park Service in December 1962. It was May
1963, however, before the National Park Service sent six sets of plans
to the chief usher for distribution. This evidently rankled the regional
director of the Public Buildings Service, A. W. Inamorati, who put
pressure on the National Park Service through John J, McNalt Jr.,
special assistant to the president and liaison with the General Services
Administration. Inamorati also tried to have all East and West Wing
negatives transferred to the General Services Administration. The
negatives were finally divided between the two agencies.”

Site Security

Security became such an issue that it affected the design of the
grounds themselves. The peripheral planting of the south lawn was
extended, with the 1935 Olmsted report being used as a guide. Ever-
greens were used, backed with deciduous flowering trees and shrubs.
Jacqueline Kennedy also requested new hedges and plantings of
flowers such as rhododendrons to screen her daughter, Caroline,
from public view. The press immediately alleged that such new
plantings would cost “thousands of dollars.” Press secretary Pierre
Salinger said he knew nothing of the matter and dismissed the
inquiry as “silly.””*

In fiscal year 1963 Congress approved $129,500 for the National
Park Service to replace 13 guard booths that had been built as

74. “Construction Estimate, Office and Warehouse Structure, GWMR” Sept. 1, 1966;
Howard W. Baker to Harold Smith, Aug. 31, 1966; reg. dir. to dir. (NPS), memorandum,
Sept. 13, 1966; all in D3415/Construction and Maintenance/White House/Storage Shed
(1/1/66 to -) (1), box 21, acc. 72A-6215, ESF/WHL/NPS.

75. Inamorati to Horne, July 22, 1963; Horne to West, July 25, 1963; both in
1D18/White House Drawings, box 18, acc. 68A-3201, ESF/WHL/NPS.

76. "Fact Sheet Relating to Peripheral Planting — the White House Grounds”; supt. to
Mackie Quave, Apr. 17, 1961; “Privacy Shrubs are Ordered for Caroline” (photocopy,
newspaper and date not recorded); all in 950-50/Plantings, box 14, acc. 65A-1108,
ESF/WHL/NPS.

Harry T. Thompson — May
10, 1958, to February 25,
1961; T. Sutton Jett —
March 15, 1961, to January
14, 1968; I. J. Castro —
January 14, 1968, to
September 25, 1969; Rex W.
Scouten (Assistant Regional
Director) — February 24,
1968, to May 4, 1969

333

The National Park Service — 1958-1983


Daniel Carroll, Thomas
Johnson, David Stuart,
Gustavus Scott, William
Thornton, Alexander White,
William Cranch, and
Tristram Dalton

20
Chaprer 1. BEGINNINGS: 1797-1802

The President's House: Design and Construction — In March 1792 the
Board of Commissioners advertised a design competition for the
presidential residence. By July 17 Irishman James Hoban of
Charleston, working closely with the judges throughout his designs,
was pronounced the winner. Hoban proved to be as politic in his
relations with the commissioners as U/Enfant had been tempera-
mental.

The plan selected for the Executive Mansion was an Anglo-irish
Georgian country house modified to suit American state functions.
Since Washington's personal staff consisted of 18 house servants,
and his administrative staff of an assistant and three aides, he had
the size of the building increased by one-fifth. According to one
author, however, Jefferson found the final structure as designed by
Hoban to be “big enough for two Emperors, one pope and the grand
lama in the bargain.”

Typical of the period, the Executive Mansion’s notable interior
features included a large room on the east, known in British parlance
as a “saloon,” a grand-staircase on the west leading toward the
saloon, and an elliptical state reception room. On the exterior four
engaged Ionic columns supporting a pediment on the north created
the main entrance for the building. On the south a one-story porch
dominated the elevation. Plans changed as work progressed, but the
basic design adhered to Hoban’s concept. It was to be situated on
L’Enfant’s former palace site.**

The Executive Mansion and grounds provided a focus for much of
the city’s plan. Robert King wrote in his survey notes that LEnfant’s
original scheme was being adhered to and that Connecticut, Vermont,
and New York Avenues were all to meet in the center of the north
door of the presidential mansion and that New York and
Pennsylvania Avenues would meet in the center of North F and 16th
Streets on the south side of the President's House. LEnfant’s park
surrounding the proposed residence remained intact.°5

33. E. John Long, “The House That Nearly Fell,” Steelways (May 1950), 2, as noted in
the McClure collection, ESF/WHL/NPS.

34. Seale, The President's House, 23-24, 29-31, 32-33; Seale, The White House: The History
of an American Idea (Washington: American Institute of Architects, 1992), 12; minutes of
meeting: Premium Notice, Mar. 14, 1792, “Records of the Commissioners,” 81, RG 42;
minutes of meeting: Approval of President's House plan, July 18, 1792, ibid, 124:
Robert King, survey notes, 1793-1805, transcribed from Miscellaneous Collection,
Library of Congress, AC 1635, as noted in the McClure collection, ESF/WHL/NPS.

35. Robert King, survey notes, 1793-1805, transcribed from Miscellaneous Collection,
Library of Congress, AC 1635, as noted in the McClure collection, ESF/WHL/NPS.


Sundry Civil Act, June 6, 1900 —- Approved $6,000 for plans to expand the
presidential residence. Plans to be prepared in the office of the com-
missioner of public buildings and grounds, U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers (31 Stat. 622). .

Act of February 15, 1901 — Stipulated rights-of-way within the city of
Washington (31. Stat. 790-91).

Act of April 28, 1902 — Placed the chief of engineers in charge of all public
buildings and grounds in the District of Columbia under regulations
prescribed by the president, through the War Department, except for
those buildings otherwise provided for by law (32 Stat. 152).

Act of June 28, 1902 — Authorized the remodeling of the White House and
the construction of executive offices for the president (32 Stat. 460). A
report of this work is contained in Senate document 197, 57th
Congress, 2nd session.

Act of March 3, 1903 — Authorized the officer in charge of public buildings
and grounds to permit the temporary use of the Washington
Monument grounds and the grounds south of the White House as
playgrounds under regulations to be prescribed by him (32 Stat. 1122).

Order of the Secretary of War, November 20, 1903 — Made formal arrange-
ments for band concerts in federal parks in Washington, including
President’s Park (E.D. 49225).

Antiquities Act of 1906 — Authorized the president to designate national
monuments on federally owned or controlled lands; provided for the
protection of all historic or prehistoric ruins and objects of antiquity by
citing criminal sanctions against excavation, injury, or destruction of
such resources. ‘Authorized the secretaries of agriculture, interior, and
defense to issue permits for archeological investigations on lands under
their control to recognized professional institutions (34 Stat. 225).

Act of May 27, 1908 — Authorized temporary structures on public play-
grounds under such regulations as might be imposed by the officer in
charge of public buildings (35 Stat. 355).

Act of March 4, 1909 — Extended the rules and regulations provided under
section 6 of the act of July 1, 1898, to cover the sidewalks around the
public grounds and the carriageways of such streets as lie between and
separate such public grounds; provided additional money for the
Executive Office Building (35 Stat. 994).

Act of August 5, 1909 — Authorized an addition to the Executive Office in
the amount of $13,500; funds were used to create what is now known
as the “Oval Office” (36 Stat. 119).

Act of May 17, 1910 — Established the Commission of Fine Arts, to consist
of seven members appointed by the president to advise upon the loca-
tions of statues, fountains, and monuments in public squares, streets,
and parks in the District of Columbia and upon the selection of models
for the same (36 Stat. 371).

403
Appendix C. Annotated Legislative History



Roosevelt, Eleanor, 253, 257, 262,
279

Roosevelt, Franklin D., 231-232,
239-263

Roosevelt, Theodore, 163-164,
172-175, 184-188, centennial
of, 294; portrait of, 188

Root, Elihu, 397

Root, Irving C., 254-278, 303

Rose Brothers Company, 229

rose bushes, Truman renovation
and, 282

Rose Garden (East), Kennedy
tenure, 308

Ross, Robert, 47

Ruback, William F., 308

Rucker, Joanna, 83

Ruppert, Ignatius, 87-88

Russ pavement, 105

Ryan, Joseph, Jr., 320

Ss

safety surveys. See structural
surveys

St. John’s Church, 307

Salinger, Pierre, 333

Sanders, S. E., 251, 262, 265

Sargent, John Singer, 188

Sauber, W. McC., 196

Schofield, John M., 397

Schott, Arthur, 121

Scott, Gustavus, 7, 9-10, 20

Scott, Hugh L., 397

Scouten, Rex W., 303, 305, 305; as
chief usher, 336; as curator,
354; and paint plans, 347; on
President's Park planning, 343;
on security, 322; and security
systems, 320; and structural
assessment, 340; and visitor
planning, 350

sculpture exhibit, Clinton tenure,
371

Seale, William: on African
Americans, 87; on foundations
of White House, 22; and history
of White House, 347, 361; on
L’Enfant plan, 16; on milk
trough, 414; on Van Buren, 68

Second Division Memorial, 252,
418; addition to, 329

Secretary of State, and social
functions, 109

Secretary of the Interior, 40, 83,
86, 92, 100. See also Babbitt;
Ickes; Udall

Secret Service, U.S.: authorization
of, 298; Clinton tenure, 380;
Eisenhower tenure, 305;
establishment of, 115; Executive
Protective Service, 215, 234;
Hoover tenure, 236; Johnson
(LB) tenure, 317, 357; liaison
with other agencies 342; NPS
and, 359; Roosevelt (FD) tenure,
278; Roosevelt {T} tenure, 175,
190-191; and terrorism, 358;
Truman tenure, 273, 298. See
also security issues; White House
Police

security issues: Adams (JQ) tenure,
65; Arthur tenure, 146; Bush
tenure, 366, 379-380; Clinton
tenure, 363, 370-371, 379-382;
Fillmore tenure, 86, 92-93;
Grant tenure, 125, 134; Harding
tenure, 215; Harrison (B) tenure,
152-153, 156-157; Hayes
tenure, 117-118, 140; Hoover
tenure, 234-237; Jefferson/
Madison tenures, 50; Johnson
(LB) tenure, 320, 322; Kennedy
tenure, 333-335; Lincoln tenure,
114-115; McKinley tenure, 163,
167; Monroe tenure, 57; Nixon
to Reagan tenures, 358-359; in
Noland era, 79-80; Pierce tenure,
98, 108; Polk tenure, 83; Reagan
tenure, 379; Roosevelt (T)
tenure, 180-181, 189-191, 198;
Taft tenure, 198-199; Truman
tenure, 298-299; Tyler tenure,
75; Washington/Adams (J)
tenures, 34; Wilson tenure, 164-
165, 205, 209; World War II
and, 277-278

Segal, George, 371

Segar, G. F., 142

Senate Park Commission, 170

459
Index



Clarence O. Sherrill — March
21, 1921, to February 26,
1925

214

Washington Health Hiking Club.} The Lee Highway Association was
outraged.” Horace Peaslee wrote to the highway association

May I call your attention to the enclosures from
yesterday’s Herald — the mailed hoof firmly planted on the
Gorham bronze of the zero milestone. If you meant this for
@ public rostrum, you should have advised me. I presume
that the lettering affords good toe-holds for climbing.”

The Corps of Engineers promised that such an event would not
happen again.

Public Resolution 31 of the 67th Congress, approved December 16,
1921, authorized a monument to honor the World War I dead of the
First Division of the United States Army and directed the chief of
engineers to cooperate with the Memorial Association of the First
Division of the United States Army to construct the monument. The
monument, which was fo be erected at no cost to the government,
was to be located in President’s Park south of the State, War, and
Navy Building; it was approved by the Fine Arts Commission and the
Joint Committee on the Library. Proponents of the structure
reminded the public that the McMillan commission had suggested
this site for a monument in its 1901 report. By June 24, 1922, all
approvals had been secured, and the chief of engineers gave the order
to pr vs

On October 4, 1924, officials dedicated the First Division Monument.
The monument, designed by sculptor Daniel Chester French and
architect Cass Gilbert, consisted of a large monolithic granite shaft
topped by a figure representing Victory. The statue was of bronze
covered in 20-karat gold leaf. The monument faced south across a
large tapis vert. The memorial, which was erected at a cost of ap-
proximately $115,000, was maintained by the U.S. Army until
1939, when the Army requested that the National Park Service take
over the monument’s maintenance and related costs."

173. SherriB to Dr. S. M. Johnson, Nov. 24, 1923; Sherrill to Martin L. Davey, Jan. 14,
1924; Sherrill to H. O. Jones, Mar. 7, 1925; Peaslee to Johnson, Nov. 19, 1923; Cornelius
W. Heine (chief, Public Use and interpretation} to Mrs. Knox Taylor, March 30, 1961; all
in 1430/Zero Milestone, box 17, acc. 66A-1097, ESFAWHL/NPS. George Franklin, “Club
Formed by Hikers to Aid in Health,” The Washington Herald (n.4.}, copy in above file.

174. Peaslee to Johnson, Nov. 19, 1923, 1430/Zero Milestone, box 17, acc. 66A-1097,
ESF/AWHLNPS.

175. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1925, 1962.

176, “First Division Monument, Washington, D.C.," The American Architect-The Architec-
tural Review, Dec. 3, 1924, 525-30; Brig. Gen. Campbell King to Grant, June 22, 1926,
Mar. 6, 1928, and Nov. 12, 1928; Col. Adolphe Huguet to dir, (Public Buildings and

(Cuavrer S. THE WHITE House, WASHINGTON, AND THE WORLD: 1897-1933


Ignatius Mudd — April 7,
1849, to March 12, 1851

92

Downing showed two bowed roadways running east to west across
the south lawn of the president’s ground, the southernmost one
separating the grounds from the parade. While earlier representations
record some sort of east-west route across the southern grounds,
Downing’s plan represents the earliest formal proposals for such a
route. This route would later become E Street.”

Since the south portico of the Treasury Building had not yet been
constructed, the view from the Capitol was unobstructed for the
most part. Downing’s plan called. for Latrobe’s brick arch to be
removed and a large marble triumphal arch installed, creating a
formal entrance to the property on the south. A court with the arch
closed by iron gates would form the formal entry to the White
House grounds.2

Jurisdiction

An act of March 3, 1849, gave to the secretary of the interior the
supervisory and appellate powers of the president over the
commissioner of public buildings.*

Site Security

During Fillmore’s administration the staff adopted stricter rules for
access to the White House grounds. For his part, Downing proposed
to encircle the President’s House with iron fencing, to limit the
number of gates to the property, to heavily screen both the parade
and the immediate White House grounds with trees, and to equip the
bridge over Tiber Creek (which connected the Mail and President's
Park), with gates necessary for quick closure. Visitors on foot would
approach the President’s House from the north, concluded Downing;
and carriage traffic would continue to use the south entrance. A wide
path would be cleared around the house, where the watchmen would

21. Downing, ‘Plan for the Mall and President's Park”; “Map of the City of Washington
and District of Columbia” (no scale) (1845), F 116, no. 2, RG 77, NA; Reps, Washington on
View, 125, 139, 155, 157; Seale, The White House, 93; Seale, The President's House, 343.
Between 1851 and 1865, similar configurations for roads on the southern portions of the
grounds appeared on maps such as James Kiley’s “Map of the City of Washington, D.C.”
(1851); Albert Boschke’s “Topographical Map of the District of Columbia” (1856-59);
Capt. Calvin D. Cowles’s “Defenses of Washington: Extract of Military Map of NE.
Virginia Showing Forts and Roads” (1865), and John Bachman’s "Bird's Eye View of
Washington, D.C. and the Seat of War in Virginia” (1862); all in RG 77, NA.

22. Seale, The President's House, 296-97.
23. 9 Stat. 395-96.

(CHAPTER 3: THE ANTEBELLUM, CIVIL WAR, AND RECONSTRUCTION YEARS: 1849-1867


plan, around which private residences might be placed, thereby
sharing some of the reflected glory of the President’s Park, but this
remained a task for the future.

By the end of the century the landscape of President’s Park, as well as
of the entire city, remained rural. A watercolor of “downtown”
Washington by Nicholas King executed in 1799 shows the President's
House and the Treasury Building in a woods. One or two other little
buildings dot the landscape, and pigs root near a one-room structure
in the foreground. Blodgett’s Hotel, in the extreme right of the
painting, is of a generic federal style, built of brick to serve immedi-
ate needs. Although some maps of the period show development in
various areas, King’s watercolor shows the startling truth of a
Georgian manor house in a relatively undeveloped landscape.

A map dated ca. 1800 gives further evidence of the relationship of the
President’s House, the Treasury, the War Office, and various streets to
be platted around its perimeter. The map shows a fence enclosing the
President’s House, and parcels seem to have been cut from the

WHITE HOUSE, 1799,

Alte a sketeh by N. King.

55. Seale, The President's House, 80.

56. Gutheim, Worthy of the Nation, 40; “Washington City,” from $. $. Moore and T. W.
Jones, The Traveler's Directory . . . of the Main Road from Philadelphia to Washington, as
reprinted in Reps, Washington on View, 61.

Daniel Carroll, Thomas
Johnson, David Stuart,
Gustavus Scott, William
Thornton, Alexander White,
William Cranch, and
Tristram Dalton

“Sketch of the White House from
the Southeast," by Nicholas
King, ca. 1799

At the close of the 18th
century, Washington, D.C.,
still retained a rural character.
The White House is the
building farthest in the
background, with the Treasury
Building just to its right.
Blodgett’s Hotel is in the right
foreground.

Courtesy: Huntington Library,
San Marino, California.

27

Commissioners for the District of Columbia — January 22, 1791, to May 1, 1802


240

On ‘April 12, 1945, Franklin Delano Roosevelt died, less than three
months after his fourth inauguration, and Harry S$. Truman was
sworn in as the 33rd president. On May 8, 1945 — the day Germany
formally surrendered and thousands crowded the areas outside the
White House — the Trumans moved into the White House; that day
was also Harry Truman's 61st birthday.’

In 1947 Truman caused a public uproar when he decided to add a
second-story porch on the south front of the White House, behind
the portico. The following year the commissioner of public buildings
{now assigned to the Public Buildings Administration) reported that
the White House was dangerously weakened. Supports had deter-
jorated, and the Coolidge-era third floor addition weighed heavily on
the rest of the house. From 1949 to 1952 the interior of the White
House was completely dismantled, and a steel and concrete structure
was erected behind the historic walls. At a cost of more than $5
million, the project saved the symbolic value of the White House
while sacrificing its actual interior historic fabric. On March 27,
1952, at 6:20 P.M, President Truman entered the renovated White
House.‘

While reestablishing traditions such as the Easter egg roll, President
Eisenhower also pulled the military into the day-to-day workings of
the White House in a way that previous administrations had not
done since the Civil War; this provided great administrative
centralization. As a result, World War II and Korean War technology
made possible military helicopter landings at the White House.
Initially, these landings took place on the Ellipse. As time progressed,
however, landings inside the fence became more commonplace.’

3. Seale, The President's House, 1000-1.
4. Seale, The President's House, 1023, 1025, 1028, 1035-45; ULS. National Archives
and Records Administration, Government Manual, 607.

5. James M. Hyde and Stephen J. Wayne, “Oral History Interview with Clark M.
Clifford, Assistant to White House Naval Aide, 1945-1946, Special Counsd to the
President, 1946-1950," Oct. 4, 1973, (HSTL, transcript), pp. 8-10.

CHAPTER 6, THE NEW DEAL, WORLD WAR II, AND PEACE: 1933-1958


302

in 1966, which established a national historic preservation program

under the Department of the Interior and the National Park Service.
However, the White House and its grounds were specifically
exempted from compliance processes by section 107 of the act.

With the inauguration of Richard M. Nixon in 1969, NPS White
House operations began to be seen as a distinct function. Before this
time, the responsibility rested directly with the National Capital
regional director. But as duties became more complex, the director
depended more and more on a designated associate who would be
able to give the White House and President’s Park the kind of detailed
daily attention they demanded.

During the Gerald Ford administration the country observed the
Bicentennial of the American Revolution, and the White House and
President’s Park were the focal point for many national celebrations
and state visits. In honor of the Bicentennial, the National Park Ser-
vice added programs for visitors and special events.

The election of James Earl Carter brought a new Democratic era to
Washington, with the president committed to cuts in staffing and
budget.

The inauguration of President Ronald Reagan in 1981 and an
assassination attempt two months later ushered in a period of
increased security and related infrastructure at the White House and
President’s Park.

The National Park Service — 1958-1983

Public Law 87-286, signed by President Kennedy on September 22,
1961, provided that Reservation 1 be administered pursuant to the
NPS Organic Act and that “primary attention shall be given to the
preservation and interpretation of the museum character of the
principal corridor on the ground floor and the principal public rooms
on the first floor of the White House.” After the White House
Historical Association was created the following November, the
association played an increasingly important role in supporting NPS
programs at the White House and President’s Park.?

2. PL 89-665, Oct. 15, 1966 (80 Stat. 915), as arnended,

3. PL 87-286, Sept. 22, 1961 (75 Stat. 586); James I. McDaniel (ARD, WHL),
interview by Emily Soapes, July 6, 1995, (WHHA, transcript}, p. 4.

(CHAPTER 7. THE NATION'S FRONTYARD: 1958-1983


U. S. Grant Hl] — January 1,
1926, to April 5, 1933;
James A. Woodruff — April
5, 1933, to August 10, 1933

236

14, 1929, and 36 people were arrested. During another demonstra-

tion on March 7, 1930, a fight started when a demonstrator stood ©

atop the low wall supporting the fence on the north side of the White
House; park police used tear gas to break up the group and made a
number of arrests.**

In February 1930 Congress placed the White House Police under the
Secret Service. Until then the force had been a branch of the Metro-
politan Police, under the director of public buildings and public parks.
Previously Secret Service agents had acted as a presidential body-
guard; now, they maintained security for the entire property. Riot
regulations were adopted, and people were searched before entering
the White House. On May 14, 1930, a special police force of 54
individuals, under Grant, was instituted. These positions were unpaid
and their duties restricted to public parks and reservations. On July
1, 1930, Grant ordered 450 twelve-gauge shotgun shells of the riot
type and 10 Winchester twelve-gauge riot shotguns from the War
Department to be sent to the captain of the White House Police. By
1931 plainclothes agents were also stationed in parks. An indoor
pistol target range was built at 485 C Street NW as a cooperative
project between the Metropolitan Police and the Office of Public
Buildings and Public Parks to qualify members of the Park Police with
firearms. The U.S. Army helped in establishing qualifications and
training.*

Some 20,000 World War I veterans, desperate as a result of the
Depression, marched on Washington in 1932, demanding that
Congress pay on bonds for veterans not due to mature until 1945.
When these “bonus marchers” attempted to petition the president at
the White House, Treasury agents blocked their way. The president,
after some negotiation, called on the U.S. Army to clear the camps,
which were torched and the inhabitants, including many families,

244. Annual Report, Director of Public Buildings and Public Parks, 1930, 61; ibid., 1931, 61;
Seale, The President's House, 902; “Increase in White House Police Force,” 71st Cong., 2d
sess., 1930, H. Rept 660; H.R. 9437. Grant to Brig. Gen. H. M. Lord, Apr. 22, 1929; Chief
W. H. Moran to Grant, June 24, 1930; Grant to Moran, June 26, 1930; all in 980/Police,
box 6, acc. 644-42, WH&WPP files, ESF/WHL/NPS.

245. Annual Report, Director of Public Buildings and Public Parks, 1930, 61; ibid., 1931, 61;
Seale, The President's House, 902; “Increase in White House Police Force,” 71st Cong., 2d
sess., 1930, H. Rept 660; H.R. 9437. Grant to Brig. Gen. H. M. Lord, Apr 22, 1929:
receipt for equipment, C. L. Dalrymple (capt., White House Police), June 30, 1930; Chief
W. E. Moran to Grant, June 24, 1930; Grant to Moran, June 26, 1930; all in 980/Police,
box 6, acc. 644-42, WH&WPP files, ESF/WHL/NPS.

(CHAPTER 5. THE WHITE HOUSE, WASHINGTON, AND THE WORLD: 1897-1933


people who must pass through this section of the city after dark that
it no longer remain unlighted.”*

Oswald H. Ernst — September 7, 1889, to March 31, 1893

On September 7, 1889, Oswald H. Ernst assumed the duties of officer
in charge of public buildings and grounds. Ernst, an Ohio native, was
born June 27, 1842, and entered West Point July 1, 1860,
graduating sixth in his class on June 13, 1864. His first commission
was as a first lieutenant in the Corps of Engineers, where he served in
various actions in Tennessee and Georgia and taught at West Point as
an assistant professor of engineering. After the Civil War he served as
an astronomer of the U.S. commission to observe the solar eclipse in
Spain on December 20, 1870. He taught at West Point as an
instructor in practical military engineering, signaling, and
telegraphy, and he commanded the engineering company at the
academy from August 1, 1871, to August 28, 1878. Ernst authored
a book entitled A Manual of Practical Military Engineering in 1873 and
contributed articles on military subjects to Johnson’s Cyclopaedia
between 1874 and 1876. Acting as a brevet captain and captain, he
was given the ex officio rank of colonel when he assumed the duties
of officer in charge of public buildings and grounds in September
1889. From April 1, 1893, to June 3, 1898, he served as super~
intendent of West Point. He was a lieutenant colonel in the Corps of
Engineers until March 31, 1895, and a brigadier general in the U.S.
Army Volunteers until June 12, 1899. He was a colonel in the U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers until February 20, 1903. He retired from
service on August 29, 1916. No information has been found about
the rest of his life.TM*

General Administration

The Benjamin Harrison Administration. By 1890 the Office of Public
Buildings and Grounds had expanded to a huge operation, including
extensive greenhouses, the Executive Mansion, President's Park, and
all the public reservations. The administration of the older records of
the city of Washington continued to be a significant duty of the
draftsman of public buildings. The research of various court cases

123. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1885, 2075-76, 2082-83, 2513; ibid., 1889, 2841.
124. Heitman, Historical Register, United States Army, 1:407; Cullum, Biographical Register,
US. Military Academy, 3:17-18; U.S. War Office, “Retired Lists, 1916" in U.S. Army
Register, 3:711.

Oswald H. Est —
September 7, 1889, to
March 31, 1893

153

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Office of Public Buildings and Grounds — March 2, 1867, to March 9, 1897



Russell E. Dickenson —
September 26, 1969, to
November 11, 1973; Manus
J. Fish — November 11,
1973, to September 4, 1988;
Elmer S. Atkins (Assistant
Regional Director) — May 4,
1969, to December 31, 1983

344

18, 1973. He was brought to the Ellipse by helicopter. E Street was
closed and used to stage a motorcade; the Ellipse was scheduled for
VIP parking. The National Park Service also provided assistance for
occasions such as the Vietnam POW dinner on the south lawn in
1973 {the largest such event to take place on the immediate White
House grounds).**

In 1973 tour lines for the White House reached such proportions that
NPS personnel attached to the site began to write memos to the file
concerning the long lines and waits. Some staff members suggested
that tourist numbers would continue to increase, and they supported
a planning effort that would accommodate increased visitation in the
future. They suggested, among other things, building a visitor center
on the Ellipse and extending visitor hours for the White House.**

In November 1973 Atkins opened discussions about closing certain
roads around the White House to traffic and converting them into
pedestrian walkways. Experts said such closings would be predicated
on the construction of the South Leg Freeway, which would empty
behind the Lincoln Memorial into Independence Avenue. The South
Leg plan was in city council review, and personnel hoped that the
first phase of the plan would be in place before the Bicentennial in
197657

A program was instituted in December 1973 to update the White
House working drawings; it was projected that student interns
would need two years to complete the project.’

The Pennsylvania Avenue Development Corporation developed plans
that included tumnels on Constitution Avenue and E Street, one
system for 14th and 15th Streets, additional pedestrian circulation,
limitations on commuter parking, and similar issues. While the
Department of the Interior supported tunneling E Street, the plan
was shelved by January 1974 because of its $60 million cost. A

105. Chief (Special Events} to all concerned, memorandum, June 14, 1973,
A8223/Religion Service, box 31, acc. 79-80-0002, ESF/WHL/NPS; information on
construction and installation for the RO.W. banquet is included in the NPS ‘Architectural
Drawing Inventory: The White House,” compiled by David R. Krause (archivist),
ESF/WHL/NPS, 1992.

106. [Atkins] to acting asst. dir. (Operations), memorandum, Dec. 3, 1973, box BF-004,
ESF/ARD/WHLNPS.

107. Fish to dep. dir. {NPS}, Nov. 19, 1973, D30/West (7/10/72-12/31/94), box 30, acc.
79-770003, ESF/ARD/WHL/NPS.

108. Atkins to dir. {NCP}, memorandum: “White House and Environs Development
Concept,” Dec. 10, 1973, D24/White House (1/1/72-12/31/74}, box 30, acc. 79-77000-
3, ESF/ARD/WHL/NPS.

CHAPTER 7. THE NATION’S FRONTYARD: 1958-1983


In 1956 the National Park Service under Conrad Wirth began its
Mission ‘66 program, an attempt to reassess and reidentify itself
within a 10-year period. After some initial planning, the project was
formally initiated in 1957. The program ultimately would have a
great effect on the environs of President’s Park. A two-year study on
interpretation was also initiated, along with the reinstitution of the
historic sites survey from which would ultimately come the National
Register of Historic Places and the 1966 National Historic Pres-
ervation Act.*

As a result of intensified use patterns, traffic signals were installed at
East Executive Avenue, Treasury (Hamilton) Place, E Street, and South
Executive Avenue in the mid-1950s as one of the projects under the
National Park Service's Mission ‘66 program.”

To improve pedestrian safety, the construction of a median strip was
suggested at the Zero Milestone to help pedestrians cross the busy
street more safely. Although this was accomplished, it did little to
alleviate dangerous conditions, and accidents continued.”

Office space continued to be a problem, and consultants were hired to
develop a plan for creating additional space, including a media center
and a press conference room. Proposals were made in 1956 to
remove the Old Executive Office Building (today referred to as the
Dwight D. Eisenhower Executive Office Building) and to replace it
with a building resembling the Treasury, at a cost of $31,725,000.
President Eisenhower established an advisory commission on
presidential office space in 1957. The commission recommended that
the building be demolished and that a seven-story office structure be
erected on the site. The report caused a three-year controversy. Still
without office space, President Eisenhower attempted to revive the
scheme in 1960. Controversy raged again until 1961, when the

124. Annual Report, Secretary of the Interion National Park Service, 1955, 332-36, 362;
ibid., 1956, 299, 309-10; ibid., 1957, 309, 319; Gartside to Crim, memorandum, Nov. 8,
1956, 950-25/Lighting, box 4, acc. 64A-42; Thompson to Brig. Gen. Thomas A. Lane,
Feb. 8, 1957, pp. 1-2, 1460/Grounds South (3), box 11, acc. 64A-42, ESF/WHL/NPS.

125. Annual Report, Secretary of the Interior, National Park Service: 1955, 332-36, 362;
ibid., 1956, 299, 309-10; ibid., 1957, 309, 319; Gartside to Crim, memorandum, Nov. 8,
1956, 950-25/Lighting, box 4, acc. 64A-42; Thompson to Brig. Gen. Thomas A. Lane,
Reb. 8, 1957, 1460/Grounds South (3), box 11, ace. 644-42, ESF/WHL/NPS.

126. Edward P Rennie (chief, Safety) to assoc. supt. (NCP), Jan. 30, 1956; Kelly to
Lawrence J. Kennon, Jan, 1956; both in 1460/Grounds South (3), box 11, acc. 664A-42,
ESE/WHL/NPS.

Edward J. Kelly — July 28,
1950, to May 10, 1958

289

Office of National Parks, Buildings, and Reservations — August 10, 1933, to March 2, 1934; National Park Service — March 2, 1934, to May 10, 1958



By 1818 the reconstruction effort had used, among other things,
1,015 feet of free stone, 202,149 bricks, 168,340 feet of lumber,
1,161 sheets of copper roofing, mahogany window sash and vene-
tian blinds, 21 marble chimney pieces, and various ornamental work.
Drives around the house were paved with 1,272 feet of brick on edge
and 510 feet of curbstone. The rebuilt War Department building
included a 160-foot tunnel drain from the basement to the main
sewer south of the old office.*

When President Monroe and his wife, Elizabeth, moved into the
White House in October 1817, the wings remained unroofed shells.
Jefferson’s idea of connecting the wings to the office buildings on
either side had been revived during reconstruction; however, the Panic
of 1819 caused budget cutbacks that resulted in design alterations. A
stable addition on the west was turned to the south, and a brick
courtyard was paved in the stable area. The Treasury vault,
previously part of the east wing, stood alone and was roofed over as
a separate outbuilding. Jefferson’s colonnaded east and west wings
were now less than haif of their originally designed size. The idea of
connecting the White House to the executive offices was not
seriously discussed again in the 19th century.”

Monroe hired Charles Bizet as “gardener to the President of the
United States” in the winter of 1817. Bizet’s duties seem to have been
limited to the vegetable garden and the supervision of tree plantings
on Pennsylvania Avenue; there is no evidence that ornamental
plantings were accomplished under his direction.

Office needs for the executive branch were causing problems. On

December 27, 1817, Secretary of State John Quincy Adams wrote to -

Congressman Albion K. Parris, chairman of the Committee of Public
Buildings, that the Department of State occupied five rooms on the
second floor of the southeast end of the office building west of the
President’s House, four rooms in the attic of the same building, two
rooms in the Patent Office Building, and it had rented a house for the
department messenger. Secretary Adams recorded that there was a
lack of record and library space. Likewise, Secretary of War John C.
Calhoun complained of a lack of office space. In January 1818 Lane

48. Message from the President of the United States Transmitting a Statement of the
Expenditures upon the Public Buildings and an Account of Their Progress for the Year 1818
(Washington, DC: E. De Krafft, 1818), 7, 14-15; Message from the President of the United
States Transmitting a Report of the Commissioner of the Public Buildings, November 27, 1820
(Washington, DC: Gales and Seaton, 1820}, 7, 15.

49. Seale, The President's House, 140-41, 149-52.
50. Seale, The President's House, 167.

Samuel Lane — March 3,
1817, to May 8, 1822

53

Commissioner of Public Buildings — March 3, 1817, to March 3, 1849



Frank T. Gartside — July 31,
1939, to February 1, 1940;
Edmund B. Rogers —
February 1, 1940, to April
18, 1940; Francis F. Gillen
— April 18, 1940, to
January 2, 1941; Irvin C.
Root — January 2, 1941, to
July 28, 1950

256

temporary drive for the president's car, a stand for the Marine Band,
cable barricades, a low picket fence around the live red cedar tree, and
a presidential reviewing stand. Participation inchided an honor guard
of Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts and a guard of U.S. Park Police, who
provided 24-hour protection for the tree from December 23 to
January 2. Also participating were the American Forestry Association
and the Electric Institute of Washington. The cost of the production
was $1,305.*

Plans had begun in November 1940 for President Roosevelt's third
inauguration the following January. Planners relied on many
previous ideas, specifically those from 1925 and 1937. Both the
National Park Service and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers were
active in the preparations. Lafayette Park increasingly became a site
for media hookups, particularly telephone and telegraph commun-
ications. Additional wiring had to be strung through the trees in the
park, with the understanding that any damage done would be
reimbursed by the Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone Company.
Trucks from MGM News of the Day, Paramount News, Fox Movie-
tone News, Pathé News, Universal Newsreel, and the March of Time
were given permission to enter Lafayette Park from H Street, drive
through the center of the park, and then park behind the reviewing
stand with their newsreel equipment. Special police were drawn from
the NPS Maintenance and Horticulture Division to protect park prop-
erty. However, when objections were raised about these personnel
being given special police badges, they were instead given letters
authorizing them to patrol. If incidents occurred where public prop-
erty was being destroyed, they would need to contact police officers.
President’s Park was returned to “a satisfactory condition” by
February 24, 1941.”

36. “The Lighting of the National Community Christmas Tree, Washington, D.C.,
Christmas Eve, Tuesday, Dec. 24, 1940, The Ellipse, 4:30,” program; “National Commun-
ity Christmas Tree, 1940,” report; “Cost Statement for 1940 Christmas Tree (National
Community), Job 9122"; “Placing and Removing Equipment for National Community
Christmas Tree in Grounds South of Executive Mansion”; all in 1115-30-15/Grounds
South, box 10, acc. 64A-42, ESF/WHL/NPS. A. Clyde-Burton’s report for 1940 shows a
cost of $1,305; however, another report shows only $838.89.

37. Gascoigne to Root, Jan. 15, 1941; Gillen to B. R. Allen (supt., Western Union
Telegraph Co.}, Jan. 8, 1941; Gillen to Thomas S. Bills (sec., White House Photographers’
Assoc.}; George W. Harding (chief, Horticulture and Maintenance) to Gillen, memo-
randum, Jan. 15, 1941; Allen, Jan. 17, 1941; chief (Personnel and Payroll) to Gillen,
memorandum, Jan. 18, 1941, ‘Arrangements and Details of the Metropolitan Police for
the Inauguration of President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Vice President Henry Wallace,
January 20, 1941," by Maj. Ernest Brown (supt. of police), passim; J. N. Greeley (brig.
gen.) to Capt. Helms (U.S. Park Police), Jan. 23, 1941; chief (U.S. Secret Service) to Drury,
Jan. 29, 1941; Gillen to Col. D. McCoach Jr., Feb. 20 and Feb. 24, 1941; all in 1115-
45/Inauguration, box 10, acc. 644-42, WH&WPP files, ESE/WHL/NPS.

(CHAPTER 6. THE New DEAL, WoRLD Wak II, AND PEACE: 1933-1958


Roosevelt administration was moved farther south and was used by Spencer Cosby — March 15,
daughter Helen Taft.” 1909, to August 19, 1913

Taft's acquisition of four automobiles after his election created
storage problems. Gasoline tanks were installed outside the stables on
the grounds in 1909. Carriages were put in storage, except for
Roosevelt's brougham. Besides parking problems, automobiles re- >
quired hard driving surfaces. As a result, oil and tar were applied to
roadways in the President's Park area, with 2,300 gallons covering
7,500 square yards on the Ellipse roads in three applications.
Nevertheless, equestrian activities continued to play a large part in
recreation at the White House. In 1911 the presidential stables
remained in their 1879 location. Bridle paths in the Ellipse area were
extended and improved.’

Preparations to remove the stables began with the removal of the
horses and carriages to the Quartermaster’s Department at 19th and
Virginia Streets NW. Congress approved $1,000 on March 4, 1911, to
demolish the buildings. Also, roads south of the White House were
improved. “The east road was given a better curve,” noted the report,
“and the west road was cut across the lawn to match the east one.”
Both buildings were removed by 1912; the stable used by the Office
of Public Buildings and Grounds was moved to the propagating
gardens for reuse.’

A new lightning protection system was installed at the White House
in 1911, replacing the old zine and lead rod system. New copper
cables and earth plates, mechanically and electrically connected to the
house, were connected to 100 points on the roof. The work was
accomplished under contract. A new silver closet with double steel
doors was installed in the storeroom on the ground floor, along with
shelves and cupboards. A new telephone system was installed, with
an “annunciator” (intercom) placed in the usher’s room and con-
nected with all other telephones in the house."*

Six state dinners, 13 small dinners, 5 musicales, 4 evening receptions,
3 day receptions, 3 dances, 1 ball, 4 garden parties, 1 tea, and the
Tafts’ silver wedding anniversary made up the varied and heavy

107. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1903, 2525; ibid., 1904, 3923; ibid., 1925, 1950-
51; ibid., 1912, 3486; Seale, The President's House, 756, 762, 861, EDAW et al. “President's
Park Cultural landscape Report,” 5-15 through 5-17, figure 5-7.

108. Seale, The President's House, 748-50, 760-63; “Survey of the Ellipse,” 23-38, RG 79;
Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1909, 2334, 2343; ibid., 1911, 2974; ibid., 1912, 3490.

109. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1911, 2963-64; ibid., 1912, 3485.
110. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 2962, 2963.

193°
U.S. Army Comps of Engineers, Office of Public Buildings and Grounds — March 9, 1897, to February 26, 1925



440

INDEX

Centennial of the American
Revolution, 1371

Champion, Roger, 320

Chandler, Harbin S., Jr., 271

Chandler, William E., 398

Chapman, Grosvenor, 307

Charles H. Tompkins Company,
225, 260-261

Chartran, Theobald, 189

Cheney, 5. A., 221

Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone
Company, 229, 256, 317

chief of protocol, 158

chief steward: responsibilities of,
76. See also steward

chief usher: Bush tenure, 366;
Cleveland tenures, 157;
Roosevelt (FD} tenure, 232;
Roosevelt (T} tenure, 175; Taft
tenure, 194-195; Wilson tenure,
201. See also White House Chief
Usher’s Office

Children’s Garden, 322

china display, 188-189

Christmas Pageant of Peace:
Christmas Pageant of Peace, Inc.,
286-287; Johnson (LB) tenure,
312, 318; Kennedy tenure, 308;
Nixon tenure, 337-338, 340-341

Christmas tree lighting ceremony:
Coolidge tenure, 211, 247, 221-
222; Eisenhower tenure, 286-
287; Hoover tenure, 227, 231;
Roosevelt (FD} tenure, 242, 247,
255-256, 258; Truman tenure,
275

City Beautiful movement, 165,
178, 187

Civilian Conservation Corps: and
Lafayette Park, 243; and road
building, 1935, 249

Civil War, 85-86, 95, 109-112,
114-115; rebuilding after, 121,
124

Clarke, Gilmore D., 244, 260, 265.

Clark, James, 30

Claxton, Thomas, 32

Clepham, Lewis, 31

Cleveland, Frances, 160, 174

Cleveland, Grover, 146-151, 157-
160

Cleveland, Rose Elizabeth, 147

Clifford, Clark, 306, 346

Clift, Everett, 274

Clinton, Hillary Rodham, 371,
374-376

Clinton, William J., 361, 370-376,
380

cloak room, 260

Cockburn, George, 47

Coffelt, Leslie, 413°

Colby, Bainbridge, 397

Cold Springs Granite Company,
327

Cold War, 301

Coleman, Samuel, 143

collection management: Adams (J}
tenure, 32; authorization to
accept gifts, 332; Buchanan
tenure, 107; Clinton tenure,
376-377; collection storage
facility, 376; Coolidge tenure,
217-218; Eisenhower tenure,
294-296; Grant tenure, 133;
Harrison (B} tenure, 156; Hayes
tenure, 139; Hoover tenure, 233;
Kennedy and Johnson tenures,
329-333; Madison tenure, 48-
49; Monroe tenure, 56; Nixon
tenure, 354-355; Reagan tenure,
355, 375-376; Roosevelt (FD)
tenure, 252-253; Roosevelt (T)
tenure, 178-179, 188-189; Taft
tenure, 196-197; Truman
tenure, 276-277; Wilson tenure,
208

Colored Community Centers of the
District of Columbia, 211

Commerce Building, telephone
wiring, 255

Commissioner of Public Buildings,
37-38, 41-83, 85-116; abolition
of position, 119; salary of, 101

Commission of Fine Arts: on Boy
Scout Memorial, 329; coopera-
tion with other groups, 234;
duties of, 204; establishment of,
195; and E Street plans, 242; and
furnishings, 281; and grounds
restoration, 282; on guard
booths, 334; and Lafayette
monument figures, 233; on


Edward J. Kelly — July 28,
1950, to May 10, 1958

292

Lafayette Park for office space. The National Park Service offered the
old Stone House in Georgetown to the organization, but the building
was too small. Ultimately, the organization left its White House
environment to occupy more suitable space near Dupont Circle."*

Even though the Nationa] Capital Park and Planning Commission
had gone on record as early as 1950 about the importance of
preserving Lafayette Square, by the summer of 1960 it seemed to be
a foregone conclusion, at least to President Eisenhower, to restructure
the neighborhood as an executive office park.*° He wrote that the
new courts building on the east and the new executive office building
on the west (which had recently been approved and funded by
Congress) should be

carried out with the greatest of thought and with attention
to the present and future dignity and beauty of Lafayette
Square and its historic past. . . . We should take this
opportunity to leave Lafayette Square for posterity as an
architectural symbol of the simplicity, beauty and clean
lines traditional to the American style.

Eisenhower thereby set the stage for the historic preservation con-
cerns that would be addressed during the Kennedy administration.

Memorials

A replica of the origina] Liberty Bell (which had been cast at the
White Chapel Foundry in London in 1752 and recast by Pass and
Stow in Philadelphia in 1753) was installed on the west side of the
Treasury Building in 1950. The replica was cast at the foundry of the
sons of Georges Paccard in Ancy-Le-Vieux, Haute Savoie, France, and
dedicated on December 1.”

Through all events and ceremonies, the public continued to take a
detailed interest in the cultural resources of President’s Park. In
January 1955 Phyllis B. Georg contacted the National Park Service
concerning the incorrect position of the sword in the hand of the

134. Frank Thompson Jr. to Wirth, July 11, 1957, 95S/Historical (unprocessed files),
box 5, ace. 64A-42, ESF/WHL/NPS.

135. T. S. Settle, “Status of Legislation,” 1132-48-5/National Capital Parks and Planning
Commission (13), box 10, acc. 644-42, ESF/WHL/NPS,

136. Eisenhower to Franklin Floete (administrator, GSA), July 25, 1960, 1460/Lafayette
Park (2), box 17, acc. 66A-1097, ESF/WHL/NPS.

137. Status survey (no date}, “Dedicatory Ceremonies: Replica Liberty Bell, December 1,
1950, 12:00 Noon,” program, pp. 1-2; Paula Mohr (Office of the Curator, Dept. of the
‘Treasury) to William P O’Brien (NPS), fax, Nov. 11, 1994.

CHAPTER 6. THE NEW DEAL, WoRLD WAR I], AND PEACE: 1933-1958



lawn removed and planted with grass. In the spring and summer
exotic plants were moved to planters on the north lawn.*

In 1878 the fountain near the south portico was removed to make
room for a croquet lawn for the Hayes family, and the bandstand
was removed as well. The fountain jet was moved to the fountain on
the north lawn, were it remained for nearly 50 years. In keeping
with a tradition apparently begun by John Quincy Adams, in March
1878 President Hayes planted an American elm in the northwest
corner of the north grounds. Also in 1878 Pfister added a “rose
house” to the greenhouse complex, on the site of today’s rose garden,
and Casey called for the repair of the greenhouses.**

In 1878, besides instalfing tile drains in Lafayette Square, Casey had
the lodge painted and new gutters added to the building. The White
Lot was filled to within 3 feet of grade; sunken areas still existed
along 17th Street. Casey ordered the implementation of Downing’s
plan, and the 17-acre elliptical parade was established, with other
areas scheduled for plantings and trees. This seems to be the first
reference to the elliptical configuration of the parade, and from this
design the term “Ellipse” evolved and was in common use by the
following year. Some 250 feet of the upper portion of the White Lot,
now known as the Parade, had been graded and grassed. The
construction of the rest of the area continued into 1879.

In the late 1870s plans were made to construct a roadway around
the Ellipse. Some 34,500 additional cubic yards of earth were dumped
along 17th Street to bring the parcel up to grade. The area continued
to be used for compost. Mixtures of lime, manure, leaf mold, Joam,
and rough salt, along with 36 tons of Peruvian guano (600 to 800
pounds per acre), were applied to lawns around the President's House
and to other public properties. Abandoned roadways and an unused
concrete roadway on the south lawn were broken up and removed,
and a lawn was planted. A gate was removed so the iron railing and
flagstone walk around this section of the grounds could be made
continuous.”

Hayes opened the White House lawns to the public once a year for
what has become the traditional Easter egg roll. The custom allegedly

64. Seale, The President's House, 502-3,

65. Seale, The President's House, 504-6; Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1878, 1345,
1347; "White House Trees,” Dec. 2, 1952, p. 1, Post Presidential Files [hereafter cited as
PPF] (White House History), box 91, HSTL.

66. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1878, 1345, 1347.
67. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1879, 1881-82.

Thomas L. Casey — March
3, 1877, to April 1, 1881

137

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Office af Public Buildings and Grounds — March 2, 1867, to March 9, 1897



while on the south the walls looked like a first story. Additional earth
was removed on the north to admit light to basement windows.
Later the south elevation of the building evidently was seen as the
front of the structure to at least one early observer, who noted, “The
Front is a circular room projecting from the House."**

In 1794, and for the next four years, between 10 and 12 stonecutters
worked on the Executive Mansion. True to their traditions, the
Scottish stonemasons left their trademarks or “banker’s marks”
carved in the blocks as the walls rose. Initially both black and white
apprentices were taken on by the workmen, with the exception of the
clannish Scottish stonecutters, who refused to include blacks.**

Attempts by Congress in 1796 to halt work on the President’s House
in favor of finishing the Capito] met with Washington’s disapproval.
In October 1796 Washington selected the sites for the Treasury and
War Buildings to the east and west of the Executive Mansion,
respectively.*

The Federal City: Design and Initial Construction — The construction
of the federal city required not only the cooperation of state
governments but also the willingness of foreign banking institutions
to underwrite the future of the new capital. For example, on July 3,
1792, the commissioners received a letter from Secretary of State
Thomas Jefferson that confirmed, through Thomas Harewood,
treasurer of the Western Shore of Maryland (who was acting in
concert with Jefferson), the availability of money from Messrs.
Hanstophorsts and Hubbard, bankers in Amsterdam, for £24,000 —
funds promised by the General Assembly of Maryland for the
construction of public buildings in the federal district.”

42. Seale, The President’s House, 52-53, 58, 59.

43. Seale, The President's House, 66-68, 70. However, as late as October 1798 four black
laborers were still sawing freestone for the President’s House. Black apprenticeship ended
altogether in 1799, when it wes prohibited, supposedly because of the problem of
runaway slaves. Minutes of meeting, May 5, 1797, “Records of the Commissioners,”
335, RG 42; minutes of meeting, June 3, 1797, ibid., 360; minutes of meeting, Oct. 25,
1798, ibid., 21; Negro apprentices, Nov. 15, 1797, ibid., 37; “Journal of the Commission
of Public Buildings, 1795-1808,” vol. 3, and “Proceedings of the Commissioner of Public
Buildings and Grounds 1797-1798,” 4:219, both as noted in the McClure collection,
ESF/WHL/NPS.

44. Seale, The President's House, 72-79. The official mythology that Washington’s
selection of the executive office sites made them unchangeable was, said the first
president, “to me as an individual a matter of moonshine.” He did state, however, his
reasons for wanting the executive offices nearby. See Reps, Washington on View, 50.

45. Minutes of meeting, July 3, 1792, “Records of the Commissioners,” n.p., RG 42.

Daniel Carroll, Thomas
Johnson, David Stuart,
Gustavus Scott, William
Thornton, Alexander White,
William Cranch, and
Tristram Dalton

23

Commissioners for the District of Columbia — January 22, 1791, to May 1, 1802


Samuel Lane — March 3,

1817, to May 8, 1822

56

The Bulfinch Landscape Plan — Monroe instructed architect Charles
Bulfinch (who was at work rebuilding the Capitol) to draw up
landscaping plans for the Executive Mansion. While Bulfinch’s
original drawings have been lost, his plan was based on Jefferson's
earlier design and subsequently inspired both the Adams and Jackson
administrations. In addition to grading and planting trees on the

“commons,” a curving north fence was constructed from the earlier
wall, with 1,500 feet of coping and iron fence added. Two piers and
gates completed the project.**

Collection Management

Responsibility for the household furniture and collection proved to be
an administrative concern. As great sums would be expended to
refurnish the house, “the furniture in its kind and extent is thought
to be an object, not less deserving attention than the building for
which it is intended.” William Lee was delegated to purchase fur-
nishings by Monroe for the rebuilt mansion. A substantial amount
of the French furnishings that are still in the White House were
acquired by Monroe in 1817.° :

President Monroe thought he should not have to assume the added
responsibility for these iterns, and he proposed appointing a public
agent to administer the collection. This agent would be responsible
for the contents of the house and for the transfer of them from one
president to another, to report on their condition, and to be respon-
sible for additional acquisitions. While Monroe thought a “super-
intendent” of public buildings was absolutely necessary to guard the
public trust, the house collection remained in a haphazard state of
administration until after the middle of the next century.

Jurisdiction

Jurisdictional questions were suspended during the reconstruction of
the city. On May 15, 1820, Congress approved legislation requiring
the commissioner of public buildings to reimburse the city of
Washington for a portion of any expense incurred in laying open,
paving, or otherwise improving any street in front of, adjoining, or

56. Seale, The President's. House, 167, 173, 202; Message from the President, Public
Buildings, 1818, 15-18.

57. Message from the President of the United States upon the Subject of the Furniture
Necessary for the President's House, &c. February 10, 1818 (Washington, DC: E. De Krafft,
1818), 1-2.; notes, Betty Monkman (OC/WH), July 19, 2000.

58. Message from the President, February 10, 1818, 1-2.

(CHAPTER 2. THE GROWTH OF THE REPUBLIC: 1802-1849


Theodore A. Bingham —
March 9, 1897, to April 30,
1903

180

with an act of Congress. The judge advocate ruled that the sidewalk
constituted part of the public reservation. His reading of the law (26
Stat. 396, approved August 30, 1890), however, saw the legislation
as passed to protect the parks “and to have no relation to the
sidewalks,” a generous interpretation obviously intended to mollify
the decoration committee. The stand was erected on the sidewalk in
front of the Executive Mansion and removed immediately after the
event.©

Site Security

By 1898 a total of 20 electric arc lights had been approved for the
Executive Mansion grounds; however, legal questions about laying
cable across the grounds temporarily delayed installation.”

Additional security improvements were made in 1899 with the
installation of a new electric police call service, consisting of five push
buttons at different points on the ground floor, connected by an
underground telephone cable to a watchbox at the southeast corner
of the house. From there the service ran into the cable between the
State, War, and Navy Building and the Treasury Building, and to the
district police. The grounds of the Executive Mansion had eight
electric arc lights by 1899. President’s Park south of the White House
had nine lights, and Lafayette Square, six. Seventy-one gas burners
still contributed light to the Executive Mansion grounds as well.
More lights were added at the east entrance of the White House in
1899, with the addition of “boulevard lamps" to the tops of the “two
stone pillars at the east end of the mansion”; two older lampposts
were removed.

Bingham requested more Park Watchmen to supplement the 18 day
and 5 night watchmen who patrolled Washington's 401 federal park
acres, including President's Park. Tourism brought “strangers” to the
area around President's Park. The one day watchman on the Ellipse
could not control “scorching” bicyclists, fast drivers, trespassers on
the grass and shrubbery, and criminal activities while policing the
grounds for trash; no watchman was on duty in the evening. “After
dark no decent woman or couple of them dare go through these
grounds and it has on several occasions proved dangerous for men,”

60. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1899, 3815-17.
61. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1898, 3732,3733,3734-35, 3742-43.

62. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1899, 3812, 3837, 3845-46; ibid., 1900, 5231-33,
5242-44, 5261.

CHAPTER 5. THE WHITE House, WASHINGTON, AND THE WORLD: 1897-1933


Edward J. Kelly — July 28,
1950, to May 10, 1958

288

Street between 15th and 17th Streets to help alleviate the problem.
Bus tours to the White House continued to increase, compounding
the traffic and parking problems on the site. In the mid-1950s
parking was reserved on the Ellipse for buses from 6 A.M. to 1 P.M.
Tuesday through Saturday. Citizens complained about White House
staff members having all-day parking privileges at President’s Park,
calling them an “army of chiselers and dead-beats which befoul the
Nation's Capitol” (sic). Staff members retaliated with complaints
about tourists who “just drop in from Kalamazoo and rubber neck”
without considering the people who work in the area. Until parking
garages were built in the area, the problem remained largely
unsolved."

In 1955 Fanny-Fern Davis of the National Park Service completed a
detailed inventory of the trees and shrubs on the White House lawn,
updating similar work that had been accomplished in 1943, 1946,
1947, and 1952, The inventory also included a location chart and a
card file with pertinent information.”

In 1955 Dutch elm disease and elm scorch decimated the elm trees
around the Ellipse and elsewhere in President’s Park. A total of 500
elms on federal property throughout the District were cut and
burned, including many trees on the Ellipse.

Congress passed Public Law 110 (69 Stat. 192) in 1955, limiting the
care, maintenance, repair, and alteration of the Executive Mansion,
along with electric power, fixtures, and travel, to $366,200. Similar
attempts to control the executive budget caused officials to continue
to collaborate on formulating and administering budgets so they
would not be affected by political infighting.”

120. Harold J. Sundstrum to Washington Board of Trade, Nov. 11, 1954; Lawrence J,
Kennon to Kelly, Dec. 12, 1955; Washington I. Cleveland to Root, Aug. 25, 1947; E.
Frederic Morrow (admin. off., Special Projects Group), Sept. 20, 1955; Maynard Tooth to
sec, of the int,, Mar. 28, 1955; Harold J. Sundstrum to Washington Board of Trade, Nov.
11, 1954, pp. 1-2; all in 1460/Grounds South (3), box 11, acc. 64A-42, ESF/WHL/NPS.

121, “The Executive Mansion and Grounds, Existing June 1943,” and “The Commem-
orative Trees, the Executive Mansion Grounds, November 1952,” planting maps, minutes
of the 67th staff meeting, NCP Mar. 13, 1946, no. 16; “Trees in the White House
Grounds,” (rev. 2/19/47 by Mr. Redmond, White House); Fanny-Fern Davis, “Summary
of ‘Trees and Shrubs on White House Lawn, Prepared November 1955"; all in 950-50/
Plantings (2), box 4, acc. 64A-42, ESF/WHL/NPS.

122. Annual Report, Secretary of the Interior, National Park Service, 1955; assoc. supt. to
files, memorandum, Apr. 16, 1958, 950-50/Plantings (2), box 4, acc. 64A-42, ESF/
WHL/NPS. Eisenhower's walnut tree was later removed. Notes, Krause (ESF/WHL/NPS),
July 13, 2000.

123. Act of June 29, 1955 (69 Stat. 192).

CHAPTER 6. THE New DEAL, WoRLD WAR II, AND PEACE: 1933-1958


First Home of the Reserve Officers Association 1824-1938
Dedication: Reserve Officers Association, May 1984.
* Honors the Blair-Lee house as the first office of this organization.

Blair House Markers (5)
(1) Explanatory history of the Blair house. No date.

(2) National Park Service, U.S. Department of Interior. No date.

(3) Dedication: Sigma Delta Chi Professional Journalists Society, 1969.
Commemorates the residency of Francis Preston Blair, editor of the
Globe newspaper during the Jackson administration.

(4) Dedication: President Truman, May 21, 1952.
A memorial in honor of Leslie Coffelt, the Secret Service agent killed
November 1, 1950, in the assassination attempt on Harry S.
Truman.

(5) Entrance Gardens
Dedication: Mr. and Mrs. Jack Carroll Massey, Nashville, Tennessee,
1988.

U.S. Treasury Building

Alexander Hamilton Statue
Sculptor: James E. Fraser
Architect: Henry Bacon
Dedication: 1923

Albert Gallatin Statue

Sculptor: James E. Fraser

Dedication: 1947

Proposed by the Democratic Party in 1926, funding and World War II
delayed the placement of the statue until 1947.

Liberty Bell (Treasury)

This replica of the original bell (which had been cast at the White Chapel
Foundry in London in 1752 and recast by Pass and Snow in
Philadelphia in 1753) is on the west side of the Treasury Building. It is
one of 54 bells cast in France and donated to the United States by the six
companies representing the American copper industry as part of the
Independence Savings Bond Drive, May 15 to July 4, 1950, The bells
were given to each state and territory by direction of Secretary of the
Treasury John W. Snyder. The replica was cast at the foundry of the
sons of Georges Paccard in Ancy-Le-Vieux, Haute Savoie, France, and
dedicated on December 1, 1950. The bell is 45” in height, 26” wide and
has a circumference of 12’. It weighs 2,00@ pounds. The supports for
the bells were donated by the American Bridge Company, a subsidiary
of the United States Steel Corporation. The plaque was donated by

413
Appendix D, Memorials in President's Park



Thomas W. Symons ~ April
30, 1903, to April 26, 1904;
Charles S. Bromwell — April
26, 1904, to March 15, 1909

186

electric “vacuum sweeping system” for the house. Seasonal storage
for the house was accommodated at the government warehouses at
the propagating gardens on the Washington Monument grounds.”

The White House greenhouses on the Washington Monument
grounds were overhauled, painted, and repaired. Three additional
greenhouses were constructed, one of which was used exclusively for
winter storage of bay trees from the White House terraces. Two
more greenhouses were also planned. Additional lawn irrigation
pipes were laid on the White House grounds.”

For the 1905 Roosevelt inauguration reviewing stands were erected in
front of the White House and on the south side of Lafayette Square.
There was a fireworks display on the night of March 4 on the Ellipse.
The inaugural committee posted bonds of $1,600 against damage.
Additional repair after the inaugural ceremonies cost $169.”

A “court of history” on Pennsylvania Avenue from 15th Street to
17th Street was assembled for the 1905 Roosevelt inauguration,
using items originally installed at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition
in St. Louis in 1904. After the inauguration the statuary was turned
over to the Office of Public Buildings and Grounds. Four pieces were
placed in President’s Park. Two winged figures entitled Victory by the
New York sculptor Michel Tonetti (originally installed in front of the
Palace of Manufacturers in St. Louis) were placed at the south
entrance to the Ellipse. Two figures by New York sculptor Bruno L.
Zimon, entitled The Genius of Architecture and The Genius of Music
were also placed in President’s Park. They were removed at an unde-
termined date.*

An article printed in the Washington Star on October 29, 1907, stated
that, according to Assistant Secretary of the Interior Taylor, the
White House and its grounds had cost the public $1,752,789 since its
construction, and that the State, War, and Navy Building had cost
$10,071,916 from 1872 to 1891. The Treasury Building was listed
as having cost $7,250,540 from 1836 to 1907. Considering all that
had occurred on the site since 1800, the estimates for money having
been spent on the White House seem grossly underestimated.TM

80. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1905, 2623-24.

81. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1905, 2625-26, 2638.
82. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1905, 2653.

83. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1905, 2653.

84. Washington Star, Oct. 29, 1907.

(CHAPTER 5. THE WHITE HOUSE, WASHINGTON, AND THE WORLD: 1897-1933


Edward J. Kelly — July 28,
1950, to May 10, 1958

298

Site Security

An attempt on Truman’s life at Blair House by Puerto Rican na-
tionalists in November 1950 caused the Secret Service to again
tighten security measures. Visitors to the construction site were

restricted, and General Edgerton instructed the White House police
under inspector Hobart W. Francis to limit access."

Traditionally, authority on the site had been centered under one
agency (usually the military) with clear legislative authority and
close ties to the president. After World War II administrative
responsibilities began to be shared by a number of executive depart-
ments: with various missions, and the direct involvement of the
president became more administratively distant. On July 4, 1951,
Congress finally gave permanent authority for presidential protection
to the Treasury Department's Secret Service; up to this time the
matter had been a question of yearly budgetary discussion and
consideration. The Secret Service now administered both plainclothes
agents and the White House Police, with a direct connection to the
executive. The National Park Service administered the grounds of
Reservation No. 1 and the White House collection through the Office
of the Chief Usher, without any direct executive influence. The
Federal Works Administration (whose duties were transferred in 1949
to the General Services Administration) controlled office buildings on
the site, exclusive of the Treasury. The military continued to operate
on the site, with the president as commander in chief.**

Security was also improved by the acquisition of a new two-way
radio system that allowed U. S. Park Police to maintain communica-
tion between motorcycle units, mounted units, and cruiser person-
nel. However, an attempt to change lighting to mercury vapor
luminaires throughout the grounds for security purposes met with
resistance from NPS personnel. The National Park Service suggested
that a lighting study be conducted on which future lighting decisions
could be based. It is unclear if the survey was ever done.’®

151. Clipping, Washington Post, Mar. 27, 1952, Ayers presidential file, White House gen-
eral file, box 21, HSTL; Matthew Connelley to the White House Police, memorandum,

* Nov. 1, 1951, WHCF (permanent file), file 5, box 306, HSTL; Seale, The President's House,

1039.
152. McCarthy and Smith, Protecting the President, 106.

153. Annual Report, Secretary of the Interior, National Park Service, 1955, 332-36, 362;
ibid., 1956, 299, 309-10; ibid., 1957, 309, 319; Gartside to Crim, memorandum, Nov. 8,
1956, 950-25/lighting, box 4, acc. 64A-42, ESF/WHL/NPS; Thompson to Brig. Gen.
Thomas A. Lane, Feb. 8, 1957, 1460/Grounds South (3), box 11, acc. 64A-42,
ESE/WHLNPS.

CHAPTER 6. THE New DEAL, WoRLD WAR Hl, AND PEACE: 1933-1958


patrol, eliminating the possibility of unwanted strangers lurking in. William Easby — March
the shrubbery. 12, 1851, to June 14, 1853

To further address security concerns, a guardroom was scheduled for
the triumphal arch; in the meantime, soldiers delivered four guns
with fixed bayonets and rounds of ammunition to the White House
from the Washington Arsenal south of the White House.

William Easby — March 12, 1851, to June 14, 1853

William Easby began his tenure as commissioner of public buildings
on March 12, 1851, and served until June 1853. As with many of
the early administrators, little is known of his life and career before
his appointment as commissioner. He immediately came into conflict
with Andrew Jackson Downing and his design work for President's
Park. Easby resigned in reaction to Secretary of the Interior Robert
McClelland’s intense scrutiny into and questioning of operations of
the Office of Public Buildings. He was succeeded by Benjamin
French.**

William Easby

General Administration «pas
Courtesy: Historical

The Millard Fillmore Administration. Shortly after Easby’s appoint- Society of Washington

ment, President Fillmore had to settle the dispute between the com-
missioner’s office and architect Robert Mills. Easby had told Mills
that he considered him incompetent. Fillmore supported the dismissal
of Mills and replaced him with the Philadelphia architect Thomas U.
Walter, who later designed and engineered the dome and extension of
the U.S. Capitol.¥

Downing continued his planning and design work for President’s
Park under Easby, with the Mall transformed into a “national park”
— the first acknowledgment of such a concept. President Fillmore
approved parts of Downing’s plan on April 12, 1851. Only the work
south of the Jefferson wall and east of 17th street on the Mall could
begin; the rest would wait until plans for the Capitol were completed.
However, Downing felt that Easby was too anxious to manage his

24. Seale, The President's House, 296-97; Downing, “Plan for the Mall and President’s
Park.”

25. Capt. William Easby qualified as commissioner of public buildings in place of
Ignatius Mudd, deceased, Mar. 14, 1851, “Journal, Commissioner of Public Buildings,”
7:33, RG 42; Lanman, Biographical Annals, 131; Seale, The President's House, 321-22.

26. NPS, Lafayette Park, vii; Seale, The President's House, 290-91, 293.

93
U.S. Department of the interior, Commissioner of Public Buildings — March 5, 1849, to March 2, 1867



Oswald H. Ernst — was in place. This was the first large-scale memorial initiative at

September 7, 1889, to President's Park since the Jackson statue was dedicated in 1853."
March 31, 1893 .

Sometime during the Harrison administration, the president planted
a scarlet oak on the north side of the White House, next to the north-
west pedestrian entrance.**

Collection Management

In 1890 one presidential portrait was relined, cleaned, and revar-
nished; three other portraits were cleaned and revarnished.'*

Jurisdiction

In the District of Columbia appropriation bill approved July 14,
1892, the secretary of war was authorized to grant permits for the
use of public grounds for encampments of the Grand Army of the
Republic. Under a joint resolution of Congress approved on January

23, 1893, the secretary of war granted permits to the executive
committee on the inaugural ceremonies.”

Site Security e@

Electricity made additional security measures possible. The telephone
lines from the White House were extended to Washington’s third
precinct police station. A watchman’s time detector was installed by
the front door and connected to nine stations throughout the house.
An electric beli was connected from the watchman’s lodge southeast
of the White House.”

Security received an upgrade with the installation of an electric fire
alarm system in the White House, along with fire extinguishers. The
system was installed free of charge and maintained by the company
donating the work. The seven iron posts with electric lights were
finally installed on the Ellipse in October 1890.”

134, Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1891, 3907, 3913-15.

135. UNPS], The White House Grounds and Gardens, 1988-1992, 16.

136. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1890, 3548.

137. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1893, , ili, iv, 4315-16, 4326-31, 4336.

138. “Historical Information on the White House and its Furnishings,” HSTL; Annual
Report, Chief of Engineers, 1891, 3917-18.

139. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1891, 3535-36. : r

156

‘CHAPTER 4. THE LINITED STATES ON THE THRESHOLD OF WORLD POWER: 1867-1897


guards were posted, and arms were kept ready in the porter’s lodge.
Officials attempted to send Mrs. Lincoln and her children north for
protection, but she refused to leave. All family members were
guarded upon leaving the compound, and guards were stationed at
all doorways. The daily mails brought threatening letters, and the
president lived in a constant state of siege. In the summers Lincoln
lived at the Soldiers’ Home 3 miles north of Washington. He arrived
daily at about 8:30 by way of Vermont Avenue, riding a gray horse
or in a barouche, surrounded by a 25- to 30-member cavalry guard
with drawn sabers. The city was alive with soldiers.’”

Commissioner French noted that vandalism was a common occur-
rence inside the house, and that swatches of material had been cut
from drapes and wallpaper. Even curtain swags and ornaments had
disappeared. He recommended that a day watchman be hired to
guard against such thefts.’

The assassination of President Lincoln by John Wilkes Booth on April
12, 1865, created a security nightmare. As part of the plot master-
minded by Booth, Lewis Paine attempted to kill Secretary of State
William Seward in his home on Lafayette Square, leaving five people
wounded. An attempt by George B. Atzerodt to assassinate Vice
President Andrew Johnson at the Kirkwood Hotel was never followed
through since soldiers surrounded the hotel to protect Johnson."*

Unlike the Lincolns, the Johnsons remained at the White House
during the summer months, creating security problems. People seek-
ing pardons for relatives crowded the upstairs hallways, and “pardon
brokers” (people masquerading as petitioners for a fee} caused the
police great concern. However, by July 1865 security measures at the
White House returned to normal.?

The Secret Service was created in 1866 as a function of the Treasury
Department to investigate counterfeiting operations. As the years
passed the Secret Service was relied on more and more to provide
security for the president and his family. The Secret Service shared
their responsibilities for presidential protection with the White House
Police (a division of the Washington Metropolitan Police).

102. Seale, The President's House, 362, 370, 376, 377; Whitman, ‘Abraham Lincoln” and
“The Inauguration,” in The Portable Walt Whitman, 434, 450, 455, 461.

103. Seale, The President's House, 424.

104. Seale, The President's House, 418-19.
105. Seale, The President's House, 427, 429.
106. Seale, The President's House, 902.

William S. Wood — May
31, 1861, to September 5,
1861; Benjamin B. French —
September 5, 1861, to
March 2, 1867

115

U.S. Department of the Interior, Commissioner of Public Buildings — March 5, 1849, to March 2, 1867


Office of National Parks, Buildings, and Reservations —
August 10, 1933, to March 2, 1934; National Park
Service — March 2, 1934, to May 10, 1958

Executive Order 6166, dated June 10, 1933, transferred management
duties of the Office of Public Buildings and Public Parks from the U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers to the Office of National Parks, Buildings,
and Reservations, effective August 10, 1933. On March 2, 1934, the
name was changed back to the National Park Service.‘

As the National Park Service adjusted to its new responsibilities for
the National Capital Parks, the first superintendents who served as de
facto administrators for President's Park continued many of the
traditions established by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Frank T. Gartside — August 10, 1933, to October 9, 1933;
C. Marshall Finnan — October 9, 1933, to July 31, 1939

Frank T. Gartside’s administration of the White House and President’s
Park lasted only a month and a half; he would again serve as acting
superintendent in 1939. C. Marshall Finnan became superintendent
in 1933 and served in that capacity for the next six years. No
additional information about their lives has been located.

General Administration

The Franklin D. Roosevelt Administration. After chief usher Irwin
“Ike” Hoover died on September 14, 1933, Raymond Douglas Muir
succeeded him in the office. In 1938 Howell G. Crim, an assistant
under both Hoover and Muir and an attorney by training, became
chief usher. The National Park Service, like the Army Corps of
Engineers, maintained close contacts with the Chief Usher’s Office.
NPS employees were made available to the White House for various
household tasks as needed. The Park Service requested that the
ushers office reimburse the agency for employees’ salaries when the
work was completed.’

6. Executive Order 6166, June 10, 1933; act of March 2, 1934, ch. 38., 48 Stat. 389.

7. Seale, The President’s House, 932-70; acting supt. to Capt. Ker, memorandum, Oct.
22, 1940; senior asst. supt. to L. J. Bittner, memorandum, July 25, 1941; H. F Taylor
(chief, Accounts) to Gillen, memorandum, Jan. 3, 1942; Conrad Wirth to supt. (National
Capital Parks [NCP!), memorandum, Jan. 14, 1942; Gillen to E. B. Morris, Jan. 29, 1942;
all in 1770-20/100/White House, box 16, acc. 65A-1108, WH&WPP files,
ESE/WHUNPS.

Frank T. Gartside — August
10, 1933, to October 9,
1933; C. Marshall Finnan —
October 9, 1933, to July 31,
1939

C. Marshall Finnan

Courtesy: National Park
Service

241

Office of National Parks, Buildings, and Reservations — August 10, 1933, to March 2, 1934; National Park Service — March 2, 1934, to May 10, 1958



Jurisdiction

The U.S. Constitution provided Congress with legislative control over
a district-not exceeding 10 miles square as the permanent seat of
government. All questions of jurisdiction and authority in the
District of Columbia rest on the Constitution.”

An act of Congress on July 16, 1790, authorized the appointment of
three commissioners to select a location for the seat of government of
the United States and ordered the commissioners to provide buildings
for Congress, the president, and other necessary public buildings.
Both the designations of the “Territory of Columbia” and the “City of
Washington” were authorized under this act. (The names “Territory
of Columbia,” and for the federal city, the “City of Washington”
were confirmed by the commissioners on September 9, 1791.) By an
executive act of January 22, 1791, Washington appointed the three
commissioners to be in charge of lot sales, public building
construction, street openings, square designation, and similar duties.
In an executive proclamation on January 24, 1791, Washington
made of record the boundaries for his choice for a townsite on both
sides of the Potomac River between Georgetown and the Anacostia
River.”

The legal description of what would be President’s Park was given as
follows:

First, the public appropriation beginning at the intersection
of the south side of North H Street and at the west side of a
street ninety feet in width, drawn parallel to the west side
of Square numbered two hundred and twenty-one and
running due south with the west side of said street until it
intersects the south side of an east and west street, drawn
parallel to the south front of said square numbered two
hundred and twenty-one, being ninety feet wide; then east
with the south side of said street until it intersects the west
side of fifteenth street, west then south with the west of

the House of Representatives) 976, 1276. Information on Claxton from notes by Betty
Monkman, Office of the Curator, The White House (hereafter cited as OC/WR), July 19,
2000.

71. U.S. Constitution, art. 1, sec. 17.

72. Act of July 16, 1790 (1 Stat. 130); executive act of Jan. 22, 1791 (1 Stat. 139);
executive proclamation, Jan. 24, 1791; act of Mar. 3, 1791 (1 Stat. 214), which amended
the act of July 16, 1790, by adding property to the District of Columbia that formerly
belonged to the state of Virginia; Commissioners to L'Enfant, Sept. 9, 1791, “Records of
the Commissioners," n.p,, RG 42; act of May 1, 1802 (2 Stat. 175). An annotated listing
of laws and executive orders pertaining to the White House and President's Park is
included as appendix C.

Daniel Carroll, Thomas
Johnson, David Stuart,
Gustavus Scott, William
Thornton, Alexander White,
William Cranch, and
Tristram Dalton

33

Commissioners for the District of Columbia — January 22, 1791, to May 1, 1802


William Noland —
February 10, 1834, to
November 5, 1846

76

In February 1844 a cannon explosion aboard the frigate Princeton
took the lives of Secretary of State Abel P Upshur, Secretary of the
Navy Thomas W. Gilmer, and six others. The eight victims were laid
in state in the East Room and buried in the congressional cemetery.
This event, less than three years after Harrison’s state funeral,
further established precedents for national mourning. The commis-
sioner of public buildings continued to play a central role in these and
similar ceremonies.

The James K. Polk Administration. After James K. Polk was inau-
gurated in March 1845, he began reorganizing the government and
cutting expenses, and First Lady Sarah Polk reorganized the White
House staff. Hired servants were dismissed and replaced by slaves.
Free blacks no longer worked at the house, with the exception of a
furnace man by the name of Smith. The steward Boulanger left, and
Henry Bowman became the new chief steward. Unlike Boulanger,
Bowman took up residence in the White House, preempting the
former doorkeeper’s lodge."

Under Polk the additional responsibilities of the chief steward pre-
saged the role of the chief usher, which came into being at the end of
the 19th century. The steward now registered visitors to the president
and managed his daily affairs and schedules. The porter’s lodge to
the right of the main north entrance became his house office, and it
functions as the Chief Usher's office today. The White House steward
and the commissioner of public buildings continued a close working
relationship in order to accomplish their respective duties.”

In 1845 John Ousley, who had worked for John Quincy Adams, still
tended President’s Park. Instead of living in the east wing, at this time
he lived in a wooden house on the grounds near the flower garden.
Jemmy Maher still served as gardener for the public grounds in the
District, augmenting his private nursery business. Ousley continued
to rake the gravel walks and to see that contractors painted and
repaired fences, while he maintained the orangery and other garden
paraphernalia. He also maintained the north and south lawns, seeing
that they were sickle-cut and sheep-grazed and that the turf was
compacted afterward with a heavy stone roller."

114. Seale, The President's House, 246-47.
115, Seale, The President’s House, 258-59,
116, Seale, The President's House, 258-59, 611.
117. Seale, The President’s House, 269-72.

CHAPTER 2. THE GROWTH OF THE REPUBLIC: 1802-1849


Bulfinch Gatehouse

Bulfinch Gatehouse i
Ve ) Cae Rare

The White House and President’s Park

/ National Park Service

United States Department of the Interior


Harry T. Thompson — May
10, 1958, to February 25,
1961; T. Sutton Jett —
March 15, 1961, to January
14, 1968; 1. J. Castro —
January 14, 1968, to
September 25, 1969; Rex W.
Scouten (Assistant Regional
Director) — February 24,
1968, to May 4, 1969

314

NPS historians on detail from Independence National Historical Park
to be present at the east entrance to answer questions. Displays of
presidential memorabilia, postcards, booklets, and similar items be-
gan to form the core of an organized interpretive experience for the
White House. Plans for a taped message to be played along the fence
were also implemented. However, tourists still entered the White
House on the east through a small entrance adjacent to the main east
entrance. This required them to walk down a sidewalk next to a
driveway. It was not until December 1967, after the wedding of
Lynda Bird and Charles Robb, that Mrs. Johnson suggested that
tourists use the main east entrance to begin the White House tours,
just as wedding guests had entered the house."

On March 19, 1965, Vice President Hubert Humphrey contacted
Secretary of the Interior Stewart Udall about a pilot project entitled
“See the USA Program.” He asked that NPS Director George B.
Hartzog Jr. head up the project, and a task force chaired by William
Briggle was appointed. The National Park Service contracted with
Colonial Williamsburg to produce a study. In the completed docu-
ment, entitled ‘A Survey of the Nation’s Capital, Spring 1965: The
Visitor in Washington,” author Thomas G. McCaskey noted that “no
place in al! America captures the imagination as does the President's
home.” He observed that on crowded days as many as 11,000 people
were admitted in a two-hour period at “a rate that resembles a
stampede,” and that at the height of visitation as many as 100 people
a minute passed the east gate. Under such conditions the White
House tour was a disappointment for many visitors and “negative
comments” could be heard in the tour lines, McCaskey said. “The
White House visitation plan needs more flexibility . . . opening earlier
and staying open later whenever possible or necessary; staying open
six days a week in peak times instead of five.” An interpretive card
with floor plans of the State Rooms and descriptions of important
objects was produced so that visitors might more readily appreciate
the experience and realize its significance. Ultimately, a brochure
entitled Welcome to Washington was produced; walking tours and
other types of publications were also suggested.

31. “White House Visitation by Tourists,” Oct. 20, 1981, box 69, Reorganization,
WHHA/CPWH/WPE ESE/ARD/WHL/NPS. Dir. (NPS) to sec. of the int., memorandum,
Feb. 2, 1965, AS6/Misc. (2 of 2), box WHL-AM-020, ESF/WHL/NPS. Elisabeth Carpenter
to Mr. and Mrs. E. Bjorkland, Aug. 25, 1965; press sec., news release, Dec. 18, 1967;
both in A56é/Misc. (1 of 2), box WHL-AM-020, Office of the Director, ESF/WHL/NPS.
Castro, interview by Soapes, 79-80.

32. McCaskey, ‘A Survey of the Nation’s Capital, Spring 1965: The Visitor in
Washington,” 8-9; Smith to Mrs. Poehlman, Sept. 30, 1965; both in A8219/Visits
(1/1/65-1/1/7} (3), box 18, acc. 68A-3201, ESF/WHL/NPS. Report of “See the USA’ Task

CHAPTER 7, THE NATION’S FRONTYARD: 1958-1983


424

BIBLIOGRAPHY

National Capital Planning Commission. Comprehensive Plan for the National
Capital: Federal Elements. Washington, 1989.

National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. ‘A Brief History of
the White House.” Post-Presidential Files, box 92, Harry S. Truman
Library, Independence, Missouri. n.d.

s

. Comprehensive Design Plan and Draft Environmental Impact Statement,
The White House and President's Park, Washington, D.C, Denver Service Center,
1998.

. Comprehensive Design Plan and Final Environmental Impact Statement,
The White House and President’s Park, Washington, D.C. Denver Service Center,
1999.

——.. Comprehensive Design Plan, The White House and President's Park,
Washington, D.C. Denver Service Center, 2000.

. Environmental Assessment for the Long-term Design, Pennsylvania
Avenue at the White House, President’s Park. Denver Service Center, 1996.

—.. Executive Summary: Proposal for a Comprehensive Design Plan for the
White House. Denver Service Center, 1988.

. “National Park Service Architectural Drawing Inventory: President’s
Park,” compiled by David Krause, White House Liaison, 1992.

. “Report on the Care and Rehabilitation of the Executive Mansion
Grounds Incident to the Renovation of the White House, January, 1950
to May 1952,” by Fanny-Fern Davis. National Capital Parks. [ca. 1952.}

.| The White House Grounds and Gardens, 1984-1988. Washington,
DC: U.S, Government Printing Office, 1988.

.] The White House Grounds and Gardens, 1988-1992. Washington,
DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1992.

Office of the Chief Usher, The White House. The White House: The Ronald W.
Reagan Administration, 1981-1989. Washington, DC: White House
Historical Association, 1989.

Olmsted Brothers. “Report to the President of the United States on
Improvements and Policy of Maintenance for the Executive Mansion
Grounds.” N. p., 1935. Photecopy.

Parks, Lillian. My Thirty Years Backstairs at the White House. New York: Fleet
Publications Corporation, 1961.

Pennsylvania Avenue Development Corporation. The Pennsylvania Avenue
Plan: 1974. Washington, DC: The Pennsylvania Avenue Development
Corporation, 1974.

Powell, William H. Powell’s Records of Living Officers of the United States Army.
Philadelphia: L. R. Hammersly, 1890.


Chapter 7. The Nation's Frontyard: 1958-1983 — 301

An Overview of the Period — 301

The National Park Service — 1958-1983 — 302

Harry T. Thompson —- May 10, 1958, to February 25, 1961;
T. Sutton Jett — March 15, 1961, to January 14, 1968;

J, J. Castro — January 14, 1968, to September 25, 1969; and

Rex W. Scouten (Assistant Regional Director) — February 24, 1968, to
May 4, 1969 — 303
Russell E. Dickenson — September 26, 1969, to November 11, 1973;
Manus J. Fish — November 11, 1973, to September 4, 1988;
Elmer S. Atkins (Assistant Regional Director) - May 4, 1969, to December 31, 1983 — 335

Conclusion — 359

Chapter 8. Epilogue: 1983-1997 — 361

Overview of the Period — 361

National Park Service — 1983 to 1997 — 363
Manus J. Fish — Continuing to September 4, 1988;
Ronald N. Wrye — September 4, 1988, to December 18, 1988;
Robert G. Stanton — December 18, 1988, to January 3, 1997; and
James 1, McDaniel (Associate Regional Director) — December 31, 1983, to- — 363

Conclusion — 381

Chapter 9. Conclusion — 383
Chapter 10. Recommendations for Future Research — 387

Appendixes / Bibliography / Index — 391

Appendix A. Administrators of the White House and President's Park — 393

Appendix B. Various Persons, Boards, and Commissions Attached
* to President’s Park — 396

Appendix C. Annotated Legislative History — 399
Appendix D. Memorials in President's Park — 409
Bibliography — 419
Index — 437

v
Contents


Frank T. Gartside — July 31,
1939, to February 1, 1940;
Edmund B. Rogers —
February 1, 1940, to April
18, 1940; Francis F. Gillen
— April 18, 1940, to
January 2, 1941; Irvin C.
Root — January 2, 1941, to
July 28, 1950

Edmund B. Rogers

Courtesy: National Park
Service

254

considerations in President's Park, most probably because of the
presence of the secretary of the treasury on the site. The White House
remained under the control of the other executive officials on the site
-— the president, or his representative (at times a family member, or
later, the chief usher). The actual control of the maintenance of the
immediate White House grounds remained with the chief usher until
the early 1960s, when the Chief Usher’s Office formally turned over
the authority to the National Park Service.”

Frank T. Gartside — July 31, 1939, to February 1, 1940;
Edmund B. Rogers — February 1, 1940, to April 18, 1940;
Francis F. Gillen — April 18, 1940, to January 2, 1941;
Irvin C. Root — January 2, 1941, to July 28, 1950

Superintendent Finnan resigned in 1939 for health reasons; his duties
were temporarily assumed by Frank Gartside, Edmund B. Rogers, and
Francis F. Gillen until the appointment of Irvin C. Root in 1941.

Edmund Rogers, from Denver, Colorado, attended Cornell in 1910-11
and finished at Yale in 1915. After working for the U.S. Topo-
graphical Survey on the Mexican border, he met Horace Albright and
Stephen Mather about 1916 at the first national parks conference in
Denver. After a career in banking, he became superintendent of Rocky
Mountain National Park on February 2, 1929, before serving. as
superintendent of National Capital Parks for nine months. After
leaving Washington, D.C., Rogers served as superintendent of
Yellowstone National Park until 1956. He had an intense interest in
the history and philosophy of the National Park Service. Upon
leaving Yellowstone, he moved back to Denver, where he continued
his research out of an office near the Denver Public Library. For the
next 3% years he pursued an extensive research agenda concerning
the history of land use and the National Park Service until he retired.
Rogers created an index of legislation for park establishment, but a
history was never completed.”

31. NPS, Parks of the National Capital (Washington, DC: U.S. GPO, 1963), 1; J. B. West
to reg. dir. (Region 6, NPS}, May 25, 1962, 950/Grounds (2), box 14, ARD/WHL/NPS;
USDI, sec. of the interior, Annual Report, Secretary of the interior, 1940, 155; Morris, Report
of the Commission on the Renovation of the Executive Mansion, 108; “Legislative Authority
Governing the Control of the Park System for the District of Columbia,” 950/Grounds
(White House), box 4, acc. 644-42, ESF/WHL/NPS.

32. Annual Report, Secretary of the Interior, 1940, 198-99.

33. Edmund B. Rogers, interview by Herbert Evison, Denver, Colorado, Sept. 21, 1962,
(NPS, Harpers Ferry Center Library, WV, transcript), reel CXVE, pp. 1-2, 5, 6, 8-11, 14-
17.

CHAPTER 6. THE NEW DEAL, WoRLD WAR Ii, AND PEACE: 1933-1958


the lot was to be finished the next year, giving the area “something of Thomas L. Casey — March
a park like appearance.”” 3, 1877, to April 1, 1881

Water service to President’s Park was upgraded. The White House
continued to receive water from both a spring and the Potomac River.
The river water entered the house from a 12-inch main in Pennsyl-
vania Avenue, Use at the house was estimated at 6,650 gallons a day.
The White House greenhouses and grounds used 4,800 gallons daily,
supplied from the Pennsylvania Avenue main and a 4-inch main in
15th Street. The 3,600 gallons used daily for Lafayette Square came
from the Pennsylvania Avenue main. All such water service remained
the responsibility of the officer in charge.”

Collection Management

Mrs. Hayes consulted with experts on how to redecorate the house
“historically.” She formalized the art collection by acquiring portraits
of presidents and first ladies, including a portrait of Martha
Washington by E. F Andrews. Inventories continued to be supervised
by Casey’s office.”

Jurisdiction

On June 29, 1874, the governor/legislative assembly form of gov-
ernment in Washington, D.C., which had gone into effect in 1871,
was abolished. Three commissioners were again appointed to oversee
the district.” :

The officer in charge still worked closely with the District of
Columbia on matters of street jurisdiction and improvements. The
D.C. government changed again on June 11, 1878, but the commis-
sioner form of administration was retained.’

72. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1880, 2339
73. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1880, 2325-57.
74, Seale, The President's House, 501, 499-502; [Smith], “History of Changes,” n.p.

75. See District of Columbia, act of June 29, 1874 (18 Stat. 116), as noted in Annual
Report, Chief of Engineers, 1900, 5277.

76. District of Columbia, act of June 11, 1878 (20 Stat. 102), as noted in Annual Report,
Chief of Engineers, 1900, 5277.

139
U.S, Army Coms of Engineers, Office of Public Buildings and Grounds —- March 2, 1867, to March 9, 1897



what these grounds consisted of or why this portion of Reservation 1
did not come under his control.”

In 1949 President and Mrs. Truman participated in the lighting of the
national Christmas tree by remote control from their home in
Independence, Missouri. The tree lighting continued on the south
lawn until 1954, when the Christmas Pageant of Peace was initiated;
the ensuing crowds required that the ceremony be moved to the
Ellipse.*

Memorials

Upon the surrender of Japan on August 14, 1945, a crowd broke the
bronze scabbard off the figure of the Comte D’Estaing on the east side
of the Lafayette statue; the base of the statue was written on in red
lipstick. In September the carriage of the one of the cannon at the
Jackson statue collapsed. It was thought that this incident was not
due to abuse by crowds but to the age of the carriage itself.”

The mosaic work around the Sherman statue was repaired in 1947;
earlier suggestions had inchided removing the mosaic and replacing it
with granite tablets, as the mosaic did not wear well and kept falling
apart. Some criticized the work, saying that the figures at the four
corners of the monument were inappropriately equipped, that they
were out of scale with the rest of the memorial, and calling for their
removal. The National Park Service, however, objected to the removal
of any original treatments.”

81. NPS, Monthly Travel Report, Aug. 1947; Gartside to Mrs. Paul O’Brien, Mar. 4,
1952; Gartside to Betty Jo Gardner, May 9, 1952; Jett to Beatrice Hecht, May 19, 1952;
supt. (NCP) to under sec. (DON), Nov. 23, 1948; Thompson to Merrill A. Coe, Nov. 23,
1948; Charles A. Peters (dep. comm. for buildings management) to Root, Jan. 4, 1949;
Root to Archie G. Hutson (chairman, Subcommittee on Presidential Grandstands), Feb. 16,
1949; a in 980/Police, box 6, acc. 64A~-42, WH&WPP files, ESF/WHL/NPS.

82. “Meeting of the Executive Committee, National Community Christmas Tree, 1948,
Recreation Offices, 3149 16th Street, NW,” passim; “Meeting of the Executive Committee,
National Community Christmas Tree, 1949,” p. 4; Gartside to Mrs. Charles R. Miller, Dec.
11, 1956; all in 1115-30-10/Executive Mansion Grounds, box 10, acc. 64A-42,
ESF/WHL/NPS..

83. Gartside to Thompson, Sept. 10, 1945, 1430/Lafayette Park (2), box 17, acc. 66A-
1097, ESF/WHL/NPS.

84. Jett to Root, memorandum, Nov. 12, 1947; S. J. Oliver (chief, Supply Div.}, to U.S.
Tile and Marble Co., Inc., Nov. 9, 1929; U.S. Tile and Marble Co. to the dir. (Navy
Building), Nov. 25, 1929; Gillen to Clarke (chairman, CEA), Aug. 30, 1941; Clarke to
Gillen, Sept. 18, 1941; Clarke to Paul Manship, Sept. 4, 1941; Sgt. Pease and Pvt. Burns
(WLS. Park Police) to Capt. Henry Helms, May 22, 1941; Brig. Gen. Ernest D. Scott to A.
B. Cammerer, Feb. 25, 1934; A. B. Cammerer to Scott, Feb. 27, 1934; all in
1430/Sherman, box 17, acc. 66A-1097, ESF/WHL/NPS.

Frank T. Gartside — July 31,
1939, to February 1, 1940;
Edmund B. Rogers —
February 1, 1940, to April
18; 1940; Francis F. Gillen

— April 18, 1940, to
January 2, 1941; Irvin C.
Root — January 2, 1941, to
July 28, 1950

275

Office of National Parks, Buildings, and Reservations — August 10, 1933, to March 2, 1934; National Park Service — March 2, 1934, to May 10, 1958


Daniel Carroll, Thomas
Johnson, David Stuart,
Gustavus Scott, William
Thornton, Alexander White,
William Cranch, and
Tristram Dalton

30

CHAPTER 1. BEGINNINGS: 1791-1802

of the first session of government in the District of Columbia,
scheduled for November 1800.*

At the beginning of the 1800s the work of the commissioners in
administering the planning and construction of the nation’s capital
continued to be cumbersome. Large and small problems were com-
monplace, such as a confusing argument with James Clark in
February 1801 about interior blinds for the Treasury office.“ When
required, the commissioners dealt swiftly with social problems under
their control, particularly those related to public services or security.
For example, the commissioners sold the former hospital building to
the local Court of Magistrates for $200 for use as an “alms-house,
poor house or hospital as they might think proper.” In another case
Charles Purdy owned a house where he allegedly sold liquor to
soldiers, “thereby occasioning great disturbance in the Camp in this
city.” The commissioners informed Purdy that he could either answer
the charges by 10 o’clock the next day or they would issue an order
to raze his house, as it was located on public Jands. In contractual
obligations, the commissioners required finesse and diplomacy;
however, perceived miscreants like Purdy received quick and decisive
action, regardless of one’s constitutional rights. The commission
experienced few problems in obliging important personages like
Daniel Carroll of Duddington, who purchased free stone intended for
hearths at the Capitol from the commission at $7.50 per ton for use
as house steps. The commission agreed to the sale “provided James
Hoban find there will be a sufficient quantity remaining” for the
work at the statehouse.*

Work in the War Office, under contract to Leonard Harbaugh, proved
so irregular that in December 1800 the commission called for an
audit of the actual number of bricks used in its construction. Hoban
reported that 727,112 bricks had been used. The commissioners
stated that Harbaugh was to be paid for his work on the Treasury
and War Buildings only on the estimate of Hoban, and that any other
alterations to the buildings needed by Harbaugh should be made at
“no additional expense to the public.” In February 1801 leaks in the

62. C. Stevenson, removal of planking and shingles from carpenter's shop on President's
Square, June 14, 1800, “Records of the Commissioners,” 373; Dolkart, The Old Executive
Office Building, 4. According to Dolkart, fires destroyed the records of both the Treasury
and the War Departments in 1800; see The Old Executive Office Building, 6.

63. Clark to commission, Jan. 13, 1801, “Records of the Commissioners,” 77-78, 8G
42.

64. Complaint against Charles Purdy, Aug., 19, 1801, “Records of the Commissioners,”
198, RG 42; selling of hospital, Sept. 15, 1801, ibid., 205; stone to Daniel Carroll of
Duddington, Sept. 17, 1801, ibid., 207.


State, War, and Navy Building

Commission for Site Selection — December 14, 1869, to March 3, 1871
John M. Schofield, Secretary of War

William Faxon
Adolph E. Borie

George Robeson, Secretary of the Navy

Hugh McCulloch
John F. Hartley

George S. Boutwell, Secretary of the Treasury
Supervising Architect of the Treasury
Architect of the Capitol Extension

Nathaniel Michler, Bvt. Brig. Gen., U.S. Army; Maj., Corps of
Engineers (Superintendent of Public Buildings and Grounds)

Officers in Charge of Construction — June 21, 1871, to May 31, 1888

Alfred B. Mullett
William A. Potter
Orville E. Babcock
Thomas Lincoln Casey

June 21, 1871, to December 31, 1874
January 1, 1875, to March 2, 1875
March 25, 1875, to March 3, 1877
March 3, 1877, to May 31, 1888

Commission for the State, War, and Navy Building — March 3, 1883
to February 26, 1925

Secretaries of War
Robert T. Lincoln 1881 William Howard Taft 1904
William C. Endicott 1885 Luke E. Wright 1908
Redfield Proctor 1889 = Jacob M. Dickenson 1909
Lewis A. Grant 1891 Henry L. Stimson 1911
Stephen B. Elkins 1891 Lindley M. Garrison 1913
Daniel S. Lamont 1893 Hugh L. Scott 1916
Russell A. Alger 1897 Newton D. Baker 1916
Elihu Root 1897 John F. Weeks 1921
Secretaries of State

James G. Blaine 1881 William R. Day 1898
Frederick T. Frelinghuysen 1881 John M. Hay 1898
Thomas F Bayard 1885 Francis B. Loomis 1905
James G. Blaine 1889 Elihu Root 1905,
William FE Wharton 1892 Robert Bacon 1909

ad interim Philander C. Knox 1909
John W. Foster 1892 William Jennings Bryan 1913
Walter Q. Greshman 1893 Robert Lansing 1915
Edwin F Uh] 1895 Frank L. Polk 1920
Alvey A. Adee 1898 —Bairibridge Colby 1920

ad interim Charles Evans Hughes 1921
Richard Olney 1895 Frank B. Kellogg 1925
John Sherman 1897

397

Appendix B. Various Persons, Boards, and Commissions Attached to President's Park



Act of May 7, 1822 — Granted certain powers to the Corporation of
Washington (3 Stat. 691-93).

Act of May 26, 1824 — Supplemented the ‘Act to Incorporate the
Inhabitants of the City of Washington” (4 Stat. 75-77).

Act of May 20 1826 — An Act Supplementary to the Act Entitled “An Act to
Incorporate the Inhabitants of the City of Washington and to Repeal All
Acts Heretofore Passed for that Purpose,” passed fifteenth May, eighteen
hundred twenty — Defined the properties applicable as open spaces as
well as public squares and reservations (4 Stat. 186).

Act of May 17, 1848 — Altered the charter of the city of Washington and
provided for a municipal surveyor (9 Stat. 228).

Act of March 3, 1849, Section 9 ~~ Gave to the secretary of the interior the
supervisory and appellate powers of the president over the commis-
sioner of public buildings (9 Stat. 395, 396).

Act of March 2, 1853 — Prohibited the purchase or planting of Ailanthus
trees on the public grounds (10 Stat. 207).

Act of May 5, 1864, An Act to Incorporate the City of Washington,—
Instructed the commissioner of public buildings to pay “the just
proportion of the expenses incurred in improving such avenues, streets
and alleys” (13 Stat. 64).

Act of June 30, 1864 — Authorized the secretary of the interior to prevent
the improper appropriation or occupation of any of the public streets,
avenues, squares, or reservations in the city of Washington belonging
to the United States and to reclaim the same (13 Stat. 412).

Act of March 2, 1867 — Removed jurisdiction from the Department of the
Interior and ended the position of commissioner of public buildings,
with duties reassigned to the War Department, Office of the Chief
Engineer, United States Army. Created the Capitol Police, from which
Park Watchmen and United States Park Police later evolved (14 Stat.
466).

Act of March 29, 1867 — Provided that “the several sums of money hereto-
fore appropriated, to be expended under the direction of the commis-
sioners of public buildings, be transferred to and expended under the
direction of the Chief Engineer of the Army or such officer of thé
Engineer Corps as he may direct” (15 Stat. 9).

Office of the Chief Engineer, U.S. Army, 1867 — Assigned an engineer officer
in charge of public buildings and grounds. Position would remain in
charge of President’s Park for the next 58 years (U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers, Annual Report of the Chief of Engineers, 1867, Washington,
D.C.).

Joint Resolution of Congress, December 14, 1869 — Appointed a commission.

to select a site for a new building for the Department of State (16 Stat.
367).

. 401
Appendix C, Annotated Legislative History



District Patentees Memorial

Sculptor: Carl Mose

Designer: Delos Smith

Dedication: April 25, 1936

Erected by the National Society of the Daughters of the American Colonists
at a cost of $1,000. A marble cenotaph commemorating the original
owners of the land who sold their holdings to the U.S. government in
order to form the District of Columbia.””

Boy Scout Memorial

Sculptor: Donald DeLue

Architect: William Henry Deacy

Dedication: November 7, 1964

Authorized by act of Congress, July 28, 1959 (PL 86-111). Originally
scheduled for the Mail, the siting of this monument in President’s Park
caused controversy in Washington."*

Zero Milestone

Sculptor: Unknown,

Architect: Horace Peaslee

Dedication: June 4, 1923

On June 28, 1919, the U.S. government permitted the National Highway
Marking Association to place a plaster monument commemorating the
start of an automobile trip to San Francisco on July 7, 1919. Congress

_ authorized a permanent marker on June 5, 1920. Under the auspices of

the Lee Highway Association, the 4’ pink North Carolina granite monu-
ment was completed in January 1922 and dedicated in 1923, at no
expense to the United States."*

Civil Engineering Marker (Zero Milestone)
Established by the American Society of Civil Engineers to commemorate the
National System of interstate and Defense Highways in 1974.2 -

ESE/WHL/NPS. Atkins to Patricia H. Collins, Aug. 18, 1971; Mrs. Saul (Rose) Zalles to
John N. Mitchell, June 24, 1971; both in D22/Central (1/1/69), box 27, acc. 79-7524,
ESF/WHL/NPS. Dickenson to Mr. Ralph E. Becker, April 15, 1970, D24/President’s Park
(1/1/89), box 28, acc. 79-7524, ESF/WHL/NPS. "Status of Haupt Fountains, November
7, 1968"; “Summary of Beautification Matters Requiring Follow-up information,
October 24, 1968”; “Background Information Concerning the Haupt Fountains”; all in
A7217/ 1968 ARD Pinks (3 of 4), box WHL-AM-020, ESF/ARD/WHL/NPS.

17. NPS, ‘A History of National Capital Parks,” table IV; NPS, The President's Park South,
34-35.

18. NPS, ‘A History of National Capital Parks,” table IV; NPS, The President's Park South,
35-39; PL 111, 86th Cong., 5. 602, July 28, 1959. See also 1430/Boy Scout Memorial,
box 16, acc. 66A-1097, ESF/WHL/NPS.

19. NPS, ‘A History of National Capital Parks,” table IV; NPS, The President's Park South,
29-30.

20. James O. Granum (PE) to Fish, May 24, 1974; John D. Townsley (acting dir, NCP}
to Granum, June 28, 1974; both in D66/General Memorials (6/1/74) (2), box 31, acc.
79-77000-3, ESF/ARD/WHL/NPS.

417

Appendix D. Memorials in President's Park



John M. Wilson — June'l,
1885, to September 7, 1889

150

Square, and 38 on the grounds south of the Executive Mansion.
Heavy snows and 10 separate snowstorms necessitated the hiring of
additional labor for snow removal. Water for the fountains was
limited for an unknown reason, being available only between 5 P.M.
and 7 P.M. each day."*

The State, War, and Navy Building was completed on January 31,
1888, after 17 years of construction. It included 2 miles of corridors
and 553 rooms. Hailed as “the finest building in the world,” it was
also described as “coarse” with “meaningless detail.” In 1888 offices
and records of the Office of Public Buildings and Grounds were
consolidated in rooms in the basement of the west wing of the new
State, War, and Navy Building. Temporary buildings to the south
that were used during construction were removed, and the area was
graded and planted. Some of the structures were taken to the nursery
grounds at the Washington Monument. A right-of-way listed only
as “the main road” was laid out, and plans were made for
construction after July 1, 1888. The old wooden stables in the area
were also scheduled for removal."

Additional work for the officer in charge also caused the staff to
increase, particularly for surveying and drafting. Wilson called on
Congress to appropriate money for the reproduction of the original
map of the city, dated 1797 and approved by Washington. “The
original map on file in this office . . . has become so dilapidated by
constant handling in court and elsewhere that it will soon be
useless,” said Wilson. He recommended that the existing map be filed
away as “a relic of the past” and that a reproduction be made for
everyday use. in the 1889 annual report Wilson asked for an
additional clerk to manage the old public records of the city of
Washington.”

By 1889 staff costs had risen to $47,000, from about $34,000 in
1880. The total budget was over a quarter of a million dollars."”

114, Annual Report, Chief of Engines, 1887, 2569-70, 2578-79.

115. Dolkart, The Old Executive Office Building, 2; Dowd, Records of the Office of Public
Buildings and Public Parks, 38; Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1888, 2781-88.

116. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1886, 2089; ibid., 1889, 2839. It is not known if
the map that was produced by the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey in 1887 of LEnfant’s
original plan is the one commissioned by Wilson.

117. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1881, 2342-44; ibid., 1882, 2733-34, 2739, 2741-

44; ibid., 1864, 2346; ibid., 1885, 2513; ibid., 1887, 2580; ibid., 1888, 1888, 2783; ibid.,
1889, 2841.

CHAPTER 4. THE UNITED STATES ON THE THRESHOLD OF WORLD POWER: 1867-1897


Joseph Elgar — May 8,
1822, to February 10, 1834

62

Park, which had changed little since 1816, would change radically in
the next few years.”

The commissioner of public buildings had purchased a spring at
Franklin Square in 1831, with the intention of bringing water to the
President’s House in pipes made of drilled logs. Such improvements
had been discussed as early as the Madison administration, but no
action had been taken. By 1832 water had been piped to “the nearest
offices,” but not to the President's House. As late as 1833 much of
the water for the White House still came from two capped pump
wells in breezeways between the White House and the east and west
terraces. In 1833 engineer Robert Leckie was hired, and three
reservoirs were established between the War and Navy Buildings on
the west and the Treasury and State Buildings on the east. Iron pipe
was substituted for logs. Platforms, or “pedistals,” with ornamental
pumphouses were established at each of the reservoirs for the gravity
flow system. River sand formed the bed for the reservoirs and filtered
the water.”*

The pipes led from the pumphouses to the various buildings. A pump
worker remained on site to work the hand pumps to generate
enough pressure to push the water to various levels in the buildings.
The system was in place by May 1833, but Leckie remained for
nearly a year working out various problems. At first the system
worked so poorly that it was of little help when the Treasury
Building burned in March 1833. Hydrants were established in the
Treasury and State Department basements, and the White House had
at least two. Soon after the introduction of the water system, a
bathing room was built in the east wing of the White House with a
hot bath, a cold bath, and a shower.”

In the summer of 1833 approximately 65 laborers under the
supervision of Thomas Murray graded the south lawn of the White
House, laying out garden paths and graveling them. At the same
time workmen laid 4,400 yards of gutter systems on both sides of
Pennsylvania Avenue from the President's House to the Capitol in
brick, gravel, and granite.’

73. “President's House,” by Geoirge] Lehman, from Child’s and Inman’s Press
{Philadelphia, 18327], as reprinted in Reps, Washington on View, 73.

74. Seale, The President's House, 198-200, 202; NPS, “The White House,” 26; “Historical
Information on the White House and Its Furnishings,” 6, HSTL.

75. Seale, The President's House, 198-200, 202.

76. Agreement with Philip Moun, Apr. 15, 1833, “Journal, Commissioner of Public
Buildings,” 7:26, RG 42.

CHAPTER 2. THE GROWTH OF THE REPUBLIC: 1802-1849


known if there was a connection between labor unrest and the William Noland —

construction of a new detention facility.’ February 10, 1834, to
November 5, 1846

By the end of 1838 the Treasury Building was complete enough for
interior plastering. Drainage on 15th Street remained a problem, and
a “nunnel” was requested to replace the abovegrade gutter, which
sometimes flooded. It was recommended that the south part of the
building be constructed immediately to protect the Treasury records,
which remained in an “unsafe state.” The next year the first portion
of the Treasury Building was occupied; all that remained was to fin-
ish the portico.*?

In 1839 repairs to the President's House, including grounds main-
tenance and the repapering and painting of the East Room, totaled
approximately $4,400, compared to $137,482.66 for the Treasury
during the same period.’®

By 1840 the Treasury Building dominated the northeastern part of
President’s Park. Specific plans for access to the new building were
apparently not recorded, although contractors proposed materials
like “asphaltum flagging” for paving materials. A map prepared in
May 1837 shows the President’s House and its offices situated on a
large, undivided parcel. By 1845 a map showing a proposal to fill 15
acres at the mouth of Tiber Creek delineates an east-west dotted
roadway from 15th Street to 17th Street in the vicinity of present-
day E Street, connecting New York Avenue with Pennsylvania
Avenue. It is unknown if this proposal was acted upon; nevertheless,

101. Request from laborers for 10-hour day, May 5, 1838, Proceedings, Board of Commis-
sioners to Supervise the Erection of Public Buildings, 5; request for surgical attendance and
other claims by laborers, Apr. 5,1839, ibid., 8; “strike” of carpenters for higher wages,
Apr. 30, 1839, ibid, 10; laborers’ “strike” and petition, June 1, 1839, ibid, 12;
employment of apprentices, June 27, 1839, ibid., 13-14; employment of boys on public
works, Aug. 20, 1839, ibid., 13; payment to apprentices, Aug. 6, 1839, ibid,
bricklayers’ petition, Aug. 8, 1839, ibid, 15; discharge of stonecutters, Oct. 11,
ibid., 16; continuance of workmen under certain conditions, Oct. 18, 1839, ibid., 17;
recommendation of Mills to commissioners, Nov. 19, 1839, ibid, 19; memorial of
stonecutters to board, Nov. 29, 1839, ibid., 20; Rutherford, Mooney & others to board,
Dec. 10, 1839, ibid., 20; employment of lads, Dec. 28, 1839, ibid., 21; Thomas Baird,
Jas. Fleshly and J. McCurdy to board, Jan. 2, 1840, ibid, 21.

102. Annual Report, Commissioner of the Public Buildings, Dec. 10, 1838, 2-4, RG 42.

103. Reps, Washington on View, 86; salary of Mills and clerk, May 15, 1839, Proceedings,
Board of Commissioners; confirmation of Mr. Shakell as superintendent of bricklaying at
‘Treasury, July 16, 1839, id., 15; Annual Report, Commissioner of Public Buildings, Dec. 30,
1839, 1, 4. BG 42.

71
Commissioner of Public Buildings — March 3, 1817, to March 3, 1849



Administrative History
1791-1983
Epilogue 1983-1997

CELLED)

ThE White Hee

& President’s Park


Brackenridge, continued to supervise the implementation of various
parts of Downing’s plan.**

As early as 1853 Easby suggested that a full-time steward was
essential for running the White House, supervising the staff, and
being responsible for daily functions, as well as for all contents and
goods. Such an employee would have been the precursor of today’s
chief usher. But fears that such a position would provoke opposition
from politicians and accusations of royal living caused Easby to
withdraw his suggestion for a time.”

Within his yearly budget of $330,014.16, Easby employed a clerk at
$500, a laborer in charge of water closets at $365, a public gardener
at $1,800, watchmen at the President’s House at $1,500, a door-
keeper and an assistant doorkeeper at the President's House at
$1,115, 16 laborers for the public grounds at $11,563, plus other
personnel attached to the Capitol. Easby stated that the president
personally paid for the coal for the stoves in the basement of the
White House; he believed this was unjust and again asked for money
to cover this expense. The close relationship between the adminis-
trator of the property and the staff attached to the White House
proper can be seen in these events.”

In compliance with Pierce's directive to standardize government
operations, Secretary of the Interior Robert McClelland questioned
Easby over his handling of the White House accounts, always a
sensitive political matter. Easby, an honest man, kept his papers
blocks away in a private safe to avoid political intrigue. After many
inquiries by McClelland, Easby tired of what he saw as unwarranted
meddling and left federal employment in June 1853. Benjamin
French became “acting supervisor” for White House projects.”

Memorials

Sculptor Clark Mills’s equestrian statue of Andrew Jackson was
installed in Lafayette Square and dedicated by President Fillmore on
January 8, 1853. The statue was the first equestrian statue to be cast
in Washington, D.C., and is significant as the first statue of a rearing

38. Annual Report, Commissioner of Public Buildings, 1853, 3; ibid., 1854, n.p.
39. Seale, The President's House, 336.

40. Annual Report, Commissioner of Public Buildings, 1853, 3, 12-19.

41. Seale, The President's House, 321-22.

William Easby — March
12, 1851, to June 14, 1853

97

ULS. Department of the Interior, Commissioner of Public Buildings — March 5, 1849, to March 2, 1867



Theodore A. Bingham —
March 9, 1897, to April 30,
1903

172

When President McKinley died on September 14, 1901, eight days
after being shot by Leon F. Czolgosz at the Pan-American Exposition
in Buffalo, New York, Bingham and his staff handled the arrange-
ments for the period of lying in state in the East Room. They also
took charge of packing Mrs. McKinley’s effects and shipping them
back to Ohio.”

Bingham continued to expand the overall capabilities of the propa-
gating gardens on the Washington Monument grounds, building
new facilities and experimenting with plants and flower varieties
such as chrysanthemums.”

The Theodore Roosevelt Administration. Bingham continued as the
officer in charge under the Theodore Roosevelt administration.
During this period the first major architectural changes were made to
the White House since its reconstruction in 1814. After consultations
between the Roosevelts and Charles McKim, the prestigious firm of
McKim, Mead & White was selected to do the renovation, with Glenn.
Brown as superintendent. Bingham put the house’s contents into
storage, and the Roosevelts moved on June 23, 1902, to 22 Jackson
Place for the renovation.”

The McKim, Mead & White Renovation of the White House — The
McKim, Mead & White renovation changed the general White House
configuration and floor plan to what it is today. Specific changes
implemented by the architects and the contractors (Norcross Brothers
of Worcester, Massachusetts), included a one-story extension on the
east end, ending in a guardroom and a porte cochére for the new east
entrance and containing a long cloakroom. A one-story brick office
structure was built on the site of some former greenhouses and
painted white. The early 19th century conservatory foundations in
the west terrace were retained and remodeled into a laundry and
other service rooms. The west wing and the new executive offices
(called “temporary”) were connected to the Executive Residence by a
colonnade running along the laundry and maintenance service areas,
following the Jefferson Palladian plan. The basement was remodeled
with an English-plan toilet and dressing rooms. The original kitchen
now contained all boilers and machinery. The old office stair and the

29. Morris, Encyclopedia of American History, 318; Seale, The President's House, 646.
30. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1902, 2717, 2760-61.

31. Seale, The President's House, 649-50, 657-58, 664-84, passim; Annual Report, Chief
of Engineers, 1902, 2722; ibid., 1903, 2522; [Smith], “History of Changes,” 3; “Historical
Information on the White House and Its Furnishings,” 7, HSTL.

(CHAFTER 5. THE WHITE HOUSE, WASHINGTON, AND THE WORLD: 1897-1933


Committee for the Preservation of the White House. Report of the Committee
for the Preservation of the White House, 1964-1969. Washington, DC:
Engeman/Devlin, n.d.

Cullum, George W. Biographical Register of the Officers and Graduates of the
United States Military Academy at West Point. 2 vols. New York:
Houghton Miflin and Company, 1891.

Director of Public Buildings and Public Parks of the National Capital. Annual
Reports of the Director of Public Buildings and Public Parks of the National
Capital. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1926-1933.

District of Columbia. Comprehensive Plan. Washington DC, 1952.

Dowd, Mary-Jane M., compiler. Records of the Office of Public Buildings and
Public Parks of the National Capital, Record Group 42, Inventory No. 16.
Washington, DC: National Archives and Records Administration, 1992.

Elliot, Jonathan. Historical Sketches of the Ten Square Miles Forming the District
of Columbia; with a Picture of Washington... . , 164-65. Washington: J.
Elliot Jr., 1830. As cited in John W. Reps, Washington on View: The
Nation’s Capital Since 1790 (Chapel Hill: The University of North
Carolina Press, 1991), 70.

Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation,
“Analysis of Transportation Conditions after Traffic Restrictions and
Street Modifications in the Vicinity of the White House,” prepared by
Baston-Ashman Associates, inc. Washington, DC: 1997.

Fields, Alonzo. My Twenty-one Years in the White House. New York: Coward~
McCann, 1961.

Ford, Betty, with Chris Chase. The Times of My Life. New York: Harper and
Row and the Reader’s Digest Association, .Inc., 1978.

Heitman, Francis B. Historical Register and Dictionary of the United States
Army from Its Organization, September 29, 1789, to March 2, 1903. 2 vols.
Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1903.

Hoover, Irwin Hood. forty-two Years in the White House. Boston, New York:
Houghton Mifflin Company, 1934.

Johnson, Claudia Alta Taylor. A White House Diary (By Lady Bird Johnson).
New York: Holt, Rhinehart, and Winston, 1970.

Morris, Edward Bateman, comp. Report of the Commission on the Renovation
of the Executive Mansion, Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing
Office, 1952.

National Archives and Records Administration. Records of the Office of Public
Buildings and Public Parks of the National Capital, Record Group 42,
Inventory No. 16. Compiled by Mary-Jane M. Dowd. Washington, DC:
National Archives and Records Administration, 1992.

United States Government Manual. Washington, DC: US.
Government Printing Office, 2000.

423
Bibliography



Nathaniel Michler — March
13, 1867, to June 1, 1871

Nathaniel Michler

Courtesy: Historical
Society of Washington

120

Nathaniel Michler — March 13, 1867, to June 1, 1871

Bvt. Brig. Gen. Nathaniel Michier, a major in the Corps of Engineers,
became the officer in charge of public buildings and grounds in
March 1867, the first of 18 Corps of Engineers officers who would
oversee the development and management of President’s Park over
the next 66 years. Michler, born in Pennsylvania, entered the U.S.
Military Academy at West Point on July 1, 1844, and graduated
seventh in his class. He was appointed brevet second lieutenant in the
Topographical Engineers on graduation, July 1, 1848. He served as
assistant topographical engineer in making surveys and reconnais-
sances in the 8th Military Department (Texas and New Mexico 1848-
50) and on the Mexican boundary survey (1851-57); he also served
as chief topographical engineer in charge of survey on the inter-
oceanic ship canal] in Panama from the Gulf of Darién to the Pacific
Ocean (1857-60). He was involved in the Maryland-Virginia
boundary line survey (1858-61) and served as lighthouse engineer
for the Pacific coast (February 29, 1860, to September 6, 1861).
While he was with the Topographical Engineers he was promoted to
second lieutenant on April 7, 1854, to first lieutenant May 19, 1856,
and to captain on September 9, 1861.”

Michler transferred to the Corps of Engineers on March 3, 1863, and
was promoted to major April 22, 1864, and to lieutenant colonel
October 16, 1877. In the regular army he was also promoted to
brevet lieutenant colonel August 1, 1864, for faithful and meritori-
ous service in the field; to colonel April 2, 1865, for gallant and
meritorious service during the siege of Petersburg, Virginia; and to
the rank of brigadier general on April 2, 1865, for gallant and
meritorious service during the Civil War. After his service as officer in
charge of public buildings and grounds, he continued to serve with
the Army Corps of Engineers and was appointed military attaché to
the United States delegation in Vienna, Austria. He died July 17,
1881, at Saratoga Springs, New York, at the age of 54.”

10. George Washington Cullum, Biographical Register of the Officers and Graduates of the
United States Military Academy at West Point, 2 vols. (Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co.,
1891), 347-48; Francis B. Heitman, Historical Register and Dictionary of the United States
Army from its Organization, September 29, 1789, to March 2, 1903, (Washington, DC: U.S.
GPO 1903), 1:708.

11. Cullum, Biographical Register, US. Military Academy, 347-48; Heitman, Historical
Register, US. Army, 1:708; U.S. War Office, “Casualties, 1882,” in United States Army
Register (Department of the Army, U.S. Army Military History Institute, Carlisle Bar-
racks, Pennsylvania), 3:362.

CHAPTER 4. THE UNITED STATES ON THE THRESHOLD OF WoRLD POWER: 1867-1897


John M. Wilson — June 1,
1885, to September 7, 1889

148

By 1885 President’s Park was described as an area 82 acres and 9,683
square feet between B and G Streets (Pennsylvania Avenue), including
the Executive Mansion, the State, War, and Navy Building, and the
Treasury Building. All were separately enclosed with iron railings and
flagstone walks, with evergreens, floral parterres, and seasonal exotic
plants to complement the landscape. Lafayette Square was noted as
being located between G, H, 16% and 15% Streets and covering 6
acres and 41,444 square feet."”

In 1886 further improvements were made to the presidential stables,
including a new manure pit, curbing, cobblestones, and a post and
chain fence. The roads and walks in the Ellipse area, worn out
already from popular use, were regraveled. Paths worn across the
lawns were in some instances graveled where needed. A broken
section of fence on the east side of the park north of the main 15th
Street entrance was repaired and painted, and a new terminal granite
pier 5 feet high was installed. The iron fence south of the main
entrance was removed and sold at auction, “being no longer needed
for the public grounds.” Other damages due to vandalism were also
repaired."

Drainage and sewer improvernents were made. A street gutter of 163
linear feet was built and connected to a 9-foot sluiceway. The
carriageway entrances at East and West Executive Avenues were re-
paired and paved with Belgian block and cobblestones. Eight large
Weymouth pine trees were moved from the Medical Museum at the
Smithsonian and planted in President’s Park, and additional jets were
added to the White House fountains. A total of 121 settees of a new
design were purchased, with some being installed in President's Park
and Lafayette Square. Changes were made to water and gas lines
after a heavy winter storm forced water into the gas lines, shutting
off lights at the White House.”

More mundane projects also required attention. The old copper from
the roof was sold at public auction. The exterior of the house was
washed down by a fire engine. Some 3,500 yards of carpets were
removed, cleaned, and stored for the summer, and 61 pairs of cur-
tains were washed. A full set of electric service bells was installed.
The stairway was repaired, after having been damaged during an
evening reception in the winter of 1884-85, To mourn for President
Grant and Vice President Thomas Hendricks, about 2,000 yards of

107. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1884, 2349.
108. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1886, 2075-76, 2082-83.
109. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1886, 2075-76, 2082-83.

(CHAPTER 4, THE LINITED STATES ON THE THRESHOLD OF WORLD POWER: 1867-1897


iv

Chapter 4, The United States on the Threshold of World Power: 1867-1897 —- 117

An Overview of the Period — 117

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Office of Public Buildings and Grounds — March 2, 1867,
. to March 9, 1897 — 119

Nathaniel Michler — March 13, 1867, to June 1, 1871 — 120

Orville E. Babcock — June 1, 1871, to March 3, 1877 — 125
Thomas L. Casey — March 3, 1877, to April 1, 1881 — 134
Almon F. Rockwell — April 1, 1881, to June 1, 1885 — 140

John M. Wilson — June 1, 1885, to September 7, 1889 — 146

Oswald H. Ernst — September 7, 1889, to March 31, 1893 — 153
John M. Wilson — March 31, 1893, to February 16, 1897; and
John S. Sewell — February 16, 1897, to March 9, 1897 — 157

Conclusion — 161

Chapter 5, The White House, Washington, and the World: 1897-1933 — 163

An Overview of the Period —- 163

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Office of Public Buildings and Grounds -- March 9, 1897,
to February 26, 1925 — 166
Theodore A. Bingham — March 9, 1897, to April 30, 1903 — 166
Thomas W. Symons — April 30, 1903, to April 26, 1904;
Charles $. Bromwell — April 26, 1904, to March 15, 1909 — 183
Spencer Cosby — March 15, 1909, to August 19, 1913 — 191

William W. Harts — August 19, 1913, to September 22, 1917 — 199
Clarence S. Ridley — September 22, 1917, to March 21, 1921 — 205
Clarence O. Sherril] — March 21, 1921, to February 26, 1925 — 210

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Office of Public Buildings and Public Parks of the National
Capital — February 26, 1925, to June 10, 1933 —~ 216
Clarence O. Sherrill — February 26, 1925, to January 1, 1926 — 216
U. S. Grant Il] — January 1, 1926, to April 5, 1933; and
James A. Woodruff — April 5, 1933, to August 10, 1933 - 219

Conclusion — 237

Chapter 6. The New Deal, World War IJ, and Peace: 1933-1958 — 239

An Overview of the Period — 239

Office of National Parks, Buildings, and Reservations —- August 10, 1933, to
March 2, 1934; National Park Service —- March 2, 1934, to May 10, 1958 — 241
Frank T. Gartside — August 10, 1933, to October 9, 1933; and
C. Marshal) Finnan — October 9, 1933, to July 31, 1939 — 241
Frank T. Gartside — July 31, 1939, to February 1, 1940;
Edmund B. Rogers — February 1, 1940, to April 18, 1940;
Francis F. Gillen — April 18, 1940, to January 2, 1941; and
Irvin C. Root — January 2, 1941, to July 28, 1950 ~ 254
Edward J. Kelly — July 28, 1950, to May 10, 1958 —~ 278

Conclusion — 299


reported Bingham. Robberies and other crime occasionally occurred
within 1,000 yards of the White House.**

In 1900 Bingham outfitted the Park Watchmen in “park green” uni-
forms, complete with badges, night sticks, long coats buttoned at the
neck and belted in the back, trousers with side striping, and Stetson-
style hats with insignia. He also began to track the number of arrests
in the area and mentioned three arrests at the Washington Monu-
ment during the year for defacement. He probably reported these
incidents in an attempt to get funding for more security personnel.
Congress approved the hiring of four additional night watchmen and
a sergeant on April 17, 1900, to go into effect July 1, 1900. Bingham
still felt that one day watchman on the Ellipse was insufficient to
supervise activities and asked for an additional watchman at $720 a
year. He also asked for a raise for the watchmen.”

The automatic telephones and fire alarms were extended from the
Executive Mansion into the offices of the adjutant general of the U.S.
Army. An automatic fire alarm system was installed in the White
House attic and connected to street alarm boxes, and a warning
signal was added to the front door of the house. The system included
three thermometers at the center and the east and west ends of the
attic. When ‘the temperature reached 125 degrees the system would
alert the staff; if it rose to 200 degrees the street box would be
activated, calling the local fire department.

In addition to improvements in technology, other security measures
were taken. The police force for public grounds consisted of a ser-
geant and 29 men; an extra watchman was assigned to the Executive
Mansion grounds. In 1901 Bingham published for the first time the
total number of arrests made on public grounds under his control,
but a separate number was not given for President’s Park. Lights
burned on the White House grounds and President’s Park from 45
minutes after sunset to 45 minutes before sunrise.

In the aftermath of the McKinley assassination, Theodore Roosevelt
became the most heavily guarded president to date; two plainclothes
agents were with him at all times. On April 28, 1902, Congress
approved free medical assistance for Park Watchmen in the same

63. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1899, 3812, 3837, 3845-46.
64. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1900, 5231-33, 5242-44, 5261.
65. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1900, 3691.

66, Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1901, 3695, 3702, 3722, 3733, From July 1,
1900, to June 30, 1901, 315 arrests were made.

Theodore A. Bingham —
March 9, 1897, to April 30,
1903

181

U.S, Army Corps of Engineers, Office of Public Buildings and Grounds — March 9, 1897, to February 26, 1925



of First Lady Ellen Wilson, working with landscape experts George
Burnap and Beatrix Farrand. The new east garden had a cement pool,
230 yards of gravel walks, 113 new trees, four large planting beds,
and four L-shaped flower gardens. The west garden had 259 yards of
gravel walks, two large trees, 550 yards of hedge, and 400 square
yards of sod."

Cement sidewalks were laid on East and West Executive Avenues and
south of the Treasury Building, replacing the old flagstone walks.
The old lodge in Lafayette Square was replaced with a new lodge.
Neighbors protested the new structure; nevertheless, it was com-
pleted by May 15, 1914. Built as a utilitarian maintenance facility, it
was similar in design to lodges built in Lincoln, Franklin, and
Judiciary Parks at the same time."

The first appropriation for recreation and outdoor sports was made
in the Sundry Civil Appropriation Act of August 1, 1914 (38 Stat.
364}, which approved $10,000 for placing and maintaining certain
areas of public parks for recreational purposes. However, it is unclear
if any portion of President's Park fell into this category."

Expenditures for the White House and grounds were generally
reported in detail; however, in 1915 the officer in charge included
disclaimers regarding the total amount expended to date, stating that
the records were incomplete or not available.’

As of 1915 all lights at the White House were electric and continued
to be operated by the generator in the State, War, and Navy Building.
Hot water and steam systems heated the structure. Iluminated map
racks were installed in the West Wing. White House greenhouses
continued to operate on the grounds of the Washington Monument.
They now numbered 16 and cost $16,000 per year to maintain.”*

131. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1914, 3340; Seale, The President's House, 775, 778~
79. Farrand, the niece of writer Edith Wharton, had consulted on White House interiors
with McKim, Mead & White during the Theodore Roosevelt administration.

132. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1914, 3340.
133. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1915, 1951-52.
134. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1915, 1660-62.
135. Annual Report, ‘Chief of Engineers, 1915, 1660-62.

William W. Harts — August
19, 1913, to September 22,
1917

201

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Office of Public Buildings and Grounds — March 9, 1897, to February 26, 1925


Act of June 9, 1947 — Amended the act of September 14, 1922 (42 Stat.
841), to give status, pay, and grade to the White House Police commen-
surate with the Metropolitan Police force; provided that the number of
White House Police not exceed 110 and that members be appointed
from the Metropolitan Police force (61 Stat. 132).

Act of Mar, 17, 1948 — Established jurisdiction of the National Capital
Region over park lands and federal reservations in the District of
Columbia; set guidelines for policy concerning public property in and
belonging to the Executive Mansion and various matters concerning the
White House police (62 Stat. 81).

Act of June 25, 1948 — Reenacted the legislation from February 28, 1925,
regarding a committee to advise on donations to the White House of
furniture and other items; updated regulations for the annual White
House inventory (62 Stat. 672, 679).

Act of October 26, 1949 — Created the National Trust for Historic Preserva-
tion as the only federally chartered private organization entrusted with
the promotion of historic preservation in the United States (63 Stat.
927),

Act of July 19, 1952 — Transferred functions of the National Capital Park
and Planning Commission to the newly established National Capital
Planning Commission (66 Stat. 781-91).

Act of June 29, 1955 — Limited care, maintenance, repair, and alternative of
the White House to $366,200 (69 Stat. 192).

Act of June 27, 1960 — Provided for the preservation of historical and
archeological data (74 Stat. 220).

Act of September 22, 1961, PL 87-286 — Provides for the care and
preservation of historic and artistic contents of the White House, and
their interpretation; specifically mentions the NPS Organic Act of 1916
and the 18.07 acres inside the fence. Specifies that nothing in the act is
to interfere with the property’s status as the home and office of the
president (75 Stat. 586).

Executive Order 11145, March 7, 1964 — Provides for a White House cura-
tor and establishes the Committee for the Preservation of the White
House.

National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 — Creates a national historic
preservation program in the United States; section 107 of the act
exempts the White House and its grounds from compliance with section
106; provides for ULS. participation in the World Heritage Convention
(80 Stat. 915-19; 16 USC 470, 470-1, 470a, 470a~1, 470f, 470g,
470h-2, 470h-3, 470i-j-v-w3. Amended by PL 91-243, 93-54, 94—
422, 94-458, 96-199, 96-244, 96-515, 98-483, 99-514, 100-127,
102-575).

National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 — Establishes a procedure for the
regulation and monitoring of environmental impacts that would be
caused by federal or federally funded projects. Cultural resources are a
part of these assessments (88 Stat. 852).

407
Appendix C, Annotated Legislative History



the Fine Arts Commission, the concrete exterior was left unpainted to
indicate the temporary nature of the building.

On August 4, 1982, security was again breached when a man
rammed an orange Volkswagen into the White House gate on
Pennsylvania Avenue, disrobed, and then threw himself against the
gate. He was captured and charged with assault and destruction of
property. Security forces continued to worry over possible breaches
of the executive grounds, and discussions of possible solutions
continued with the National Park Service.TM

As a result of these incidents, the National Park Service continued to
maintain a close working relationship with the U.S. Secret Service,
assisting in the planning, design, and construction of many security-
related projects. Such items were funded by the Secret Service on a
reimbursable basis. Many projects related to perimeter elements,
including gates, bollards at the north and south approaches to the
White House, and gatehouses. Other projects related directly to the
physical security of the White House itself.

Conclusion

Considerations of the postwar world recast perceptions of the White
House and President's Park. Assassinations and attempts, along with
frequent public demonstrations, caused security measures to become
more rigid. At the same time, public visitation and tourism increased.
The ability to preserve the democratic symbolism of the White
House, while providing for the safety of the chief executive and his
family, provided a constant challenge for the various executive
departments entrusted with administering the property. The National
Park Service continued to take the lead in resource conservation on
the site, coordinating planning efforts and managing the day-to-day
logistics of the property in concert with the Office of the Chief Usher,
a long-standing administrative tradition born of necessity and

pragmatism.

150, Project manager/architect (WHL), memorandum, May 13, 1981; minutes of the
Commission of Fine Arts, Sept. 16, 1981, pp. 74-86 (photocopy), “Security Esthetics: $4
Million Security Building Would Detract From White House, Fine Arts Unit Cautions,”
Washington Post, Sept. 17, 1981; all in A7217/East Wing Security/White House Liaison,
box WHL-AM-028, ESF/ARD/WHL/NPS.

151. A76/1982 Safety-Accident/incident Status Report, WHL-~AM-039, WH&WPP files,
ESF/WHL/NPS.

152. Summerlin, interview with author, Nov. 1997.

Russell E. Dickenson —
September 26, 1969, to
November 11, 1973; Manus
J. Fish — Novernber 11,
1973, to September 4, 1988;
Elmer S. Atkins (Assistant
Regional Director) — May 4,
1969, to December 31, 1983

359

Conclusion



Benjamin B. French — June
14, 1853, to June 5, 1855

Benjamin B. French

Courtesy: Library of
Congress

98

horse balanced entirely on its hind legs without any visible support.
The artist also designed the pedestal.

Site Security

Security was enhanced by the introduction of large brass and gilded
gas lanterns, which replaced the former tin oil lamps around “Presi-
dent’s Square.” Eight large ornamental lanterns were placed at the
north and park gateways “on massive candelabra” and four others
on large brackets with shields attached to the front columns of the
house. On the portico, each lamp had five burners. Single-burner
lamps were installed on the east, south, and west sides, in addition to
lamps around the executive offices and in front of President’s Square.
The lighting was part of larger $12,000 program for the public
buildings. The ‘Auxiliary Guard,” a contingent of peace officers, was
commended by the commissioner, who noted them as a valuable
adjunct to the city police. The Auxiliary Guard costs amounted to
$22,239.68.7

The President’s House remained open to the general white public;
blacks were excluded except as servants. The south grounds con-
tinued to be open on Saturday evenings, with the Marine Band giving
concerts. Pierce himself was credited with arranging a tour of the
house for a visitor who expressed an interest in seeing it. The
president directed the visitor to doormen and instructed them to give
him every consideration. For the first time, however, the president
never rode alone or ventured out by himself. A federally employed
bodyguard named Thomas O'Neil, who had served as Pierce’s orderly
during the Mexican War, now guarded the president at all times."

Benjamin B. French — June 14, 1853, to June 5, 1855

Benjamin Brown French was appointed on a temporary basis as
commissioner of public buildings on June 14, 1853; six months later
he was formally appointed to the post and served until June 5, 1855.
He was succeeded by John Blake, but French would again serve as
commissioner from 1861 to 1867.

Benjamin French was born in Chester, New Hampshire, in 1800. His
father had served as attorney general of New Hampshire and his
uncle, the Reverend Francis Brown, was a past president of Dart-

42. Annual Report, Commissioner of Public Buildings, 1853, 3, 7, 12, 18.
43. Seale, The President's House, 309-10, 314-20.

(CHAPTER 3: THE ANTEBELLUM, CIVIL WAR, AND RECONSTRUCTION YEARS: 1849-1867


Daniel Carroll, Thomas
Johnson, David Stuart,
Gustavus Scott, William
Thornton, Alexander White,
William Cranch, and
Tristram Dalton

Facin, re:

Plan of the City Intended for the
Permanent Seat of the
Government of the United States

Copy of the United States and
Geodetic Survey in 1887 of the
manuscript plan for
Washington, D.C., drawn by
Pierre Charles LEnfant, 1791

Courtesy: Library of Congress,
Geography and Maps Division

18
CHAPTER 1. BEGINNINGS: 1791-1802

LEnfant’s arrogance exhibited itself in extraordinary ways. He forced
Daniel Carroll (a nephew of Commissioner Daniel Carroll) to stop
building a new house and caused the partially constructed building
to be demolished.” Minutes of the Board of Commissioners reflected
that Carroll petitioned for compiete reimbursement for the property;
however, the commission noted,

By this however we do not mean to reflect on Maj.
UEnfant’s conduct, but on the contrary are of the opinion
that his zeal and good Judgment on the affairs of the City
merit the thanks of the proprietors and well deserves the
approbation of the public.*°

However, the feelings of the commissioners evidently changed in a
little more than two weeks. The board passed a resolution on
January 7, 1792, stating that “all accounts with Laborers and others
now in the present employ in the Federal City be settled up to this
day inclusive and that they be discharged from the service.” Major
LEnfant’s account of £42.27.18 was ordered to be paid. In February
1792, at the instruction of Washington, Thomas Jefferson ended
LEnfant’s association with the project. In March the commissioners
formally severed ties with the planner, offering 500 guineas and a lot
in the city near either the President’s House or the Capitol, as he
wished. L'Enfant, however, refused any payment for his services,
preferring to petition Congress for jarger and, as he saw it, more just
sums; the petitions continued for many years.**

Maj. Andrew Ellicott redrafted LEnfant’s plan, keeping the major
elements intact; Ellicott set markers delineating the corners of the
District of Columbia by January 1, 1793.7

29. Reps, Washington on View, 26.
30. Minutes of meeting, Dec. 21, 1791, “Records of the Commissioners,” n.p., RG 42.

31. Reps, Washington on View, 27; minutes of meetings, Dec. 22, 1791, “Records of the
Commissioners,” 69, RG 42; Jan. 7, 1792, ibid., 72-73; Jan. 9, 1792, ibid., 73-75; “List
of Acclounlt's received from William Deakins and passed by the Commlission!,” Jan. 14,
1792, ibid., 83; minutes of meeting, Mar. 26, 1792, ibid., 84-86; letter from L’Enfant,
Dec. 2, 1800, ibid., 56; letter to LEnfant, Dec. 15, 1800, ibid., 56; letter to LEnfant, Dec. 5,
1801, ibid., 238; commissioners to L’Enfant Mar. 14, 1792, Early Records of the District of
Columbia, 1:65, as noted in the McChure collection, ESE/WHL/NPS. After the unpieasant-
ness surrounding the Carroll relocation, property owner Notley Young got G Street SW
resurveyed; consequently, Young’s house survived until 1859. In 1825 Pierre Enfant,
bitter and nearly 71 years old, died at the residence of Mr. and Mrs, William Digges. (Mrs.
Digges was the daughter of Daniel Carroll, one of the city’s original proprietors.)

32. Report of Ellicott to commissioners, Jan. 1, 1793, “Records of the Commissioners,”
157-58, RG 42; minutes of meeting, Sept. 3, 1800, ibid., 432.


staff. By 1917, the superintendent of the State, War and Navy
Building made his annual report on the maintenance of the structure
directly to the secretaries of state, war, and navy. Separate status for
this building probably reflected an attempt to increase its appropri-
ations independent of the overall budget. The duties of the officer in
charge of public buildings and grounds had expanded considerably
over the last 48 years and now included a wide variety of other
duties, including serving as military aide to the president.”

In Lafayette Square new wheels were provided for the cannon around
the Jackson statue. In 1916 cement blocks were placed under the
wheels for support. That same year tents were erected on the south
lawn for garden parties. Improvements were made to the entrance to
Potomac Park at 17th and B Streets (now Constitution Avenue) at the
southwest corner of President's Park. The lockkeeper’s house (ca.
1835) on the southwest corner, originally located on the Chesapeake
and Ohio Canal, was moved west to allow wider streets, new storm.
sewers and sidewalks, streetlights, and fill..”

By 1917 the Office of Public Buildings and Grounds also specifically
cared for the grounds of the executive departments, with 14,350
plants valued at $1,208.50 furnished from the propagating gardens.
Storage on the property continued to be haphazard. In addition to the
buildings on the Washington Monument grounds, some items were
stored on site, like the 400 gilt chairs and covers used at musicales.'*

138. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1917, 1902; Dowd, Records of Public Buildings and
Public Parks 1-3, 67-69. Other duties of the superintendent included improvements; po-
licing and maintenance of various parks in the District of Columbia, inchiding Potomac
Park; executive disbursing officer, Rock Creek Parkway Commission; the care and
maintenance of the Washingfon Monument and other monuments and memorials; the
care and maintenance of the propagating gardens; the care of the building where
Abraham Lincoln died; the inspection of buildings occupied by the War Department (other
than the State, War, and Navy Building); the care and repair of various government
telegraph lines; the care and repair of the highway bridge across the Potomac; “the
furnishing and planting of trees on the grounds of the Capitol and various executive
departments; the supervision of various government wharf properties on the Potomac;
the care of the Washington birthplace and wharf at Wakefield, VA; executive and
disbursing officer of the Grant, Barry, Jones, Lincoln, Women in the Civil War, Arlington
Memorial Amphitheater and Francis Scott Key memorials; member of the National Guard
Armory Commission; secretary, disbursing officer, and executive of the Comimission of
Fine Arts; and officer in charge, preparation of maps of United States lands, District of
Columbia. See Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1915, 1659-60. The admninistration of the
Treasury Building is not clear, evidently it was independently administered from the
beginning of its establishment. The Office of Public Buildings and Grounds and the Office
of Superititendent of the State, War, and Navy Building were merged into the Office of
Public Buildings and Public Parks of the National Capital on February 26, 1925.

139. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1914, 3712; ibid., 1916, 3579, 3597.
140, Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1915, 3709-10; ibid., 1917, 3721, 3723.

William W. Harts — August
19, 1913, to September 22,
1917

203

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Office of Public Buildings and Grounds — March 9, 1897, to February 26, 1925


William Noland ~
February 10, 1834, to
November 5, 1846

78

House down Pennsylvania to the Capitol. The War and Navy
Buildings to the west, dating from after the War of 1812, became too
confining, and offices were expanded to the -recently constructed
Winder Building west of 17th Street. The Department of State was
also crowded. Before his dismissal, Robert Mills developed several
schemes for connecting the Navy and War Buildings; however, by
1845 it became clear that new construction would be needed. Many
architects submitted designs in a public competition, mostly in the
Greek Revival mode. The Mexican War interrupted plans for addi-
tional office space, and rented spaces had to suffice."

In 1845-46 President Polk had the earlier gravity heat systems in the
White House reworked, increasing their size and installing plaster-
lined ducts and silver-plated, brass, and iron heating grates in the
principal rooms.'?

Memorials

According to tradition, between 1829 and 1837 Andrew Jackson
planted two southern magnolias on the south side of the White
House in memory of his wife Rachel. Although specific documen-
tation is lacking, the two large trees continue to be known as the
Jackson magnolias.°

Jurisdiction

Conflict between administrators and other officials over various
issues continued during Noland’s tenure. In 1840 the first argument
of record between the corporation of the city of Washington and the
federal government regarding the jurisdiction of streets was recorded
in a memorial presented to Congress by the city. City representatives
insisted that the 264 miles of streets were too extensive for the city to
maintain and that it had been the intent of the federal government to
provide for the maintenance of these thoroughfares since President
Jefferson. They claimed this was evidenced by the fact that the
government had built the bridges and paved the streets since that
time. The claim continued,

The United States have, moreover, always claimed an
absolute and exclusive property in the streets of this city,

121. Seale, The President's House, 275; Dolkart, The Old Executive Office Building, 7.
122. Seale, The President's House, 268.
123. NPS, The White House Grounds and Gardens, 1988-1992, 18.

(CRAFTER 2. THE GROWTH OF THE REPUBLIC: 1802-1849


Manus J, Fish — Continuing
to September 4, 1988; Ronald
N. Wrye — September 4,
1988, to December 18, 1988;
Robert G. Stanton —
December 18, 1988, to
January 3, 1997; James I.
McDaniel (Associate Regional
Director) — December 31,
1983, to-

376
‘CHAPTER 8. EPILOGUE: 1983-1997

improvement, it still did not have sufficient space, nor did it meet
NPS museum storage standards.”

In 1988 the White House was accredited by the American Association
of Museums.**

Collection Storage Facility — On May 11, 1992, the White House
collection was moved to a new storage facility. The new 100,000-
square-foot warehouse was designed by White House Liaison staff
with state-of-the-art computerized monitoring of temperature and
humidity. Security and fire protection systems were also given
priority, and the building was equipped with conservation laboratory
space as well. The records of the administration of President’s Park
were retrieved from storage at the Federal Records Center and housed
at the facility. While the Smithsonian has been termed the attic of the
nation, the true attic collection of the President's House now had the
protection and administration it had lacked for many years. Museum
services were expanded, and archival and records collections
pertaining to the administration of the White House were more
completely processed. Conservation work could now be accomplished
at a state-of-the-art laboratory, and space could be devoted to
utilitarian storage as well as specialized storage concerns.”

White House Architectural Drawings Index — In 1987 White House
Liaison created the White House Architectural Drawings Index, a
computerized database including all known White House related
drawings. The index includes materials from the 1792 initial design
competition to drawings being created for the White House today; it
also indexes the collections of 25 federal, state, and private reposi-
tories, including the National Park Service, the White House, the
General Services Administration, the Library of Congress, the
National Archives, presidential libraries, state historical societies, uni-
versity collections, and private museum collections (the actual draw-
ings remain in their respective repositories}. The White House Histor-
ical Association funded the position of an archives technician to cata-
logue the backlog of drawings until 1992, when White House Liaison
picked up the funding in its budget. The cataloguing is now an
annual task, performed by the Office of White House Liaison. As-of

47. "The White House Collection,” Oct. 20, 1981, WHL, box 69, Reorganization,
WHHA/CPWH/WHPE ESF/WHL/NPS. Also, information taken from the office files,
WHL, by David Krause, June 7, 1995, from D34/Warehouse 1983-84, box WHLAM-
030, ESF/WHL/NPS. Krause, telephone conversation with O'Brien, June 6, 1995.

48. Notes, Monkman (OC/WH), July 19, 2000.
49. From the files of ESF/WHL/NPS.


personally disliked a number of portraits commissioned for the
White House, particularly one by the artist Theobald Chartran. She
instructed Butt to remove them from the White House and destroy
them, which according to Butt, he did, burning three of them in the
basement furnace. She also instructed him to destroy any china from
the house service that was chipped or damaged.”

Curatorial functions continued to be handled by the office, including
the repair and regilding of the Monroe plateau in the State Dining
Room and the construction of seven plush-lined cases for storage

purposes.

Jurisdiction

In 1906 Congress adopted the first piece of historic preservation
legislation in the nation’s history. The Antiquities Act of 1906 au-
thorized the president to designate national monuments on federally
owned or controlled lands. The act provided for the protection of all
historic or prehistoric ruins and objects of antiquity by imposing
criminal sanctions against excavation, injury, or destruction of such
resources. The secretaries of agriculture, interior, and war were
authorized to issue permits to recognized professional institutions for
archeological investigations on lands under their control. Later
preservation legislation and historic districts in the 1960s would
trace their genesis to this historic act.”

Site Security

In 1904 an auxiliary fire alarm system with four pull boxes was
installed and connected to the city alarm system. The alarm system
in the White House was extended to the executive office, complete
with a pull box. Twenty-one portable fire alarm systems were also
purchased for the mansion. A new police patrol register was installed
in the sergeant’s rooms in the east wing. Wires ran from seven push
buttons at various points in the house and on the grounds.
Watchmen pushed the buttons as they made their rounds and as
they changed their posts. Movement was monitored by the staff in
the sergeant’s room. A telephone line was run from the White House
directly to the city police station. A watchman’s time detector with

93. Butt, Letters, 340-41, 343.

94, Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1908, 2377-81, 2390, 2392, 2404-5, 2409, 2412;
Seale, The President's House, 736.

95. 16 USC 431-33.

Thomas W. Symons — April
30, 1903, to April 26, 1904;
Charles S. Bromwell — April
26, 1904, to March 15, 1909

189

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Office of Public Buildings and Grounds — March 9, 1897, to February 26, 1925



Van Buren’s additions to the grounds were not extensive. More roses
were added, and the grounds were rolled and irrigated. The iron fence
on the north was painted black; board fencing sufficed on the south.
Jron lawn furniture was purchased, including circle benches for some
trees, and walks were kept graveled and raked. A reservoir with a
double forcing pump was installed in the basement of the mansion to
supply the upper floors with water.”

The President’s House, the first family’s manner of living, and the
appearance of the house to the rest of the nation had always made
good political targets. George Washington had been accused of buiid-~
ing a palace; critics had castigated John Quincy Adams for purchas-
ing a billiard table; other presidents suffered similar scrutiny. On
April 14, 1840, Charles Ogle of Pennsylvania attacked President Van
Buren regarding the regal splendor of the president's “Palace.” Among
other things, he accused the government of spending $57,000 on
furniture alone between 1800 and 1814. According to Ogle, before
the fire of 1814, $333,207 had been spent on the building itself. After
the conflagration, he said, an additional $634,703.25 had been spent
in rebuilding the mansion, exclusive of costs to build the north and
south porticoes. However, Representative Levi Lincoln of
Massachusetts stated for the record that the President’s House did not
meet the public or private needs of the chief executive, nor was it
clean. While it is true that Ogle’s intent was to paint as lurid a
picture as possible of White House expenditures, there can be little
doubt that considerable sums of money were spent on the Executive
Mansion and its occupants from the beginning. While life at the
President's House was claimed to be far from princely, it was
nevertheless comfortable by the standards of the day.”

107. “Records of the Commissioners,” 217, RG 42.

108. Charles Ogle of Pennsylvania, “Speech on the Regal Splendor the President's Palace,
14 April 1840,” p. 31 as noted in the McClure collection, ESF/WHL/NPS; NPS, “The
White House,” 29; Seale, The President's House,” 221-24. Ogle, born in Somerset,
Pennsylvania, in 1798, was educated as an attorney and served as representative from
Pennsylvania from 1837 to 1841 and as a general of the Pennsylvania militia. He died
May 10, 1841, after having been elected to the next Congress. See Lanman, Biographical
Annals, 315.

Over the years many administrations have come under criticism for expenditures at
the President’s House. See Francis E. Leupp, “The Story of the White House,” Harper’s
Weekly, Nov. 28, 1896, 1174-75. The article notes that some early Congressmen thought
the Capitol should be abandoned and the Executive Mansion used for legislative purposes,
with the president moved to a smaller residence nearby. Also see “Mr. Coolidge’s
Expensive Residence,” The Literary Digest, May 16, 1925, which stated that $8 million had
been spent on the structure since its construction and that every president had
refurnished it to some extent.

William Noland —
February 10, 1834, to
November 5, 1846

73

Commissioner of Public Buildings March 3, 1817, to March 3, 1849



xvi
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.

Finally, special thanks to William Seale. His pioneering works on the
White House, his willingness to share in the joy of historical re-
search, his professional expertise, and most importantly, his wit and
good-natured support not only contributed in great measure to the
completion of this study but made the task lively and entertaining as
well.

— WILLIAM PATRICK O'BRIEN
PROJECT MANAGER AND COMPILER


In 1913 Congress authorized 2 memorial to women in the Civil War
and headquarters for the American Red Cross; the officer in charge
supervised construction. Congress approved $400,000, with the
understanding that $300,000 would be provided by private dona-
tions before federal money was spent on the project. The site was
located between D and E Street on 17th Street just across from
President’s Park. The firm of Trowbridge and Livingstone served as
architects, and the Boyle-Robertson Company as contractors. The
cornerstone for the Beaux Arts building was dedicated on March 27,
1915, and the building was dedicated on May 12, 1917; however
construction continued until 1919. By remaining involved with the
design and construction of public buildings facing President's Park,
the officer in charge could exert some influence over the placement
and design of structures that would contribute to the overall site
character. Cosby’s role in the construction of the Pan American
Union building and the Daughters of the American Revolution’s
Memorial Continental Hall is less clear.""*

The Woodrow Wilson Administration. The inauguration of Woodrow
Wilson in March 1913 heralded a new era for the administration of
President’s Park. Spencer Cosby continued as officer in charge until
August of that year. Wilson evidently revived the custom of Marine
Band concerts on the south lawn. Before 1913 the concerts had been
given for a number of years on the Ellipse."

Memorials

The monument to Gen. Tadeusz Kosciuszko, approved April 4, 1904,
was dedicated on May 10, 1910. A full-size casting of the General
von Steuben statue was received and stored until the side groupings
for the monument could be completed in August. President Taft
unveiled the von Steuben statue on December 7, 1910. The final cost
of the statue was $50,000. This brought to six the number of
completed memorials in Lafayette Square and President's Park.”

On May 17, 1910, Congress created a permanent Commission of Fine
Arts to advise on the design and placement of all fountains and
monuments in the District of Columbia and to “also advise generally

125. Act of Oct. 22, 1913 (38 Stat. 223); Dowd, Records of Public Buildings and Public
Parks, 95.

116. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1913, 3208; “Historical Information on the White
House and Its Furnishings,” 8, HSTL.

117. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1910, 2684, 2689; ibid., 1971, 2990-91.

Spencer Cosby — March 15,
1909, to August 19, 1913

195

US. Amy Corps of Engineers, Office of Public Buildings and Grounds — March 9, 1897, to February 26, 1925



building as both a private residence and a public structure. The west
wing covered the existing wine cellar and provided tack rooms, ser-
vants’ bedrooms and privies, and a coach house. The east wing con-
tained a smokehouse, another privy, servants’ quarters, and a stable.
On the south the wings were fronted with Doric columns; on the
north, where the additions barely stood above grade, lunette
windows provided light at ground level.”

Architect Benjamin Henry Latrobe considered the solution as con-
ceived by Jefferson to be out of fashion and laughable. Latrobe did
not consider either Jefferson or Hoban his equal in design. To him,
Jefferson’s Palladian wings with their colonnades were “exactly
consistent with Hoban’s pile — a litter of pigs worthy of the great
Sow it surrounds, & the Irish Boar, the father of her.” Jefferson
found out about Latrobe's critique when he received a letter by acci-
dent, but was not moved by the architect’s pique. Latrobe completed
working drawings for the east and west wings in 1805, and by De-
cember of that year many of the household sections, with cellars for
coal, wood, and liquor storage, were in place. The wings were not
completed until 1808; they extended about halfway to each
administrative building. Plans to connect them to the buildings of the
War and Treasury Departments were dropped.”

Landscape plans for the park area around the President’s House that
were drawn by Jefferson c. 1802-5 illustrate the interest of.the third
president in designs for this area. Jefferson ordered a high stone wall
built around the property, replacing a wooden fence. He also encour-
aged public visitation. Jefferson delineated a formal French classical
landscape on the north side, with radial allées and a formal entry,
and an English type of garden on the south, with romantic serpen-
tine walks, woods, and gardens. A garden on the east served as the
White House flower garden for the next 50 years.”

Jefferson's more fanciful ideas of Oriental pavilions and Greek
temples were not added to the White House landscape; however, a

19. Seale, The President’s House, 112-18; NPS, ‘A Brief History of the White House,” pp.
3-4, Post-Presidential Files (PPF), box 92, HSTL; “Historical Information on the White
House and Its Furnishings,” 6, office file (OF) 50, box 306, Post-Presidential Files, HSTL.

20. Seale, The President’s House, 112, 115-18. Latrobe had noted in 1806 in a letter to a
friend that he felt the town had been “badly planned and conducted.” Latrobe even went
so far as to criticize Washington himself, observing that the president had built two
“indifferent” houses in the town in an attempt to promote development, but that
otherwise Washington showed little interest; Reps, Washington on View, 52.

21. Seale, The President's House, vol. 1, illus. 14. For an illustration of the stone wall and
the gatepost eagles on the north side of the White House, see B. H. Latrobe's 1811
rendering, as included in NPS, “The White House,” 17.

Thomas Munroe — May 1,
1802, to March 3, 1817

43

Superintendent of the City of Washington (Commissioner of Public Buildings) — May 1, 1802, to March 3, 1817


struction. Over the next decade subway lines would pass under
Lafayette Park, with stations just blocks from President's Park.

Americans continued to take a personal interest in the house, sending
suggestions on a variety of issues, including maintenance. In 1966 a
woman from Rockville, Maryland, said the exterior might benefit
from an application of aluminum siding; the National Park Service
wrote her that this would not be appropriate.”

In 1966 the Executive Residence employed 75 personnel, including
housekeepers, butlers, maids, cooks, gardeners, engineers, carpenters,
painters, electricians, and curators, according to public information
officer Carol J. Smith. This was exclusive of executive office and
security staff. The White House maintenance budget was $694,000
in 1966, and “its maintenance falls within the jurisdiction of the
National Capital Region, National Park Service,” Smith wrote. A
master plan for the National Capital Parks-Central was prepared in
April 1966. A service center for research and operational matters was
also established in 1966 (it later provided design and construction
services).

In June 1966 Nash Castro suggested to the chief usher that the
National Park Service take over the building maintenance function of
the White House proper because of “the irregular and sometimes
emergency type of maintenance and repair needs.” The National Park
Service and the General Services Administration entered into an
agreement on September 20 that gave the Park Service most of the
responsibility for major renovations and repairs at the White House.
According to at least one memorandum, most of this agreement was
later negated by a letter from the chief usher to the General Services

42. Morgan T. Nealy to Monte E. Fitch, July 18, 1966, L3031/Test Boring (1/1/68),
box 26, acc. 72-6215, WH&WPP files, ESF/WHL/NPS; Everett W. Sawyer (acting supt.)
to National Capital Transportation Agency, Aug. 4, 1966, L3031/Lafayette Park (1/1/66
to -) (1), box 26, acc. 72A-6215, ESF/WHL/NPS. J. E. N. Jensen (NPS asst. dir., Design
and Construction) to Corson & Gruman Co., July 18, 1966; Jensen to William £.
McClure, July 19, 1966; Jensen to James T. Branson (vice president, Corson & Gruman
Co.), Feb. 17, 1966; “Specifications for Resurfacing of Roadways, Washington, D.C.,”
contract no. 14~10-0028-3050, Oct. 11, 1965; all in D52-3050/Resurface White House
Roads/ Corson & Gruman Co. (1966), box 23, acc. 72A-6215, ESF/WHL/NPS. Castro to
Charles K. Boatner, memorandum, Feb. 5, 1965, A8031/Parking/White House (1/1/63-
1/1/66), box 20, acc. 68A-3201, ESF/WHL/NPS.

43. Jett to Liz Karsner, Nov. 1, 1966, D3415/ Construction and Maintenance/White
House (1/1/66 to-} (1), box 21, acc. 3-72A-6215, ESF/WHL/NPS.

44. NPS, “The Park Service in Washington,” by Stanley W. McClure, (1971), 2-3; "Mas-
ter Plan for the Central Parks (Mall and Vicinity, East and West Potomac Park,” 6; both in
H26/History of National Capital Parks, box WHL-AM-005, ESF/WHL/NPS. Smith to
Lillie R. Alexander, Feb. 25, 1966; B. G. Bishoff (Executive Mansion), proposal #5H-1379,
Aug. 2, 1966; both in box 21, ESF/WHL/NPS.

Harry T. Thompson — May
10, 1958, to February 25,
1961; T. Sutton Jett —
March 15, 1961, to January
14, 1968; I. J. Castro —
January 14, 1968, to
September 25, 1969; Rex W.
Scouten (Assistant Regional
Director) — February 24,
1968, to May 4, 1969

319
‘The National Park Service — 1958-1983



John M. Wilson — March
31, 1893, to February 16,
1897; John S. Sewell —
February 16, 1897, to
March 9, 1897

160

around the Ellipse. Plans were made to use electric lighting through-
out President’s Park and to discontinue gas lighting.”

Technology took its toll on the environment, with miles of tele-
graphic wire strung on poles crisscrossing the site. Underground
systems had been experimented with as early as 1883, but because of
costs they were seldom used. Telephone lines also ran overhead,
except those that were run through the Washington Monument
tunnels connecting the engine rooms and boiler house. Broken tree
limbs, however, took lines down or interrupted the electrical current,
making efficient service impossible. The system needed to be
underground, or higher poles would be necessary, the officer in
charge said. The cost was thought to be about $25,000."

Memorials

In 1893 Mrs. Cleveland planted two Japanese threadleaf maples on
the south grounds of the White House. While 14 statues graced
Washington's public reservations by 1894, only two — the Jackson
and Lafayette statues — were in President’s Park. The officer in
charge noted the establishment of Sherman Park in 1896 and made
plans for a statue of William T. Sherman to be erected there in place
of the Treasury greenhouses and photographic gallery."

Jurisdiction

More jurisdictional questions arose in the 1890s. The state of Virginia
still claimed live lien on President’s Park for $120,000. The state
graciously turned over the lien to the Mount Vernon Avenue
Association, a local corporation. What happened to the legal question
after this point remains unanswered. In addition, John Stewart, the
draftsman attached to Office of Public Buildings and Grounds,
reported that upon a review of all records he could not find any
record of granted deeds or payments for 20 squares and 2,000 city
lots. Many properties were occupied illegally. Wilson again asked for
another clerk to administer the records.”

149. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1896, 3977, 3985-86, 3995; ibid., 1897, 4047.
150. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1895, 4148-49.

151. [NPS], The White House Grounds and Gardens, 1984-1988, 20; Annual Report, Chief of
Engineers, 1894, 3287; ibid., 1895, 4131, ibid., 1896, 3985-86, 3995; ibid., 1897, 4047,

152. Francis E. Leupp, “The Story of the White House,” Harper's Weekly (Nov. 28, 1896)
1174; Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1894, 3287.

CHAPTER 4. THE LINITED STATES ON THE THRESHOLD OF WORLD POweR: 1867-1897



458

INDEX

recreation: Arthur tenure, 145;
Bush tenure, 367; Cleveland
tenures, 159; Clinton tenure,
370-371; Coolidge tenure, 212,
222; Eisenhower tenure, 291;
Hoover tenure, 227; Roosevelt
(T) tenure, 176, 185, 187; Taft
tenure, 194; Truman tenure,
274, 279; Wilson tenure, 201-
202, 207

recreation facilities for presidents:
croquet courts, 137, 207;
golfing facilities, 286, 347, 367;
horseshoe pits, 274, 367;
swimming pool, 231-232, 347,
365; tennis courts, 174, 187,
193, 309

redecorating: Arthur tenure, 118,
142-144; Buchanan tenure, 86;
Fillmore tenure, 86; Garfield
tenure, 141; Grant tenure, 123~-
124, 130; McKinley tenure, 170;
Pierce tenure, 96, 100; Polk
tenure, 77

Red Room: Carter tenure, 351;
Cleveland tenures, 159; Hayes
tenure, 140; Madison tenure, 48

remodeling: Kennedy tenure, 307-
308; of Old Executive Office
Building, 165; Roosevelt (FD)
tenure, 248

Renehan, Martin, 68, 79-80

renovations: Coolidge tenure, 212-
213, 223; and inventory, 179;
need for, 168, 240, 269-273;
Roosevelt (T) tenure, 164, 168,
172-174; souvenirs of, 272,
272-273; Truman tenure, 240,
263-264, 269-273, 279-280

Renwick Gallery, 339

Reorganization Plan No. 1, 253,
296

repairs to White House: Cleveland
tenures, 149; Fillmore tenure,
95; Garfield tenure, 141; Grant
tenure, 130; Johnson (A) tenure,
113; Lincoln tenure, 110-111;
McKinley tenure, 170; Pierce
tenure, 100, 103; Roosevelt (FD)
tenure, 248; Taylor tenure, 87;
Van Buren tenure, 71

research on White House and
President’s Park,
recommendations for, 387-389

Reservation No, 1: administration
of, 302; boundaries of, 297

Reserve Officers Assaciation, First
Home of, 413

resource assessment, Kennedy
tenure, 306

restrooms: Carter tenure, 351;
Ellipse, 326; for inaugurations,
250; Lafayette Park, 326, 328.
See also bathrooms; toilets

Reynolds, W. E., 269

Ridley, Clarence S., 205, 205-209,
398

Ringgold, Tench, 48

roads and drives: Adams (J) tenure,
27; Adams (JQ) tenure, 61;
Arthur tenure, 144-145; Civil
War and, 114; Cleveland
tenures, 148; Grant tenure, 127;
Harrison (B) tenure, 152, 155;
Hayes tenure, 137; Johnson (A)
tenure, 122; Nixon tenure, 343-
344, paving, 58-59; Roosevelt
(FD) tenure, 249, 251; Roosevelt
(T) tenure, 175; Taft tenure,
193; Van Buren tenure, 74

Robb, Charles, 314

Robb, Lynda Bird Johnson, 314

Robert Wood and Company, 133

Robeson, George M., 128, 397, 410

Rochambeau, Comte de, 5; statue
of, 178, 412

Rockefeller, Laurence, 304, 324

Rockwell, Almon F., 140-146

Rockwell, Donald, 140

Rodriques, Godfrey, 213

Rogers, Edmund B.,
Superintendent, 254-255

Rohl-Smith, Carl and Sara, 177-
178, 415

roof: Bush tenure, 366; Fillmore
tenure, 89; Hoover tenure, 229;
McKinley tenure, 166; Pierce
tenure, 100, 103

Rooker, J. B., 88

Roosevelt, Alice, 174

Roosevelt, Edith, 185, 188-189


Edward J. Kelly — July 28,
1950, to May 10, 1958

278

authorized an increase in the number of police for the White House,
with the force not to exceed 80. The modern role of the Secret Service
at the White House dates from the bombing of Pearl Harbor on
December 7, 1941. Chief Agent Frank J. Wilson had been planning
security measures for the site since 1939, in case the United States
entered the war. After Pearl Harbor was bombed, both police and mil-~
itary immediately occupied the White House precinct, and agents
remained closest to the president. Many of the Secret Service
procedures for presidential protection were formulated at this time.”

In 1942 the Secret Service submitted legislation to allow the White
House Police to recruit from sources other than the Metropolitan
Police and the United States Park Police. Secretary of the Interior
Harold Ickes agreed, saying such a change would end the taking of
the best of his own park police by the Secret Service for work on the
White House Police detail. The bill did not formally amend the 1922
act creating the White House force; it merely provided for an agreed-
upon personne} change that indirectly amended the original act. In
1947 the White House Police began drawing personnel from the
ranks of the Metropolitan and U.S. Park Police forces again, this time
with lists provided by the officers in charge of the respective forces.”

Edward J. Kelly — July 28, 1950, to May 10, 1958

Edward J. Kelly, who had handled police functions for Irvin C. Root,
took over as superintendent in 1950, after the National Park Service
was reorganized. Kelly had served as a special assistant to the
superintendent of National Capital Parks, largely in charge of public
relations. He had promoted the importance of interpretation in the
national park system since the late 1930s. He also involved himself in
public events such as the Cherry Blossom Festival, the President's
Cup Regatta, and the Christmas Pageant of Peace. He served on the
reception committee for state visits and took part in the Fourth of
July celebrations at the Washington Monument. Kelly brought T.
Sutton Jett into his former position as special assistant in 1950.”

91. McCarthy and Smith, Protecting the President, 100-2; act of April 22, 1940 (54 Stat.
841), as amended.

92. Ickes to Harold D. Smith, May 19, 1942; acting supt. to dir, May 14, 1942;
Permitting Appointment of White House Police in Accordance with Civil Service Laws, from
Sources Outside the Metropolitan and U.S, Park Police Forces, September 17, 1942, 77th Cong.,
2d sess., H. Rept. 2470 (copy); act of June 9, 1947 (61 Stat. 132}, copy; all in 980/Police,
box 6, acc. 644-42, WH&WPP files, ESF/WHL/NPS.

93. Root, interview, 24; T Sutton Jett, interview by Herbert Evison, Dec. 14, 1970
(NPS, Harpers Ferry Center, WV, transcript), pp. 21-23, 29.

CHAFTER 6. THE New DEAL, WORLD WAR II, AND PEACE: 1933-1958


Chapter 3: The Antebellum, Civil War, and
Reconstruction Years: 1849-1867

An Overview of the Period

n the 1850s the United States expanded its influence in the Far
East by opening markets in Japan. The Civil War settled more
completely the question of states’ rights and federal authority,
and the United States emerged from this conflict as a monolithic
federal entity. During this period of expansion and nationalism,
President's Park evolved from a partially developed tract, where cattle
and sheep grazed on the Mall and in the pasture south of the
President’s House, into a highly planned public and private park.’

With the election of Mexican War hero Zachary Taylor, Ignatius
Mudd, a Whig supporter of the new president, became the new com-
missioner of public buildings. This was a powerful position, with
Mudd being part of the inaugural receiving line and introducing the
president to the public. Taylor’s death on July 9, 1850, resulted in
funeral ceremonies similar to those for William Henry Harrison.*

During the Millard Fillmore administration the specific concept of
President’s Park as it is known today began to take shape under the
direction of Andrew Jackson Downing. Apart from selected work
done by Bulfinch and Mills, Downing’s plans represent the first
formal planning effort for the property since the 1790s. Downing’s
landscape design reflected a more cosmopolitan view of the world,
particularly an appreciation of English designs. While Thomas
Jefferson, John Quincy Adams, and Andrew Jackson had wanted a
landscape centering on native plants, Downing introduced exotic
plants, reflecting the increasing importance of the United States on
the world stage. Downing’s design was the first to incorporate
security considerations, as in the cases of an arch and sentry stations.
Even more importantly, the plan represented the first attempts to
establish the “parade,” or the Ellipse, as a field for recreation, military
displays, and national events.’

1. Seale, The President’s House, 278-79.
2. Seale, The President's House, 281-85.
3. Seale, The President‘s House, 294-98, 303.

85

An Overview of the Period



Edward J. Kelly — July 28,
1950, to May 10, 1958

286

Continuous work on the property raised other issues as well. By
February 1953 the smell of the nesting rodents under five guard-
houses that did not have concrete bases made it nearly impossible for
personnel to stay in the booths. New concrete bases eliminated the
problem. Dutch elm disease was fought by removing diseased trees
and spraying with DDT. In 1954 only 50 of the 276 trees with Dutch
elm disease identified in the District of Columbia were on federal land.
The National Park Service encouraged the District to take the matter
seriously."

In 1953 the National Park Service agreed to permit 70 parking places
for White House personnel on the Ellipse, signaling the beginning of
a trend that would increase over the next 40 years. In 1953 the
annual Easter egg roll was reinstated on Easter Monday, the first time
since the beginning of World War II."

The ULS. Golf Association installed a putting green on the south lawn
for President Eisenhower in 1954; the president’s brother, Dr. Milton
Eisenhower of Pennsylvania State University, cultured the grass to be
used on the green. The one hole was moved on the green periodically
to prevent wear patterns. Alton “Ike” Rabbitt was detailed from the
Navy Munitions Building to inspect the green and the White House
lawns once a month and to prescribe treatments. By 1956 the
National Park Service was requesting an additional $17,320 to
rehabilitate lawns and plants at the White House. In February 1956 2
“General Eisenhower” camellia was planted just outside the window
of the president’s office. In addition, 20 camellias replaced the tree
Toses in the west garden, at a total cost of $6,875.50."

In 1954 the annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony took on a new
image. Through the efforts of Col. Edward M. Kirby, the Christmas

115. Francis to Crim, Feb. 12, 1953, 987/Rats, Mice, Insects, etc., box 6, acc. 64A-42,
WHA&WP?P files, ESF/WHL/NPS. Univ. of the District of Columbia, Dept. of Urban and
Regional Planning, Planning Studio Class, “White House Precinct Study (1978-1984),
Part 1,” draft, April 24, 1980, p. 62, box 7BP-O010, WHL-AM-010, ARD/WHL/NPS; asst.
solicitor (NCP) to dir. (NCP), Aug. 24 and Aug. 26, 1976; reading file/A7217 (Aug. 1976-
Dec. 1976), WHL-AM-010, ARD/WHL/NPS.

116, Kelly to Raspberry, Feb. 20, 1953, 1460/Grounds South (3), box 11, acc. 644-42,
ESF/WHL/NPS. Milo F Christiansen (supt. of D. C. Recreation) to Thompson, Feb. 5,
1959, 925-20/Egg Rolling, box 14, acc. 6SA-1108, ESFAWHL/NPS; U.S. Department of
the Interior, ‘Annual Easter Egg Rolling at White House Scheduled,” press release, BN.
61989-65, A8227, box 18, acc. 6BA-3201, ESF/ANHL/NPS.

117. “Another Ike Fills Role as Adviser’ to Eisenhower on Putting Green,” Washington
Star, Mar. 3, 1956; Gartside to Crim, July 31, 1956; Kelly to Frederick Huette, Feb. 24,
1956; Harding to Crim, Feb. 14, 1956; all in White House Correspondence, box 13, acc.
64-901, ESF/WHL/NPS. Rabbitt’s expertise had been recognized in 1942 when he was
hired to deter erosion on navy airfields.

CHAPTER 6. THE New DEAL, WoriD Wan I], AND PEACE: 1933-1958


hired to serve as chief usher, seeing that the wishes of the president
and first lady were completely and efficiently carried out. From the
time of Stone’s tenure, the position operated much as it dees to this
day, with the chief usher managing contracts, supervising events,
and overseeing the day-to-day official and domestic needs of the first
family. Both Tommy Pendel and Ike Hoover remained as assistant
ushers through the Roosevelt administration. The former doormen
no longer carried guns, as security increasingly became the purview
of the Treasury‘s Secret Service.”

The number of ushers grew from five to nine in 1903. The chief
usher maintained his office in the old porter’s lodge, the room
immediately to the right of the main entrance to the house. Except
for Roosevelt’s valet and the governess, the house staff answered to
the chief usher. Approximately 57 people worked at the house six
days a week during this period. Colonel Bingham introduced the idea
of nine “military aides” at official functions. These aides served as
floor managers and social assistants.”

Operations and Maintenance — Repairs were made to sidewalks in
Lafayette Square and the Ellipse in 1902, and the route of the bridle
path on the Ellipse was changed. Occupying part of the southwest
section, the course now ran without obstructions from tree limbs or
similar problems.”

The White House south lawn retained a mixed use, with a new
clothes drying yard surrounded by an 8-foot lattice fence south of
the west colonnade. The 50-foot-wide semicircular asphalt drive
north of the mansion was replaced by a 25-foot-wide road with
macadam pavement. The 14-foot-wide drive extending from the
northeast corner of the White House to the Executive Office Building
was scheduled to be removed. Other walks and water service were
also reworked.”

In 1903 Bingham asked for $60,000 to establish new stables for the
White House and his office so that the existing facilities might be
torn down and the sites landscaped. Repairs were made to both

38. Seale, The President's House, 596, 693-94, 696, 699. Ike Hoover first entered service
at the White House as an electrician in 1891, after quitting the Edison Co. Hoover worked
at the White House for the next 42 years under 10 presidents. He served as an assistant,
and for his final six years as chief usher.

39. Seale, The President's House, 596, 693-94, 696, 699.
40. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1902, 2715, 2732.
41. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1902, 2525.

Theodore A. Bingham —
March 9, 1897, to April 30,
1903

175

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Office of Public Huildings and Grounds — March 9, 1897, to February 26, 1925



ormicns

g
z A
: H
3 s
i 5
. :

PENNSYLVANIA

EXECUTIVE MANSION GROUNDS
WASHINGTON D.c.
GENERAL SURVEY.

tetera

"Ab ae daweney rite

FIUE NO 2643-69570

245
Office of National Parks, Buildings, and Reservations — August 10, 1933, to March 2, 1934; National Park Service — March 2, 1934, to May 10, 1958



Frank T. Gartside — August
10, 1933, to October 9,
1933; C. Marshall Finnan —
October 9, 1933, to July 31,
1939

252

Memorials

On April 25, 1936, a memorial was dedicated to the original District
patentees at the time that land was appropriated by the federal
government. Created by sculptor Carl Mose and designer Delos
Smith, the District Patentees Memorial was installed on the eastern
side of the Ellipse. Made of Indiana granite, the monument was
erected by the National Society of the Daughters of the American
Colonists at a cost of $1,000.*

On July 18, 1936, a memorial to the members of the U.S. Army’s
Second Division was dedicated on the 18th anniversary of the battle
in the Bois de Belleau. The monument, which had been authorized by
Congress, was envisioned as a hand holding a flaming sword (35 feet
long, 15 feet wide, and 25 feet high). Designed by sculptor James E.
Fraser and architect John Russell Pope, it represented the Second Divi-
sion’s holding of German forces from the gates of Paris at Chateau
Thierry in 1918. The hand and sword were gold leafed. The
memorial cost $60,000, and 3,500 veterans attended the ceremony.
Editoriais in local papers protested the location of the memorial,
stating that it would detract from the formal landscape of President’s
Park. These protests were ignored, however, and the Commission of
Fine Arts selected and approved the final location.”

Collection Management

The annual White House inventory was transferred in 1937 from the
supply section of the National Park Service, where it had been
handled by clerk-storekeeper Connor Donnelley, to the accounts
section, where it was the responsibility of M. K. Green. As of July 2,
1937, the inventory function and its personnel were assigned to the
superintendent of the National Capital Parks. The director of the
National Park Service now sent the final inventory to the president
for his approval. As of October 1, 1937, all copies of former
inventories (which had been stored in room 1608 in the Navy
Building since 1911} were transferred to Finnan’s office.**

26. NPS, ‘A History of National Capital Parks,” table IV; NPS, President’s Park South, 34-
35.

27. Act of March 3, 1931 (46 Stat. 1515). Finnan to the dir, Aug. 7, 1935, Finnan to
Demaray, memorandum, Sept. 25, 1935; “The Second (Indian Head) Division Monument:
Pertinent Data”; Gartside to Mary Clark, Feb. 9, 1937; “Memorial Location,” typewritten
notes; all in 1430/Second Division Memorial, box 17, acc, 66A-1097, ESF/WHL/NPS.

28. H.L, Wooten (acting asst. dir.) to Finnan, memorandum, June 5, 1937; G. C. Gist
(chief, Administration}, memorandum, June 17, 1937; Finnan to H. L. Wooten, memo-
randum, July 2, 1937; A. B. Cammerer to [Roosevelt], memorandum, Sept. 5, 1937;

CHAPTER 6, THE New DEAL, WorLD WAR II, AND PEACE; 1933-1958


Wilson evidently gave up trying to replace the north wal] and fence; John M. Wilson — March
he had the wall pointed and the fence painted in 1895. That year the 31, 1893, to February 16,
State Dining Room furniture was also repaired. An additional door 1897; John S. Sewell —
was cut between the Blue Room and the Red Room, presumably to February 16, 1897, to
improve circulation for state occasions.” March 9, 1897

New ideas in public recreation were reflected by changes in the daily
administration of President’s Park. On March 2, 1895, Congress
authorized the use of a portion of the Ellipse area as a children’s
playground, with the officer in charge establishing regulations for
use. Tennis, croquet, and similar games were approved, and permits
to use the area were to be issued. This was the first recreation per-
mitted on the Ellipse, although the property had been used for
recreational purposes for years beforehand. In 1896 two applications
were made and issued for such recreation, but neither was acted
upon. Applications by young men to stage football and baseball
games on the Ellipse were denied, however, as being unsuitable
events. The officer in charge felt that such areas should be left open
for young children only. Recreational interests were temporarily
disrupted in 1895 when a large sewer main was constructed across
the Ellipse from 15th to 17th Streets (under authorization from
Congress by the commissioners of the District of Columbia).””

Wilson reported that the Ellipse would be used by the International
Christian Endeavor Association in July 1896, as approved by Con-
gress on February 13. There would be three great tents, plus plat-
forms and seating for 10,000; other smaller tents would be erected as
needed. The event substantially damaged the turf; however, the
promoters paid for the damage and cleaned up all refuse.”

In his 1896 annual report Wilson continued to suggest that a new
presidential office be constructed, adding that the walkway between
the proposed structure and the building could serve as a gallery with
statues of prominent Americans. Wilson again called for removing
the presidential stables and for improving the walk and roadway

146. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1894, 3287; ibid, 1895, 3977, 4131; {Smithl,
“History of Changes.” Also see Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1893, 4430-31, 4340;
Utica Saturday Globe, Nov. 25, 1893, as quoted by George H. Town to Jonathan Daniels,
Feb. 18, 1950, HSTL.

147. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1895, 4139-41; ibid. 1896, 3984; ibid., 1897,
4038.

148. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1896, 3985-86, 3995; ibid., 1897, 4047.

159
ULS. Army Corps of Engineers, Office of Public Buildings and Grounds — March 2, 1867, to March 9, 1897



Appendix A. Administrators of the
White House and President’s Park

[Nore: Dates listed with names indicate date of assumption of office.]

Commissioners for the District of Columbia —
January 22, 1791, to May 1, 1802

Thomas Johnson January 22, 1791
David Stuart January 22, 1791
Daniel Carroll January 22, 1791
Gustavus Scott August 23, 1794
William Thornton September 15, 1794
Alexander White May 18, 1795
William Cranch January 8, 1801
Tristram Dalton March 3, 1801

Superintendent of the City of Washington — May 1, 1802, to
April 6, 1806 / Commissioner of Public Buildings —
April 6, 1806, to March 3, 1817

Thomas Munroe June 2, 1802

Commissioner of Public Buildings — March 3, 1817, to
March 2, 1867

Samuel! Lane April 30, 1816*
Joseph Elgar May 8, 1822
William Noland February 10, 1834
Andrew Beaumont November 5, 1846 **
Charles Douglas March 3, 1847
Ignatius Mudd April 7, 1849**
June 23, 1850
William Easby March 12, 1851
Benjamin B. French June 14, 1853**
January 19, 1854
John B. Blake June 5, 1855**
December 24, 1855
William S. Wood May 31, 1861**
August 13, 1861*
Benjamin B. French September 5, 1861**

January 27, 1862

* The office of the Commissioner of Public Buildings began functioning on April 30,

1816, although the effective date set by Congress was March 3, 1817.
** Interim appointment

393
Appendix A, Administrators of the White House and President's Park



Constitution Avenue was widened in 1931, which necessitated mov-
ing the old stone gateposts at the southwest corners of 14th and
15th Streets on Constitution to new locations at the intersection of
15th and 17th on Constitution. A brick gatepost originally at the
southeast corner of 15th and Constitution was in such deteriorated
condition that it was demolished.””

In 1932 the Office of Public Buildings and Public Parks attempted to
record all the water, heating, and electrical lines running to the White
House “with a view to assembling and recording this information in
permanent form.” Drawings were partially completed in 1932. The
Advisory Committee on White House Furnishing was under the
chairmanship of Harriet Barnes Pratt of New York.”*

During Grant's tenure as director, storage continued to be a major
problem. A new warehouse was designed to occupy squares 410 and
434, between 7th and 9th Streets and C and D Streets SW at a cost of

$1,310,000. The warehouse was designed by architect William

Partridge of Washington and Lockwood Green Engineers, Inc., of New
York. The building was to be 250 feet square and 90 feet high. A
railroad siding was to be constructed, along with truck loading
capabilities above and below ground surface. Sprinkler systems, a
central vacuum cleaning system, and security systems were also
specified. The building was under construction by October 1, 1931,
with completion scheduled for September 1932. Also in 1931, a new
garage was built in the yards at 15th Street and C Street SW.”

Attempts to keep the annual Christmas celebration from becoming a
large-scale event failed. In 1932 the national community Christmas
tree in Sherman Plaza became a “singing tree,” with loudspeaker
systems concealed among the branches. Recreational events also re-
mained popular.*

The Franklin D. Roosevelt Administration. An indoor swimming pool
was installed in the west colonnade in 1933 for President Roosevelt.
The pool was 50 feet long, 15 feet wide, 4% feet deep at the shallow

227. Annual Report, Director of Public Buildings and Public Parks, 1930, 40-41, ibid., 1931,
iti, 69-70.

228, Annual Report, Director of Public Buildings and Public Parks, 1932, 19; Grant to Mrs.
Harold I. Pratt, Dec. 12, 1932, 945-20-25/Committee, box 3, acc. 644-42, WH&WPP
files, ESF/WHL/NPS.

229. Annual Report, Director of Public Buildings and Public Parks, 1931, 26, 72; ibid., 1932,
17.

230. Peeples, American Forests, p. 6.

U.S. Grant Il — January 1,
1926, to April 5, 1933;
James A. Woodruff — April
5, 1933, to August 10, 1933

231

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Office of Public Buildings and Public Parks of the National Capital — February 26, 1925, to June 10, 1933



Gulf War, 361-362, 367
gun emplacements, 261 |

H

Hadfield, George, 14, 28, 47

“Hail to the Chief,” 77

Hallet, Stephen, 14

Hamar, M., 412

Hamburg, 13

Hamilton Place: widening of, 249.
See also Treasury Place

Hamilton statue, 413

Harbaugh, Leonard, 28, 30

Harding, Warren G., 165, 210,
213, 215

Harewood, Thomas, 24

Harkness Ballet Company, 339

Harpers Ferry Center, NPS, 355,
369-370, 374

Harris, Bill, 349

Harris, Kathryn, 186

Harrison, Anna, 118

Harrison, Benjamin, 118, 151-156

Harrison, Caroline, 151

Harrison, William Henry, 39, 74

Hartley, John F., 397

Harts, William W., 197, 199, 199-
205, 398

Hartzog, George B., Jr., 314

Hassett, William D., 281

Hastings, Thomas, 196, 416

Haupt, Enid Annenberg, 327, 416

Haupt fountains, 416

Hawkins, Albert, 142, 147

Hayes, Lucy, 139

Hayes, Rutherford B., 117, 135-
140, 155

Hayes, Webb, 135

Hay, John M., 107, 397

head steward: Roosevelt (T) tenure,
174. See also steward

Healy, George P. A., 107

heating systems: Buchanan tenure,
105; Carter tenure, 349; Fillmore
tenure, 86, 89; Harrison (B)
tenure, 151; Hoover tenure, 231;
Lincoln tenure, 110; Pierce
tenure, 96, 101; Polk tenure, 78;
Roosevelt (FD) tenure, 258; Van

Buren tenure, 68-69, 72; Wilson
tenure, 201

Heine, Cornelius, 305, 331

helicopter landing area, 208, 240,
309, 339

Helm, Edith, 264

Hendricks, Thomas, 148

Henraux Marble Works, 327

Henry, Buck, 103

Hepner, Robert A., 285

Herbert, Hilary A., 398

Hermitage replica, 250

Herrick, Myron T., 200

Hill, William, 24

Hinckley, John W., Jr., 358

Hines, colonel, 287

Historic American Buildings
Survey, 347, 352; exterior of
White House, 353

Historic American Engineering
Record, 352

Historic Districts, 325

historic preservation issues, 377;
Antiquities Act of 1906, 189,
306, 403; Eisenhower tenure,
292; Ford tenure, 348; Johnson
(LB) tenure, 322-326; Kennedy
tenure, 301, 306-307

Historic Sites Act of 1935, 406

history of White House grounds,
321

Hitchcock, W. A., 188

Hoard, Ernest, 270

Hoban, James: and construction of
White House, 14, 20, 22, 25,
27-29, 30-31; death of, 60-61;
Latrobe on, 43; and Monroe, 58;
and reconstruction of White
House, 48, 52

Hoke, Anthony, 24

Homer, Winslow, 332

Hoover, Herbert, 165, 225-231,
233, 235-236, 272, 374

Hoover, Irwin “Ike,” 175, 194-195,
232, 241

Hoover, Lou, 230

Horne, Robert C., 297

horseshoe pits: Bush tenure, 367;
Truman tenure, 274

Hoskins, James, 46

447
index



On May 17, 1965, McCaskey recommended that 10 tourist infor-
mation kiosks be provided. Robert Ayers, president of Government
Services, Inc., obtained a design from a Mr. Chaterlaine for a souvenir
sales kiosk originally designed for the Lincoln Memorial. An artist's
rendering was submitted to the National Capital Region, and the first
kiosk opened at the Lincoln Memorial on the July 4th weekend. The
White House kiosk on East Executive Avenue opened on July 7, and
others opened at 9th Street and the Washington Monument on July
24 and 25. Staffed by NPS and GSI personnel, they were open seven
days a week, 8:30 A.M. to 5:30 P.M., until Labor Day; the Lincoln
Memorial kiosk remained open until 11 P.M. These installations were
seen as a stopgap measure until a Washington information center
could be developed. However, this was the first time the National
Park Service provided staff whose main job was contact with
Washington visitors.**

The information kiosk in Lafayette Park, which opened in August
1965, was staffed by Norma Levin, an 18-year-old sophomore at
Radcliff College; Sandra McQuarie, an 18-year-old student at Mary
Baldwin; and Bill Fletcher, a 20-year-old-student at George Washing-
ton University. Records were kept on the frequency and kind of ques-
tions asked. A training program for visitor information personnel
was suggested. In addition, the White House tours were extended to
Saturday and were operating on this basis by the fall of 1965."

The National Park Service also began to conduct tours of Lafayette
Park and the surrounding neighborhood. These tours initially elicited
large crowds, occasionally proving to be a challenge to interpreters
when expectations exceeded their ability to accommodate visitors.
Ranger Edmund Fitzgerald was confronted by a large crowd of disap-
pointed tourists when local papers had advertised a tour of the sur-
rounding buildings as well as the park itself, a misconception quickly
corrected by the National Park Service. Other programs were also
initiated. For example, new carriages for the four cannon were
researched by NPS historian Albert Mauncy of Castillo de San Marcos
and Fort Matanzas National Monuments, Florida, and by the NPS
chief curator Harold Peterson. Their research, along with the research

Force, nd., 3, A88/Discover America (1/1/66 to -} (1), box 21, acc. 72A-6215,
ESF/WHL/NPS.

33. “See the USA” Task Force, 1, 3-5, 7-8; John Sherwood, "New White House Guides
Will Help You Find It,” Aug. 8, 1965, Beautification news clippings, box 26, acc. 72A-
6215, ESEAWHL/NPS.

34. "See the USA” Task Force, 1, 3-5, 7-8; John Sherwood, "New White House Guides
Will Help You Find it,” Aug. 8, 1965, Beautification news clippings, box 26, acc. 72A~
6215, ESE/WHL/NPS.

Harry T. Thompson — May
10, 1958, to February 25,
1961; T. Sutton Jett —
March 15, 1961, to January
14, 1968; 1. J. Castro —
January 14, 1968, to
September 25, 1969; Rex W.
Scouten (Assistant Regional
Director) — February 24,
1968, to May 4, 1969

315
‘The National Park Service — 1958-1983


Joseph Elgar — May 8,
1822, to February 10, 1834

64

Jurisdiction

~ Subsequent to a May 7, 1822, act of Congress that granted certain

powers to the Corporation of Washington, a petition of right was
filed. Supreme Court Justice Joseph Story delivered an opinion in Van
Ness v. the United States and the Corporation of Washington, in which
he wrote that fee-simple title to all streets in the city rested with the
federal government in perpetuity, and while the government might
delegate their use and maintenance, it did not, under such
arrangements, deed over any trust. The government of the United
States continued to control the streets and all attendant rights-of-
way, delegating administration to the District of Columbia.”

In addition, the annual report for 1833 states that Congress extended
to the city the authority to

extend their regulations for the preservation of the public
peace and order, to all public buildings and public grounds
within the city of Washington whenever the application of
the same should be requested by the Commissioner of
Public Buildings.”

Fines were adopted by the city for damage to public gardens, build-
ings, and other constructions; for removing material; for driving
animals and vehicles across public spaces; or for tethering animals to
streets, trees, and the like. Offenders were to be fined $1 to $5 in
some instances and $5 to $20 in others. This, so far as is known,
constituted the first specific legislation regarding the protection of
public property in the city.”

For the first time officials defined the far south part of President‘s
Park as “public ground” and reserved the yard immediately south of
the White House for the use of the chief executive and his family,
making it open to the public only on certain occasions. This language
reflects the concept of the ellipse area as public and the south lawn as
private as early as 1830."

81. Van Ness v. the United States and the Corporation of Washington, as quoted in Annual
Report, Commissioner of Public Buildings, October 11, 1856, 855, RG 42.

82. Annual Report, Commissioner of Public Buildings, Dec. 20, 1833, 1-3, RG 42.
83. Annual Report, Commissioner of Public Buildings, Dec, 20, 1833, 1-3, RG 42.
84. Annual Report, Commissioner of Public Buildings, 1832, 1-3.

(CHAPTER 2. THE GROWTH OF THE REPUBLIC: 1802-1849


In 1929 the public parks division hosted 15,202 ballplayers and
87,890 spectators on the Ellipse, with 454 game permits issued from
March through the middle of October. Tennis remained popular, with
14,541 players from April to December. Other recreational
opportunities in the parks included roque, quoits, and field hockey;
there were five golf courses, two polo fields, lacrosse and archery
fields, swimming pools, two teahouses, a tourist camp, whippet
races, and a Boy Scout Indian show on the Ellipse. While many of
these events took place outside President’s Park, all were nearby,
creating increased traffic and security problems.**

While the director’s office did not institute a recreational program per
se, it did attempt to respond to demands made on the site by local
residents. Memorial events such as the laying of wreaths at statues
remained an important part of the ceremonial nature of the site. In
fact, an entire section of the annual report was now entitled
“Ceremonies.” Various observances were held, including a dance on
the Ellipse roadway on Labor Day evening, 1929, The Marine Band
concerts, so long a part of the park’s summer events, were no longer
listed for President’s Park. These now were given on the Washington
Monument grounds at the adjacent Sylvan Theater.”

The 1929 Easter egg roll was expanded to include sites at Fort Davis,
Montrose Park, the Washington Monument, Rock Creek Park, and
various other reservations, possibly in an attempt to lessen the strain.
on the White House and its resources. The White House was still the
most popular site, with attendance of 47,217, followed by the
Washington Monument at 28,000. On Independence Day a sham
aerial attack was held over the Washington Monument. Additional
memorial events continued to be held at various statues, particularly
those in Lafayette Square. The national community Christmas tree
remained in Sherman Plaza, where it was lit by the president at 8
P.M. on December 24, 1929.7

A fire on Christmas Eve, 1929, burned the Executive Office Building
(West Wing). Reconstruction was needed, and officials published
specifications for remodeling and general repairs on December 27,

214. Annual Report, Director of Public Buildings and Public Parks, 1929, 11, 38-41, 44, 45.
215. Annual Report, Director of Public Buildings and Public Parks, 1929, 38, 40-44.

216. Annual Report, Director of Public Buildings and Public Parks, 1929, 42, 43, Permanent
Christmas trees were also present at Montrose Park and Reservation 309C (at 16th and
Columbia Road). An additional permanent tree was planted by the Columbia Heights
Businessmen’s Association. Other temporary trees existed in Chevy Chase Circle, at
Reservation 313B {at South Dakota Avenue and 24th Street NE), and at Reservation 100
(at 24th Street and Virginia Avenue).

U. S. Grant If — January 1,

1926, to April 5, 1933;
James A. Woodruff — April
5, 1933, to August 10, 1933

227

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Office of Public Buildings and Public Parks of the National Capital — February 26, 1925, to June 10, 1933



Clarence S. Ridley —
September 22, 1917, to
March 21, 1921

208

The 1920 annual report noted that 14 parks had been added to the
system, an unprecedented move that brought the total of public
reservations in Washington (including President's Park) to 2,749,128
acres. The White House greenhouses, which continued to operate
from the Washington Monument grounds, now numbered 20
individual structures.*

A unique experiment with a prototype helicopter in the 1920s on the
south lawn of the White House heralded an event that would become
commonplace by the second half of the century."

Public Buildings Commission — The Legislative, Executive, and Judi-
cial Appropriations Act approved March 1, 1919, built on 1916
legislation that had created a Public Buildings Commission.'**

Memorials

On the first anniversary of Armistice Day in 1920, two California
redwood trees were planted in Lafayette Square. According to the
annual report, the National Park Service did. the plantings. This is the
first mention of the Park Service in the annual reports."*”

Collection Management

The officer in charge of the property continued to act as de facto cur-
ator of the White House collection, supervising the cleaning of por-
traits, repairs of frames and furnishings, and similar duties. There
was still no professional curation and collection management."*

Jurisdiction

Jurisdictional matters came to the forefront in 1918 when the
government of the District of Columbia, after laying new sidewalk
along 15th Street between Constitution and Pennsylvania Avenues,
petitioned the Corps of Engineers to accept lands that had been

154. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1920, 4109-10; NPS, President's Park South, plate
XX.

155. White House Historical Association, Within These Walls, 1991, videocassette.

156. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1925, 1964; Report of the Public Buildings
Commission for the Year 1922 (Washington: U.S. GPO, 1922), 1.

157. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1920, 4114.
158. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1918, 3775-77.

(CHAPTER 5. THE WHITE HOUSE, WASHINGTON, AND THE WORLD: 1897-1933


Daniel Carroll, Thomas
Johnson, David Stuart,
Gustavus Scott, William
Thornton, Alexander White,
William Cranch, and
Tristram Dalton

24

‘CHAPTER 1. BEGINNINGS: 1791-1802

Defaults, poor financing, and general confusion made the sale of
properties difficult at best, according to a report to the president
dated June 28, 1801. For example, James Greenleaf and Robert
Morris had agreed to purchase 6,000 lots in the new city at an
average of 5,265 square feet per lot at $80 per lot, payable in seven
equal payments annually without interest. This made the total of
$480,000 payable in seven installments of about $68,571.43.
Payment was to begin on January 1, 1794. As part of the bargain,
Greenleaf and Morris were to annually build 20 two-story brick
houses, each covering 1,200 square feet. One such house was to be
erected on every third lot, and the speculators were not to sell any
lots before January 1, 1796. Greenleaf and Morris did not follow
through, however, causing much consternation over the financing of
public improvements in the new city. The only currency available in
large amounts consisted of 6% stock from the state of Maryland.

In addition to needing skilled laborers for the President’s House, the
commissioners also needed them for other endeavors in the city. The
brickyard for all of the first federal buildings was established near the
President’s House by autumn 1792, and by spring 1793 the yard
was operational under William Hill, who signed an agreement with
the commissioners to supply 180,000 bricks. Another agreement in
May 1792 between the commissioners and Anthony Hoke had called
for 300,000 “merchantable [sic] plain bricks” in dimensions of 9
inches by 2.5 inches to be made at a kiln “near the site of the
president’s house.” By the fail of 1793 master brickmaker Jeremiah
Kale had been hired; he remained on the site for the next five years,
making bricks for the interior partitions of the first federal buildings,
including the interior walls of both the President's House and the
Capitol. New stone quarries were established upriver; and quantities
of wood were procured (including 200,000 feet of yellow and white
pine). Surveyors set the vista from the White House to the Capitol,
and the commission directed that the grubbing of the road begin.”

With the solicitation of laborers and craftsmen, the city’s first com-
munity grew up around the Executive Mansion. From the beginning
the people involved in planning and erecting the first. official building
in the new city reflected a cross section of the new country’s inhabi-

46. Representations made to the president of the United States, June 28, 1801, “Records of
the Commissioners,” 88, 92, 94-101, RG 42; report of Robert King, Nov, 25, 1801, ibid.,
234; Reps, Washington on View, 52. These entries in the “Records of the Corumissioners”
constitute some of the first in which currency is referred to in dollars rather than pounds.

47, Request for proposals: contract for flooring, Nov. 5, 1792, “Records of the
Commissioners," 149-50, RG 42; minutes of meeting: interior walls, Sept. 23, 1793,
ibid., 197; Seale, The President's House, 51-53, 56-57, 60.


1901. The fire damaged the north fence, fence posts, and coping, and
it destroyed an elm tree. Bingham asked that future inaugural
committees be prohibited from erecting buildings inside the fence and
that they be required to post a bond for damage to the grounds. After
an encampment by the Grand Army .of the Republic, repairs were
made to the area in front of the sidewalk, where a large reviewing
stand that housed 1,000 chairs had been built. On the Ellipse 291
tents had been set up, along with 30 light poles, temporary water
connections, a flagpole, and a platform. Bingham recommended that
Congress require cash bonds from sponsoring agencies to cover the
cleanup after large events.

In his 1901 report Bingham gave the total acreage of President's Park
as 82.22 acres, with an average yearly maintenance cost of $134.25
per acre. Each parcel under his jurisdiction (including the White
House) received a yearly average of $9,280 of improvements, or
$23.13 per acre. Various service systems in the Executive Mansion
had become complicated and confusing. Bingham had new pipes
painted different colors so that they would be readily identifiable by
color code when problems arose.”

Binghamr‘s repairs to Lafayette Square in 1901 consisted of the usual
drainage work, repairs to sidewalks and curbing, and the installation
of brass plaques bearing both English and Latin names for some of
the trees. Repairs were also made to the watchman’s lodge. A second
watchman’s lodge had been established at the southeast corner of the
south grounds, and a new tin roof installed. Other work for 1901
included the manufacture of compost and the painting of settees,
light posts, fences, and similar items. Repairs also were made to
various booths and buildings.”

Social functions became so elaborate and such a concern to the officer
in charge that they received a separate entry in the 1901 annual
report. The White House social schedule comprised a centennial
observance on December 12, 1900, the 1901 New Year’s Day recep-
tion, a dance on January 3, four evening receptions on January 7,
14, 23, 30, a reception on February 20, and five state dinners
between December 1900 and May 1901. The Easter egg roll was held
on the White House grounds, with cleanup and damage reported at
$224.75.%

25. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1901, 3704-5; ibid., 1903, 2550-51.
26. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1901, 3690, 3714.

27, Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1901, 3705-6, 3721.

28. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1901, 3691; ibid. 1902, 2720, 2731.

Theodore A. Bingham —
March 9, 1897, to April 30,
1903

171

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Office of Public Buildings and Grounds — March 9, 1897, to February 26, 1925



Clarence O. Sherrill — March
21, 1921, to February 26,
1925

Clarence O. Sherrili

Courtesy: Library of
Congress

210 ‘

Clarence O. Sherrill — March 21, 1921, to February 26, 1925

Shortly after the inauguration of Warren G. Harding, Clarence O.
Sherrill became officer in charge. Under his direction President’s Park
took on additional programs, monuments, and designs, doing much
to implement elements of the City Beautiful movement.

Sherrill was born in Newton, North Carolina, on May 24, 1876, and
attended Catawba College and Trinity in North Carolina before enter-
ing West Point, where he graduated second in his class on June 19,
1897. Promoted to second lieutenant on February 2, 1901, he served
in the Philippines, building roads, campsites, and wharves. Returning
to the United States he served as a social aide to the president for the
1903-4 season. He achieved the rank of first lieutenant January 29,
1903. He graduated with honors from the Infantry and Cavalry
School in 1906, and he graduated from the Army Staff College in
1907. Sherrill served as an instructor in engineering at the Army
School of the Line and Staff College beginning in 1907. He was
promoted to captain on February 14, 1908, and to major on
February 27, 1914. He became a temporary lieutenant colonel from
August 5 to August 21, 1917; the rank became permanent on July
1, 1920. No information about the rest of his life has been found.*©

General Administration

The Warren G. Harding Administration, President Harding reopened
the White House to the touring public. In May 1921 a radio was
given to President Harding by the Atwater Kent Company. With its
dry and storage batteries and its tin loudspeaker horn, this piece of
equipment heralded a new media age at the White House. The next
year Harding became the first president to broadcast a speech.“

The Office of Public Buildings and Grounds moved in 1923 to the
new Navy Building at B Street (today Constitution Avenue) and 18th
Streets NW.

163. Heitman, Historical Register, U.S. Army, 882; Thompson, Who's Who in the Regular
Army, 269; US. War Office, ‘Active List, 1926" in US. Army Register, 3:544; USMA,
Register of Graduates and Former Cadets, U.S. Military Academy, 650.

164. Seale, The President’s House, 839; “Construction and Maintenance, White House,”
McClure to Edmund J. Casey, Nov. 1, 1966, D3415 (1/1/66 to -} (1), box 21,
ESF/WHL/NPS.

165. Dowd, Records of Public Buildings and Public Parks, 38.

CHAPTER 5S. THE WHITE HOUSE, WASHINGTON, AND THE WORLD: 1897-1933



Chapter 2. The Growth of the Republic:
1802-1849

An Overview of the Period

be 1801 inauguration of Thomas Jefferson in 1801
brought an.egalitarian mood to the capital, and Jefferson
created a less formal atmosphere at the President’s House.
Designs for the White House and President’s Park also
reflected Jefferson’s dislike of formalism. While Jefferson decried
control and protocol as undemocratic, he tightened and centralized
control by having administrative authority for the city reassigned
from the original three commissioners to a single superintendent.
Thomas Munroe was appointed the first superintendent in 1802; in
1806 his title was changed.to commissioner of public buildings.’

In the early 1800s the capital city remained largely unfinished. The
forecourt of the White House, known later as Lafayette Square,
remained undeveloped, barren, and without trees. A race track had
been established to the west of the parcel in 1797, while workers’
houses occupied the site during the construction of the White House.
Afterwards, merchants established a city market on the site, which
they later moved to Pennsylvania Avenue between 7th and 9th
Streets. This front park, known in the Jefferson administration as
“the commons,” was for the people, said the president.

1. “Report of the Committee on Public Buildings, Accompanied with a Bill Fixing the
Compensation of the Commissioner of the Public Buildings,” Apr. 8, 1822 (photostatic
copy, n.p.), 87. The change from superintendent to commissioner of public buildings is
referred to only in the April 1822 report. Perhaps Jefferson thought the title less
bureaucratic and more democratic. In any event, most official listings omit this change in
title and date the beginning of the single commissioner with Samuel Lane in 1816. It is
assumed that Munroe continued in office until Lane took over. See Dowd, Records of
Public Buildings and Public Parks, 2, 28-31.

2. Seale, The President's House, 88, 90, 105-6, 109-10; NPS, Lafayette Park, vii, 1; Reps,
Washington on View, 59.

At least one report says that Pennsylvania Avenue was cut through between
Lafayette Square and the White House in 1796 and widened in 1803. Although the
author is fairly specific with dates, the extant primary sources for this information are
unavailable. See Hans P. Caemmerer, Washington, the National Capital (Washington, DC:
US. GPO, 1932), 229, as quoted in NPS, “Historical Study of the Buildings along
Madison Place, Lafayette Square, Washington, D.C. (Dolly [sic] Madison House, Benjamin
Ogle Tayloe House, Belasco Theater and Wilkins Building)” (1960), p. 11, H34/National
Landmarks, box 20, ace. 684-3201, ESF/WHL/NPS.

37

An Overview of the Period


John B. Blake — June 5,
1855, to May 31, 1867

106

reported that the drainage improvements in Lafayette Square had
been a success. The secretary of the interior reported in 1858 that
President’s Square included 3,516,791 square feet, or 80.7344 acres,
and “the square originally a part of President’s Square now
commonly called Lafayette Square” consisted of 304,694 square feet,
or 6.9948 acres.

Few repairs were made to the presidential mansion in 1859; however
river water was piped into the basement and grounds. The Franklin
Square water source still served the upper stories. Blake stated that
the house required constant attention and that if not attended to all
the time, neglect “would soon render it scarcely habitable.” Jemmy
Maher, public gardener from the time of Jackson’s presidency, died
and was succeeded by T. J. Sutter, whom the commissioner extolled
as “intelligent, industrious and energetic.” Blake also commended the
other public gardeners, John Watt, James Stone, and Michael
Griffith, praising their work in the midst of the summer’s great
drought. Windstorms damaged many trees in the area, and the
gardeners had trouble saving them. The staff for the public grounds

- increased from 16 to 22..7°

The President’s House continued to function in the European tradi-
tion of the great residence that was both home and office for the chief
of state. In the winter of 1860-61 the White House hosted at least
two major dinners a week, each with a guest list of about 40 people.
Richard Goodchild used both Washington chefs Charles Gautier and
Joseph Boulanger.”

By this time the Buchanan administration offices occupied a third of
the space on the second floor. The president’s offices consisted of a
three-room suite on the south side extending to the Oval Room and
including a cabinet room. Visitors entered the second floor area by
the “business stairs” from the main lobby through a receiving vesti-
bule. To the east were the presidential offices; to the west, the first
family’s living quarters. The hallway on the left of the vestibule
served as a waiting room; at the end of the hall the fanlight window
was a focal point for visitors waiting to see the president. North of

69. Annual Report, Commissioner of Public Buildings, 1858, 692, 699-702; Report of the
Secretary of the Interior on Expenditures in the District of Columbia, 35th Cong., 2nd sess. Ex.
Doc. 5 ({Washington, DC}, n.d.), 7; NPS, President’s Park South, 9.

70. Annual Report, Commissioner of Public Buildings, 1859, 841-43, 850.
71. Seale, The President's House, 357.

(CHAPTER 3: THE ANTEBELLUM, CIVIL WAR, AND RECONSTRUCTION YEARS: 1849-1867


Thomas Munroe —~ May 1,
1802, to March 3, 1817

42

1801. A single salary paid to one commissioner instead of salaries
paid to three commissioners represented a substantial savings."*

As superintendent, and later commissioner, Munroe was responsible
for the construction of buildings in the district, the supervision of the
capital police and watchmen, the repair of designated -roads and
bridges, the improvement and enclosure of public reservations, the
installation of statues, and the sale of public lots, in addition to his
duties at President's Park. He also served as postmaster and was
responsible for opening streets upon application by the district's city
corporation and for removing nuisances. The staff for the Office of
Superintendent initially remained smal}, consisting of the commis-
sioner, a clerk, the U.S. surveyor of the city of Washington, and the
architect of the Capitol. Both Robert King Jr. and Benjamin Henry
Latrobe served as surveyor.’*

The administration of the White House itself and its grounds con-
tinued to be separated between household staff and the super-
intendent. In the house, administration had passed from the Briesler
family under Adams to Jefferson’s steward, Joseph Rapin, to Etienne
Lemaire, who by the fall of 1801 was in charge of the property.
Lemaire remained through the Jefferson administration.”

Jefferson removed the wooden privy next to the Executive Mansion
that had been built in 1800, as he thought its public placement was
undignified. He built an extensive wine cellar west of the house on a
site picked by surveyor Robert King. The circular cellar was 18 feet
wide at the top, 14 feet wide at the bottom, and 16 feet deep. John
Caton and Bartholomew Crowley agreed to dig the cellar in two
weeks for $50, payable upon their finishing the work. Jefferson
called the structure, in a most republican manner, an “ice house,”

Jefferson's plans for a west wing or terrace remain a mystery; his
plans for an east wing are better documented. The wings were
designed to provide offices, kitchens, and administrative areas for the

15. Seale, The President’s House, 92-110; accounts for salaries, Jan. 13, 1801, “Records
of the Commissioners,” 76, RG 42; May 1802, ibid., 305.

16. Dowd, Records of Public Buildings and Public Parks, 28-29.
17. Seale, The President’s House, 93.

18. ULS. Congress (2 Stat. 175, 3 Stat. 324); Thomas Jefferson; Landscape sketch map,
¢. 1802-1805, Library of Congress, as reproduced in Seale, The President's House, vol. 1,
ius. 14, pp. 90, 103, 109, 110; NPS, Lafayette Park, vii; “Records of the Commissioners,”
ili, RG 42; report of Hoban, Jan. 7, 1801, ibid., 80; contract with John Caton and
Bartholomew Crowley, Aug. 8, 1801, ibid. The circular cellar was uncovered in 1969
under the west terrace; notes, Betty Monkman (OC/WH)}, July 19, 2000.

CHAPTER 2. THE GROWTH OF THE REPUBLIC: 1802-1849


Spencer Cosby — March 15,
1909, to August 19, 1913

194

social calendar for 1911. A temporary stage was constructed at the
north end of the East Room. “Immediately after each of these
functions the house was restored to its usual condition,” noted the
officer in charge. In addition, the usual concerts were given on the
Ellipse on Saturday afternoons in July, August, and September, as
well as on Easter Monday. Tennis courts were established in the
southeast corner of the Ellipse and were available to the public as
early as 1912.7

Eight gas and nine arc lights in President's Park and three gas lamps
on West Executive Avenue were replaced with 56 incandescent lights
with 60 candlepower each. Two gas and six electric arc lamps in
Lafayette Square were replaced by 26 gas lamps. Grounds lighting
was handled under a contract with the Potomac Electric Power
Company until 1912, when exterior lighting for President’s Park was
connected to the generating plant in the State, War, and Navy
Building. Other technological improvements included a “cooling
apparatus” in the Oval Office, although the exact specifications are
not known, The machine was used five days in July and seven days
in August 1913.7

On June 23, 1913, a total of $1,500 was spent to install an inde-
pendent water supply to the White House for fire hydrants that were
fed by a 6-inch cast-iron pressure pipe 731 feet long."

Former electrician and doorkeeper Ike Hoover took over the position
of chief usher after Butt’s death, and direct administration of the
house reverted to his office in 1913. He would continue in this
position until his death in 1933. Control of White House ceremony
soon reverted to the officer in charge, who was also sometimes
referred to as superintendent. However, Ike Hoover's position as chief
usher marked the modern establishment of this position, both in title
and function. Although the title had first been used in the 1850s and
was formalized in the 1890s, from this time forward the chief usher
would be an increasingly important figure in the management of the
White House and its attendant properties."

111, Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1911, 2962, 2979; ibid., 1912, 3486; ibid., 1925,
1950-51.

112. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1912, 3483; ibid., 1913, 1463, 3207, 3217-18;
ibid., 1915, 1664.

113. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1914, 3341.

114. Seale, The President's House, 734, 740-45, 768, 932; Butt, Letters, 234-35; Annual
Report, Chief of Engineers, 1910, 2361; McClure to Crim, Jan. 31, 1956, 955/Historical,
box 5, acc. 64A-42, WH&WPP files, ESF/WHL/NPS.

CHAPTER S. THE WHITE HOUSE, WASHINGTON, AND THE WORLD: 1897-1933


remained at the Capitol. An additional office position was filled by
John Stewart in 1873 as draftsman; in 1876 Stewart was also
appointed U.S. surveyor and custodian of records.

In the 1871 annual report Babcock stated that water was introduced
into Lafayette Square “to keep grass alive and retain a fresh appear-
ance,” and it was suggested that water should be installed in all
government parks. Babcock requested and received $2,000 to begin a
government nursery. He bought camellias, acacias, and other
greenhouse plants for the White House.*

In conjunction with the construction of the State, War, and Navy
Building, West Executive Avenue was begun on July 1, 1871. Earth
from the new roadbed was dumped as fill on the south lawn and in
the southern portion of the President’s Park, referred to for the first
time as the “White Lot” in the 1871 annual report. The east-west
drive on the south was scheduled for completion in 1872. Trees that
were removed were given to the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Orphans’ Home
as firewood; this amounted to some 20 cords. Six granite gateposts
with gates were installed; they matched the gates on East Executive
Avenue. Three hundred cubic feet of rock were laid as gas lines were
installed and lamps were set. The White House lawn was repaired,
and a new stone gutter was installed, together with a stone walk and
an iron fence. A 10-inch drain connecting the main sewer to the
canal was also added to run water off the roadway. Granite steps 20
feet wide and asphalt walks were installed between the White House
and the State, War, and Navy Building. The iron fence from the
White House to the Treasury Building was moved to Executive
Avenue, and a light wire fence was substituted.*

The fencing on the north lawn of the White House was rearranged.
Fencing on the interior divider was removed, and some of it was used
on Pennsylvania Avenue. The fences were later painted a bronze green
color. Walks on Pennsylvania Avenue were made a uniform width.
The south lawn was graded, sown with grass seed and oats, and
rolled. Sixty trees were moved to the south lawn, and new drains and
walks were laid. A new 73-foot flagpole was erected on the south
lawn, replacing an earlier wooden installation. The Ellipse continued

32. Dowd, Records of Public Buildings and Public Parks, 37-38.
33. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1871, 9, 968-70, 971-72.

34, Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1871, 9, 968-70, 971-72; ibid., 1872, 5-6, 23;
ibid., 1873, 11.

Orville E. Babcock — June 1,
1871, to March 3, 1877

127

U.S. Army Corps of Engincers, Office of Public Buildings and Grounds — March 2, 1867, to March 9, 1897



Harry T. Thompson — May 10, 1958, to February 25, 1961;
T. Sutton Jett — March 15, 1961, to January 14, 1968;
I. J. Castro — January 14, 1968, to September 25, 1969;
Rex W. Scouten (Assistant Regional Director) — February 24,
1968, to May 4, 1969

Harry T. Thompson served as superintendent of National Capital
Parks from 1958 to 1961. T. Sutton Jett, who served as his associate,
became superintendent after Thompson’s death on February 25,
19614

T. Sutton Jett was born in Fleeton, Virginia, on July 20, 1910. He re-
ceived his secondary education in Reedville, Virginia. After graduating
from high school in 1928 he enrolled at the College of William and
Mary, earning a bachelor’s degree in economics in 1932. After a
period of unemployment and odd jobs, he entered the National Park
Service as a result of recommendations by Dr. Ear] G. Swem of
William and Mary and Senator Harry F. Byrd of Virginia. Jett began
his career as an assistant historical foreman at the Fredricksburg and
Spotsylvania County Battlefields Memoria] National Military Park.
He worked for historian George Palmer under the CCC program. Jett

@ enrolled in the graduate history program at Johns Hopkins
University in 1936. After a year of study he worked as a temporary
employee at Fort McHenry from the spring to December 1938. After
temporary assignments with the Department of Agricultural and the
National Park Service's history program, Jett took a job in spring
1939 as a research historian on the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal
project, working with the Civilian Conservation Corps and the
National Park Service. Meeting Edward J. Kelly, Irvin C. Root, and
others, Jett worked in the D.C. park system from 1939 until his
retirement in 1968, except for 1943-46, when he served in the U.S.
Navy. Initially working for the National Memorials and Historic Sites
Division of the National Park Service, his position was taken by
Stanley W. McClure when he entered the navy. Upon returning, Jett
was reinstated as chief of the division. Later he served as both
associate superintendent and superintendent of National Capital
Parks, with the White House and President’s Park forming a portion
of his duties. It was under Jett’s superintendency that Nash Castro
began to develop the National Park Service's office of White House
Liaison.*

4, Jett, interview, 29.

e@ 5. Jett, interview, 1-10, 16-20, 29.

Harry T. Thompson — May
10, 1958, to February 25,
1961; T. Sutton Jett —
March 15, 1961, to January
14, 1968; 1. J. Castro —
January 14, 1968, to
September 25, 1969; Rex W.
Scouten (Assistant Regional
Director) — February 24,
1968, to May 4, 1969

Harry T. Thompson

Courtesy: National Park
Service

T. Sutton Jett

Courtesy; National Park
Service

303

‘The National Park Service — 1958-1983



38

Jefferson, who saw himself as a designer and architect, took a
personal interest in the development of the grounds around the
Executive Mansion. It is unknown how many of Jefferson’s plans
were realized, but his establishment of east and west wings or
terraces for the White House proved significant in the evolution of
the rest of the landscape for President’s Park. Jefferson's republican
philosophies manifested themselves on the grounds in a simplicity
and modesty of scale that set the tone for future developments on the
property until the 1850s.°

During James Madison’s administration the war with Great Britain
left an indelible mark on the nation’s capital. On August 24, 1814,
British naval personnel set fire to the Executive Mansion and the
adjacent office buildings. A driving rain put out the fire, but not
before the buildings were gutted. Even though people initially spoke
of moving the nation’s capital to the interior of the country, the
government soon embarked on rebuilding the city on its original site.
An act of April 29, 1816, abolished Thomas Munroe’s position, and
Samuel Lane became commissioner of public buildings. For the next
50 years the office of the commissioner supervised President's Park.*

After the inauguration of James Monroe in 1817, the Monroe home
on I Street served as the executive mansion, while the White House
was being rebuilt. The Monroes took up residence in the White House
in October 1817, and the house was reopened to the public on New
Year’s Day 1818. Monroe consulted architect Charles Bulfinch with
regard to landscaping. By 1820 the President’s House and the four
executive office buildings for the Treasury, State, War, and Navy
Departments (two on each side of the Executive Mansion) were in
place.*

With the election of John Quincy Adams in 1824, President's Park
received more attention than it had since Jefferson’s administration.
Adams was interested in horticulture and gardening, and he is
associated with the first commemorative tree planted on the grounds
ca. 1826 — an American elm. Formal gardening at the White House

3. Seale, The President's House, vol. 1, illus. 14.

4. Seale, The President's House, 132-37; Dolkart, The Old Executive Office Building, 4;
“Records of the Commissioners,” iii-vi, RG 42; act of Apr. 29, 1816 (3 Stat, 324-25);
NPS, “The White House,” 17-18.

5. Seale, The President's House, 132-37, 167, 173, 202; Dolkart, The Old Executive Office
Building; Message from the President, Public Buildings, 1818, 15~18.

CHAPTER 2. THE GROWTH OF THE REPUBLIC: 1802-1849


398

APPENDIXES

Secretaries of the Navy
William E, Chandler 1882 Charles J. Bonaparte 1906
William C. Whitney 1885 Victor H. Metcalf » 1906
Benjamin E Tracy 1889 Truman H. Newberry 1908
Hilary A. Herbert 1893 George von L. Meyer 1909
John D. Long 1897 Josephus Daniels 1913
William H. Moody 1902 Edwin Denby 1921
Paul Morton, 1904 Curtis D, Wilbur 1924

Superintendents of the State, War, and Navy Building —
March 3, 1883, to February 26, 1925

Chief Engineer Henry L. Snyder July 1, 1883
Lt. Comdr., Engineer Corps, U.S. Navy
Chief Engineer Thom Williamson July 25, 1887

Capt., Engineer Corps, U.S.
Chief Engineer George W. Baird

Lt. Comdr., Engineer Corps,
John H. Poole

Navy -
July 25, 1895
U.S, Navy
December 21, 1905

Lt., Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army

Ulysses 5. Grant If

July 9, 1909

Lt., Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army

Douglas MacArthur

March 15, 1913

Capt., Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army

Thomas H. Emerson

October 9, 1913

Capt., Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army

William W. Harts

Col., U.S. Army

Lt. Col., Corps of Engineers
Clarence $. Ridley

Col., US. Army

Lt. Col., Corps of Engineers
Clarence O. Sherrill

Col., U.S. Army

Lt, Col., Corps of Engineers

February 2, 1915

September 22, 1917

March 21, 1921


The superintendent of the Capitol and the acting supervising architect
of the Treasury began a plan to collect necessary data."

An act of July 1, 1916, provided for a determination of office space
needs for all federal offices within the District. On December 18,
1917, the commission submitted its final report to Congress. A new
commission was appointed in 1919. These actions represented the
beginning of a split in the Office of Public Buildings and Grounds
that would ultimately end in a division between park management
and building management in the 1930s.

Site Security

The increased use of the site caused security issues to multiply.
Arrests for all parks under their jurisdiction numbered 623 for 1915.
A request was made for two motorcycles to pursue speeding motor-
ists. Only one officer patrolled President's Park, the Washington
Monument grounds, and Potomac Park between midnight and 8:00
A.M. A request was made to change the designation from Park
Watchmen to Park Police. The next year, the force numbered 40
privates and 2 sergeants.”*?

Clarence S. Ridley — September 22, 1917, to March 21, 1921

Clarence S. Ridley assumed the position of officer in charge of public
buildings and grounds in the fall of 1917. Born in Corydon, Indiana,
in June 1883, Ridley graduated from West Point on June 13, 1905,
with the rank of second lieutenant in the Corps of Engineers. He
served at Fort Leavenworth and Fort Riley in Kansas and at the
Washington Barracks from 1905 to 1907. He also served in Cuba in
1907 and was promoted to first lieutenant in the Corps of Engineers
that same year. He graduated from Engineer School in 1908 and was
transferred to Hawaii, serving with the First Battalion of Engineers
unti] June 1909. He then went to the Philippines, where he served as
officer in charge of military mapping. In July 1910 he joined the
Second Battalion of the Philippine Islands until his return to the
states In 1912. He attained the rank of captain on October 12, 1912,
and major on May 15, 1917. During this period he served at Fort
Leavenworth, Kansas, Fort Wilmington, North Carolina, and in the

145. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1917, 1907.

146. Report of the Public Buildings Commission for the Year 1922 (Washington: U.S. GPO,
1922), 1; Doc. 155, 65th Cong., 2nd sess. (Dec. 18, 1917).

147. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1915, 1664: ibid., 1916, 3591,

Clarence S. Ridley —
September 22, 1917, to
March 21, 1921

Clarence $. Ridley

Courtesy: History Office,
US, Army Corps of
Engineers

205

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Office of Public Buildings and Grounds — March 9, 1897, to February 26, 1925


Park Service also used the White House to help train interpretive
personnel. The White House and President’s Park also served as a
movie set; Paramount studios used Lafayette Park and the north
facade of the White House in the filming of the movie Houseboat on
August 13, 1957."

The Ellipse was still used as both a formal parade ground and an
informal recreation area. Bicycle races, dog shows, DAR gatherings,
symphony concerts, band concerts by high schools from across the
nation, various exhibits (including a B-29 bomber), and a host of
similar events filled the area year-round. Events less formal, but
hardly less important, aiso took place in the park, such as the Junior
Chamber of Commerce handicapped fair on September 21, 1957, be-
tween 11 A.M. and 5S P.M. Forty handicapped citizens and their
exhibits, a smali reviewing stand, and U.S. Park Police supervision
completed the event. The President's Committee for the Aid of the
Physically Handicapped supported the exhibition.'*

On January 2, 1958, J. B. West authorized Lorin A. Davis, adminis-
trative officer for the National Capital Parks, to sign as approving
officer all personnel actions involving employees of the Executive
Mansion and grounds. Also in 1958, White House employees were
put on an hourly rate of pay rather than an annual rate.’*

Moves by the federal government to consolidate property in the
vicinity of Lafayette Park for executive office space began to affect
local residents, property owners, and historic preservation interests.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation had rented 712 Jackson
Place NW as office space from the Old Dominion Foundation for $1 4
year. The General Services Administration acquired the property in
1957 and promptly raised the rent to $12,000 a year. As a result, the
national trust looked at the Dolley Madison house on the east side of

131. Stanley W. McClure, monthly visitor reports May 1952-Dec. 1958, 999%/
Visitors, box 9, acc. 64-42, WH&WPP files, ESF/WHL/NPS: chief (Public Use} to acting
chief (U.S. Park Police), memorandum, Aug. 13, 1957, 1460/Lafayette Park (2), box 17,
acc, 66A-1097, ESF/WHL/NPS.

132, Heine to acting chief (U.S. Park Police), Sept. 9, 1957; Jett to chief (ULS. Park Police),
Apr. 1, 1957; Jett to acting chief (WLS. Park Police), Apr. 2, 1957; Jett to Ralph G. Adair,
July 10, 1958; Heine to Dorothy Teeuwen, July 10, 1957; Thompson to chief
(Horticulture and Maintenance Branch), June 11, 1957; Jett to chief (U.S. Park Police)
Jan. 7, 1957; Gartside to Capt. Lorin B. Sellers Jr. (USAF), Aug. 10, 1955; all in
1460/Grounds South (3), box 11, acc. 64-42, ESF/WHL/NPS.

133. Lorin A. Davis (admin. off., NCP) to NCP files, memorandum: “Processing of
Personnel Actions for Employees of the Executive Mansion and Grounds,” Jan. 2, 1958;
“The White House, Washington D.C.: Recommended conversion of maintenance and
mechanical employees from annual to hourly rates . . ., effective June 29, 1958"; box 14,
937/Employees (4), acc. 6SA-1108, WH&WPP files, ESE/WHL/NPS.

Edward J. Kelly — July 28,
1950, to May 10, 1958

291

Office of National Parks, Buildings, and Reservations — August 10, 1933, to March 2, 1934; National Park Service — March 2, 1934, to May 10, 1958



perimeter lighting, possibly part of the June 1911 silver wedding
festivities for President and Mrs. Taft.

Cosby again proposed full police status for Park Watchmen, but to
no avail. Arrests were now made “on suspicion” and also for defacing
public property. In 1912 the government furnished guns to watch-
men for the first time.

William W. Harts — August 19, 1913, to September 22, 1917

Lt. Col. William W. Harts replaced Col. Spencer Cosby in August
1913 as officer in charge of public buildings and grounds; on
February 2, 1915, he was named superintendent of the State, War,
and Navy Building.”

Harts was born in Illinois and attended West Point, beginning
September 1, 1885, and graduating fifth in his class, with the rank of
additional second lieutenant. On September 30 he was assigned to
Willet’s Point, New York. He graduated from the U.S. Army
Engineering School in 1892. He was promoted to first lieutenant on
February 3, 1895, and to a major in the Volunteer Engineers on July
13, 1898. He was honorably discharged from the Volunteer
Engineers November 30, 1898, and promoted to captain in the Corps
of Engineers on October 26, 1898. He attended the Army War College
and graduated from Princeton in 1913. He supervised the
construction of the Lincoln Memorial, the Arlington Memorial, and
the Red Cross Building, and he oversaw land acquisition for Rock
Creek and Potomac Parks. Harts served as a military aide to President
Woodrow Wilson from 1913 to 1917 and attended him as military
aide at the Paris Peace Conference in 1918-19. He commanded the
Sixth United States Engineer Regiment in France from 1917 until the
end of World War | and also served as chief of the American Mission
at British headquarters. After the war Harts served as commander of
the District of Paris and, according to his obituary, was “the most
hated man in the U.S. Army” as a result of his strict order and disci-
pline. Recalled by Congress, he was later vindicated. He attained the

125. Seale, The President's House, 748-50, 760-63; “Survey of the Ellipse,” scale: 1:80
(1914), 1-1-1.6, 23-38, RG 79, NA; Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1910, 2975.

126. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1913, 3222-23.

127. Dowd, Records of Public Buildings and Public Parks, 39, 69; U.S. War Office, Army
Register for 1935 (p. 874) states that Harts served as officer in charge from October 1,
1913, to September 30, 1917.

William W. Harts — August
19, 1913, to September 22,
1917

199

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Office of Public Buildings and Grounds — March 9, 1897, to February 26, 1925


Harry T. Thompson — May
10, 1958, to February 25,
1961; T. Sutton Jett —
March 15, 1961, to January
14, 1968; 1. J. Castro —
January 14, 1968, to
September 25, 1969; Rex W.
Scouten (Assistant Regional
Director) — February 24,
1968, to May 4, 1969

326

With increased visitation and demonstrations, security continued as a
concern in Lafayette Park. In August 1966 Michael Painter of John
Car] Warnecke and Associates discussed with Mrs. Paul Mellon the
proposed design for restrooms for Lafayette Park, saying that prior-
ity had been “given to the safety, [and] attractiveness and (to} efforts
to discourage the use of these facilities by undesirables.” In addition,
in November 1967 two fountains designed by Warnecke were finally
approved for Lafayette Park. Work did not proceed immediately. Mrs.
Mellon left the project in 1967 after disagreements with Warnecke
and other designers over the appropriateness of various park ameni-
ties, including pools, fences, bandstands, and the nature of the park
as a tranquil purlieu or a place of public gathering and demonstra-
tion. The $409,000 donation from the Mellons’ Old Dominion Foun-
dation remained unspent, to the ire and concern of Mrs. Johnson.”

Plans for the Ellipse — Plans moved ahead for improvements around
the Ellipse, with the assistance of the firm of Skidmore, Owings &
Merrill, who themselves were involved in a larger planning initiative
for greater Washington, D.C. NPS designers prepared plans for the
Ellipse area; those plans, completed in December 1966, called for
additional landscaping and trees. In June 1967 the National Capital
Planning Commission approved the NPS plans, except for the location
of restroom facilities and various sidewalk treatments. The northwest
quadrant received new sidewalks in the late summer and fall of
1967. Proposed helipads and gun emplacements on the Ellipse were
not approved. The plans for the Ellipse, finalized and approved in
May 1969, included benches, walkways, fountains, underground
restrooms, and other amenities. Underground parking was also con-
sidered; however, controversy and technical problems caused the
plans to be tabled.”

59. Erie Marcus, Making History: The Struggle for Gay and Lesbian Equal Rights, 1945-
1990, Oral History (New York: Harper Collins, 1992), 90-91. Heine to Mrs. Joe T. White,
Apr. 12, 1965; Smith to Mrs. Robert Poehlman, Sept. 30, 1965; both in A8219/Visits
(1/1/65 to 1/1/?) (3), box 18, acc. 68A-3201, ESF/WHL/NPS. Bernardo Rostad to
Warnecke, memorandum, Dec. 30, 1965, D18/Master Plan/Lafayette Square (1/1/63-
1/1/66), box 18, acc. 68A-3201, ESF/WHL/NPS; Jett to Charles H. Conrad, Nov. 17,
1967, D24/General Beautification (1/1/66 to — ) (3), box 21, acc. 72A-6215,
ESF/WHL/NPS; ARD (Operations) to supt. (NCP-Central), Sept. 16, 1965, D18/Master
Plan/Lafayette Square, box 18, acc. 68A-3201, ESF/WHL/NPS; article by ex-Senator
Bingham, Washington Post, 8/23/42, copy in 1460/Lafayette Park (2), box 17, acc. 66A-
1097, ESF/WHL/NPS; Michael Painter to Jett, Aug. 30, 1966, D18/Lafayette Park (1963-
67), box 21, acc. 72-6215, ESF/WHL/NPS.

60. Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, “Washington Ellipse One Level Garage Feasibility
Study, Summary Report” (Nov. 1967), passim; Charles H. Conrad (exec. dir, NCPC) to
John F Kirkpatrick, Jan. 4, 1967, D24/The Ellipse (1/1/66 to -) (1), box 21, acc. 72A-
6215, ESE/WHL/NPS. Horne (assoc. reg. dir., NPS) to chief (NCDC), Dec. 8, 1965, 1966
Program, box 26, acc. 72A-6215, ESE/WHL/NPS; Castro to reg. dir. (NPS), Dec. 19,

(CHAPTER 7. THE NATION'S FRONTYARD: 1958-1983.


Clarence S. Ridley —
September 22, 1917, to
March 21, 1921

206

Office of the Chief of Engineers in Washington, D.C. He was given
the temporary rank of Jieutenant colonel on August 5, 1917, and
held that position until July 14, 1919. He served not only as officer
in charge of public buildings and grounds, but also as aide to the
president and superintendent of the State, War, and Navy Building.'**

After his service in Washington, Ridley was assistant engineer of
maintenance on the Panama Canal from 1921 to 1924. Upon his
return to the states he attended the Command and Staff School at
Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, then became district engineer of the
Second San Francisco District. He commanded the First Engineers and
Fort DuPont, Delaware, from July 1928 until January 1929. He
became lieutenant colone] February 19, 1929. He was president of the
board of delegates, Puerto Rican Hurricane Relief Commission from.
January 1929 to May 1930. He returned to the United States and
attended the Army War College in Washington D.C., graduating in
June 1931, and he served as an instructor at the Army Industrial
College until 1932, from where he also graduated. He again served as
engineer of maintenance on the Panama Canal from 1932 until
August 1936, when he was appointed governor of the Panama
Canal. He was promoted to colonel August 1, 1935, and to brigadier
general on October 1, 1938. He returned to the United States in the
summer of 1940 and served various capacities over the next two
years with the Third Division at Fort Lewis, Washington, and with
the 6th Division at Fort Snelling, Minnesota, and Fort Leonard Wood,
Missouri. He was promoted to major general (temporary) on
January 30, 1941. In November 1942 he was sent on a special
mission to Iran as adviser to the Iranian Army; in November 1943 he
was appointed chief of the military mission with the Iranian Army
until October 1946. Ridley was awarded the Distinguished Service
Medal, the Order of Leopold (Belgium), and. the Iranian Medal of
Merit, First Class. There is no information about his death.”

148. USMA, Register of Graduates and Former Cadets, U.S. Military Academy, 747-48;
“Clarence Self Ridley” (typed copy} as supplied by Louise Arnold-Friend, Reference
Librarian, Department of the Army, U.S. Army Military History Institute, Carlisle
Barracks, Pennsylvania.

449. USMA, Register of Graduates and Former Cadets, U.S. Military Academy, 747-48; U.S.
War Office, “Active List, 1934” in U.S. Army Register, 3:579; Thompson, Who's Who in the
Regular Army, 255; "Clarence Self Ridley,” U.S. Army Military History Institute, Carlisle
Barracks, Pennsylvania.

CHAPTER 5. THE WHITE HOUSE, WASHINGTON, AND THE WORLD: 1897-1933


434

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Webster's American Military Biographies. G&C Merriam Company, 1987.
Weidenfeld, Sheila Rabb. First Lady’s Lady. New York: Putnam, 1979.


In June 1836 Samuel McKean, chairman of the Committee on the
Contingent Expense of the Senate, presented a bill that included a
complete listing of all pertinent records, documents, and legislation
Tegarding the establishment of the city of Washington and its
administration. This represented the first comprehensive attempt to
inventory such records and legislation; the lengthy list comprised not
only federal legislation, but also legislation adopted by the state of
Virginia and the records held by the commissioner of public
buildings. The inventory and preservation of records would have
important consequences in later years, as historians attempted to
piece together the history of President’s Park.”

The New Treasury Building — In 1833 a fire destroyed the Treasury
Building, further compounding a lack of office space. After a three-
year controversy, the site for a new Treasury Building was, according
to tradition, personally selected by Jackson. Critics have
subsequently accused Jackson and Robert Mills, the building’s
designer, of blocking UEnfant’s vista from the White House down
Pennsylvania Avenue to the Capitol. While it is true that Mills’s
neoclassical-classical building crowded the White House grounds on
the east and nearly blocked the vista, a Jater addition finished under
the supervision of Thomas U. Walter made the obstruction complete,
and another addition to the south in 1855 by architect Ammi B.
Young added to the building’s monolithic presence. Jackson had also
entertained plans, according to a later chairman of the Committee on
Public Buildings, to build a similar sized structure on the sites of the
War and Navy Buildings; however, the plans were never realized.

The construction of a new Treasury Building complicated the
administration of the site. Robert Mills was the supervising architect
and was surrounded by a bureaucracy of superintendents for brick-
laying, carpentry, and similar positions. According to Mills, founda-
tions for the new Treasury Building, totaling 460 feet, were laid in
August 1836, and by December a substantial amount of granite had
been placed. Commissioner Noland said that if all went well, the
building could be roofed in a year’s time, with completion of the
interior projected for 1838. He also said that the yard around the site
was stockpiled with freestone, granite, brick, lime, and mortar and
that shops had been erected so that stone dressing might continue
throughout the winter. Costs to date amounted to $43,837.48, Other

91. Report of Mr. McKean of the Committee of the Contingent Expenses of the Senate, June 21,
1836, 24th Cong., 1st sess. (n.p.); Litt'n W. Tazewell to Executive Department, Mar. 10,
1836, 12-40, passim.

92. Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds, “The Winder Building,” 3.

William Noland —
February 10, 1834, to
November 5, 1846

67

Commissioner of Public Buildings — March 3, 1817, to March 3, 1849



tunnel to alleviate the ever-growing traffic problems around the
White House had “long been envisioned as the ultimate solution to
snarled traffic flows along Pennsylvania Avenue,” according to a
Washington Post reporter. This had been discussed since 1966, when
the National Capital Planning Commission proposed to establish
parking on the Ellipse and to remove cars from the Mall."”

Even though the National Park Service had previously supported a
proposal for a Constitution Avenue underpass that was presented in
the Pennsylvania Avenue development plan, the Park Service reversed
its decision in 1974, saying that an underground route would reduce
the avenue’s ceremonial function. However, the Park Service, as well
as the Pennsylvania Avenue Development Corporation, did support
the tunneling of E Street. Benefits would include improved air quality
and reduced noise and traffic on adjacent streets, including Pennsyl-
vania Avenue. Questions remained as to how this might be accom-
plished and what effects the project might have on the general
environment."

In 1974 the Pennsylvania Avenue plan, including many schemes to
revitalize the avenue, began to be discussed. The tunneling of E Street,
Pennsylvania Avenue, and the south leg of a proposed Inner Loop
Freeway across the site were abandoned because of expense. Parking,
development, and transportation were the foremost concerns of the
Pennsylvania Avenue Development Corporation planners, and by the
1980s plans were under way that would ultimately lead to the
successful conclusion of the project in the 1990s. Traffic, parking,
and logistics for President’s Park, however, remained unsolved."

In 1974 Elmer Atkins recommended that the lodge building in
Lafayette Park be replaced. Park administrators concurred, calling the
building substandard, irreparable, and inefficient. An environmental
impact assessment was prepared, and other NPS officials concurred.

109. “Recommendations of Mayor-Commissioner Walter E. Washington, District of
Columbia Government, Pennsylvania Avenue Plan, 1974,” part I, pp. 1-6, part Ill, pp.
14-15; Michael Kierman, “Tunnel Plan is Shelved,” Washington Post, Jan. 29, 1974; “The
Secretary of the Interior’s Review of the Pennsylvania Avenue Plan, 1974,” June 14,
1974, pp. 20-21; “No Parking on the Mall,” Washington Post, Dec. 12, 1973; all in
1D2215/ Pennsylvania Avenue Design (1 of 2), box BF-004, ESF/ARD/WHL/NPS.

110. Dir. (NCP) to assoc. dir. (Professional Services, NPS), "Proposed Pennsylvania Avenue
Development Plan,” May 13, 1974, p. 6, D18/West End Development Plan, 79-80-0002,
box 311, ARD/WHL/NPS.

111. “Recommendations of Mayor-Commissioner Walter £. Washington, District of
Columbia, Pennsylvania Avenue Plan, 1974,” June 16, 1974, box WHL-BF-004,
ESF/ARD/WHL/NPS; “Inner Loop South Leg Tunneling Urged” and “South Leg Segment
Backed in Report," Washington Post, Nov. 15, 1973.

Russell E. Dickenson —
September 26, 1969, to
November 11, 1973; Manus
J. Fish — November 11,
1973, to September 4, 1988;
Elmer S. Atkins (Assistant
Regional Director) — May 4,
1969, to December 31, 1983

345
‘The National Park Service — 1958-1983



Edward J. Kelly — July 28,
1950, to May 10, 1958

294

grounds of Mount Vernon on May 8, 1958, to commemorate the
centennial of Theodore Roosevelt’s birth."

In 1959, the Daughters of the American Revolution planted a white
oak and an American beech in Lafayette Park as memorials to that
organization’s efforts in conservation. In 1960 the Boy Scouts of
America dedicated a bench in Lafayette Park to the memory of finan-
cier and presidential advisor Bernard Baruch, to mark where he had
held so many informal conferences. The bench is at the northwest
corner of the walk that encircles the Jackson statue. Such a memorial
had been discussed by Baruch’s friends since 1945,"

Collection Management

While the White House was being renovated, furnishings were
inspected, assessed, and culled. Items were stored in a number of
places, including at B. Altman and Sons in New York (where some
pieces were repaired and reupholstered), at Fort Myer in Virginia, at
the National Gallery of Art, at the State Department, and at Fort
Washington in Maryland. Due to the transfer of materials from the
house during the renovation, the 1950 inventory contained minor
discrepancies that inventory personne] believed would right

141. Annual Report, Secretary of the Interior, National Park Service, 1955; assoc. supt. to
files, memorandum, Apr. 16, 1958, 950-50/Plantings (2), box 4, acc. 644-42, ESF/
WHL/NPS; NPS, “The President’s Garden: An Account of the White House Gardens from.
1800 to the Present,” by Eleanor M. McPeck (National Capital Parks, Washington, DC,
1971}, 64. Eisenhower's walnut tree was later removed; notes, Krause (ESF/WHL/NPS)},
July 13, 2000.

142. Theodore I. Smith (chief, Public Use, NCR), memorandum to files, May 10, 1960,
1460/Lafayette Park (2), box 17, acc. 66A-1097, WH&WEP files, ESF/WHL/NPS.
Cartoon, Washington Star, Sept. 6, 1945; Robert D. Heinl to Demaray, Sept. 7, 1945;
“DAR Presents Memorial Trees to Interior Department,” press release, Mar. 17, 1959; all in
1460/Lafayette Park (2), box 17, acc. 66A-1097, ESF/WHL/NPS. Chief (Public Use) to
Harding (Park Police), Sept. 21, 1956, 1460/Grounds South (3), box 11, acc. 644-42,
ESE/WHL/NPS.

Baruch had been called to Washington by President Woodrow Wilson in 1916. He
served as chairman of both the United States Special Committee on Rubber and the U.S.
War Industries Board, during which time he drew up plans for total war mobilization in
the United States. He later served as ULS. Representative to the LLN, Atomic Energy
Commission. Baruch’s legend in Lafayette Park was given added color on August 7,
1942, when he was observed sitting with Dr. Karl Compton, president of M.LT, and Dr.
James B. Conant, president of Harvard University. Baruch was fond of saying,
“Whatever men attempt, they seem driven to try to overdo. When hopes are soaring, I
always repeat to myself, “Two and two still make four, and no one has ever invented a
way of getting something for nothing,” an interesting observation when juxtaposed
with Commission of Fine Arts member Daniel H. Burnham’s philosophy, “make no little
plans.” See “Bernard M. Baruch,” n.d., 1460/Lafayette Park (2), box 17, acc. 664-1097,
ESF/WHL/NPS.

(CHAPTER 6. THE New DEAL, WORLD Wak II, AND PEACE: 1933-1958


During the Polk administration Commissioner Noland suggested that
the southern portion of President's Park be developed, in addition to
the recommendations in the 1841 Mills plan:

It was intended that the reservation south of the President’s
House and the Mall should be enclosed and planted with
ornamental shade trees and that gravel walks and carriage
ways should be made for citizens and strangers to take
exercise on foot, on horseback, or in carriages for their
health and recreation.”

Noland also provided estimates in 1845 for enclosing Lafayette
Square with posts and railings at a cost of $803.50, plus trees and
grading at $1,500. Costs for enclosing the reservation south of the
house with the same sort of material totaled $2,235.80, with an
additional $2,500 for trees and grading. Noland's attempt to act on
the plan of the original designers and their intent may have drawn
inspiration from Robert Mills’s 1841 plans for the Mall and
President's Park."°

The Polks made extensive redecorating changes on the interior of the
White House; no substantial redecoration had been done since Jack-
son. W. W. Corcoran, banker and art collector, helped select items,
including furniture. By New Year’s Day 1846 the interior was fin-
ished. Changes were made in form as well as in furnishings, with the
use of “Hail to the Chief” as the presidential fanfare in White House
ceremonies. All stich changes affected the administration of the
property as the commissioner of public buildings continued to play a
central role in day-to-day functions, including ceremonies.”

By the time of the Polk administration the neoclassical Treasury
Building to the east effectively blocked the view from the White

118. Report of the Commissioner of Public Buildings in Compliance with a Resolution of the
Senate, Relative to the Cost of Improving Certain Streets, Avenues and Public Squares in the City
of Washington; the Amount Received from the Sale of Lots, and the Value of Lots Granted by
Congress to Literary and Other Institutions in This City. December 15, 1845 (\Washington):
Hitchie and Heine, n.d.), 1-3.

119. Report of the Commissioner, Dec. 15, 1845, 1-3; Robert Mills, “Plan of the Mall, 1841,”
as reprinted in Gutheim, Worthy of the Nation, 53.

120. Seale, The President's House, 266-67; glass to be ordered for Capitol and President's
House, Dec. 19, 1846, “Journal, Commissioner of Public Buildings,” 7:47, RG 420. Mrs.
Polk is often credited with introducing the Scottish air “Hail to the Chief” as the presidential
fanfare at White House ceremonies, allegedly because her husband was so short that no one
noticed when he entered a room. Other historians attribute the first use of the tune to the
inauguration of Martin Van Buren in 1837, See James J. Fuld, World Book of Famous Music:
Classical, Popular, Folk, 3rd ed. (New York: Dover, 1985}, 1007-8; memorandum to
President Harry S. Truman from Eben A. Ayers, The White House, Washington, Oct. 10,
1949, HSTL.

William Noland —
February 10, 1834, to
November 5, 1846

77

Commissioner of Public Buildings — March 3, 1817, to March 3, 1849



roof of the White House and the Capitol caused the commissioners to
instruct Hoban to ascertain the cause of the leaks and to have them
repaired.

Contractor Lewis Clepham removed detail such as skirting {base-
board) in the executive office building to remove wooden plugs from
the wall and to fill them with mortar and brick. After a fire in the
Treasury Building the night of January 20, 1801, the commissioners
instructed Clepham to replace broken window panes with glass
ordered for the War Office. Plastering in the War Office continued to
the end of April 1801. The offices were evidently occupied by the
next month; at any rate, a clerk in the Navy Office ordered a lock for
one of the rooms in May.**

In the spring of 1801, once the commissioners thought the official
structures were in a state of sufficient completion, they prepared to
auction off the temporary wooden structures and workshop that had
been erected on President’s Square. The commission sold additional
empty houses and equipment on President's Square in November
1801 and February 1802. Parcels of property were also sold. One
source said that “part of the President’s Square has been conveyed to
the Queen of Portugal or her ministers,” possibly referring to one of
the northeast or northwest parcels removed from the original
boundaries of Reservation 1.”

By November 1801, 193 brick and 414 wooden houses had been
constructed in the city, with an additional 79 brick and 35 wood
dwellings under way. A total of 721 residences were either built or
under construction.®

65, Hoban to provide brick estimate for War Office, Dec. 11, 1800, “Records of the
Commissioners,” 64, RG 42; Hoban’s estimate on bricks used in War Office construction,
Dec. 12, 1800, ibid., 66-68; James Clark to commission, Jan. 13, 1801, ibid., 77-78.

66. Order to Clepham, Jan. 21, 180%, “Records of the Commissioners,” 83-84, RG 42;
request of William Knowles, Jan. 30, 1801, ibid., 103; order to Middieton Belt, Apr. 18,
1801, ibid., 138; order to Belt, Apr, 27, 1801, ibid., 197; lock for Navy Department, May
12, 1801, ibid., 146; order to Belt, Nov. 12, 1801, 230; order to Belt, Feb. 3, 1802, ibid.;
NPS, “The White House,” 12.

67. Minutes of meeting, request to examine roofs, Feb. 12, 1800, “Records of the Commis-
sioners,” 301, RG 42; Hoban to report on state of Treasury and War offices, Mar. 19, 1800,
ibid., 314; superintendent to report on state of public buildings, May 19, 1800, ibid., 345;
superintendent to report on progress of public buildings, Nov. 19, 1800, ibid. 45; Hoban to
sel] articles of ironmongery, May 6, 1802, 291; Esther Singleton, The Story of the White House
(New York: The McClure Co., 1907), 15.

68. Representation made to the president of the United States, June 28, 1801, “Records of
the Commissioners,” 88, 92, 94-101, RG 42; report of Robert King, Nov. 25, 1801, ibid.,
234; Reps, Washington on View, 52.

Daniel Carroll, Thomas
Johnson, David Stuart,
Gustavus Scott, William
Thornton, Alexander White,
William Cranch, and
Tristram Dalton

31

Commissioners for the District of Columbia — January 22, 1791, to May 1, 1802


118

started in 1879 — the beginning of a tradition that continues today.
The first telephone was installed in 1879, and a typewriter was
purchased the next year. During this period official talk of a new
presidential mansion was dismissed by the Hayes family.”

Upon Garfield’s inauguration in 1881, Congress appropriated money
to repair and redecorate the White House. The Garfields consulted the
librarian of Congress, A. R. Spofford, about the building's history
and appropriate sources to be used for repairs and redecorating. The
efforts had just begun when Garfield was shot in Washington on
July 2 by Charles Julius Guiteau; he died on September 19 at
Elberon, New Jersey. Vice President Chester A. Arthur was sworn in
as president at 2:15 A.M. on September 20, 1881, in New York. As
president, Arthur spent $110,000 on redecorating the White House,
the greatest amount spent since its reconstruction in 1815-17."

During Grover Cleveland's first administration telegraph lines con-
nected the White House with the executive office buildings and the
Capitol. The new State, War, and Navy Building was completed to the
west of the President’s House on January 31, 1888, after 17 years of
construction. It would be the core of the executive branch of
government for the next 50 years.’

In 1889 President Benjamin Harrison was inaugurated, the Wash-
ington Monument was completed, and the 100th anniversary of the
inauguration of George Washington as the first president of the
United States was celebrated. Plans by Mrs. Harrison to expand the
White House complex ended with her death in 1892.*

In 1893, the same year as the second inauguration of Grover
Cleveland, full diplomatic status was afforded the United States, and
ambassadors were posted to Washington. The establishment of full
ambassadorial status in Washington necessitated the formation of
the White House Social Office.”

3. Seale, The President's House, 487-89, 494, 499-502, 504-5, 508, 548.
4. Seale, The President's House, 513-18, 520-21, 535, 538-51.

5. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1888, 2798-99; Seale, The President's House, 552-
53, 559-68,

6. — Seale, The President's House, 590-600; Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1889, iti,
2845.

7. Seale, The President’s House, 609, 611-12; Calvin D. Linton, ed., The Bicentennial
Almanac: 200 Hundred Years of America (New York: Thomas Nelson, Inc. 1975), 238.

(CHAPTER 4, THE UNITED STATES ON THE THRESHOLD OF WORLD POWER: 1867-1897


400

Act of July 16, 1790 — Appointed three commissioners to select a location
for the seat of government of the United States and ordered the
commissioners to provide buildings for Congress,.the president, and
other necessary public buildings. Both the designations of the “Territory
of Columbia” and the “City of Washington” were authorized under this
act (1 Stat. 130).

Executive Act of January 22, 1791 — President Washington appointed three
commissioners for the District of Cohimbia to be in charge of lot sales,
public building construction, strect openings, square designation, and
similar duties (1 Stat. 139).

Executive Proclamation, January 24, 1791 — President Washington made of
record his choice for a townsite on both sides of the Potomac River
between Georgetown and the Anacostia River.

Act of March 3, 1791 — Amended the act of July 16, 1790, by adding
property to the District of Columbia formerly belonging to the state of
Virginia (1 Stat. 214).

Commissioners to L’Enfant, September 9, 1791 — Confirmed the selection by
the commissioners of the names “Territory of Columbia,” and for the
federal city, the “City of Washington.”

Act of May 1, 1802 — Abolished the office of the commissioners as of June
1, 1802, and designated that a superintendent of public buildings for
the city of Washington be appointed by the president (2 Stat. 175).

Act of May 3, 1802 — Incorporated the District of Columbia asa separate
municipal entity with limited powers. Survey, sale of lots, and related
matters were retained by the federal government (2 Stat. 195).

Act of March 3, 1803 — Named the office of the superintendent of the city
of Washington (2 Stat. 235).

Act of February 24, 1804— Altered the incorporation of the city of
Washington and delineated the power of the city council (2 Stat. 254).

Act of January 12, 1809 — Established municipal regulations and limits
regarding the sales of lots, subdivisions, and surveys for Washington
and the recording of such sales (2 Stat. 511).

Act of February 13, 1815 — President Madison approved an act of Congress
to borrow up to $500,000 to rebuild “the President’s House, Capitol
and public offices” (3 Stat. 205).

Act of April 29, 1816 — Ended the position ‘of superintendent of public
buildings as of March 3, 1817, and created the position of
commissioner of public buildings. Supervisory and appellate powers
rested with the president (3 Stat. 324, 325).

Act of May 15, 1820, An Act to Incorporate the Inhabitants of the City of
Washington and to Repeal All Acts Heretofore Passed for that Purpose —
Required the commissioner of public buildings to reimburse the city of
Washington a portion of any expense incurred in laying open, paving,
or otherwise improving any street in front of, adjoining, or passing
through any public square or reservation (3 Stat. 583-92).


John B. Blake — June 5,
1855, to May 31, 1861

102

that “many thousand trees and shrubs” would be planted in the
autumn.

Architect Ammi B. Young added to the Treasury Building on the
south once again in 1855. This addition and portico effectively
blocked the original vista between the White House and the Capitol as
designed by L’Enfant. Also at this time the landscape elements known
as the “Jefferson mounds” on the south lawn of the President’s
House were built up with dirt excavated from the Treasury
addition.”

John B. Blake — June 5, 1855, to May 31, 1861

John Blake was born in Colchester, Fairfax County, Virginia, on
August 12, 1802. When six, he moved with his father to Washing~
ton, where he attended Georgetown College and Charlotte College in
Maryland. He graduated with a degree in medicine from the Univer-
sity of Maryland. In addition to serving as commissioner of public
buildings, he also served as president of the National Metropolitan
Bank. Later in his career he worked closely with the D.C. Board of
Public Works. According to one source, during the reorganization of
the Treasury in 1875 he served as a member of the committee
appointed to count the money in the national vaults.**

General Administration

The Franklin Pierce Administration. Upon his appointment, Blake
began plans for a new stable and greenhouse, as the construction of
the Treasury Building required the demolition of the older Jackson
structures. Blake suggested a site for the new stable that was away
from the house and 400 yards south of the new Treasury Building in
the newly graded south grounds area. For greater privacy and
security, the greenhouse was moved to the roof of the west terrace
and connected to the main hallway.”

In his annual report for 1855 Blake recommended enclosing Franklin
Square with an iron fence plus improvements for $21,000, as it still

54. Annual Report, Commissioner of Public Buildings, 1854, 601.

55. Reps, Washington on View, 86; Seale, The President’s House, 343; Nicholas Satterlee
and Associates, Feasibility Study for the Renovation of the Treasury Building (Washington: by
the author, 1969}, p. A9-A-2.

56. Lanman, Biographical Annals, 37.
57. Seale, The President's House, 343-44.

(CHAPTER 3: THE ANTEBELLUM, CIVIL WAR, AND RECONSTRUCTION YEARS: 1849-1867


ment'and between 90 and 100 cubic yards of fill for each mound.
This work complemented the two large groves of tulip poplars
previously planted in groups of 10 each on the east and west sides of
the south grounds at the request of President Roosevelt as a memorial
to Thomas Jefferson. Exact specifications were given for backfilling,
fertilizing, and replacing sod. All fountains were shut down in 1941;
they were not reactivated until] September 1945. Soil from other
excavations on the site was temporarily stored on the Washington
Monument grounds by the Charles H. Tompkins Construction
Company.**

E Street was opened and improved from West Executive Avenue to
17th Street to accommodate through-traffic. Immediately after the
attack on Pearl Harbor both West Executive Avenue and East Execu-
tive Avenue were closed to vehicular traffic for security reasons. By
October 29, 1942, Treasury Place (now Hamilton Place) and State
Place were also closed. While West Executive Avenue was never
reopened to public traffic, the other streets were reopened after the
war. Earlier suggestions for widening the Ellipse drive and installing
parking meters were considered and disapproved.”

President’s Park served as a point of public assembly for a concerned
wartime nation. Lafayette Park became the scene of War Bond drives.
In October 1942 permission was asked to install a small typewriter
and a chair next to a peanut stand operated by a Steve Vasilakos to
accommodate the American-Hellenic $50,000,000 AHEPA War Bond
Drive. The drive, to begin on the second anniversary of Mussolini’s
invasion of Greece, was scheduled to end on Washington's birthday,
February 22, 1943, With 15,000 volunteers and 325 AHEPA chapters

48. ‘Tompkins to supt. (NCP), Feb. 10, 1942; Gillen to Charles H. Tompkins Co., Jan. 10
and Feb. 10, 1942; both in 940-45/Permits/Excavations, box 4, acc. 64A-42,
ESE/WHL/NPS. Root to E. A. Schmitt (head engr.), Sept. 1945, p. 4, 950-15/Fountains,
acc. 64A-42, ESF/WHL/NPS; "White House Trees,” Dec. 2, 1952, p. 2, post-presidential
files (White House history), box 91, HSTL; Thompson to Marjorie B. Gratiot, Sept. 19,
1947, White House Correspondence, box 13, acc. 644-901, ESF/WHL/NPS.

49. Solicitor to reg. dir. (NCR), Aug. 5, 1966, box 31, A8031/Administration Parking
Space (1972-1973), acc. 79-80-0002; Gillen to comdg. gen. (Military District of
Washington), Sept. 2, 1943; Gillen to Potomac Power Co., July 23, 1940; Gillen to Capt.
H. C. Whitehurst, July 20, 1940; Demaray to Col. David M. McCoach Jr., June 21 and
July 10, 1940; memorandum to Iickesl, July 2, 1940; memorandum to William A. Van
Duzer (n.d.}; Rogers to Jennings Randolph, memorandum, Mar. 11, 1940; Washington
Star, Dec, 9, 1941; Gartside to J. E. Braitmayer, Oct. 24, 1939; Gartside to Whitehurst,
July 26, 1939; all in box 11, 1460/Grounds South (2), acc. 644-42, ESF/WHL/NPS.

Frank T. Gartside — July 31,
1939, to February 1, 1940;
Edmund B. Rogers —
February 1, 1940, to April
18, 1940; Francis F. Gillen

— April 18, 1940, to
January 2, 1941; Irvin C.
Root — January 2, 1941, to
July 28, 1950

261

Office of National Parks, Buildings, and Reservations — August 10, 1933, to March 2, 1934; National Park Service — March 2, 1934, to May 10, 1958



it was estimated that between $11,000 and $12,000 would be re-
quired to place the estate in good condition. The committee chairman
took a request for $8,000 to Congress; it was refused. French, how-
ever, said he was sure that a special appropriation would be forth-
coming and therefore did not increase any figures in his estimated
budget. French also stated that heavy army wagons had torn up the
pavement on Pennsylvania Avenue; he, like his predecessors, recom-
mended Belgian pavement as a replacement.”

After Lincoln’s assassination, crepe and funeral decorations draped
the building. Lincoln’s bier, or catafalque, was designed and executed
by John Alexander, a member of the same furniture and upholstery
firm that had served the White House since the Monroes.”*

Lincoln's death catapulted French and his staff into a maelstrom of
confusion and activity. Many expenses occurred in the wake of
events that were obviously unbudgeted, and French had to ask for
additional money to cover them. French managed most of the events
at the house and assisted Mrs. Lincoln in settling her affairs. Mrs.
Lincoln accused Commissioner French, once her ally in hiding White
House expenses, of beginning rumors regarding her removal of

87. U.S. Army, Corps of Engineers, Annual Report, 1868, 10.
88. Seale, The President's House, 421.

William S. Wood — May
31, 1861, to September 5,
1861; Benjamin B. French —
September 5, 1861, to
March 2, 1867

The Stable of the White House,
Harper's Weekly, April 17,
1869

The stables were constructed
after a fire on February 12,
1864, destroyed the former
structure.

Courtesy: Library of Congress

111

U.S. Department of the Interior, Commissioner of Public Buildings —- March 5, 1849, to March 2, 1867


William W. Harts — August
19, 1913, to September 22,
1917

200

rank of brigadier general in the Corps on December 17, 1917, and
was honorably discharged from the Corps on June 30, 1920."

Harts attained additional ranks in the regular army. From 1919 to
1923 he served as chief of staff and commander of the army of
occupation in Germany, served as a military attaché to the American
Embassy, and welcomed Lindbergh with U.S. Ambassador Myron T.
Herrick at Le Bourget after his transatlantic flight in 1927. He retired
as a brigadier general of the field artillery on August 31, 1930. He
headed the U.S. military commission to Abyssinia during the
coronation of Emperor Haile Salassie in 1930. Harts held the
Rowland Prize of the American Society of Civil Engineers, the Telford
Medal of the Institute of Civil Engineers in London, in addition to the
Distinguished Service Medal, Knight Commander of the Order of
Saint Michael and Saint George, and a Commander of the Legion
d’Honneur. He died at Madison, Connecticut, April 22, 1961."

General Administration

The Woodrow Wilson Administration. During Harts’s tenure, all the
interior hardware in the White House was silver plated. Entertaining
at the White House also changed. During the first two years of the
Woodrow Wilson administration there were four state dinners, one
small dinner, a tea, four musicales, five evening receptions, one day
reception, and two weddings. More somber occasions also punctu-
ated the Wilson administration; however, no mention of Ellen
Wilson's funeral or the arrangements appeared in the official reports
for the Corps of Engineers. Arrivals and departures remained much
the same as they had in previous administrations, with temporary
telephone lines being strung for each event so that carriages might be
called for departing guests. Arrangements may have been handled by
the chief usher, referred to in the 1915 annual report as “the
custodian of the Mansion.”*°

In 1913 five new servants’ rooms were built and furnished in the
attic of the White House, increasing the number of rooms to 11.
Changes were also made to the colonial gardens, under the direction

128. Thompson, Who's Who in the Regular Army, 136; Heitman, Historical Register, U.S.
Army, 1:507; Cullum, Biographical Register, U.S. Military Academy, 3:424.

129. Thompson, Who's Who in the Regular Army, 136; Heitman, Historical Register, U.S.
Amy, 1:507; Cullum, Biographical Register, U.S, Military Academy, 3:424; U.S. War Office,
“Retired List, 1925” in LS. Army Register, 3:874; “William Harts, General, Was 94,” New
York Times, Apr. 23, 1961.

130. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1914, 3339-40; ibid., 1915, 3710; Seale, The
President's House, 788-89.

CHAPTER 5. THE WHITE HOUSE, WASHINGTON, AND THE WORLD: 1897-1933


Conclusion

This first administration of the White House and President's Park by
the Department of the Interior — from 1849 to 1867 — was one of
transition. As the nation grappled with the issue of slavery, the
administration of the White House and President's Park became more
formalized. When the Civil War started in 1861, the military as-
sumed a somewhat greater role in the administration of the property.
As commander in chief, the president remained in charge of the White
House, with special projects assigned to the Corps of Engineers. The
role of the chief usher also increased. Military troops camped on the
south grounds and in Lafayette Square. Providing security for the
president during this time became an increasing concern, and when
Lincoln was assassinated just as the war concluded, the worst fears
of those assigned to protect him were realized. Partially as a result of
these turbulent times, administrative duties were transferred to the
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1867. This began a period of
military precision and exactness in the administration of the White
House and President’s Park, and the military would remain in charge
of the property for the next 66 years.

116

CHAPTER 3: THE ANTEBELLUM, CIVIL WAR, AND RECONSTRUCTION YEARS: 1849-1867


ation of $375,000 to reconstruct the roof, attic, and ceilings of the
second story of the White House, based on drawings by the super-
vising architect of the Treasury and to be overseen by the director of
public buildings and public parks. The president’s family temporarily
moved to 15 Dupont Circle. A job office was built at the east en-
trance, and temporary stairs were built for workers at the northeast
corner of the building. The construction began on March 14 and was
completed in 1928. The result was a new third floor with 14 rooms:
6 servants’ rooms, 7 bathrooms, and a storage room, with new
plumbing and electrical service. The N. PR Severin Company of
Chicago contracted on January 8, 1927, to replace the roof in 125
days for $185,000. The total bill for renovations amounted to
$296,773.11. Some routine work on the interior, such as wall
recovering and floor maintenance in the State Dinning Room, was
accomplished under contract. As a result of the dirt sifting through
the building from the roof removal, contracts were let for cleaning
both the interior and exterior. In addition, hydraulic elevators were
replaced by electric units in the State, War, and Navy Building at a
cost of $67,442.23.

The White House greenhouses, now a part of the Horticultural
Division, remained on the Washington Monument grounds, and two
new greenhouses were built. The blacksmith shops continued to
make pieces for equipment and items such as metal trash baskets,
gates for the White House tennis court, bench anchors, signs, and
similar items. In addition, an automobile repair shop serviced a fleet
of cars, trucks, and equipment. Curation responsibilities and the
annual inventory of White House property remained the responsi-
bility of the office as well.”

Surplus materials were still stored in the warehouse at 15th and C
Streets SW near the Washington Monument grounds, and in a
building at 1126 21st Street NW. On June 8, 1928, White House
personnel supervised the destruction of old or worn-out materials,
including tools, carpets, uniforms, box springs, feather dusters, and
similar items.

202. [Smith], “History of Changes,” 6-7; “Historical Information on the White House
and Its Furnishings,” 8, HSTL; 1926, 3; Annual Report, Director of Public Buildings and
Public Parks, 1926, 19-21; ibid., 7927, 6, 30-32; ibid., 1928, 21.

203. Annual Report, Director of Public Buildings and Public Parks, 1928, 21, 23, 24, 37.

204. Conner Donnelley and Thaddeus McCollum, “List of Property Removed from the
White House to the Storehouse at 15th and C Streets, SW," June 8, 1928; Charles A.
Peters Jr. {asst. dir.) to Finnan, memorandum, Sept. 30, 1937; both in 990-
50/Inventories, box 7, acc. 64A-42, WH&WPP files, ESF/WHL/NPS.

U, S. Grant HI — January 1,

1926, to April 5, 1933;
James A. Woodruff — April
5, 1933, to August 10, 1933

223

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Office of Public Buildings and Public Parks of the National Capital —- February 26, 1925, to June 10, 1933



Clarence O. Sherrill — March
21, 1921, to February 26,
1925

212

Beginning in 1921 with the opening of racially segregated public
bathing facilities in other park areas, concessioners became a part of
the concerns of the officer in charge. Tourist traffic continued to
grow, and in the 1923 annual report funds were being sought to
maintain a tourist camp in East Potomac Park. By 1924 concessions
included restaurant operations, bathing operations, golf courses, and
tourist camps. Cab stands remained as a service to the public, with
no money paid to concessioners. No concessions were permitted in
the area surrounding President’s Park. The closest concessions were at
the Lincoln and Washington Memorials (two each), at 18th and B
Streets (three), and at the Smithsonian grounds (three).’°

By 1924 recreation demands on the office had expanded substan-
tially. The following facilities were available in Washington:'*

Baseball diamonds 20 Tennis courts 39
Nine-hole practice golf course 1 Cricket field 1
Nine-hole regular golf course 1 Athletic field 1
Polo fields 2 Football fields 5
Archery courts 2 Bowling green 1
Lacrosse field 1 Hurling field 1
Volleyball court 1 Croquet courts 8
Hockey fields 2 Soccer fields 2
Medicine and push-ball courts 2 Quoit courts 4
Basketball court I

Schedules for the Office of Public Buildings and Grounds remained
difficult and were constantly worked around other agendas. For
example, in 1924 the officer in charge asked that the requirement for
a June inventory of the executive mansion be changed so that the
annual accounting could take place in the first family’s absence.”

The executive greenhouses remained on the Washington Monument
grounds. Repairs were made to West Executive Avenue, and the
gateposts on Pennsylvania Avenue were painted. In 1924 the Office of
the Supervising Architect of the Treasury delivered plans for
fireproofing the White House and renovating the second and third
floors at a cost of $5,000. The “model house” on Sherman Plaza was

168, Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1923, 2194-195, 2206; ibid., 1924, 2028-29. Plans
for a “colored” bathhouse were discussed in 1922, and $25,000 was appropriated, but a
location could not be agreed upon. Later $50,000 was appropriated for a bathhouse on
the west shore of the Tidal Basin and combined with the previously allotted $25,000. The
second bill passed the House with amendments but failed in the Senate. As of 1924,
nothing had been done about continuing the project. The bathing beach at West Potomac
Park was demolished in 1926. See Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1924, 2032, and ibid.,
1926, 27.

169. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1924, 2195; NPS, President's Park South, 27.
170. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1924, 2050.

CHAPTER 5. THE WHITE HOUSE, WASHINGTON, AND THE WORLD: 1897-1933


Almon F. Rockwell — April
1, 1881, to June 1, 1885

140

Site Security

Because of the controversy surrounding the 1876 election (see page
117), Hayes was secretly sworn into office in the Red Room the day
before the formal inauguration. Details of security during this event
are not available.”

As the Hayes administration progressed, Casey called for more
watchmen as the improved park areas, particularly the Ellipse, began
to attract large crowds. Assassination threats caused President Hayes
to limit access to the south lawn and grounds nearest the White
House except for the Easter egg roll.”

Almon F. Rockwell — April 1, 1881, to June 1, 1885

After the inauguration of James Garfield as president, Col. Almon F.
Rockwell took over duties as officer in charge in April 1881. He was
the first non-West Pointer and non-engineer to be.in charge of the
property since Michler’s appointment 14 years before. Rockwell was
a close friend of the Garfields; his son Donald fived at the White
House with the family and was tutored there.”

Born in New York State, Almon began his military career as a first
lieutenant aide-de-camp and as a captain assistant adjutant general in
the Army Volunteers during the Civil War;-he was mustered out as a
brevet lieutenant colonel in April 1867. He served in the Department
of the Ohio under Generals Buell and Rosencranz. He saw service in
the Regular Army as a captain and assistant quartermaster before
assuming the duties of officer in charge, with the title of colonel.
After leaving the post in 1885, Rockwell continued military service in
the quartermaster corps, retiring in 1897 with the rank of lieutenant
colonel, deputy quartermaster general. He died in Paris, France, on
July 31, 1903.”

77. Seale, The President’s House, 487-89.

78. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1878, 1345, 1347; ibid., 1879, 1882-83; Seale, The
President's House, 504-505, 508,

79. Seale, The President’s House, 513~18, 535.

80. ° Heitman, Historical Register, United States Army, 1:840; William H. Powell, Powell's
Records of Living Officers of the United States Army (Philadelphia: L.R. Hammersly, 1890},
506; U.S. War Office, U.S. Army Register, “Casualties, 1904,” 524.

(CHAPTER 4. THE LINITED STATES ON THE THRESHOLD OF WORLD POWER: 1867-1897



Almon F. Rockwell — April
4, 1881, to June 1, 1885

144

was installed in the front hall, replacing Thomas U. Walter’s cast-
iron and frosted glass screen of the 1850s. Rooms were given more
aesthetic shades of red and blue; the green from the earlier redecorat-
ing stayed. New fireplaces were installed in the library, the private
dining room, and some bedrooms, along with new plumbing and
heating. New water closets were installed in the center of the
conservatory, which was extensively repaired.

The Otis Brothers and Company had planned to install a hydraulic
elevator in an old service stair space leading to attic. The elevator was
finally put in service during Arthur’s administration and upholstered
in tufted plush.”

By June 1882 the Ellipse roadways had been further graded, drainage
improved, and older trees “formerly thickly planted” removed. The
central part of the Ellipse was prepared with 1,000 cubic yards of
compost and graded. Fragments from the construction of the
Washington Monument were used to line new gutters around the
Ellipse, 3,084 feet in circumference and 3 feet wide. The old brick
sewer traversing the Ellipse collapsed and was filled. Stone and
broken concrete were used to pave roadways and walks.*

In 1883 the public gardener took over one of the workmen's sheds
that had been used in the construction of the State, War, and Navy
Building for an office, workroom, and tool storage space. New
greenhouses and a growing nursery and greenhouse operation at the
monument grounds made such an arrangement imperative. Cast-
iron tree labels were used to identify rare specimens and to prohibit
trespassing; 160 tree labels were needed. New Jersey marl] was used
in addition to guano as fertilizer. In 1883 the fountain on the north
side of the White House was entirely reconstructed with an ornate
border of Ohio (Euclid) stone. The carriage house was doubled in size.
All street lamps were repaired and reglazed, and new iron and slate
settees were constructed for the greenhouses. Walks from Treasury
and the new State, War, and Navy Building to the White House were
extensively reworked, graveled, and rolled. The site’s decorum was

,

92. Seale, The President's House, 518, 523-24, 534-35, 539-42; Annual Report, Chief of
Engineers, 1881, 2716, 2739.

93. Seale, The President's House, 518, 523-24, 534-35; Annual Report, Chief of Engineers,
1881, 2712-13, 2739.

94, Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1882, 2733-34, 2741-43; bid, 1883, 2093; ibid.,
1884, 2339; ibid., 1885, 2503.

(CHAPTER 4. THE UNITED STATES ON THE THRESHOLD OF WORLD POWER: 1867-1897


As one. of her last acts as first lady, Mrs. Johnson made arrange-
ments to install four fountains on the Ellipse to frame the view of the
White House in water when seen from the Washington Monument.
With the help of Mrs. Albert D. Lasker, president of the Society for a
More Beautiful Capital, two granite fountains were donated by Enid
Annenberg. Haupt and placed on either side of 16th Street in the
center of the far south side of President’s Park on Constitution
Avenue. The granite, from the Cold Springs Granite Company, came
from quarries in Morton, Minnesota. Sculptor Gordon Newell of
Vallejo, California, and his assistant Jamies Hunolt of Monterey,
California, carved the bowls. The engineering firm of Palmer,
Campbell, and Reese and contractors Curtin and Johnson set the
slabs. Wallace F. Whitney, vice president of Hydrel Corporation,
supplied the fountain equipment. Handmade brick pavers were
supplied by Harry M. Atherton Jr. of Macon, Inc. Nathaniel Owings,
principal in the firm of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, offered to design
the site for the fountains as a gift to the Ellipse project. The National
Park Service supplied the electrical work. The estimated cost with
donations amounted to $135,653.20. Two other fountains were
donated by the Zalles family and imported from the Henraux Marble
Works in Lucca, Italy. The fountains were shipped from Leghorn,
Italy, to Baltimore, and officials expected delivery of the fountains
September 18, 1969. Ensuing complications prohibited the fountains
from being installed, and as of the date of this report they are still in
storage at the NPS greenhouses.

1966, D24/Genera} Beautification (7/1/66-6/30/67) (2), box 21, ace. 72A-6215,
ARD/WHL/NPS; Conrad to Horne, June 19, 1967, D18/Planning Program and Master
Plans, box 31, acc. 79-770005, ESF/WHL/NPS; “Specifications for Construction of Walks
in the Northwest Quadrant of the Ellipse, 17th and E Streets NW, Washington, D.C.,
contract 14-10-7: 991-157, July 14, 1967” (on file at DSC), passim; “Construction of
Walks in the Northwest Quadrant of the Ellipse," box 24, acc. 72A-6215, ESF/WHL/NPS;
Judge, “Flowering Washington,” passim.

61. Ralph E. Becker to WLN.A.C. Burlingame, Underwood, Wright, White, and Lord,
Aug. 11, 1969, D24/Maintenance and Rehabilitation (1969), box 31, acc. 79-80-0002,
ESE/WHL/NPS; Castro to reg. dir., Dec. 19, 1966, D24/General Beautification (7/1/66—
6/30/67) (2}, box 21, acc. 72-6215, ESF/WHL/NPS. Owings to Castro, Jan. 31, 1968;
Castro to Owings, Feb. 12, 1968, D24/President’s Park (1/1/66 to ~} (1), box 21, acc.
72A-6215. Elmer Atkins to dir. (NCP and Urban Affairs), memorandum, Mar. 22, 1971;
Atkins to dir. (NCP), Aug. 31, 1971, both in D46/General Fountains (1/1/70), box 28,
acc. 72A-6215, ESF/WHL/NPS, Atkins to Patricia H. Collins, Aug. 18, 1971, Mrs. Saul
(Rose) Zalles to John N. Mitchell (atty. gen. of the United States), June 24, 1971; both in
D22/Central (1/1/69), box 27, acc. 79-7524, ESF/WHL/NPS. Dickenson to Ralph E.
Becker, Apr. 15, 1970, D24/President’s Park (1/1/69), box 28, acc. 79-7524,
ESE/WHL/NPS. "Status of Haupt Fountains, Nov. 7, 1968"; “Summary of Beautification
Matters Requiring Follow-up Information, October 24, 1968”; “Background Information
Concerning the Haupt Fountains”; all in A7217/1968 ARD Pinks (3 of 4), box WHO-
AM-020, ESF/WHL/NPS. Acting ARD to C. R. Darling, May 21, 1969, A7217/1969 ARD
Pinks (2 of 2}, box WHL-AM-020, ARD/WHL/NPS.

Harry T. Thompson — May
10, 1958, to February 25,
1961; T. Sutton Jett —
March 15, 1961, to January
14, 1968; I. J. Castro —~
January 14, 1968, to
September 25, 1969; Rex W.
Scouten (Assistant Regional
Director) — February 24,
1968, to May 4, 1969

327

‘The National Park Service — 1958-1983


442

INDEX

Cuban missile crisis, 301

Cupplinger, Alfred, 142

Curtin and Johnson, 327

Custis, Eleanor Calvert, 9

Custis, George Washington Park,
12

Czolgosz, Leon F., 172

D

Dalton, Tristram, 7, 12

d’Angers, Pierre-Jean David, 83

Daniels, Josephus, 398

Daughters of the American
Revolution, 294

Davidson, Samuel, 13

Davies, John, 339

Davis, Fanny-Fern, 288

Davis, Jefferson, 96

Davis, Lorin A., 291

Davis, Richard, 48

Davis, Shadrack, 54

Day, William R., 397

DDT: for Dutch elm disease, 286.
See also pest control

Deacy, William Henry, 417

Deakins, William, Jr., 14

DeForest, Robert W., 2147

De Gaulle, Charles, 293

Delano, William Adams; 217, 268-
270, 281

DeLue, Donald, 417

Demaray, Arthur E., 247, 257, 304

demonstrations. See protests

Denby, Edwin, 398

Denett, Muessig, Ryan and
Associates, 347

Dent, Fred T., 123

Denver Service Center, NPS, 361,
366, 369-370, 372

Departments, U.S. See Agriculture,
Interior, Navy, State, Treasury,
or War Department

Design Center, Inc., 343

Designtech-East, 368

Devlin, R. A., 253, 276

De Weldon, Felix, 280

Dewey D’Agostino and Company,
310

Dexter, Samuel, 32

Dickens, Charles, 75

Dickenson, Jacob M., 397

Dickenson, Russell E., 335, 335

Dickson, Ron, 358

Digges, William, Mr. and Mrs., 18

disabilities, visitors with, 375

District of Columbia, 15; burning
of, 47; commissioners for, 7-35;
1952 Comprehensive Plan, 284;
design and construction of, 23-
25; government of, 139; growth
of, 28-32; health officer, 157;
incorporation of, 49; L’Enfant
plan on, 20-21; location of, 5-6,
12-14; park system established,
377; reconstruction of, 52-55;
residences of, 32; soil and vege-
tation survey, 121; and survey,
169; and White House Liaison,
378; White House precinct con-
cept, 365. See also jurisdiction
vissues

District of Columbia Federation of
Women’s Clubs, 215

District of Columbia Public
Schools, 221

District Patentees Memorial, 252,
417

Dolley Madison house, 291-292

donations. See gifts to White House

Donelson, Andrew Jackson, 60

Donelson, Emily, 60, 63

Donnelley, Connor, 252

doormen: Buchanan tenure, 104;
Grant tenure, 123; Roosevelt (T)
tenure, 174

Dougherty, Richard E., 269-270,
396

Dougias, Charles, 51, 80-83

Douglass, Frederick, 135

Douglas, Stephen A., 409

Douhar, chef, 46

Dove, Joseph, 28

Dow Associates, 368

Downing, Andrew Jackson, 85, 93,
242; landscape plan, 90-92, 91,
93-94, 101-102, 113, 117, 136

drainage: Buchanan tenure, 106;
Cleveland tenures, 148; Fillmore
tenure, 95; Grant tenure, 127,
132; Hayes tenure, 136;
Johnson (A) tenure, 122;


Contents

Introduction — 1

Chapter 1. Beginnings: 1791-1802 — 5

An Overview of the Period — 5
Commissioners for the District of Columbia — January 22, 1791, to May 1, 1802 —7
Daniel Carroll, Thomas Johnson, David Stuart, Gustavus Scott, William Thornton,
Alexander White, William Cranch, and Tristram Dalton — 7
Conclusion — 35

Chapter 2. The Growth of the Republic: 1802-1849 — 37

An Overview of the Period — 37 .
_ Superintendent of the City of Washington (Commissioner of Public Buildings) —
@ May 1, 1802, to March 3, 1817 — 41
Thomas Munroe — May 1, 1802, to March 3, 1817 — 41
Commissioner of Public Buildings — March 3, 1817, to March 3, 1849 — 51

Samuel Lane — March 3, 1817, to May 8, 1822 — 51

Joseph Elgar — May 8, 1822, to February 10, 1834 — 57

William Noland — February 10, 1834, to November 5, 1846 — 65
Andrew Beaumont — November 5, 1846, to March 3, 1847; and
Charles Douglas — March 3, 1847, to April 7, 1849 — 80
Conclusion — 84

Chapter 3: The Antebellum, Civil War, and Reconstruction Years: 1849-1867 — 85

An Overview of the Period — 85

U.S. Department of the Interior, Commissioner of Public Buildings — March 5, 1849, to
March 2, 1867 — 87

Ignatius Mudd — April 7, 1849, to March 12, 1851 — 87

William Easby — March 12, 1851, to June 14, 1853 — 93

Benjamin B. French — June 14, 1853, to June 5, 1855 — 98

John B. Blake — June 5, 1855, to May 31, 1861 — 102
William $. Wood — May 31, 1861, to September 5, 1861; and
Benjamin B. French — September 5, 1861, to March 2, 1867 — 109

Conclusion — 116

tii


Chapter 6. The New Deal, World War IL,
and Peace: 1933-1958

An Overview of the Period

hortly after his inauguration, Franklin Delano Roosevelt made

a number of far-reaching changes in government or-

ganization that also affected the White House and President's

Park. On August 10, 1933, the control of the national capital
parks system, President’s Park, and the White House was returned to
the Department of the Interior under the Office of National Parks,
Buildings, and Reservations (the following year the name was
changed back to the National Park Service). The Department of the
Interior previously had responsibility for President’s Park from 1849
to 1867. The former Office of Public Buildings and Public Parks was
separated into the Branch of Public Buildings (which retained the post
of commissioner of public buildings) and the Branch of National
Capital Parks.’

President Roosevelt was very interested in the landscape of President’s
Park, and he supported a 1935 report on the grounds by the Olmsted
Brothers of Brookline, Massachusetts, which introduced a new
landscape scheme for the White House. Effective July 1, 1939,
President Roosevelt transferred the National Park Service’s Branch of
Buildings Management to the Public Buildings Administration,
Federal Works Agency. In 1949 the General Services Administration
took over the responsibility for much of the nonspecialized, day-to-
day building maintenance.*

1. NPS, Lafayette Park, 1; Annual Report, Director of Public Buildings and Public Parks,
1933, 1; NPS, USDI, Parks of the National Capital (Washington, DC: U.S. GPO, 1963), 1; J.
B. West (chief usher) to reg. dir. (Region 6, NPS), May 25, 1962, 950/Grounds (2), box
14, ARD/WHL/NPS; Annual Report, Secretary of the Interior: National Park Service, 1937
(Washington, DC: U.S. GPO, 1937), 78-79; ibid., 7940, 155; Edwin Bateman Morris,
comp., Report of the Commission on the Renovation of the Executive Mansion (Washington,
DC: US. GPO, 1952), 108; “Legislative Authority Governing the Control of the Park
System for the District of Columbia,” 950/Grounds/White House, box 4, acc. 644-42,
ESF/WHL/NPS.

2, “Historical Information on the White House and Its Furnishings,” p. 12, HSTL; NPS,
‘A Brief History of the White House,” 11. “Report to the President of the United States for
the Proposed Landscape Improvements for the Executive Grounds" (n.p., 1944), p. 7;
Reorganization Plan No. 1 (53 Stat. 14265-27); U.S. National Archives and Records
Administration, Government Manual, 607.

239

An Overview of the Period



The park redesign work continued despite local protests. Suggestions
that the Jackson statue be removed or exchanged for the statue of
Washington on Washington Circle were not acted upon. Trees were
thinned, and old specimens were taken out; others were moved
around the site. Both NPS personnel and the Civilian Conservation
Corps worked on the project, at a total cost of $35,128.36.”

Not everyone was pleased with the Lafayette Park improvements.
Many felt that unnecessary harm had been done to the landscape and
that too many trees and plantings had been destroyed. Rats remained
a problem, especially around the lodge area on the north. Specialized
maintenance problems included the removal of the verdigris patina
stain from the marble base of the Jackson statue. Some people
thought work was being made for victims of the Depression and that
the project was frivolous.”

Complaints that reflected the tenor of the times also found their way
to the National Park Service. Virginia Vandenberg complained that
lunchers left trash everywhere and that local shoeshine boys were
climbing trees and occupying so many benches that “white people
have no place to sit. . . . Could you send someone between 4 and 5
o'clock to put the ‘fear of God and man’ into these little colored
boys?” she asked. The U.S. Park Police dutifully investigated her
complaint on two successive days but found no such conditions.”

10. Minutes of 76th Meeting of the Nationa] Park and Planning Commission, re: West
Potomac and Lafayette Park, Apr. 21, 1933; F B. Butler (asst. dir.) to Washington Gas
Light Co., Jan. 12, 1933; Butler to Potomae Electric Power Co., Jan. 12, 1933; “Concrete
Area Being Reduced in Sidewalk’s Reconstruction,” The Evening Star, Apr. 22, 1936;
Malcolm Kirkpatrick to Vint, memorandum, May 28, 1939; Kirkpatrick to Gillen,
memorandum, July 22, 1936; Finnan to Mrs, Herbert W. Elmore, memorandum, Aug.
13, 1936; Finnan to L. M. Fisher (sanitary engineer), memorandum, June 29, 1935;
Fisher to Finnan, memorandum, July 25, 1935; all in 1460/Lafayette Park, box 11, acc.
64A-42, ESEANHL/NPS. Gartside to Gillen, memorandum, May 13, 1942, 1460/
Lafayette Park (2), box 17, acc. 66A-1097, WH&WPP files, ESF/WHL/NPS; “1924-34”
{National Community Christmas tree reports], passim, 1115-30-75/Sherman Park, box.
10, acc. 64A-42, WH&WPP files, ESF/WHL/NPS.

11.” “Passed by Censor,” editorial, between Mar. 23 and April 9, 1936, (clipping; no
newspaper name recorded); A. H. Hanson to Finnan, memorandum, Apr. 1, 1936; Susan
McLaughlin to Gartside, Oct. 23, 1936; Gartside to McLaughlin, Nov. 17, 1936; Gartside
to A. B. Cammerer, Nov. 17, 1936; Harry Brown to A. B. Cammerer, Aug. 7, 1937;
Norris D. Parham to [Roosevelt], Aug. 7, 1937; Gartside to Parham, Aug. 20, 1937;
Parham to Gartside, memorandum, Aug. 24, 1937; Una Franklin to Gartside, May 16,
1938; Parham to Finnan, June 25, 1938; all in 1460/Lafayette Park, box 11, acc. 64A~
42, ESE/WHL/NPS,

12. Virginia Vandenberg to [Ickes], Aug. 20, 1940; U.S. Park Police complaint report,
investigated by Wirth and Cleary, Aug. 23 and 24, 1940, 1460/Lafayette Park (2), box
17, act. 664-1097, ESF/WHL/NPS.

Frank T. Gartside —— August
10, 1933, to October 9,
1933; C. Marshall Finnan —
October 9, 1933, to July 31,
1939

243

Office of National Parks, Buildings, and Reservations — August 10, 1933, to March 2, 1934; National Park Service — March 2, 1934, to May 10, 1958



Frank T. Gartside — July 31,
1939, to February 1, 1940;
Edmund B. Rogers —
February 1, 1940, to April
18, 1940; Francis F. Gillen
— April 18, 1940, to
January 2, 1941; Irvin C.
Root — January 2, 1941, to
July 28, 1950

268

specific documentation, he could not cite anything conclusive.
“Whether he designed it or not, . . . I don’t know, but his design came
from these southern mansions at the time, which always had a
portico.” He referred to the porch as a “portico” and consulted with
chief usher H. G. Crim and White House architect Lorenzo S.
Winslow about his plans. Truman insisted that he only wished to
improve the appearance of the White House. Both Crim and Winslow
hesitated, knowing that any alteration to the southern facade of the
building would cause controversy. Conferences were held with the
Commission of Fine Arts, which attempted to thwart the project by
suggesting that architect William Adams Delano be called to confer.
The commissioners thought an outside party would be better able to
stop the project. However, Truman hired Delano, who did not see any
problem with the addition. The Fine Arts Commission was horrified,
and so began the Truman balcony furor that continued until March
1948.

The construction of the balcony during the winter of 1947-48
initially caused a great outcry across the nation, but ultimately it
was accepted. However, acceptance did not come before former
Secretary of the Interior Harold Ickes printed a scathing indictment of
Truman in the public papers and scores of other citizens peppered the
president's office with letters and telegrams decrying the alteration. A
businessman from Winona, Minnesota, sent the president a sample
of a piece of asphalt siding embossed with a brick pattern. He said
this sort of treatment was popular on many homes in Missouri, and
since the president now had his porch, perhaps he would consider
covering the rest of the building in a material he could more readily
appreciate and that would make the White House seem more like
home. A White House aide noted in pencil on the bottom of the letter,
“Guess we will have to file tarpaper.” Others said the building had
accepted various alterations from its original design, like the north
and south porticoes, and they thought Truman’s balcony fit into
these time-honored schemes. Delano became so enamored of his

67. Seale, The President’s House, 1012-13; Gilmore D. Clarke (chairman, CFA) to
Truman, Nov. 26, 1947, Truman to Clarke, Dec. 2, 1947; Truman to George Rothwell
Brown, Jan. 20, 1948; Truman to William Adams Delano, Nov. 22, 1947; Clarke to
‘Truman, Dec. 15, 1947; all in PSE file 1, box 301, HSTL. Dorothy Kulp to Truman, Jan.
15, 1948; editorial, New York Times, Jan. 15, 1948; L. L. Wright to Truman, Jan. 29,
1948; Edward W. Donn Jr,, “Defacement of the White House” (newspaper article, n.d.);
Harry M. Gebelein to Truman, Jan. 23, 1948, OF 50 (White House Balcony), box 311,
HSTL. Ayers, “Summary of Press Conference,” Apr. 15, 1948, Ayers Papers, Presidential
Files, White House Balcony file, box 20, HSTL.

(CHAPTER 6. THE NEw Drai, WoRLD Wag Ii, AND PEACE: 1933-1958


Thomas L. Casey — March
3, 1877, to April 1, 1881

Thomas L. Casey

Courtesy: History Office,
US. Army Corps of
Engineers

134

Jurisdiction

The 1871 annual report indicates that jurisdiction again became an
issue under Babcock’s tenure. Unlike his predecessors, who empha-
sized federal jurisdiction, Babcock cited the organic act creating the
territorial government of the District of Columbia. The act placed the
streets, avenues, and alleys of the city under the city’s Board of
Public Works, and Babcock blamed the slowness in improvement on
a lack of action by the board. The federal government, however, still
owned the rights-of-way in fee-simple title, and arguments over
duties and responsibilities continued.

Site Security

The war and Lincoln's assassination had led to tightened security at
the White House. Shutters were kept closed even during the day for
fear of gunmen. Grant substituted civilian agents for military
guards. The Metropolitan Police detail, combined with the watchmen
from Treasury and other executive office buildings, made up the bulk
of the force. Security was also increased, and an additional
watchman was requested for Lafayette Square.”

Thomas L. Casey — March 3, 1877, to April 1, 1881

Lt. Col. Thomas L. Casey succeeded Babcock as officer in charge on
March 3, 1877. Casey, son of Bvt. Maj. Gen. Silas Casey (colonel of
the 4th Infantry and a friend of the Hayes family), was born on May
10, 1831, at Madison Barracks, Sackets Harbor, New York. He was
appointed to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point from Rhode
Island, entering July 1, 1848, and graduating first in his class.
Beginning as a brevet second lieutenant in the Corps of Engineers
upon graduation, he served at West Point attached to the Company
of Sappers, Miners and Pontoniers (July-August 1852) and in
various other positions. He was promoted to second lieutenant in
1854 and to first lieutenant in 1856. After serving in Washington
and Oregon States, he rose to the rank of captain by 1861 and to
major by 1863. He left the army briefly to work for a heavy
equipment manufacturer in Portland, Maine; later he served as chief
army engineer of the Portland District. In November 1867 he arrived
in Washington, D.C., as chief of fortifications under the chief
engineer of the Corps. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel on

56. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1871, 969, 973.
57. Seale, The President’s House, 476-80; Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1874, 12-13.

CHAPTER 4. THE UNITED STATES ON THE THRESHOLD OF WORLD POWER: 1867-1897


painters applied coats of lime-based whitewash to disguise the mold
while the north paint dried out. This measure increased the costs.”

In 1852 architect Thomas U. Walter proposed subdividing President's
Park by introducing the roadways that later became known as East
and West Executive Avenues. (East Executive Avenue was not in place
until 1866 and West Executive Avenue until 1871.) Wings were
added to the orangery in 1853; however, the entire structure would
be removed in 1859. Walter presented a scheme for a single large
building to take the place of the two smaller brick structures on the
west. But landscaping and building plans ended for a time at
President’s Park as the nation moved toward Civil War.*

Repairs to the house and grounds in 1853 consisted of mending the
upper stories and the north portico; laying German tile in the
basement areas to replace the deteriorated planking; adding 14,000
square yards of new gravel walks, and installing 1.25 miles of brick
drains on the south lawn. Coal stoves were installed in the basement
to promote better ventilation. The flagstone footways on the north
side of the house were repaired, along with the carriageway and
coping. Iron fences were painted, a curbstone set, and brick pave-
ments laid from the Treasury Building to the War and Navy Build-
ings. All of this was reported at an expense of $6,270.49. Presumably
this is the roadway that appears in various plans of the 1850s as
cutting across President’s Park in the vicinity of today’s South
Executive Avenue curve between Hamilton and State Places. Lafayette
Square was improved at a cost of $5,988, along with the area south
of the President's House at a cost of $1,200.60."

By 1853 a total of $5,000 had been spent on the pedestal for the
statue of Andrew Jackson in Lafayette Park. For the coming year, the
commissioner requested a total budget of $147,420. This inchided
New York flagging for the front walks of the executive offices at
$22,000, and an iron fence for the area between the Navy
Department and the “president's grounds” at $1,000.

The Franklin Pierce Administration. After Franklin Pierce's inaugura~
tion, he retained Yale Law School graduate Sidney Webster as his

31. Seale, The President's House, 297-98. :

32. Seale, The President’s House, 206-7, 295, 300-1, 433, 503; Nicholas Satterlee and
Associates, Feasibility Study for Renovation of the Treasury Building (Washington: Nicholas
Satterlee and Associates, 1968), A47~48; Dolkart, The Old Executive Office Building, 7.

33. Annual Report, Commissioner of Public Buildings, 1853, 2, 3, 11, 14-15.
34. Annual Report, Commissioner of Public Buildings, 1853, 7.

William Easby —- March
12, 1851, to June 14, 1853

95

U.S. Department of the Interior, Commissioner of Public Buildings — March 5, 1849, to March 2, 1967



Russell E. Dickenson —
September 26, 1969, to
November 11, 1973; Manus
J. Fish — November 11,
1973, to September 4, 1988;
Elmer S, Atkins (Assistant
Regional Director) — May 4,
1969, to December 31, 1983

Facing page:
The White House, North
Elevation, 1988-1992

The Historic American
Buildings Survey meticulously
documented the exterior of the
White House. This drawing
shows the grain pattern of the
Aquia sandstone on the north
side once the paint had been
removed and prior to
Courtesy: Historic American
Buildings Survey, National
Park Service

352

annual monitoring and walk-through inspection was recommended,
with a major structural inspection every five to eight years."

In 1981 work began on removing the many layers of paint that had
encased the structure since its rebuilding in 1816-17. Using criteria
developed by the National Bureau of Standards and Technology,
workmen over the next 16 years would remove 30 layers of paint
and repair stone damage over the entire exterior. Cracks, exfoliation,
patchwork repair of former years, stone failure, and similar prob-
lems had to be addressed. Concurrent with the stone conservation
project, the National Park Service, through the Historic American
Buildings Survey and the Historic American Engineering Record,
documented both the process and the original stonework through
photography and architectural drawings. The hundreds of illustra-
tions and photographs comprising this effort are stored in the
Library of Congress for future reference. Later, the National Park
Service's Preservation Assistance Division managed the collection of
stone preservation data from 1991 to 1993.7

Memorials —

Lighting plans for the White House and the First Division Monument
were finalized in 1970 and 1971. Additions to the First Division
Monument commemorating the Vietnam War were authorized by
Senate Joint Resolution 66 of August 24, 1974, and were completed
in 19772

131, “Summary Report on the Structural Analysis and Inspection of the Executive
Residence,” NPS Contract CX-3000-7-1590, Work Directive 3-1540-7-5, Comm. No.
07261 (Lynchburg, Virginia: Wiley & Wilson Architects, Engineers, Planners, April 10,
1981}, p. 2. Recent inspection of the roof systems of the White House indicate that there
may be more structural problems than originally supposed. See Robert Reynolds, field
notes and calculations, June-July 1996, Engineering Division, Denver Service Center
{hereafter cited as DSC), NPS.

132. NPS, White House Stone Carving: Builders and Restorers, by Lee H. Nelson
(Washington, DC: U.S. GPO, 1992), 25-26.

133. Clarence C. Gill (elec. eng.) to dir. (NCP), July 28, 1971; supt. to dir. (NCP}, July 30,
1971; (Estimate for Electrical Service, First Division|, July 1971, Construction Costs
(handwritten), D5015/Electricity (1/1/69), box 28, acc. 79-7524, ESF/ARD/WHL/NPS;
Edward S. Peetz to dir. (NCP), memorandum: “Construction Program, 1973 Fiscal Year,”
Apr. 7, 1972, D22/FY Construction Programs/NCR Areas (1/1/72), box 30, acc. 79-
77000-3, ESF/ARD/WHL/NPS; PL 384, 93rd Cong., S.J. Res. 66 (Aug. 23, 1974); Atkins
to Society of the First Infantry Div., Sept 26, 1977, D22/Construction/Vietnam Addition
to 1st Division Memorial, box WHL-AM-003, ESF/WHL/NPS.

CHAPTER 7. THE NATION'S FRONTYARD: 1958-3983


had a gun, in another a man claimed to have a bomb in his car, and
in a third a man attempted to run onto the White House grounds.®

These events subsequently led to a White House security review
conducted by the secretary of the treasury; the review recommended
the closure of Pennsylvania Avenue to public vehicular traffic and
other measures. This action was taken on May 20, 1995, under
emergency procedures, and temporary concrete barriers were
installed around the perimeter of White House streets to minimize
possible attacks on the Executive Residence.“

A fire atop the U.S. Treasury Building on June 26, 1996, damaged
8,300 square feet of roof. Caused by a propane torch that was being
used to seal flashing, the fire threatened not only the 19th century
Greek Revival building, but also those working in the building. Water
and smoke caused extensive damage to the interior of the building,
including the historic cash room. The fire was seen as a “wake-up
call” concerning historic buildings in President's Park. As a result,
studies were initiated that reassessed loads, storage, and occupant
safety. A $150 million renovation of the Treasury Building was
subsequently begun.”

Conclusion

In the second half of the 20th century the White House and Presi-
dent’s Park has remained a focus for the modern world. Many
administrative problems — such as collection storage and curation,
visitor access and interpretation, and comprehensive planning and
design — were addressed, some for the first time. Nevertheless, issues
such as transportation, security, special events, recreation, and
jurisdiction wil] continue to challenge future administrators. But
most importantly, for the American public, the White House remains
a symbol of democracy and governmental stability.

60. information and Xeroxed copies of articles made available to O’Brien Nov. 16,
1999, by Novak, Security Reading File.

61. Stephen C. Fehr and Ann Devroy, “Security Fears Spur Pennsylvania Avenue
Closing,” Washington Post, May 20, 1995; Fehr and Devroy, “Barricades Seal Off 2 Symbol
of Openness,” Washington Post, May 21, 1995.

62. Alissa Wolf, "Wake-Up Call: Fire at the US ‘Treasury Building,” NFPA Journal
November/December 1996: 53-57.

Manus J. Fish — Continuing
to September 4, 1988; Ronald
N, Wrye — September 4,
1988, to December 18, 1988;
Robert G. Stanton —
December 18, 1988, to
January 3, 1997; James I.
McDaniel (Associate Regional
Director) — December 31,
1983, to-

381

Conclusion


Edward J. Kelly — July 28,
1950, to May 10, 1958

282

that the planned preservation of plant material could not keep pace
with construction. Plans also required coordination with the
Commission of Fine Arts. The rose bushes in the west garden and the
various plantings in the east garden had been compromised to a great
extent. The removal of 1,500 cubic feet of soil for temporary
roadways damaged various plantings. Upon the prompting of Frank
Gartside, now assistant superintendent of National Capital Parks, the
National Park Service “restored” the grounds, and many
improvements were made.'?

Although the work on the White House grounds was billed as a
restoration project, presumably dating to the 1930s Olmsted design,
a wealth of new planted material was introduced. A massed mag-
nolia planting east of the south portico. now matched an existing
group on. the west side, and the general outline of the east garden
now matched the design of the west garden. Roadways and
surrounding streets were also reworked and repaved. The Office of
National Capital Parks remained in charge of the project. Early winter
thaw and heavy rains complicated the work. Douglas W. Orr said in
a letter to the president that he felt the “improvement to the grounds
has been a remarkable operation adding very materially to the
appearance of the building.“

Operations and Maintenance —- With increased tourism there were
additional safety hazards on the site. Accidents involving cars on E
Street had been a problem since the street was completed in the
1930s. For example, on March 13, 1949, a driver fell asleep heading
north on West Executive Avenue and demolished a traffic light on the
southwest corner of West Executive Avenue and State Place. On the
evening of February 1, 1950, a pedestrian was struck by car on

102. (Restoration of the Historic Executive Mansion Grounds}, press release, Mar. 19,
1952, PSF (file 3), box 301, HSTL; NPS, "Report on the Care and Rehabilitation of the
Executive Mansion Grounds Incident to the Renovation of the White House, January,
1950 to May 1952,” by Fanny-Fern Davis (management agronomist) for George W.
Harding (chief, Horticulture, NCP), (1952); Annual Report, Secretary of the Interior, National
Park Service, 1952, 384-85; Merle S. Sager (chief, Planning) to Thompson, Feb. 5, 1948;
Horace V. Wester (plant pathologist) to Harding, Mar. 3, 1948; Thompson to Clarke, Mar.
23, 1948; Thompson to Crim, Jan. 10, 1950; Harding to Thompson, memorandum,
“The White House Garden," Jan. 9, 1950; all in 950-50/Planting (2), box 4, acc. 64A~42,
ESE/WHL/NPS.

103. Matthew J. Connelly to Sen. Millard E, Tydings, Jan. 23, 1950, OF 50 (file 2}, box
309, HSTL; [Restoration of the Historic Executive Mansion Grounds], press release, HSTL;
Orr to Truman Apr. 14, 1952, and Truman to Orr, Apr. 18, 1952, PSF (file 3), box 301,
HSTL; Davis, “Report on the Care and Rehabilitation of the Executive Mansion Grounds,"
3; “Plans and Estimates for Maintenance of Roads & ‘Trails, 1949-50,” box 31, acc. 65A-
664, ESE/WHL/NPS.

CHAPTER 6. Tot NEw DEAL, WORLD WaR II, AND PEACE: 1933-1958


Ellipse. The visitor center offers an alternative experience for those
unable to take the White House tours.”

Memorials

Although NPS administrators discouraged the establishment of
permanent memorials in President's Park, such events continued as a
part of the site’s history. A time capsule was placed next to the
southwest corner of the White House on October 13, 1992, the
200th anniversary of the laying of its cornerstone. The original
cornerstone, long an item of controversy, has never been located,
despite searches since the Truman renovation.*

Six additional commemorative plantings were installed on the
grounds in 1993 and 1994. On April 23, 1995, before flying to
Oklahoma City, President and Mrs. Clinton planted a white dogwood
near the east Jefferson Mound in memory of those who had died in
the bombing of the Alfred R Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma
City on April 19, 1995.%

On May 29, 1995, as part of the annual Memorial Day observance at
President’s Park, a dedication ceremony was scheduled for an addition
to the First Division Monument to commemorate those personnel
who had lost their lives in Operation Desert Storm.”

Collection Management

On March 1, 1983, the White House collection was moved from
warehouses. at the National Airport to leased facilities in Springfield,
Virginia, with 54,000 square feet of usable space. The building, an
interim solution, was larger than the previous facility and was able
to accommodate the bulk of the collection. While this facility was an

43. Krause, personal communication with O’Brien, June 17, 1996, ESF/WHL/NPS.
44. Seale, The President's House, 35.

45. White House Grounds Division staff, telephone conversation with O’Brien;
information from Records of the White House Grounds Division, no date, WHL/NPS.

46. Thomas Peyton for Mel Poole (park manager, President's Park, WHL) to Jay
Oliphant, May 8, 1995; NPS, NCR, ‘Application for a Permit to Conduct a Demonstration
or Special Event in Park Areas and Application for a Waiver of Numerical Limitations on
Demonstrations for White House Sidewalk and/or Lafayette Park, Number 95-4431,"
application by Charles R. Thomas, May 11, 1993, Public Gathering Permit 95-4431, May
17, 1995; NPS, Special Use Permit for Lipscomb Construction Co., May 8, 1995; XXX
Form: Installation of Desert Storm Marker, May 8, 1995; administrative files, Park
Manager/White House Visitor Center/President’s Park.

Manus J. Fish — Continuing
to September 4, 1988; Ronald
N. Wrye — September 4,
1988, to December 18, 1988;
Robert G. Stanton —
December 18, 1988, to
January 3, 1997; James 1.
McDaniel (Associate Regional
Director} — December 31,
1983, to -

375
National Park Service — 1983 to 1997


memorials and historic sites, served as the central contact for
questions about White House history. McClure conducted research,
assembled detailed card files, and prepared various research papers.
His dedicated work would become invaluable to future researchers
during various renovation, restoration, and planning projects."*

The legislation controlling the White House inventory was revised by
act of Congress on June 25, 1948, to require that, in addition to the
earlier stipulations, the origin, cost, condition, and final disposition
be added to the inventory as maintained by the director of the
National Park Service and his designates.”

Jurisdiction

In 1948 two pieces of legislation affected the National Park Service's
administration of President’s Park. An act of March 17, 1948,
established the National Capital Region, with its personnel having
jurisdiction over park lands and federal reservations in the District of
Columbia, including President's Park. This legislation set guidelines
for policy concerning public property in and belonging to the
Executive Mansion and various matters concerning the White House
Police. However, jurisdiction at the site remained divided between the
National Park Service and various other agencies, including the U.S.
Army. For example, as of June 25, 1948, the U.S. Army’s quarter-
master general was still responsible for providing “suitable accom-
modations for the horses, carriages, arid other vehicles of the
president and of the Executive Office in the stables maintained in the
District of Columbia by and for the use of his department.“”

Site Security

As technology caused the administration of the site to become more
complex, security issues also multiplied, and the war in Europe
created additional concerns. On April 22, 1940, Congress had

88. McClure to Kelly, Thompson, Gartside, and Jett, Jan. 4, 1955; David C. Mearns to
Gartside, Nov. 3, 1954; McClure to Gartside, Sept. 30, 1953; “Report on the Progress of
the White House Historical Study,” Sept. 29, 1953; Crim to {Trumanl, memorandum,
Aug. 4, 1949 [signed ‘Approved Aug. 4 ‘49, Harry $, Truman]; all in 955/Historical,
box 5, acc. 64-42, WH&WPP files, ESE/WHL/NPS. Herman Kahn (chief, Archives, DOl)
to supt. (NCP), Jan. 15, 1946, 950/Grounds (White House), box 4, acc. 64A-42,
WHE&WP? files, ESF/WHL/NPS; assoc. dir. to dir, memorandum, June 5 and June 17,
1947; Hillary A. Tolson (acting dir.) to Demaray, June 27, 1947, box 9, 991/6/Visitors,
acc. 64A-42, WH&WPP files, ESF/WHL/NPS.

89. Act of June 25, 1948 (62 Stat. 672, 679).
90. Act of Mar. 17, 1948 (62 Stat. 81); act of June 25, 1948 (62 Stat. 972, 679).

Frank T. Gartside — July 31,
1939, to February 1, 1940;
Edmund B. Rogers —
February 1, 1940, to April
18, 1940; Francis F. Gillen

— April 18, 1940, to
January 2, 1941; Irvin C.
Root — January 2, 1941, to
July 28, 1950

277

Office of National Parks, Buildings, and Reservations — August 10, 1933, to March 2, 1934; National Park Service —- March 2, 1934, to May 10, 1958


By December 1822 a new drain from the White House to the river
replaced Jefferson's system, at a cost of $245.65. The drain was
placed in “a deep cut to obtain a regular descent from the house to,
and under, the road which passes south of the wall,” and it was “of
sufficient capacity to admit being explored, with a view to keeping it
clear.” Lane also provided estimates to complete the south portico,
which had, according to his reports, been started years before and
then left and “exposed to dilapidation.” The portico proved more
expensive, costing $20,790.20. With the exception of the stairs that
had been delayed by rains and impassable roads from the quarries,
the portico was finished by early December 1824, duririg Elgar’s
term.

President's Message as Relates to the Public Buildings, Jan. 6, 1820, 1-3. Sickness often kept
projects from running on time. See Message from the President of the United States
Transmitting the Report of the Commissioner of Public Buildings, January 17, 1822
(Washington, DC: Gales and Seaton, 1822), 5.

53. Report of the Committee on the Expenditures of the Public Buildings: April 3, 1818,
({Washingtoni: n.p.}, 5; “Expenditures on Coppering the Roof of the President’s House, in
1821 and on Slating the Old Executive Offices, in 1820 and 1821,” Report of the Coramittee
on Expenditures: March 25, 1822; ‘Appendix B; Annual Report of the Commissioner of
Public Buildings, December 10, 1822,” Report of the Committee on Expenditures: March 26,
1822 (Washington, DC: Salks and Seaton, 1822), 5, RG 42; Report of the Committee on
Public Buildings, Accompanying “a Bill Making Appropriations for the Public Buildings,”
February 14, 1823, (n.p., 2, 3; Message of the President of the United States Transmitting a
Report of the Commissioner of the Public Buildings, December 18, 1823 (Washington, DC:
Gales and Seaton, 1823}, 8. The south portico steps were evidently completed by Decem-
ber 10, 1824, for an additional $5,229.58. Giovanni Andrei, superintendent of sculpture
and carving, died in Washington in 1824. See Message from the President of the United
States Transmitting an Account of the Disbursement of the Sums Appropriated by the Acts of
30th April, and 3rd March, 1819 for Improving the President's Square; April 20, 1824
(Washington, DC: Gales and Seaton, 1824}, 5.

Samuel Lane — March 3,
1817, to May 8, 1822

“Washington City 1821," by
Baroness Hyde de Neuville

This early watercolor shows
the relationship between the
White House and the executive
buildings. Jefferson's bluestone
wall is particularly evident.

Courtesy: I. N. Phelps Stokes
Collection, Miriam and ira D.
Wallach Division of Art, Prints
and Photographs, The New
York Public Library, Astor,
Lenox and Tilden Foundations

55

Commissioner of Public Buildings — March 3, 1817, to March 3, 1849



428

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Gutheim, Frederick. Worthy of the Nation. For the National Capital Planning
Commission. Washington: Smithsonian Institution, 1977.

Harmon, Robert. Architectural Patterns and Changes in the White House.
Monticello, IL: Vance Bibliography, 1981.

Harts, William W. “The Development of the Park System in Washington.”
Paper presented before the Second Pan-American Scientific Congress in
Washington, December 17, 1915, to January 8, 1916.

Helfrich, Kurt. “Modernism for Washington? The Kennedys and the
Redesign of . Lafayette Square.” Washington History, Spring/Summer
1966, 17-37,

Hietala, Thomas R. Manifest Design: Anxious Aggrandizement in Late
Jacksonian America. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1985.

Highsmith, Carol M., and Ted Landphair. Pennsylvania Avenue: America's
Main Street. Washington: American Institute of Architects, 1988.

Hoig, Stan. A Capital for the Nation. New York: Dutton, 1990.


Superintendent of the City of Washington (Commissioner
of Public Buildings) — May 1, 1802, to March 3, 1817

Thomas Munroe — May 1, 1802, to March 3, 1817

On May 1, 1802, when Congress abolished the Board of Commis-
sioners, Jefferson appointed in their place former commission secre-
tary Thomas Munroe as superintendent of the city of Washington.
No personal information about Munroe is available. On April 6,
1806, the position of superintendent was eliminated, and Jefferson,
with the consent of the Senate, apparently appointed Munroe as
commissioner of public buildings, a position he held until March 3,
1817. Throughout his 15-year tenure Munroe oversaw the general
development of President’s Park as part of his duties. Jefferson also
appointed Benjamin Henry Latrobe as public architect.

General Administration

The Thomas Jefferson Administration. Much work in the nation’s

capital was still in progress in the early 1800s, including work on the
White House. Richard Forrest finished installing a wood fence around
the structure in December 1801, charging $355.50. In February 1802
Dr. Gantt was still making bricks on the site, not far from the stable
already established for the War Office. Workmen marked out a walk
from the house of the secretary of the treasury, in square 16, K
Street, to the footway in Pennsylvania Avenue near square 38. Trees
were planted and drives established on the north and south. A stone
wall was partially erected on the south side of the property, and
graffiti was a problem here for the next 70 years.”

While the abolition of a three-member commission and the establish-
ment of a single superintendent seems at odds with Jeffersonian
philosophies of equality and governmental decentralization, it is
possible that the commissioners were Federalists whom Jefferson did
not trust. Also, the salaries of each commissioner arnounted to $400;
the clerk’s salary was $312 a month. These salaries, when combined
with the salary of the superintendent of public buildings ($466.66)
and moneys paid to a William Brent for undefined services in the
amount of $200, brought the total to $2,178.66 as of January 1,

14. Seale, The President's House, 112-18; commission instructions to Robert King, Jan.
30, 1801, “Records of the Commissioners,” 102, RG 42; Peter Lennox to inspect fence,
Dec. ?, 1801, ibid., 256; account of Richard Forrest, Dec. 21, 1801, ibid., 256; application
of Dr. Gantt, Feb. 3, 1802, ibid., 267-68.

Thomas Munroe — May 1,
1802, to March 3, 1817

Thomas Munroe

Courtesy: Historical
Society of Washington

41

Superintendent of the City of Washington (Commissioner of Public Buildings) — May 1, 1802, to March 3, 1817


Watt, John, 94, 107, 105-107,
109

Woebster-Ashburton Treaty
Marker, 414

Webster, Sidney, 95

Weeks, John F., 397

Welch and Rushe, 346

West Executive Avenue:
construction of, 127; Coolidge
tenure, 212; establishment of,
95, 113; Grant tenure, 117;
Johnson (LB) tenure, 321;
McKinley tenure, 168; Roosevelt
(FD) tenure, 249, 261; Truman
tenure, 267; Wilson tenure, 201

west garden, Eisenhower tenure,
290

west hall, Roosevelt (FD) tenure,
248

West, J. B., 263, 291, 305

West Wing: construction of, 164,
247; Coolidge tenure, 221;
expansion of, 192-193; Hoover
tenure, 226-228; Johnson (LB)
tenure, 321; Reagan tenure, 365;
Roosevelt (FD) tenure, 253;
Roosevelt {T) tenure, 176, 184;
Truman tenure, 264

Whalen, William, 82

Wharton, William F., 397

Wheatley, ignatius, 65

Whelan, Patrick, 25

Whelan, William, 65

Whiskey Ring, 126

White, Alexander, commissioner,
7, 9-11, 26

White House, 27, 55, 68;
architectural history project,
347-348; architecture project,
347; bicentennial of, 361;
Comprehensive Design Plan for,
369-370; Jefferson plan for, 38,
42-43, 44; reconstruction of, 47,
51-57; relocation proposals,
117, 121, 143, 164, 285;
research on, recommendations
for, 387-389; Reynolds report
on, 269-270; term, 39, 163-

_ 164, 188; White House Liaison

and, 348; working drawings,
345. See also President’s House

White House and Environs
Development Concept, 343

White House architectural
drawings index, 376-377

White House Chief Usher's Office:
and budgets, 283; and building
maintenance, 319-320; and
collection management, 253,
276; and garden maintenance,
309; jurisdiction of, changes in,
254, 297-298; liaison with other
agencies 342; NPS and, 241; and
rats, 283; and Truman
renovation, 269; on visitor
statistic-keeping, 266. See also
chief usher

White House collection. See
collection management

White House Curator’s Office, 296,
301, 313, 331

White House Division, White
House Liaison (NPS), 373

White House Endowment Fund,
367, 372

White House Expo, 339

White House Historical Associa-
tion, 301, 361, 364, 367-368;
and architectural drawings
index, 376-377; and architec-
tural history project, 347; and
Curator’s Office, 313; and NPS,
302; origins of, 306; and White
House Endowment Fund, 372;
and White House Preservation
Fund, 355-356

White House Inventory and
Museum Catalogue Systems
(WHIMS), 355, 377

White House Liaison, NPS: asso-
ciate director, 348; Clinton
tenure, 370; development of,
303, 309, 317, 322, 337;
director's office, 373; divisions
of, 373; duties transferred to,
357; and Ellipse management,
346; and Grounds and Park
Divisions, 368; jurisdiction of,
357-358; NPS reorganization
and, 372; Reagan tenure, 351;
role and function statement,
347; and storage facility, 376

465



tenure, 348; Grant tenure, 128;
Harrison (B) tenure, 152-153;
McKinley tenure, 167; Nixon
tenure, 338; Pierce tenure, 98,
100; Polk tenure, 81; Reagan
tenure, 352; Roosevelt (T)
tenure, 180, 184-185, 190-191;
Taft tenure, 194; Taylor tenure,
88; Truman tenure, 266, 276,
298-299; Wilson tenure, 201

lightning protection system, Taft
tenure, 193

Lincoln, Abraham, 86, 107, 109-
112, 115; Eisenhower and, 293

Lincoln Bedroom, Truman
renovation and, 279

Lincoln, Levi, 73

Lincoln, Mary Todd, 109, 111-112

Lincoln Memorial, information
kiosk, 315

Lincoln, Robert, 143, 146, 397

Lindbergh, Charles, 200, 222

Living White House Precinct Study,
350

Locke, E. P., 244

lockkeeper’s house, 203

Lockwood Green Engineers, Inc.,
231

Lockwood, Luke Vincent, and
furnishings, 281

lodge, Lafayette Park, 202, 410;
Grant tenure, 128; Harrison (B)
tenure, 152; Hayes tenure, 137;
McKinley tenure, 169, 171;
Nixon tenure, 346; Roosevelt (T)
tenure, 176; Wilson tenure, 201

Loeffler, Charles, 135

Long, John D., 398

Loomis, Francis B., 397

M

MacArthur, Douglas, 398

Macintosh, Thomas, 52

Macon, Inc., 327

Madison, Dolley, 47, 49. See also
Dolley Madison house

Madison, James, 38, 46-48

Madison Place, 379-380

Magnetic Telegraph Company, 99

magnetometer building, proposed,
359. See also security issues

magnolias, 78, 282

Maher, Jemmy, 68, 76, 94, 96,
106

maintenance: Eisenhower tenure,
288, 290; General Services
Administration and, 239, 253;
Johnson (LB) tenure, 319;
Roosevelt (FD) tenure, 247-251;
Truman tenure, 266-267, 273-
275, 282-285; Van Buren
tenure, 69-70

maintenance facilities: Atkins on,
343; Carter tenure, 349;
McKinley tenure, 167-168

Manship, Paul, 372

Marcy, William, 100

Marine Band: Arthur tenure, 142;
Carter administration, 349; and
Christmas tree lighting cere~
mony, 211; Eisenhower tenure,
293; and Harrison (WH) funeral,
74; Roosevelt (FD) tenure, 256;
Tyler tenure, 75

Marine Band concerts: Hayes ten-
ure, 138; Hoover tenure, 227;
McKinley tenure, 168; Roosevelt
(T) tenure, 185; Wilson tenure,
195, 207

Marine Engine and Machine
Company, 173

Marshall, George, 272

Marshall, Robert S., 13

Martin, Edward, 270, 396

Mason, John, 100

Masons: and bicentennial of White
House, 362; and founding of
White House, 21; French and,
99; Stuart and, 9

Massey, Jack Carroll, Mr. and
Mrs., 413

Mather, Stephen, 254

Mauncy, Albert, 315

McAdam, John Loudon, 58-59

McCaskey, Thomas G., 314-315

McCauley, aide, 187

McClelland, Robert, 86, 93, 97

McCloskey and Company, 225

McClure, Stanley W., 276-277,
295-297, 303, 329-331, 355

451
Index



which had been constructed in 1866, was removed, and a stone walk
with steps with a high iron fence were installed. Work on the site
was now shared between the National Park Service and the Federal
Works Agency, although the National Park Service continued to
direct and fund the bulk of the work on site.”

Officials first identified Dutch elm disease in Washington in 1947.
The plague would ultimately decimate the American elm population
in President’s Park.

In 1947 the monumental gateposts at the north end of West Execu-
tive Avenue, which had been erected during the Grant administration
were finally removed; the gates had been removed in 1928. Similar
gates and posts on East Executive Avenue had been removed some
years before.*

In 1947 attempts by the National Park Service to restrict parking on
the Ellipse to two hours met with a flurry of protests from
government and downtown workers, particularly employees from
the Navy Department and the Columbia Broadcasting Company.”

The Truman Balcony —~ In 1947 Truman decided that a second-story
porch was needed on the south front of the White House, behind the
portico. He invoked Jefferson’s porches at Charlottesville, Virginia, as
a rationale for his desired addition and insisted that Jefferson had
intended such a porch for the building; however, when pressed for

63. “Proposed Addition to the White House Offices,” Journal of the American Institute of
Architects, Feb. 1946, 75; “Historical Information on the White House and Its
Furnishings,” pp. 13-14, HSTL; Thompson, NCP files, Executive Mansion and Grounds,
Apr. 1946, 945/Furniture and Furnishings, box 1, acc. 64A-42, WH&WPP files,
ESE/WHLNPS.

64. Annual Report, Secretary of the Interior, 1947, 349.

65. PL 769, 69th Cong., Mar. 3, 1927, and PL 265, 70th Cong., Apr. 11, 1928; H.R.
2846, 80th Cong., Ist sess., ch. 63, May 15, 1947. Special asst. to supt., memorandum
to file, May 16, 1947; Grant to Brig. Gen. Gordon R. Young, Oct. 8, 1946; John Nolen
(ity planner) to A. B. Cammerer, Oct. 27, 1933; Col. Charles G. Mortimer to A. B.
Cammerer, memorandum, Oct. 16, 1933; A. B. Cammerer to Mortimer, memorandum,
Oct. 19, 1933; “Posts May Make Way for Traffic,” Washington Post, Oct. 16, 1933; A. B.
Clammerer} to Nolen, memorandum, Oct. 13, 1933; all in 950-20/Gates, box 4, acc.
64A-42, ESF/WHL/NPS.

66. Kelly to Raspberry, 1947; Kelly to Kay Scoville, Aug. 13, 1947; Kelly to Harry
Fleisher, Aug. 22, 1947; Kelly to employees of the Columbia Broadcasting System, Inc.,
Aug. 22, 1947; Kelly to employees of the Navy Dept., Aug. 25, 1947; Kelly to U.S. Park
Police, Edna B. McMullen, and H. H. Lee, Aug. 28, 1947; Root to William Strickland, Sept.
3, 1947; Luther A, Huston to Root, Sept. 4, 1947, Raspberry to Thompson, Sept. 4,
1947; comdg. off. (U.S. Park Police) to Root, memorandum, Sept. 11, 1947; all in
1460/Grounds South (3), box 11, ace. 644-42, ESF/WHL/NPS.

Frank T. Gartside — July 31,
1939, to February 1, 1940;
Edmund B. Rogers —
February 1, 1940, to April
18, 1940; Francis F. Gillen
— April 18, 1940, to
January 2, 1941; Irvin C.
Root —~ January 2, 1941, to
July 28, 1950

267

Office of National Parks, Buildings, and Reservations —- August 10, 1933, to March 2, 1934; National Park Service — March 2, 1934, to May 10, 1958



Chapter 5. The White House, Washington,
and the World: 1897-1933

An Overview of the Period

t the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the

20th, the United States prepared to take its place as a

world power. In 1898 the United States defeated Spain in

the Spanish-American War and took possession of Cuba
and the Philippines, becoming an imperial power. The formation of a
new nationalism, based on the American western experience as
defined by Frederick Jackson Turner and his vision of the end of the
American frontier, for the most part replaced the imagery of the early
republic.’ As successful pioneers of the western United States,
Americans saw themselves as both keepers of the pioneer tradition
and an innovative, modern people. These and related ideas were
manifested in the administration of President's Park for the next three
decades, changing not only the way in which the property was
managed, but the appearance of the property itself.

In honor of the White House’s 100th anniversary, the mansion and
its grounds underwent a complete refurbishment before 1900. After
President William McKinley was shot at the Pan-American Exposition
in Buffalo, New York, security became tighter, and communications
became an important component of the security system.”

As the new president, Theodore Roosevelt issued an executive order
on October 17, 1901, officially changing the name of the Executive

1. Richard White, “It’s Your Misfortune and None of My Own": A New History of the
American West (Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press, 1991), 619-21; Linton, The
Bicentennial Almanac, 238-56.

2. Richard B. Morris, ed., Encyclopedia of American History (New York: Harper and Row,
1976), 318; Seale, The President's House, 646-47, 649-50; Cortelyou to John Hay,
Washington, Oct. 17, 1901, Theodore Roosevelt Papers, Library of Congress, as cited in
Seale, The President’s House, n. 6, 1119; Dennis V. N, McCarthy with Philip W. Smith,
Protecting The President: The Inside Story of a Secret Service Agent (New York: William
Morrow and Co., 1985), 99.

163

An Overview of the Period



reviewed and changed. Traditionally, great care has been taken to
ensure that additional security needs are met as unobtrusively as
possible, with the exception of various wartime measures that have
Tequired a more pronounced security presence. Security has generally
been regarded as necessary by those charged with the protection of
the president and viewed with suspicion by the general public, who
often see any lessening of access to the house or grounds as
restricting access to the president. Throughout its history, when
access to the site has been limited or threatened, those actions often
have been read as dangerous and as a lessening of freedom.

The incredible development of technology has affected the site more
than any other single phenomenon in the 200-year history of the
property. The desire to accomplish more in less time has compressed
time at the site in a way that often brutalizes both resources and
personnel. Communication systems have expanded from the horse-
back couriers and primitive telegraph services of the mid 19th
century to desktop computers, satellite transmissions, and fiber-optic
networks. Transportation has evolved from horse-drawn trolleys and
carriages to thousands of automobiles that cut across the ceremonial
landscape. Instead of strolling through a pleasant public garden with
the White House as its focus, tourists dodge buses and motorcades as
they seek to get a better view of the home of the president or take a
public tour through the State Rooms. Security issues demand the
latest in technological equipment. No longer can visitors or guests
knock on the front door of the White House for admittance. Now
they are carefully screened through metal detectors before they can
enter. Continuing technologica! demands perhaps are straining the
site’s delicate resources to their breaking point.

But regardless of competing agendas, throughout its long history
and successive presidential administrations and public administra-
tors, the President’s House has remained the People’s House. The
tenancy of the first family depends on the vagaries of politics. But to
paraphrase Edwin M. Stanton as he spoke of President Abraham
Lincoln upon his death, the house of the American people and its
grounds truly belong to both the ages and the nation. The American.
people see both the White House and President's Park as symbols of
democracy — their national home — that they continue to revisit
with both confidence and hope.

385

Conclusion



Ignatius Mudd — April 7,
1849, to March 12, 1851

90

The Andrew Jackson Downing Landscape Plan — Mudd was one of
the first commissioners to publicly acknowledge and record the
importance and interrelatedness of the landscape, saying

These three reservations [1, 2, 3] are so situated and so con-
nected with each other, that they present an extensive land-
scape, and, when viewed from a favorable point, cannot fail
to strike the observer as the most interesting feature of the
famed metropolis.”

Encouraged by Washington bankers Corcoran and Riggs, Mudd told
President Fillmore of his desire to ask landscape gardener Andrew
Jackson Downing of Newburgh, New York, to visit Washington and
create a plan for the Capitol, the Mall, and the White House. Fillmore
approved and Downing arrived in the fall of 1850."

Downing ultimately proposed the first major landscape plan for
Washington since LEnfant’s design in the 1790s. Downing, like
LEnfant, Latrobe, and Mills before him, threatened to quit if not
given absolute control over his designs. Downing completed his plans
and presented them to Mudd on March 3, 1851; the same day
Congress approved money to improve both the south White House
grounds and the Mall.”

Downing saw LEnfant’s vision as outdated and proposed that the
Mall become an English romantic park, with trees and grassy areas.
At the White House the front drive would be reconfigured so as not
to pass under the porte cochére. The orangery would remain, but
lawns and trees would dominate the grounds. Jefferson’s stone wall
would be removed and the south grounds extended, with the south-
ernmost part designated as “the Parade” and the part nearest the
White House “the President’s Grounds.” The parade would be used
for military expositions and “public festivities or celebrations,” the
basis for present recreational uses of this area of President's Park.”

17. Annual Report, Commissioner of Public Buildings, 1850, 7. Reservation 2 is Capitol
Square and the Mall east of 15th Street West, and reservation 3, the parks south of Tiber
Creek and west of 15th Street West; Nickolas King, “Legislative History of the National
Capital Parks and Description of the Seventeen Original Reservations,” (n.p., n.d), on file
at National Park Service, Denver Service Center, Library.

18. Annual Report, Commissioner of Public Buildings, 1850, 9, 11. In the 1850 annual
report, Mudd encouraged the fencing of Lafayette Park with iron fencing and continued
to lobby for improving the basement quarters in the Executive Mansion. See ibid., 11.

19. Seale, The President's House, 293, 296. Ten years earlier, Robert Mills had proposed
his own plans for the Mall. See Gutheim, Worthy of the Nation, 53.

20. Seale, The President’s House, 295; Andrew Jackson Downing, “Plan for the Mall and
President's Park," as copied by Bvt. Brig. Gen. N. Michler, 1867, F 116, RG 77.

(CHAPTER 3: THE ANTEBELLUM, CIVIL WAR, AND RECONSTRUCTION YEARS: 1849-1867


south terrace was regraded to accommodate the E Street work. (As
early as May 1931 Olmsted had recommended reworking the setting
of the Sherman monument and regrading the site, eliminating the
retaining wall on the south that faced E Street.) Hamilton Place was
widened by 1936 under the recommendations of the Olmsted plan.
Soon thereafter, State Place was incorporated as a one-way street into
the E Street traffic scheme. This necessitated removing the northwest
dogleg on the Ellipse so that eastbound traffic would not be diverted
into the Ellipse area. It would not be until October 29, 1942, when
West Executive Avenue was closed to pedestrian and vehicular traffic
for security reasons, that E Street would be opened for through-
traffic and improved from West Executive Avenue to 17th Street.”

The Bureau of Public Roads removed the carriage drive on the south
grounds during the summer of 1935 and built a concrete road for
automobile traffic. The Civilian Conservation Corps provided the
labor, and the Olmsted Brothers consulted throughout the project.”

19. ‘NPS, President's Park South, ilhus. XXV1; Olmsted Brothers, “Report to the President
of the United States on the Improvements and Policy of Maintenance for the Executive
Mansion and Grounds,” (Brookline, MA, Oct. 1935), 32; Finnan to Caemmerer, Jan. 19,
1934, box 10, 1115-30-75/Sherman Park, acc. 64A-42, WH&WPP files, ESF/WHL/NPS.
FL. Olmsted, “Surroundings of Sherman Monument in Relationship to Plans for Area
North of Department of Commerce Building,” notes, May 21, 1931; Maj. John C.
Gotwals to Col. J. A. Woodruff, July 12 and Aug. 3, 1933; Moore (CFA) to Woodruff,
July 28, 1933; Woodruff to Gotwals, July 19, 1933; Charles W. Eliot 2nd (dir. of
planning) to Capt. H. C, Whitehurst, June 28, 1933; all in box 11, 1460/Grounds South,
acc, 62A-42, WH&WPP files, ESF/WHL/NPS. Solicitor to reg. dir. (NPS), Aug. 5, 1966,
A8031/Administration Parking Space (972-73), box 31, acc. 79-80-0002; Thone,
“Mars, War God, The Great City Planner,” 3.

20, “Outline of Construction Work on the White House . . . or the Information of
Correspondents,” Jan. 11, 1946, p. 2, Ayers presidential file, box 21, HSTL; “Historical
Information on the White House and Its Furnishings,” p. 12, HSTL; NPS, ‘A Brief History
of the White House,” 11. "Report to the President of the United States for the Proposed
Landscape Improvements for the Executive Grounds” (n.p., 1944), p. 7; Henry V.
Hubbard to Frederic A. Delano, Feb. 20, 1933; Grant to Delano, Feb. 27, 1933; Grant to
Mrs. Roosevelt, May 1, 1933; Frederick Law Olmsted to Marvin H. Mcintyre, June 12,
1934; Olmsted to Finnan, June 12, 1934; “Estimate for Proposed Improvements to the
Executive Mansion Grounds (Construction and Grading),” Mar. 14, 1936; Gilmore D.
Clarke to Moore (chairman, CFA), Mar. 2, 1936; Finnan to Capt. Lock, memorandum,
Feb. 8, 1937; “Executive Mansion Grounds (South) Roads and Formal Gardens” (n.d.,
n.p.); Frederick S. Hilder (acting chief, Design) to Finnan, memorandum, Dec. 28, 1936;
Vint (chief architect) to Olmsted, Apr. 24, 1937; all in box 4, 950/Grounds/White House,
ESF/WHL/NPS. Demaray to Olmsted Brothers, Mar. 22, 1935; A. B. Cammerer to [ickes},
Mar. 1, 1935; Olmsted Brothers to A. B. Cammerer, Feb. 12, 1935; Olmsted Brothers,
"Contracts A, B, and C”; Hillary A. Tolson (acting asst. dir.) to Vint, memorandum, Feb.
28, 1935; Malcolm Kirkpatrick to Vint, memorandum, Jan. 15, 1936; “Revised Estimate
for Planning and Execution of Comprehensive Landscape Development for the Grounds of
the Executive Mansion,” Jan. 14, 1936; Olmsted Brothers to {Roosevelt}, Oct. 24, 1935;
all in 950-50/Planting (2), ace. 64A-42, box 4, WH&WPP files, ESF/WHL/NPS.

Frank T. Gartside — August
10, 1933, to October 9,
1933; C. Marshall Finnan —
October 9, 1933, to July 31,
1939

249

Office of National Parks, Buildings, and Reservations — August 10, 1933, to March 2, 1934; National Park Service — March 2, 1934, to May 10, 1958



Daniel Carroll, Thomas
Johnson, David Stuart,
Gustavus Scott, William
Thornton, Alexander White,
William Cranch, and
Tristram Dalton

Facing page:
Sketch of Washington in Embryo
Farmlands and speculative
urban development dotted the
landscape of the future capital
city.

Courtesy: Library of Congress

14

(CHAPTER T. BEGINNINGS: 1791-1802

could remain, provided they were not in the way of proposed
improvements.”

Initial funding for the Board of Commissioner's office depended on
donations from states such as Maryland and Virginia and from the
sale of lots in the city of Washington. Money and finances com-
plicated the administration of the city in general, and congressional
appropriations were few. With limited money, the office of com-
missioners grew slowly, working within its means as it attempted to
chart the city’s development.”

The commissioners required some clerical help in the execution of
their duties. John McKnall Gantt acted as the first secretary of the
commission from its first meeting in 1791; William Deakins Jr. acted
as the first treasurer as of June 30, 1791. On November 1, 1793, the
position of secretary and bookkeeper fell to Thomas Johnson Jr. On
Johnson's death in November 1795, Thomas Munroe became clerk,
and in that position he may have been among the various clerks and
bureaucrats who moved to Washington in the fall of 1800 to take up
residence in the new city. He acted as secretary to the commission
until the Board of Commissioners was officially dissolved in June
1802, at which time he became superintendent. From that point on
clerical help attached to the office of superintendent (later commis-
sioner) of public buildings became a prerogative of the presiding
official, with staff being attached to and supervised by his office.”

Various supervisors of construction also worked for the commis-
sioners, including James Hoban (beginning July 16, 1792) for the
White House and later for the Capitol. Stephen Hallet (July 1793)
provided drawings for William Thornton’s designs for the Capitol
and later worked under Hoban; he left in the fall of 1794. In 1795
George Hadfield was hired to supervise the construction of the
Capitol. By 1796 civil engineering duties and administrative func-
tions, such as lot numbering and street openings, were consolidated
under the Office of the Surveyor of the City, which came under the
authority of the commission. The commissioners also experimented

19. Seale, The President’s House, 9, 16; Bowling, Creating the Federal City, 88, 92, 100;
Washington to David Stuart, Nov. 20, 1791, included in John C. Fitzpatrick, ed., The
Writings of George Washington (Washington, DC: U.S. GPO, 1939), 31:419, as noted in
the McChure collection, ESF/WHL/NPS.

20. Dowd, Records of Public Buildings and Public Parks, 14-19.

21. Dowd, Records of Public Buildings and Public Parks, 1-2, 13-14; Lanman, Biographical
Annals, 306. Apparently Gantt served as recorder for both the commissioners and the
superintendent from 1789 to 1809; see Bryan, A History of the National Capital, 1:145, £. 3,
as noted in the McClure collection, ESF/WHL/NPS.


Clarence O. Sherrill —
February 26, 1925, to
January 1, 1926

218

Charles A. Platt, and Francis C. Jones serving as members. This
action served as the basis for similar future committees, including
the Committee for the Preservation of the White House under the
Johnson administration in 1964."

By fall 1925 storage for the White House, always a problem, had
become critical. Director Sherrill noted that the White House storage
in Building F at 7th and B Streets was completely overcrowded. He
transferred the jurisdiction over part of the collection to the General
Supply Committee on September 21, 1925, under transfer invoice
305, lots 113601 to 113626, inclusive. Sherrill also noted,

The fact that this property is from the White House should
be kept absolutely confidential and no mention of the fact in
the sale or any other disposition that may be made of the
property. As you doubtless know, anything that relates to
the White House is liable to be seized upon by the press for
publicity purposes.'*”

Disposed of were items ranging from a set of reindeer antlers, a
mantel top, couches, carpets, a statue of a fawn, japanned trays, a
trunk, thermos bottles, and a vacuum cleaner without a motor,"

186. Annual Report, Director of Public Buildings and Public Parks, 1929, 25. The committee
members did not work well together, and one recommended the involvement of the
Smithsonian as a way to control some members’ more arbitrary decisions. See Seale, The
President's House, 864; “Joint Resolution to Accept Donations of Furniture and Furnish-
ings for Use in the White House,” S. J. Resolution 163, 68th Congress, 2d sess., Feb. 3,
1925; act of Feb. 28, 1925 (43 Stat. 1091). Luke Vincent Lockwood to Maj. Oscar N.
Solbert, “A Plan for Restoring to the White House Furnishings of the Period of the
Buildings” [sic], Dec. 8, 1924; Solbert, memorandum, “Refurnishing the White House to
Corresponde [sic] with the Period of the Building,” Dec. 9, 1924; Sherrill to the president,
Mar. 14, 1925; Sherrill to Lockwood, Apr. 4, 1925, Col. 5. A. Cheney (military aide to the
president) to Sherrill, May 9, 1925; Sherrill to Cheney, Dec. 5, 1925; Grant to Hoover,
May 23, 1927; Grant to Mary Randolph, Feb. 26, 1929; draft: Substitute for Public
Resolution 55, 68th Congress (S. J. Res. 163); all in 945-20-25/Committee, box 3, acc.
64A~-42, WH&WPP files, ESF/WHL/NPS. Some prospective members were concerned
about the commission's work and demands on their time. Delano said he would be glad
to serve, provided he did not have “to run down to Washington whenever a chest of
drawers or a chair is offered to the nation.” See Delano to Sherrill, Mar. 24, 1925, 945-
20-25/Committee, box 3, acc. 64A-42, WH&WPP files, ESF/WHL/NPS,

187. Sherrill to General Supply Committee, Sept. 24, 1925; transfer invoice, Sept. 21,
1925; both in 990-75-20-25/Transfer to General Supply Committee, box 8, acc. 64A-42,
WH&WPP files, ESF/WHL/NPS.

188. Transfer invoice, Sept. 21, 1925, 990-75-2025/Transfer to General Supply, box 8,
acc. 64A-42, WH&WPP files, ESF/WHL/NPS.

(CHAPTER 5. THE WHITE HOUSE, WASHINGTON, AND THE WORLD: 1897-1933



U.S. Grant Hl — January 1,
1926, to April 5, 1933;
James A. Woodruff — April
5, 1933, to August 10, 1933

226

discarded carpet from the White House. The cost of constructing this
and other stands was $7,661.91. The stands were demolished
between March 6 and March 9,"

Grant remained in office after Hoover’s inauguration in March 1929,
although President Hoover reorganized the White House Executive
Office. Parking areas in front of the Executive Office Building (West
Wing) were altered, terrace walls were repaired, an attic fan was
added, a new switchboard was installed in the executive office, new
sidewalks were constructed, new appliances were provided for the
White House, the fence was painted, and the basin of the north
fountain was reconstructed. N. R Severin Company returned to
President's Park on April 18, 1929, to alter existing rooms in the
west end of the basement of the Executive Office Building and to
construct new office space. New electrical service, including emer-
gency service, was installed and connected with the State, War, and
Navy Building; the work was completed on June 7 for $15,225."

Additional work in the Executive Office Building was done in July by
the N. R Severin Company, included alterations to the public waiting
room, rearranging office partitions on the first floor, excavating an
enlarged basement corridor, and constructing additional toilet
facilities. Some electrical wiring and steam pipes were replaced. The
northwest corner room of the west terrace was refinished. This work
was accomplished for $16,000. Old and unwanted furniture from
the White House and executive offices was removed and stored at the
warehouse at 15th and C Street SW and temporary building 6; the
surplus material was redistributed or disposed of.2?

As of June 30, 1929, the Office of Public Buildings and Public Parks,
in addition to its White House responsibilities, controlled 7,058,126
square feet of floor space in 45 separate buildings, including a
portion of the National Press Building. Officials contemplated ex-
panding the Horticultural Division, still located on the grounds of the
Washington Monument.”

210, “Inaugural Ceremonies, 1929," and “Inaugural Ceremonies, 1929: Costs to March
5, 1929,” 1115-45/inauguration, box 10, acc. 644-42, WH&WPP files, ESF/WHL/NPS.

211, [Smith], “History of Changes,” 8; Annual Report, Director of Public Buildings and
Public Parks, 1929, 24.

212. [Smith], “History of Changes,” 8; S. J. Oliver (chief, Supply Div.), to exec. asst., Dec.
3, 1929, 990-75-2025/Transfer to General Supply, box 31, acc. 644-42, WH&WPP files,
ESF/WHL/NPS.

213. Annual Report, Director of Public Buildings and Public Parks, 1929, 11, 28

(CHAPTER S. THE WiiTe House, WASHINGTON, AND THE WORLD: 1897-1933


Daniel Carroll, Thomas
Johnson, David Stuart,
Gustavus Scott, William
Thornton, Alexander White,
William Cranch, and
Tristram Dalton

Gustavus Scott

Courtesy: Washingtoniana
Collection, Martin Luther
King Memorial Library

William Thornton

Courtesy: Library of
Congress

10
‘CiaPTER 1. BEGINNINGS: 1791-1802

Dorchester County in the Maryland Assembly in 1780 and
1784. He was elected to the Confederation Congress in 1784
but did not attend. Scott’s contemporaries questioned his
character as both a patriot and lawyer, and he failed in his
attempt to secure a federal judgeship. After two other candi-
dates turned down the position as commissioner, Washington
confirmed Scott’s appointment. When European banks re-
fused further credit to the U.S. government in 1796, Scott’s
connections and personal credit helped secure the needed
funds to continue building the city. Scott died on Christmas
Day in 1800. His widow sold his estate, Belair, to William
Augustine Washington, nephew of the president; the area is
today known as Kalorama. William Thornton recorded the
note.”

Dr. William Thornton, 33 years old upon his appointment in
1794, was born in Tortola, Virgin Islands, to Quaker planters.
He was educated in England, received his degree in medicine at
Edinburgh in 1784, and studied in Paris. In 1787 he was in
Philadelphia and became a citizen of the new country. As an
amateur architect and designer, he designed the principal
building for the Library Company of Philadelphia in 1789. He
also invested in John Fitch’s steamboat company, and as

~ superintendent of the Patent Office from 1802 to 1828, he
continued to support Fitch’s claims of invention over those of
Robert Fulton. He applied for a post as Washington's personal
secretary in 1793, but Washington appointed one of his
nephews. Thornton's plans for the Capitol won him recogni-
tion the same year. As Washington's architect for the Capitol
and for various personal investment and rental properties in
the District of Columbia and for various members of
Washington’s family, Thornton had the necessary connec-
tions to make the appointment a reality.”

Alexander White, the last commissioner appointed by
Washington, was born in 1738 in Virginia. Like so many of
the earlier commissioners, he had studied abroad, pursuing
law at Edinburgh and the Inner Temple in London. He had
served in the Virginia House of Burgesses in 1772 and in the
House of Delegates in 1782 and 1788. He remained a Madison
supporter and voted to approve the Constitution. White

12. Giacomantonio, “All the President’s Men,” 65-66; Lanman, Biographical Annals,
374; “Records of the Commissioners,” v, RG 42.

13. Giacomantonio, “All the President’s Men,” 67-69; Lanman, Biographical Annals,
425.

@


William Easby — March
12, 1851, to June 14, 1853

94

creative affairs. Downing eventually won Easby over to his side, and
in May Easby informed White House gardener Jemmy Maher that
Downing would be directing his work. In July Fillmore made
Downing in charge of the new improvements. The Fillmores took an
active interest in the new plans; however, by summer 1851 the
president said that he thought Downing left too much site
supervision to his superintendent, William Brackenridge, and did not
spend enough time at President’s Park. Downing informed Easby that
his salary of $1,500 was only for part-time work.””

On January 19, 1852, Easby dismissed John Ousley, who had been
the gardener at the President’s House since the 1820s. He then hired
Scotsman John Watt as a kitchen gardener, although it is obvious
that his duties were to be more extensive.

By spring 1852 there were 33 laborers working on the Mall. Work
aiso progressed on the designs for Lafayette Park. Downing adopted a
formal classical arrangement of bowed walks on the north and south
that nearly met in the center. Meandering paths connected the main
walks. Sculptor Clark Mills’s equestrian statue of Andrew Jackson
was to be set on a granite base in the center of the square. Downing
had many of Charles Bulfinch’s earlier tree plantings moved to
accommodate new walks and the site for the new statue. The year
after the statue was installed, Congress approved $5,100 for an
ornamental iron fence with four gates topped by eagles.**

Work to implement some of Downing’s designs stopped when
Downing died in a steamboat explosion in July 1852. His plans were
lost with him, and officials tried in vain to work from the one large
plan left by Downing. Downing’s plans for a large marble arch and
the end of Pennsylvania Avenue were not realized.”

In the winter of 1852 new gravel walks were laid down and flag-
stone was repaired. A new stable was contemplated for the east
wing; however, the addition to the Treasury precluded this idea. The
north and south sides of the White House were repainted. Technical
problems plagued the painters. Complications on the north developed
because of mildew; the south side dried out better. Consequently,

27. Seale, The President’s House, 295, 297-98.
28. Seale, The President’s House, 299.
29. Seale, The President's House, 300, 310-11; NPS, Lafayette Park, 13, 20.

30. Seale, The President's House, 206-7, 295, 300-301, 433, 503...

(CHAPTER 3: THE ANTEBELLUM, CIViL WAR, AND RECONSTRUCTION YEARS: 1849-1867


Russell E. Dickenson —
September 26, 1969, to
November 11, 1973; Manus
J. Fish — November 11,
1973, to September 4, 1988;
Elmer S, Atkins (Assistant
Regional Director) — May 4,
1969, to December 31, 1983

346

> The National Park Service received a determination of no adverse

effect and a notice to proceed from the Advisory Council on Historic
Preservation on August 15, 1974. However, disagreement over the
proposed new facility caused the project to languish, and it was then
halted altogether."

Staff attached to the White House expanded considerably during the
Nixon administration. According to former Truman aide Clark
Clifford, Secretary of State Henry Kissinger had approximately 140
people working for him, with “all policy decisions . . . made within
the White House,” and employees at the State Department doing only
perfunctory jobs. The search for more office space continued.”

In 1974 Welch and Rushe of Hyattsville, Maryland, renovated the
White House paint shop. Management of the Ellipse was transferred
from National Capital Parks-West to White House Liaison, along
with 10 positions and a budget of $143,832. Work was scheduled for
Lafayette Park in preparation for the Bicentennial; most of the work
continued into 1975,"

The Nixon administration ended with the president's resignation on
August 9, 1974. Nixon departed by helicopter from the south lawn.

The Gerald Ford Administration. A new putting green was built for
President Ford, replacing the one installed for President Eisenhower.
An outdoor swimming pool and cabafia were built south of the West
Wing in 1975; funds were donated by the National Park Foundation
(their first project at the White House). Archeological remains

112, Fish to [Ernest Connally] (NPS assoc. dir., Professional Services), May 16, 1974;
Connally to (Fish), June 21, 1974; John A Townley (acting dir., NCP) to James G. Banks,
July 5, 1974; Ann Webster Smith (dit., Office of Compliance, Advisory Council on His-
toric Preservation |ACHPI) to Stanton, Aug. 15, 1974; Stanton to Robert Garvey Jr., Aug.
6, 1974; Lorenzo W. Jacobs Jr. (D.C. historic preservation officer) to Townsley, July 26,
1974; Joint Committee on Landmarks of the National Capital, report on “Lafayette
Square . . . Demolition of Comfort Station,” July 23, 1974; Fish to Jacobs, Dec. 11,
1975; J. L. Dunning (dep. reg. dir, NCP) to John McDermott (dir., Office of Review and
Compliance, ACHP), Dec. 29, 1976; all in D24/Lafayette Square/Comfort Station/New
Construction (1976), box WHL-DC-005, ESF/ARD/WHL/NPS.

113. Hyde and Wayne, “Interview with Clark M. Clifford,” 8-10.

114. Weekly field reports, 7/13/74 though 12/27/74, D66/George Washington
Memorial Parkway, box 31, acc. 79-80-0002, ESF/ARD/WHL/NPS; Luther C. Burnett to
dir. (NCP), memorandum, Nov. 12, 1974, Fi4/Transfer of Funds, box 31, acc. 79-80-
0002, ESF/ARD/WHL/NPS.

CHAPTER 7. THE NATION'S FRONTYARD: 1958-1983


Appendix D. Memorials in President’s Park

Lafayette Park

Jackson Statue

Sculptor: Clark Mills

Dedication: January 8, 1853

Authorized under an act of Congress on March 3, 1853, with $20,000
appropriated and $12,000 donated by the Jackson Democratic Associa-
tion of Washington, D.C. Statue cost: $32,000. The cost of the pedestal
was $8,000, with money appropriated by acts of August 31, 1852
($5,000), March 3, 1853 ($3,000), and May 31, 1854 ($500). The sta-
tue represents the first equestrian statue to be cast in Washington, D.C.,
and the second in the country. Stephen A. Douglas of Illinois delivered
the dedication speech. The inscription “Our Federal Union, It Must Be
Preserved,” originally planned as part of the monument, was not added
to the pedestal! until 1909."

Jackson Cannon

Dedication: Date unknown

The four cannon around the base of the Jackson statue were captured in the
Battle of Pensacola in 1818. Officials ordered the muzzles of the guns
sealed in World War }. The carriages have been replaced and repaired
often. The cannon were cast by Josephus Barnola of Barcelona, Spain.
Two bear the Spanish coat of arms of Ferdinand VI and the motto
“Violati Regis Fulmina” (Thunderbolts of an Outraged King). These
pieces were cast in 1748 and named for two Visigothic kings of Spain in
the late 7th and early 8th centuries — “El Egica” (5'5"; cal. 8.6 cm.) and
his son “Witiza” (5'5"; cal. 9 cm.}. The other two pieces were cast by
Barnola in 1773 and were named “El Apolo” (Apollo; 511’; cal. 8.9)
and “El Aristeo” (Aristeides; 5’10%2"; cal. 8.9) after Greek gods. The first
reinforce of one of the pieces is engraved with the date of its capture by
Jackson at the fortress of San Carlos de Barnacas, Pensacola, May 28,
1818, and also includes the names of his officers.?

1. NPS, ‘A History of National Capital Parks,” table IV; NPS, Lafayette Park, 29; NPS,
“The Statue of General Andrew Jackson,” by Stanley McClure, 1430/Histories of Various
Statues and Monuments, box 16, acc. 66A-1097, and 1430/Jackson Statue, box 17, acc.
66A-1097, ESF/WHL/NPS.

2. NPS, Lafayette Park, 29. John Carl Warnecke to Robert W, Andrews, Feb. 3, 1967;
Mrs. Mellon to Warnecke, May 23, 1967 (with annotation by Mike Painter June 27,
1967); Warnecke to Mrs. Paul Mellon, June 6, 1967; [ ] to “Ashton,” June 28, 1967;
Walton (chairman, CFA) to Jett, Oct. 10, 1966; Ernest Brooks Jr. to Hartzog, Dec. 21,
1965; all in D24/Lafayette Park (1/1/69), box WHL-AM-002, ESE/WHL/NPS. Castro to

409

Appendix D. Memorials in President's Park



1878-80 — Thomas Lincoin Casey.
1881-85— Almon F. Rockwell.
* 1886-89 — John M. Wilson.
1890 — John M. Wilson and Oswald H. Ernst.
1891-93 — Oswald H. Ernst.
1894-97 — John M. Wilson.
1898-1903 — Theodore A. Bingham.
1904 — Thomas W. Symons, and Chas. A. Bromwell.
1905-8 — Chas. A. Bromwell.
1909-13 — Spencer Cosby.
1914-17 — William W. Harts.
1918-20 — C. S, Ridley.
1921-26 — C. O. Sherrill.

. Michler, N[athaniel]. Communication of N. Michler, Major of Engineers,
to the Chairman of the Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds, 39th
Cong. 2nd sess., February 13, 1867. Senate Misc. Doc. 21 {Washington],
nd.

. Office of Public Buildings and Public Parks of the National Capital.
Annual Reports, Director of Public Buildings and Public Parks. Washington,
DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1926-33.

U.S. Congress. Annual Report of the Commissioner of Public Buildings. Report
of Commissioner William Easby. 32nd Cong., 2nd sess., 1853. Doc. no.
20.

. “Letter from the Commissioner of Public Buildings in Regard to
Furniture, &c., for the President’s House.” 34th Cong., 3rd sess. Misc.
Doc. 62 [Washington, n.d.J.

. “Letter from the Commissioner of Public Buildings Transmitting His
Annual Report for 1850.” Report by Commissioner Ignatius Mudd. 31st
Cong., 2nd sess. 1850. Doc. no. 47.

dence in Regard to the Necessary Removal of Certain Buildings about the
Presidential Mansion, &c., &c." 34th Cong., 3rd sess. Misc. Doc. 64
{Washington, DC: n.d.J

. Memorial of the Corporate Authorities of the City of Washington Praying
the Improvement and Repair of Certain Streets, and the Establishment of an
Hospital and Lunatic Asylum, in Said City, January 20, 1840. 26th Cong,
Ist sess. Washington, DCI: Blair and Rives, n.d.

. Public Improvements in Washington. “Report by Commissioner of the
District of Columbia Joseph Elgar.” 22nd Cong., Ist sess., 1832. Rept.
291,

.. Report from the Committee to Whom was Referred a Motion in the Form
of Two Resolutions. House. Washington, 1802.

. Report of the Committee on the Expenditures of the Public Buildings:
April 3, 1818. (Washington, DC: n. p.}

426

. “Letter from the Secretary of the Interior Transmitting Correspon-*


The Benjamin Harrison Administration. In the Benjamin Harrison
administration steward Hugo Zeiman replaced William Sinclair, who

had been hired during the Cleveland presidency. Zeiman hired Mme.
Petronard and her husband as White House chef and butler, but
ensuing problems caused the dismissal of the Petronards and Zeiman
himself. Philip McKim replaced Zeiman as steward, and Dolly
Johnson, a black woman from Indiana and a former employee of the
. Harrisons, took over as cook. Mary McKee, the Harrisons’ daughter,
assisted her mother, sending social notes and managing her social
events. Eventually these functions would culminate in the
establishment of the White House social office."*

In the summer of 1889 first lady Caroline Harrison, in collaboration
with Wilson and architect Frank Owen, developed plans to expand
the White House complex. Wilson recommended separating the
president’s residence from the executive office. He further suggested
that the deteriorating greenhouses be moved to the east side between
the White House and the Treasury Building and that “a picture
gallery” might be built “opening out from the East Room,” con-
necting to a conservatory. Wilson called for Congress to solicit plans
for an office building for the president, “for such improvements as
the locality will best permit” and to award a prize for the best sug-
gestions. Congress declined to fund the plan, and Mrs. Harrison’s
death in October 1892 ended the idea for a time.”

In 1889 the wooden water tank atop the White House was replaced
by a 2,200-gallon iron tank weighing 4,300 pounds. The Rider hot
air engine in the basement was replaced by a Knowles pumping
engine and boiler system. The elevator was overhauled; new electrical
service was installed, and the plumbing was inspected. The second
floor corridor was strengthened, and a new floor was laid.”

The iron fence around Lafayette Square was removed and sent to the
Gettysburg Battlefield Association for use at the battlefield. The area
south of the State, War, and Navy Building was graded and seeded,
and that building’s main drive (later known as State Place} was
established south of the building. The southeast Bulfinch gatehouse
required repair when its copper roof was stolen. The officer in charge
again recommended that the old wooden stables be removed and the
stables relocated to the other side of 17th Street. A new bluestone

118. Seale, The President's House, 591-94,

119, Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1889, iii, 2845; Seale, The President's House, 590—
600.

120. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1889, iii~iv, 2827, 2835, 2839.

John M. Wilson — June 1,
1885, to September 7, 1889

151

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Office of Public Buildings and Grounds — March 2, 1867, to March 9, 1897



All employees working on the grounds were screened under the
loyalty program in an effort to locate and remove subversives or
communists from federal employment."*

Conclusion

In the mid 20th century the White House and President’s Park
mirrored the concerns of the United States as it became a world
power. The Great Depression and World War II re-created President’s
Park, resulting in tightened security and roads bisecting the park.
Technology, including automobiles and communications, weighed
heavily on the resources of the site. In 1933 the National Park Service
took over the general management of the property; however, the
successful administration of these national resources depended on
interagency cooperation rather than contention.

The renovation of the White House and its grounds under Franklin
Roosevelt and Harry Truman recast the White House and President's
Park as historical icons, reinterpreted in the Colonial Revival styles
popular at the turn of the century and the similar revival styles of
the 1930s and 1950s. The original house and grounds as they had
evolved over the years changed, but the national symbol endured.

154. Lorin A. Davis to chief (U.S. Park Police}, Feb. 14, 1952; Davis to Leonard P
Hutchinson, Feb, 15 and Mar. 25, 1952; “List of National Capital Park Employees
Engaged in Work at the Executive Mansion & Grounds,” n.d.; all in 950/Grounds (White
House), box 4, acc. 64A-42, ESF/WHL/NPS.

299

Conclusion


As in previous administrations, the Bush family pets were provided
for, although kennels were not required, as they had been for the
Kennedy, Johnson, and Ford pets.”

In addition to the spring and fall garden tours and the Easter egg roll,
the White House also held other seasonal events, such as the candle-
light tours of the mansion on three evenings between Christmas and
New Year’s Day. All events required substantial personnel and ma-
terial commitments, with the Park Service providing staffing and
organizational assistance. Some events required flexibility as they
changed with the tenor of the times; for example, a giant card was
available for signing for military personnel during the Persian Gulf
War as a part of the 1991 Easter celebration. The White House was
closed periodically in 1990 and 1991 during Operation Desert Shield
and Operation Desert Storm."

In 1991 and 1992 First Lady Barbara Bush arranged for special
White House tours for all fourth-grade students in Washington, D.C.
Given on Mondays, the tours were designed to provide access to the
White House in ways previously unavailable to schoolchildren. As
part of the tours, children were assigned to play various roles as
governmental officials in order to bring a civics lesson to life. Again,
the Park Service worked closely in designing and assisting with the
program. For White House tour participants, a stroller program was
begun at the request of Mrs, Bush. Parents with strollers were able to
check their baby carriages through a ticketing system as they toured
the White House, assisting tourists with small children and helping
to protect resources by removing childcare equipment from tour
lines.”

In 1990 the White House Preservation Fund, which was established
in the 1980s, was replaced by the White House Endowment Fund.
The preservation fund was struggling to achieve its goal, so it was
reorganized under the direction of the White House Historical
Association. The new Endowment Fund board eventually raised over
$26 million.”

15. Staff of the White House Grounds Division, telephone conversation with O’Brien, n.d.;
Records of the White House Grounds Division, n.d., WHL/NPS.

16. Director’s Office, Records of President's Park, ESF/WHL/NPS.

17. Ann Bowman Smith, conversation with O’Brien, Aug. 30, 1996; notes about
visitor program during the Bush administration, Records of President's Park, Office of the
Director, WHL/NPS.

18. McDaniel, notes to O’Brien, Aug. 4, 1999, ESF/WHL/NPS.

Manus J. Fish — Continuing
to September 4, 1988; Ronald
N. Wrye — September 4,
1988, to December 18, 1988;
Robert G. Stanton —
December 18, 1988, to
January 3, 1997; James I.
McDaniel (Associate Regional
Director) — December 31,
1983, to -

367

National Park Service — 1983 to 1997


Oswald H. Ernst — shad taken 75% of the draftsman’s time in 1890, and the officer in
September 7, 1889, to charge recommended that clerical assistants be hired."
March 31, 1893

In 1890 George Brown, the public gardener, made available an
updated catalogue of all native and foreign deciduous and evergreen
trees and shrubs in the parks under the control of the Office of Public
Buildings and Grounds. He recorded 40,698 plants and noted both
their botanical and common names.

Also in 1890 the walks on the south grounds of President's Park
were regraveled, stone walks on the north relaid, and asphalt walks
resurfaced. New pipes were laid from the Franklin Square spring to
the White House. The old wooden stable on 17th Street at the
northwest corner of the park was finally torn down, and its use was
consolidated with the presidential stable complex behind the grove of
trees that screened the area. New piping and drains were installed,
and West Executive Avenue was regraveled.”

Ernst supervised other minor repairs and changes. A vestibule was

constructed at the west end of the lower corridor over the doorway

leading into the conservatory. Two storerooms were also constructed

in the area outside the west door to the basement corridor. Structural

Tepairs were made under the Red Room, and a new girder was added.

Ernst noted that a total of $333,000 dollars had been spent since @
1878 on upkeep of the Executive Mansion alone.

The dedication of the Washington Monument brought additional
tourists. During the 1890 fiscal year (ending in June) 175,174 people
visited the monument, for a total of 297,145 visitors since the
monument opened to the public on October 8, 1888.

In 1891 Ernst authorized more paving on the Ellipse roadway and
added a wagon shed to the presidential stable complex. Granite
curbing and entrance posts were placed around Lafayette Square in
1892, and two large granite piers and wing walls were erected at the
southeast corner, with ornamental gas lamps atop the piers. Addi-
tional asphalt footpaths were laid in Lafayette Square. Granolithic
pavement replaced flagstones in front of the White House on Penn-

125, Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1890, 3539, 3550-53, 3355; ibid., 1891, 3919.
126. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1890, 3556-61.
127. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1890, iti-iv, 3542-43, 3535-36.

128. [Smith], “History of Changes”; Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1890, 3547-48,
3555.

129. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1890, iii-iv, 3542-43, 3535-36.

154

(CHAPTER 4. THE LINITED STATES ON THE THRESHOLD OF WORLD POWER: 1867-1897


John M. Wilson — March
31, 1893, to February 16,
1897; John S. Sewell —
February 16, 1897, to
March 9, 1897

158

The establishment of full ambassadorial status in Washington in
1893 necessitated the formation of the White House Social Office.
Octavius Pruden (who had acted in similar capacities since the 1870s)
and Warren S. Young served as the first employees, followed by
George Bruce Cortelyou, who was hired as White House social
secretary in 1895. Alvey A. Adee, second assistant secretary of state,
had the final word on social form for over 20 years. His involvement
in state functions marked the beginning of the position that is today
known as chief of protocol.'*

Upon returning as officer in charge with President Cleveland, Wilson
wanted to replace the rubble masonry wall and its sandstone coping
and iron fence on the north side of the property with a more orna-
mental fence since the flagstone walk had been replaced. Lafayette
Square was scheduled to receive electric lights with underground
wiring. Wilson called for the removal of the White House stables and
the Treasury greenhouses and photographic gallery. He also wanted
walkways improved and the “high mounds” (presumably the
Jefferson mounds} to be graded.

In 1893 Wilson again recommended that the office of the president be
moved to the State, War, and Navy Building or to a new building on
the grounds. Such an executive office could be connected to the White
House by a corridor and could also be used to serve guests at the
evening winter receptions. Wilson also lobbied for walk improve-
ments, new fencing, relocation of the White House stables, and
similar changes. He proposed an asphalt walk 15 feet wide around
the Ellipse, saying it should be separated from the roadway by a
parkway 30 feet wide. The American elms bordering the Ellipse road
would shade the area, which could then accommodate spectators. “I
earnestly hope that it may never be disfigured with structures of any
character,” he wrote, referring to the open space of the Ellipse."

The floor for the main second fleor bathroom was reinforced. Repairs
were again made to the greenhouses, and the small rose house and
camellia house were replaced with iron frame structures. White
House mail carrier Edgar R. Beckley (who worked in that capacity for
25 years) housed his horse in the conservatory. (It is unclear why the
stable was not used, unless the hourly trip from the White House to
the city post office necessitated having transportation nearby.)

143. Seale, The President's House, 609, 611-12; Calvin D. Linton, ed., The Bicentennial
Almanac: 200 Hundred Years of America {New York: Thomas Nelson, Inc. 1975), 238.

144. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1893, iti, iv, 4315-16, 4326-31, 4336.
145. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1894, 3273-75, 3287.

(CHAPTER 4. THE LINITED STATES ON THE THRESHOLD OF WORLD POWER: 1867-1897


432

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Linton, Calvin D. ed. The Bicentennial Almanac: 200 Years of America. New
York: Thomas Nelson Company, 1975.

McCarthy, Dennis V. N., and Philip W. Smith. Protecting the President: The
Inside Story of a Secret Service Agent. New York: William Morrow and
Company, Inc. 1985,

McConnell, Jane. The White House: a History with Pictures. New York: Studio
Publications, 1954.

McEwan, Barbara. White House Landscapes: Horticultural Achievements of
American Presidents. New York: Walker and Company, 1992.

Marcus, Eric. Making History: The Struggle for Gay and Lesbian Equal Rights,
1945-1990, Oral History. New York: Harper Collins, 1992.

Marshall, Paul D., American Institute of Architects, ed. “A Cultural Research
Project: The New River Gorge National River West Virginia.” 2 vols.
Prepared for the National Park Service, Charleston, WV. 1981.

Maury, William M. Alexander “Boss” Shepherd and the Board of Public Works.
G. W. Washington Studies no. 3. Washington: George Washington
University, 1975.

Mehaffey, Maj. Joseph C. “Early History of the White House.” Military
Engineer, 20( June 1928): 201-6.

Mertz, Barbara. Temples, Tombs and Hieroglyphs: A Popular History of Ancient
Egypt. New York: Dodd, Meade and Company, 1978.

Monkman, Betty C. “Benjamin Brown French, Commissioner of Public
Buildings 1853-1855; 1861-1867.” Master's thesis, George Washington
University, 1980,

Moore, Charles. “The Restoration of the White House.” Century Magazine 65
(April 1903): 808-30.

Moore, Joseph West. Picturesque Washington. Providence, RI: J. A. and R. A.
Reid, 1887.

Morris, Richard B., ed. Encyclopedia of American History. New York: Harper
Row, 1976.

“Mr. Coolidge’s Expensive Residence.” The Literary Digest, May 16, 1925.

National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. Gateways to
Commerce: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ 9-Foot Channel Project on the
Upper Mississippi River, by William Patrick O’Brien, Mary Yeater
Rathbun, and Patrick O’Bannon, Christine Whitacre, ed. Denver Service
Center, 1992.

. Historic Listing of National Park Service Officials. Washington, DC:
1991.

. “Historical Report of the Executive Office Building (State, War, and
Navy Building),” by Josephine D. Allen, Robert F Fenton, and Stanley W.
McClure. 1957.



Daniel Carroll, Thomas
Johnson, David Stuart,
Gustavus Scott, William
Thornton, Alexander White,
William Cranch, and
Tristram Dalton

22

CHAPTER 1. BEGINNINGS: 1791-1802

In 1792 a “carpenters’ hall” or workshop was built in the vicinity of
the present-day Jackson equestrian statue in Lafayette Park. The hall,
which measured 50 feet by 24 feet, was covered in planking.
Craftsmen equipped the building with two folding doors measuring
9 feet each. Posts for the superstructure were 3 feet apart and placed
3 feet in the ground. Every third pair of posts was secured by a piece
dovetailed into the supporting members. Scantling for the building
was provided “in the round.” The commissioners paid carpenter
William Knowles £15 upon completion of the building. The tools
stored in the structure were procured from a German craftsman in
Georgetown.”

In March 1793 the commissioners decided to build residences for
workers on public lots “near the president's house.” The two-story
workers’ residences had rooms 10 feet square. There were two rooms
to each stack of chimneys. Four rooms were centered on the division
lines of two lots and set back. The commissioners used the brick at
hand and paid for construction “by the piece.” Carpenters, stone-
masons, and other laborers rented housing around the future
Lafayette Square. Some rented their homes from site supervisor
James Hoban.

August 1793 saw the commissioners soliciting more immigrant
labor (this time Irish laborers) and proceeding with the promotion of
the new federal city by the publication of plans. On September 5 the
commissioners advertised for both brick and stone masons; applica-
tions were to be made to masonry superintendent Collen Williamson.
As time progressed, more stonecutters were recruited from Scotland,
probably through James Traguair and George Walker, both of
Philadelphia. By 1794 they were working on the site.“

The foundations and basement of the President’s House were finished
by September 1793, commanding the hill that sloped to the con-
fluence of Tiber Creek and the Potomac River. Cut into the side of the
hill, the walls were 13 feet high and 3 feet thick, enclosing an area
168 feet by 85 feet. As noted by Seale, the slope was so pronounced
that on the north side the 13-foot walls only reached ground level,

39. Contract with William Knowles, Apr. 12, 1792, “Records of the Commissioners,”
95, RG 42.

40. Minutes of meeting, Apr. 12, 1792, “Records of the Commissioners,” 100-1, RG 42;
resolution on house construction, Mar. 14, 1793, ibid, 173-74; minutes of meeting:
unlicensed buildings 7-8, Apr. 10, 1793, ibid., 183-85; minutes of meetings, Oct. 15-22
1793, id., 199.

41. White House plans and site, Irish immigrants, “Records of the Commissioners,” 3,
RG 42; Ivarious entries], Aug. 30, 1792, Sept. 1-5, 1792, ibid., 127, 131-33, 136.


Ellen Axon Wilson redesigned the east and west colonial gardens,
calling on Beatrix Farrand and George Burnap for assistance.‘

Under the administration of Warren G. Harding in 1921, the pro-
grams in the spirit of the City Beautiful movement blossomed into
classical reality as planners, architects, and engineers created the
boulevards, buildings, and monuments that would further define the
nation’s capital.’

In 1925 Calvin Coolidge became the first president to broadcast his
inaugural address. That same year Congress combined the positions
of officer in charge of public buildings and grounds and the super-
intendent of the State, War, and Navy Building, establishing the
Office of Public Buildings and Public Parks of the National Capital.
The president now chose the director from the ranks of the Corps of
Engineers, the first being Lt. Col. Ulysses S. Grant Hl, grandson of
President Grant.*

The election of Herbert Hoover as president in November 1928 her-

, alded a new era of construction at President’s Park, including re-
modeling the Executive Office Building to once again increase office
space.

In 1933 management duties for the White House and President's Park
were transferred fo the National Park Service, which was temporarily
renamed the Office of National Parks, Buildings, and Reservations.
Thus, the Corps of Engineers’ period of service was brought to an
end, leaving a legacy of methodical planning and careful changes that
respected the original design for the site.

6, Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1918, 1935, 1949, 1952.

7. Seale, The President's House, 839; “Construction and Maintenance, White House,”
McClure to Edmund J. Casey, Nov. 1, 1966, D3415 (1/1/66 to ~-) (1), box 21,
ESF/WHL/NPS.

8. Public Law 478, 68th Cong. (Feb. 26, 1925); Dowd, Records of Public Buildings and
Public Parks, 2-3, 38.

165

An Overview of the Period



Frank T. Gartside — July 31,
1939, to February 1, 1940;
Edmund B. Rogers —
February 1, 1940, to April
18, 1940; Francis F. Gillen
— April 18, 1940, to
January 2, 1941; Irvin C.
Root — January 2, 1941, to
July 28, 1950

266

“perfectly silly,” and that if the project had been left alone it would
have been “completed by now.” Suggestions by the American
Institute of Architects to build an office addition over West Executive
Avenue met with icy disapproval from President Truman. In an
angry letter to the president of the organization, Truman wrote,
“Thanks to the American Institute of Architects, the President of the
United States will continue to suffer.”

Operations and Maintenance (1946-47) — In April 1946 the National
Park Service began to keep detailed records and counts of official
visitors to the White House, with approval of the Chief Usher‘s
Office. However, NPS officials thought travel statistics should only be
kept for those areas administered by the Park Service and did not
recommend that the figures be included in the monthly reports. The
White House reopened to the touring public on November 14, 1946.

The four large lanterns on the Pennsylvania Avenue entrances were
extensively repaired and rebuilt in 1946. A new Otis elevator, paneled
in Honduras mahogany and African cherry, was installed in the
White House in the summer of 1946. In 1947 the east fountain,

61. Seale, The President's House, 1009-11; “Proposed Addition to the White House
Offices," Journal of the American Institute of Architects, Feb. 1946, 73-78; Jessie M
Dunstan to Truman, Jan. 12, 1946; Charles W. Eliot to Truman, Jan. 16, 1946; A. C.
Moses to Truman, Jan. 18, 1946; Walter F Wasson to Truman, Jan. 19, 1946; Mrs. L. C.
Thayer to Truman, Jan, 20, 1946; Federation of Citizens Associations of the District of
Columbia to Truman, Jan, 23, 1946; Allen J. Ellender to Truman, Jan. 23, 1946;
editorial, New York Times, Jan. 29, 1946; American Institute of Architects, Feb. 20, 1946;
all in OF 50 (expansion file), box 311, HSTL. Notes, presidential press conferences, Jan.
24, 1946, and Sept. 12, 1946, Ayers presidential files (White House Executive Offices),
box 21, HSTL; Edmund R. Purves, ‘A Few Recollections of the White House,” post-
presidential files (White House Data}, box 91, HSTL. Ickes to Truman, Jan. 7, 1946;
Truman to Ickes, Jan. 10, 1946; Ickes to Truman, Jan. 10, 1946; transcript of radio
address by Lorenzo Winslow over station WOL at 1 P.M., Jan. 20, 1926, pp. 1-2, 6;
James R. Edmunds to Truman, Feb. 19, 1946; Truman to Edmunds, Feb. 26, 1946; all in
PSE file 1, box 301, HSTL. Albright to Truman, Jan. 26, 1946; Truman to Albright, Jan.
26, 1946, WHCF (permanent file), box 306, HSTL.

A total of $970,000 of the $1,650,000 originally appropriated by Congress to
improve the executive offices was returned to the Treasury. The balance retained by the
president was to be used for improvements as originally planned; however, none of the
money could be used for “an addition to the West Executive office.” See acting
commissioner (PBS, GSA) to West, memorandum, Dec. 5, 1952, General files W-Z, White
House, box 141, HSTL.

62. McClure to Kelly, Thompson, Gartside, and Jett, Jan. 4, 1955; David C. Mearns to
Gartside, Nov. 3, 1954; McClure to Gartside, Sept. 30, 1953; "Report on the Progress of
the White House Historical Study,” Sept. 29, 1953; Crim to Truman, memorandum, Aug.
4, 1949 [signed ‘Approved Aug. 4 ‘49, Harry $. Truman"; all in 955/Historical, acc.
64A-42, box 5, ESF/WHL/NPS. Herman Kahn (chief, DOI Archives) to supt. (NCP), Jan.
15, 1946, 950/Grounds (White House), box 4, ESF/WHL/NPS. Assoc. dir. to dir,
memorandums, June 5 and June 17, 1947; Tolson (acting dir.) to Demaray, June 27,
1947; all in 99914/Visitors, box 9, acc. 64A-42, WH&WPP files, ESF/WHL/NPS.

(CHAPTER 6. THE New Deat, WoRLD WaR I, AND PEACE: 1933-1958


Manus J. Fish — Continuing
to September 4, 1988; Ronald
N. Wrye — September 4,
1988, to December 18, 1988;
Robert G. Stanton —
December 18, 1988, to
January 3, 1997; James 1.
McDaniel (Associate Regional
Director) — December 31,
1983, to-

372

‘CHAPTER 8. EPILOGUE: 1983-1997

the White House to improve its appearance. The public as well as
design professionals from across the country were involved in the
planning effort. The resulting design featured a pedestrian mali
concept. However, because of complications with compliance issues,
as well as opposition to the closure of the avenue, the plan had not
been implemented as of 1997."

The stone restoration project on the exterior of the White House was
completed in 1996, 16 years after its initiation in 1980. This work
represented not only the craftsmanship of some of the finest artisans
in the nation, it also represented the first time since 1818 that the
stone work had received such detailed conservation work.*

The White House Endowment Fund board was disbanded in 1997.
The funds were turned over to the White House Historical Associa-
tion to manage. James McDaniel was closely involved with deliber-
ations concerning the endowment fund and its applications to White
House projects.»

James McDaniel continued to serve as a member of the board of
directors for the White House Historical Association. As of 1997 he
served as the association’s secretary, chair of the Nominating Com-
mittee, and a member of the Executive Committee, the Scholarship
and Education Committee, and the Product Review Committee.*

NPS Reorganization — in a 1995 reorganization of the National Park
Service, the National Capital Region became the National Capital
Area, under a field director instead of a regional director. As a result
of this reorganization, the former associate regional director of White
House Liaison became director of White House Liaison. In January
1997 the National Park Service reverted to the use of regions, but the
title of director of White House Liaison remained. This reorganization
caused significant changes in the way the National Park Service
performed its mission at the White House. Previously the. regional
office had assumed administrative duties for both the Executive
Residence and the White House Liaison group, as well as providing,
along with the Denver Service Center, all planning, design, and
construction management services. Under the reorganization White

33. Director’s Office, Records of President's Park, ESE/WHL/NPS; NPS, Environmental
Assessment, Pennsylvania Averue at the White House, passim.

34. NPS, White House Stone Carving: Builders and Restorers, by Lee H. Nelson
(Washington, DC: U.S. GPO, 1992}, 25-26.

35. McDaniel, notes to O'Brien, Aug. 4, 1999, ESF/WHL/NPS.
36. McDaniel, interview, July 5, 1995, 4.


362
‘CHAPTER 8. EPILOGUE: 1983-1997

Desert Storm (January 17 to February 28, 1991). The White House
was closed to visitation for part of this time.?

In fall 1992 President George Bush presided over a 200th anniversary
celebration for the White House. Sponsored by the White House
Historical Association, the observance consisted of various events,
including a symposium with papers and addresses by historians and
other commentators about the history of the site. In October scholars
from around the nation gathered at the Willard Hotel for a three-day
symposium, where they exchanged papers and listened to
presentations concerning the history of the White House and its
importance to the nation. Participants included authors William Seale
and David McCullough. As part of the celebration, a ceremony
marking the 200th anniversary of the laying the White House
cornerstone was held on the Ellipse on October 13, 1992. The
Maryland and Virginia Masonic chapters reenacted the original
ritual. A time capsule was also buried by President and Mrs. Bush at
the southwest corner of the White House. It is to be opened’on
October 13, 2092.5

In 1992 work was also begun on a comprehensive design plan for the
White House and President's Park, the first such planning effort since
the 1790s. As shown in this administrative history, most problems
at the site had been dealt with as they arose, while some were not
addressed at all.*

During the presidency of William Clinton the National Park Service
opened a visitor pavilion in 1994 on the northeast panel of the
Ellipse. The facility replaced three outmoded temporary structures
and provided restrooms and refreshments for visitors waiting to tour
the White House. The following year the Park Service opened a White
House visitor center across 15th Street in Baldrige Hall in the
Commerce Building. The facility moved the ticket distribution system
for White House public tours indoors, provided exhibits and videos
about the presidency and the White House, and created an option for
Washington visitors who could not take tours of the White House.

As a result of several security-related incidents and increasing con-
cerns about protection for the president and his family, the Depart-
ment of the Treasury conducted a security review. As a result,

2. — Director’s Office, Records of President’s Park, ESF/WHL/NPS; formerly available on
the Internet at http://www.ngl.org/htm!/operation_desert_storm. btm.

3. Director's Office, Records of President's Park, ESF/WHL/NPS.

4. NPS, Comprehensive Design Plan and Final Environmental Impact Statement, The White
House and President's Park passim. The 20-year plan was approved in the spring of 2000.


desires of the President” and to cut their proposed budgets by 1%. The
Office of Public Buildings and Public Parks saved 1.79%, or
$63,620.12 out of a total budget of $3,553,679 for 1926.TM

With the cut, 1,245 appointments were offset by 877 separations
from the office. A total of 2,230 workers were assigned to the office,
with 41 specifically assigned to the White House. The substantial
increase in personnel was accounted for by increased duties. As many
as 1,817 employees were subject to classification under the act of
1923 that established the Civil Service Commission.. Records were
made available to this agency, and employees were fingerprinted
pursuant to a directive received on November 1, 1925. To justify this
procedure it was noted in the annual report that a deserter from the
navy had been caught “as a direct consequence of the installation of
this system.”””

Grant suggested new telephone systems in the White House and the
Executive Offices (West Wing) in 1926; however, this was initially
stopped by Col. 5. A. Cheney, a military aide to the president, who
felt that an automated system would not be as desirable as operators.
Telephone systems at the White House would not be substantially
updated until the Roosevelt administration."*

In 1926 the egg roll on Easter Monday was expanded to include
events on the Washington Monument grounds and at Rock Creek
Park. The White House remained the most popular site, with 48,105
people. There were 5,000 at the monument grounds and 3,000 at
Rock Creek Park, for a grand total of 56,105. Reports on the national
community Christmas tree ceremony in 1926 noted four trees — the
one at Sherman Plaza plus three community trees, one each at
Montrose Park, Reservation 113 at 9th and C Streets, and Reservation
309C at 16th and Mount Pleasant in Columbia Heights. The

194, Annual Report, Director of Public Buildings and Public Parks, 1926, 7, 8-9; General
Order 49, Jan. 2, 1926, Assumptions of Duties, U. S. Grant Il; General Order 53, Feb. 11,
1926, Library Collection, U.S. Department of the Interior.

195. Annual Report, Director of Public Buildings and Public Parks, 1926, 7, 8-9.

196. Cheney to Grant, Feb. 1, 1926; O. P Gascoigne (Chesapeake & Potomac Tdlephone
Co.) to Marvin H. McIntyre, July 13, 1934; E. B Locke Jr., to Chesapeake & Potomac
Telephone Co., Feb. 28, 1935, Locke to Gascoigne, Aug. 27, 1936, and Locke to
Chesapeake & Potomac Telephone Co., Aug. 20, 1936; commercial supt. to Locke, Aug.
24, 1936, Howard Ker to Chesapeake & Potomac Telephone Co., Apr. 17, 1938; all in
993/Telephone and ‘Telegraph Service, box 8, acc. 64A-42, WHA&WPP files,

ESF/WHL/NPS.

U, S, Grant HI — January 1,
1926, to April 5, 1933;
James A. Woodruff — April
5, 1933, to August 10, 1933

221

U.S. Army Comps of Engineers, Office of Public Buildings and Public Parks of the National Capital — February 26, 1925, to June 10, 1933



448

Hospitality and Information
Service, 313

House Committee on Public
Buildings and Grounds, 51

Howard, Needles, Tammen, and
Bergendorf, 270

Howard University, 350

Howland, Richard, 331

Hughes, Charles Evans, 397

Humphrey, Hubert, 314

Hunolt, James, 327, 416

Hunt, Bryan, 371

Hunter, Alexander, 74

Hunt, Richard, 371

HVAC system: Carter tenure, 349.
See also air conditioning; heating
systems; ventilation

Hyde de Neuville, baroness, 45-46,
54-55

Hydrel Corporation, 327

I

Ickes, Harold: and fence recycling,
250; and greenhouse relocation,
258; and Secret Service, 278; and
Truman office space plan, 265

Inamorati, A. W., 333

inaugurations. See presidential
inaugurations

Independence Avenue, extension of,
258

Independence National Historical
Park, 314, 316

information kiosks, Johnson (LB)
tenure, 315

Interior, U.S. Department of the:
1849-1867, 87-116; 1933-
1934, 239; establishment of, 40;
and E Street tunnel plan, 344;
and protests, 356-357;
Solicitor's Office, 377

International Christian Endeavor
Association, 159-160

interpretation: Atkins on, 343;
Johnson (LB) tenure, 313-316

inventory of equipment, Polk
tenure, 82

inventory of plants: Cleveland
tenures, 149; Eisenhower tenure,
288; Grant tenure, 130;
Harrison (B) tenure, 154; Hoover

tenure, 228, 230; McKinley
tenure, 169-170

inventory of records, Jackson
tenure, 67

inventory of trees, Roosevelt (T)
tenure, 185, 188

inventory of White House
collection: Adams (J) tenure, 33;
Carter tenure, 355; Coolidge
tenure, 223; Eisenhower tenure,
295; Grant tenure, 133; Hayes
tenure, 139; Hoover tenure, 233;
Johnson (LB) tenure, 313;
Lincoln tenure, 112; Roosevelt
(T) tenure, 178; Taft tenure,
196; Truman tenure, 276-277,
See also collection management

Iris and B. Gerald Cantor
Foundation, 371

J

Jackson, Andrew, 39, 60-63, 65-
68, 78; assassination attempt
on, 11, 79; Elgar and, 57-58;
and the Hermitage, 250

Jackson, Annie, 123

Jackson magnolias, 78, 379

Jackson milk trough, 414

Jackson Place, 379

Jackson, Rachel, 78

Jackson statue, 94, 97-98, 132,
409; pedestal for, 95; Roosevelt
(FD) tenure, 242-243; Truman
tenure, 275

Jacobs, George, 30

Jacqueline Kennedy Garden (East
Garden), 308

Jaegers, Albert, 412

Jaffray, Elizabeth, 192

James Baird Company, 232, 248

James Myers Company, 366

Jardella, carver, 60

Jefferson Memorial: construction
of, 250, 258; tulip poplars on
White House grounds as, 261

Jefferson statue, 83, 133

Jefferson, Thomas, 35, 37-38, 41-
45; and commission, 9; and
District of Columbia, 24; and
Munroe, 32, 41; on President’s


John B. Blake — June 5,
1855, to May 31, 1861

104

with the president Henry left to practice law and was replaced by
another presidential relative, James Buchanan I]. The White House
steward, William Snow, left service approximately a year after
Buchanan became president, and a Belgian by the name of Louis
Burgdorf was hired as steward with an annual salary of $1,038."

To reduce costs, Buchanan combined the positions of doorman and
assistant doorman and gave Burgdorf the title of “doorman”; but
Burgdorf actually functioned as steward. This left the actual position
of doorman vacant, and gardener Thomas Stackpole acted in the role
until November 18, 1857, when Stackpole wrote to the secretary of
the interior, saying that if he was to serve in two roles, he thought
he should receive the salary for both. The resulting consternation
caused Buchanan to revamp his household staff on the British
system, retaining Stackpole as doorman. Burgdorf left in March 1858
and was replaced as steward by Englishman Richard Goodchild.
Goodchild was the first of the White House staff to be given the term
“usher.” A- butler, Pierre Vemereu, was hired, along with nine
servants from the British Isles.

Congress continued to monitor expenses at the White House and
President's Park. In response to a request by J. Glancy Jones of the
House of Representatives, Blake reported that since Jackson’s presi-
dency an average of $17,000 per presidential term had been spent on
furnishing the house.

in 1857 a ventilating flue was installed from the basement of the
White House to the second floor, helping circulate air in the house.
Continued construction of the Treasury Building caused the
demolition of both the old conservatory and the stables. Hailstorms
damaged the roof of the presidential mansion and broke more than
5,000 panes of glass in the greenhouses. The construction of the new
conservatory or greenhouse atop the west terrace began in April.
Jefferson’s entrance gate arch was demolished, and a new stable was
built south of the original site at a cost of $8,000 and finished by
July.*

62. Seale, The President's House, 336-37.
63. Seale, The President's House, 336, 395.

64. “Letter from the Commissioner of Public Buildings in Regard to Furniture, &c., for
the President’s House,” 34th Cong., 3rd sess. Misc. Doc. 62 (|Washington], n.d.), 1-2.

65. Seale, The President's House, 343-46; “Historical Information on the White House
and Its Furnishings,” 6, HSTL; Annual Report, Commissioner of Public Buildings, 1857, 718,
720, 721, RG 42.

CHAPTER 3: THE ANTEBELLUM, CIviL WAR, AND RECONSTRUCTION YEARS: 1849-1867


Manus J. Fish — Continuing
to September 4, 1988; Ronald
N. Wrye — September 4,
1988, to December 18, 1988;
Robert G. Stanton —
December 18, 1988, to
January 3, 1997; James I.
McDaniel (Associate Regional
Director) — December 31,
1983, to -

368
‘CHAPTER 8. EPocuE: 1983-1997

By the 1990s the position of archival technician (upgraded to
archivist in 1993) was added to the personnel roster. In addition, the
White House Grounds and President’s Park Divisions were supervised
by White House Liaison.”

Sherman Park — In 1987 Jay Brodie, director of the Pennsylvania
Avenue Development Corporation, proposed improvements at
Sherman Park as the corporation’s last project. The corporation,
which had been established in 1972 to revitalize Pennsylvania
Avenue between the White House and the Capitol, had already estab-
lished six parks and plazas along the right-of-way. Sherman Park
would be the seventh and crowning achievement of this important
effort.2°

The Pennsylvania Avenue Development Corporation budgeted
$790,000 for the project, with an additional $160,000 requested
from the National Park Service (including $25,000 that was spent for
additional survey work and conceptual designs).

In October 1989 the National Park Service reviewed the design ele-
ments. In January 1990 the Commission of Fine Arts approved the
plans, followed by National Capital Planning Commission approval
in July 1990. Work included the replacement of walkways with
London pavers; the use of granite detailing; the installation of trash
receptacles, benches, and a water fountain; the relocation of lighting
elements; and the addition of 12 globe-type cast-iron light standards.
The design was by Designtech-East of Rockville, Maryland; construc-
tion was managed by Gilbane/Jackson of Washington, D.C.
Construction contractors were Dow Associates of Washington, D.C.,
and United Industrial Services, Inc., of Alexandria, Virginia, working
as a joint venture. Construction finally began in July 1991 and was
completed one year later. The rehabilitated park was dedicated in
October 1992.”

Planning for the White House Visitor Center —- In summer 1990 an
interagency committee, at the request of the assistant secretary of the
interior, formulated plans for a White House visitor center to be

19. Director's Office, organizational chart, Records of President's Park, ESF/WHL/NPS.
In 1998 a furniture conservator was hired to oversee the museum conservation lab for
White House Liaison. .

20. Summerlin to O’Brien, Nov. 29, 1999, summary notes, “Sherman Park Project,”
WHL/ESE/NPS.

21. Summerlin to O’Brien, Nov. 29, 1999.
22. Summerlin to O'Brien, Nov. 29, 1999.


Boyle-Robertson Company, 195

Boy Scout Memorial, 329, 417

Boy Scouts of America, 222, 227,
256, 294

Brackenridge, William, 94, 97, 101

Breckinridge, John C., 49-50, 107

Breeden, Bob, 306.

Brent, William, 41

bridle path: McKinley tenure, 169;
Roosevelt (T) tenure, 175, 187;
Taft tenure, 193; Wilson tenure,
207

Briesler, John and Ester, 26

Briggle, William, 314

Brodie, Jay, 368

Bromwell, Charles S., 183, 183-
191

Brooks, J. R., 191

Brown, Francis, 98-99

Brown, George H., 131, 149, 154

Brown, Glenn, 170, 172-173

Browning, William A., 112

Brown, J. Carter, 371

Brown, Robert, 414

Bryan and Wood, 65

Bryan, William Jennings, 397

Buchanan, James, 86, 103-107

Buchanan, James I], 104

Bulfinch, Charles, 38, 52, 58, 60,
418

Bulfinch gatehouses, 248, 418;
Asthur tenure, 143; Cleveland
tenures, 149, 151; Roosevelt
(FD) tenure, 248

Bulfinch plan, 56

Bureau of Public Roads, 249

Bureau of the Budget, 262

Burgdorf, Louis, 104

Burnap, George, 165, 201, 410

Burnes, David, 13

Burnham, Daniel H., 196, 294

Bush, Barbara, 361, 367

Bush, George H. W., 361, 366-370

Butler, F. B., 233

Butt, Archibald Willingham
“Archie,” 187-190, 191, 196,
198, 416

Butt-Millet Memorial Fountain,
196, 197, 416

Byrd, Harry F., 303

c

Cabinet Room, Carter tenure, 351

Calder, Alexander, 371

Calhoun, John C., 53

camellias, 286

Cammerer, Arno, 242

Campbell, R. G., 88

camp, tourist: Coolidge tenure,
212, 222; relocation of, 258-259

canals: Civil War and, 110; Grant
tenure, 124; Johnson (A) tenure,
102-103, 121, 123; lockkeeper’s
house, 203; plans for, 25

cannon: Lafayette Park, 132, 315-
316, 409; at Old Executive Office
Building, 414-415; Roosevelt (T)
tenure, 178; at White House
gates, 50; Wilson tenure, 203

Cannon, Joe, 177

Capasso, Alfred, 274

Capitol building, Civil War and,
109-110

Capitol Police, 100; establishment
of, 114

Carlin’s Amusement Park, 222

Carmichael, Leonard, 331

Carpenter, Liz, 313

carpenter shops: freestanding, 22;
Johnson (LB) tenure, 318;
Roosevelt (FD) tenure, 248. See
also shops

carpets, Cleveland tenures, 148

carriage house, 26

Carrington, Edward, 11

Carroll, Daniel (commissioner), 7-
8, 8, 18

Carroll, Daniel (of Duddington), 8,
13, 30-31

Carter, Amy, 349

Carter, James Ear! “Jimmy,” 302,
349-351

Casey, Silas, 134

Casey, Thomas Lincoln, 133, 134,
134-140, 397

Cassatt, Mary, 332

Castro, I. J. “Nash,” 303-305, 304,
309, 312-313, 316-317, 319,
321

Caton, John, 42

ceilings, McKinley tenure, 168

439
Index



No biographical information about Francis F. Gillen has been found.

Irvin C. Root was born in Topeka, Kansas, May 21, 1891. He
attended high school in Kansas City, Kansas, and received a B.S.
degree from Kansas State University at Manhattan, where he majored
in park design and maintenance. Root consulted with George Kessler
of Kansas City on park design and philosophy; Kessler had been a
student of Frederick Law Olmsted Sr., and Kessler got Root a job with
real estate developer J. C. Nichols of Kansas City. Root designed a
subdivision at Amherst, which ultimately served as his thesis at the
University of Massachusetts. He pursued a master’s degree in
landscape architecture and city planning at Massachusetts and
received the first graduate degree from the university in those fields.
After graduation he worked for John C. Nolan of Cambridge,
Massachusetts. After six months in the armed forces, Root worked as
a private consultant for city planning and zoning. As superintendent
of National Capital Parks, Root supervised President’s Park through
the war years.*

General Administration

The Franklin D. Roosevelt Administration. In 1939 the Christmas tree
celebration was moved from Lafayette Park back to the Ellipse.
Speakers and carols were eliminated. A red cedar from the Mount
Vernon Memorial Boulevard was balled and planted; the tree was
reported to have come from land once a part of George Washington’s
farm. Later the tree was to be returned to Mount Vernon. This year
the tree had ultraviolet mercury vapor lights to accentuate its
greenness, and chimes were added to the festivities. Power was
carried from Constitution Avenue to the center of the Ellipse by a
tunnel to a point 188 feet from the control booth. A separate line to
the Commerce Building was installed for broadcast telephone wiring.
The 1939 celebration cost the National Capital Parks $2,282.05 and
other agencies $754.62, for a grand total of $3,036.67.*

In 1940 the lighting of the national community Christmas tree on
the Ellipse was carried on radio nationwide by CBS, NBC, and the
Mutual Broadcasting Company. Preparations included constructing a

34, Irvin C. Root, interview by Herbert Evison, Chevy Chase, MD., June 28, 1972 (NPS,
Harpers Ferry Center Library, WV, transcript), tape 115, pp. 1, 3-5, 10.

35. Peeples, American Forests, 4-7. “Report of the Chairman of Committce on Grounds,
Stands, and Arrangements, National Community Christmas Tree, 1939"; “Cost of
National Community Christmas Tree, 1939"; both in 1115-30-15/Grounds South, box,
10, acc. 64A-42, WH&WPP files, ESF/WHL/NPS. The report for 1939 implies that the
celebration was moved to the Elipse in that year.

Frank T. Gartside — July 31,
1939, to February 1, 1940;
Edmund B. Rogers —
February 1, 1940, to April
18, 1940; Francis F. Gillen

— April 18, 1940, to
January 2, 1941; Irvin C.
Root — January 2, 1941, to
July 28, 1950

255

Office of National Parks, fuildings, and Reservations — August 10, 1933, to March 2, 1934; National Park Service — March 2, 1934, to May 10, 1958



Thomas W. Symons — April
30, 1903, to April 26, 1904;
Charles S. Bromwell — April
26, 1904, to March 15, 1909

184

General Administration

The Theodore Roosevelt Administration. Under the Theodore Roosevelt
administration accommodations for the press became a growing con-
cern. Press demands on the White House had begun during the
Cleveland administration, and Cleveland's secretary, Daniel Lamont,
had protected the president from unwanted reporters. John Addison
Porter handled the press for McKinley, and George Cortelyou began
the practice of preparing briefing papers for the press. Before the
remodeling of the White House the comings and goings of visitors
had remained in public view. With the new wings, such observations
became more difficult. The press room in the White House, to the
right of the front entrance to the Executive Office Building, was
staffed on a regular basis during the Roosevelt administration.”

Unlike earlier periods, when the White House was generally open to
the public, there were now restrictions on public access. According to
information printed on the back of a stereopticon card of the period,
the East Room was open to the public from 10 A.M. to 2 P.M. The
“reception rooms” (presumably the Green, Red, and Blue Rooms) were
open only by appointment. “The rest of the house is private,” stated
the card.”

Social events and logistical demands increased. In 1904, in addition to
New Year's Day, three state dinners took place, and there were four
official evening receptions, four afternoon receptions, five musicales,
and one afternoon Christmas entertainment for children. Social
functions in 1905 consisted of three state dinners, the New Year's
Day reception, four official evening receptions, four afternoon recep-
tions, eight dinners, one luncheon, five afternoon teas, two lectures,
and three musicales. A new band stage was constructed for concerts;
a shed was built at the back of the executive stable to store the
platform. Additional maintenance for the annual egg roll cost $60.”

According to the 1904 annual report, the presidential office buildings
were painted and equipped with fire extinguishers. The auxiliary fire
alarm system in the White House was extended to the Executive

‘Office Building (West Wing), complete with a pull box. New

ornamental electric lights were placed at the east entrance. Two
lamps at the front gates were reworked to accommodate gas. (By this

73. W. W. Price, in the Washington Evening Star, Dec. 16, 1902, as cited in Seale, The
President's House, 692.

74. Stereopticon card, ca. 1903, “White House from State War and Navy Building,”
Collection of the Office of the Curator, The White House.

75. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1904, 3907-11; ibid., 1905, 2624, 2626, 2649.

‘CHAPTER 5. THE WHITE HOUSE, WASHINGTON, AND THE WORLD: 1897-1933


By December 7, 1961, Lorraine Pearce of the Smithsonian Institution
was assisting Mrs. Kennedy in planning exhibits. The first lady had
very specific concerns and suggestions. Ms. Pearce set the precedent
and the tone for a position that would continue to grow in impor-
tance as Mrs. Kennedy used her influence to upgrade the White
House collection to an unprecedented international level of excellence.
By November 1961 NPS historian Stanley McClure had delivered
some 7,632 separate items to the White House, including 13 books,
405 articles, 694 vouchers, 661 catalogue cards, 132 letters and
Teports, 3,414 typed notes, 729 photostats, 1,098 photographs, 222
typed descriptions of articles, and 264 typed notes on the measure-
ments of items. These materials provided the documentary basis for
the White House Curator’s Office, as it is known today.”

The cataloguing and control of the fast-growing collection became an
immediate concern, and Mrs. Kennedy wrote memos detailing
cataloguing procedures in the early 1960s. Leonard Carmichael, sec-
retary of the Smithsonian Institution, and NPS Director Conrad
Wirth discussed cataloguing and suggested plans to develop exhibits
in the East Wing in cooperation with the White House. Richard
Howland acted as liaison, since Lorraine Pearce was a member of his
office staff. Cornelius Heine was NPS liaison for the catalogue, and
Charles Porter served as NPS liaison for the exhibit.”

Executive Order 11145 of March 7, 1964, formally provided for a
curator of the White House and a Committee for the Preservation of
the White House. The order invoked the congressional legislation of
September 22, 1961, and provided for the curator to be directly
responsible to the president. The committee would assist the curator
in reporting to the president as to which “articles, fixtures, and
objects” merited attention in the White House collection. Members
were to include the director of the National Park Service, the curator
and chief usher of the White House, the secretary of the Smithsonian
Institution, the chairman of the Commission of Fine Arts, the direc-
tor of the National Gallery of Art, and seven presidential appointees.

70. Castro to Thomas F. Airis, May 2, 1969; Horne to Fred T. Couper Jr, Feb. 23, 1971;
both in F90/Donations, box 28, acc. 79-7524, ESF/WHL/NPS. George B. Hartzog Jr. to
Clare Boothe Luce, Feb. 17, 1970, D6223/White House Gifts (1/1/69), box 28, acc. 79-
7524, ESF/WHL/NPS. McClure to chief (Public Use and Interpretation), Nov. 2, 1961;
“Historical Data Sent to the White House, (Feb. 24 to Oct. 31, 1961)"; both in 955-25/
Furniture & Furnishings (2), box 15, acc. 654-1108, ESF/WHL/NPS. Castro to Clifford B
Case, Aug. 22, 1968, D3415/Construction and Maintenance/White House (1/1/66 to -)
{1), box 21, ace. 72A-6215, ESF/WHL/NPS. Ms. Pearce’s responsibilities were more ex-
tensive that those of a curator; a curator was hired to create a professional office for the
museum role of the White House; notes, Monkman (OC/WH), July 19, 2000.

71. Notes, Monkman (OC/WH), July 19, 2000; Carmichael to Mrs. Kennedy, Oct. 23,
1961, 955-25/Furniture & Furnishings (2), box 15, acc. 65A-1108, ESF/WHL/NPS.

Harry T. Thompson — May
10, 1958, to February 25,
1961; T. Sutton Jett —
March 15, 1961, to January
14, 1968; 1. J. Castro —
January 14, 1968, to
September 25, 1969; Rex W.
Scouten (Assistant Regional
Director} — February 24,
1968, to May 4, 1969

331

‘The National Park Service — 1958-1983


Storage for the White House continued to be a problem, and ware-
houses like the one at 1216 20th Street NW were overcrowded. In the
midst of remodeling, Eleanor Roosevelt decided to cull unwanted and
unneeded items from the collection. The National Park Service
worked with the Procurement Division of the Treasury Department,
which handled the process for the executive office. Items removed
from the collection included an assortment of Victoriana — used
furniture, clocks, fireplace utensils, chamber pots and commodes,
washstands, cuspidors, mirrors, 14 pairs of portieres, and similar
items, As in the past, the items were destroyed. In 1944 the chief
usher ordered that items not carried on the White House inventory
be transferred to the Procurement Division. R. A. Devlin continued to
act as inventory clerk for the collection.”

Jurisdiction

For the inauguration of Franklin D. Roosevelt in March 1933, special
forces were again used to protect park resources. The administration
of these events had become so complex and the crowds so dense that
it became evident that Congress would need legislation to further
delineate the jurisdiction of the various entities. However, this
legislation would not be adopted until 1936.”

Under Reorganization Plan No. 1, approved April 25, 1939, President
Roosevelt transferred the National Park Service’s Branch of Buildings
Management to the Federal Works Agency and renamed it the Public
Buildings Administration, effective July 1, 1939. In 1949 the General
Services Administration would take over the responsibility for much
of the nonspecialized and day-to-day building maintenance. The
White House and its grounds, the State, War, and Navy Building,
and the Executive Offices were now technically “operated and
protected” by NPS personnel attached to the National Capital Parks.
In reality, however, both the White House and the Treasury Building
and grounds remained outside direct control of the National Park
Service. Treasury had always been separate from other executive

Charles A. Peters Jr. (asst. dir.) to Finnan, memorandum, Sept. 30, 1937; all in 990-
50/Anventories, box 7, acc. 64A-42, WH&WEP files, ESF/WHL/NPS.

29. Devlin, memorandum for White House files, Aug. 17, 1944; Lock Jr. (capt., CE.,
officer in charge, White House Buildings and Grounds) to Whom It May Concern, June
25, 1935; transfer invoice 29, June 25, 1935; and transfer invoice receipt 29, n.d.; all in
box 8, 990-75-2025/Transfer to General Supply Committee, acc. 644-42, WH&WPP
files, ESF/WHL/NPS; notes, Monkman (OC/WH), July 19, 2000.

30. “Detail Special Police, Mar. 4, 1933, 9 A.M. to 9 P.M.”; Finnan to Demaray, Jan. 12,
1936; both in 1115-45/Inauguration, box 10, acc. 64A-42, WH&WPP files,
ESF/WHL/NPS; Joint Resolution of Congress, June 22, 1936 (49 Stat. 1824-26).

Frank T, Gartside — August
10, 1933, to October 9,
1933; C. Marshall Finnan —
October 9, 1933, to July 31,
1939

253

Office of National Parks, fuildings, and Reservations — August 10, 1933, to March 2, 1934; National Park Service — March 2, 1934, to May 10, 1958



Operations and Maintenance (1933-39) — The national community
Christmas tree remained a yearly White House event, with logistical
and technological challenges for NPS personnel. In 1934 the annual
Christmas celebration event moved to Lafayette Park. One year the
button used to light the tree failed to work. The designer quickly
corrected the situation. President Roosevelt, pressing the button over
and over again, was finally heard to exclaim “There she goes!”
unaware of the assistance from the quick-thinking technician.”

The lack of office space continued to plague the president and his
staff. By 1934 rooms were being used in the basement of the White
House and in the State Department Building as overflow office space.
In June 1934 Congress authorized the expansion of the executive
offices. The Commission of Fine Arts agreed with Roosevelt to allow
the excavation of the basement to the south, the construction of an
office building to the east (the present East Wing, not constructed
until 1942), and the addition of a story of offices in the attic. The old
Executive Office Building was demolished except for the north and
west walls, and a modern two-story office building — the present
West Wing -—— was erected on the site. The N. PR Severin Company of
Chicago completed the project, with air conditioning in all rooms, in
November 1934 for a total of $324,942.13. In addition, the tele-
phone system was improved, and by 1938 lines would also connect
the Secret Service directly with the Metropolitan Police."*

Accommodating more visitors to the White House caused special
logistical challenges. Some visitors, like Blanche Crammer of Akron,
Ohio, felt that they could not get access to “the People’s House” and
suggested extended hours, including Sundays and holidays. The
acting director of the National Park Service, A. E. Demaray, replied

14. Peeples, American Forests, 4-7; "National Community Christmas Tree Selected,”
memorandum for the press, Nov. 4, 1934, 1460/Lafayette Park, box 11, acc. 64A-42,
WH&WPP files, ESF/WHL/NPS; Finnan to Cammerer, memorandums, Jan. 11, 1934,
Jan, 19, 1934, Mar. 5, 1934, Oct. 26, 1934; Frank C. Heil to [Roosevelt], Aug. 10, 1934;
Cammerer to Finnan, Nov. 6, 1934; A. Clyde-Burton to supt. (NCP), Nov. 7, 1934,
memorandum; Cammerer to Peeples, Jan. 2, 1936; Funan to Burlew through Demaray,
Dec. 22, 1936; Finnan to Peeples, Jan. 18, 1936; Finnan to J. 5. Bartlett (managing dir.,
The Electric Institute), Dec. 7, 1937; Finnan to the Potomac Electric and Power Co., Dec.
22, 1938; Peeples, “Important Notice Regarding Community Christmas Tree,” Dec. 12,
1938; Saunders for Finnan, memorandum, Nov. 29, 1938; all in 1115-30-23/Lafayette
Park, box 10, ace. 644-42, ESE/WHL/NPS.

15. “Enlargement of Executive Offices,” 7, Ayers presidential files (White House
Executive Offices), box 21, HSTL; [Smith), “History of Changes,” 11; Gascoigne to
Marvin H. Mcintyre, July 13, 1934; E. 2 Locke Jr. to Chesapeake & Potomac Telephone
Co., Feb. 28, 1935; Locke to Gascoigne, Aug. 27, 1936; Locke to Chesapeake & Potomac
Telephone Co., Aug. 20, 1936; commercial supt. to Locke, Aug. 24, 1936; Howard Ker to
Chesapeake & Potomac Telephone Co., Apr. 17, 1938; all in 993/Telephone and ‘Tdegraph
Service, box 8, acc. 64A-42, WH&WPP files, ESF/WHL/NFS.

Frank T. Gartside — August
10, 1933, to October 9,
1933; C. Marshall Finnan —
October 9, 1933, to July 31,
1939

Facing page:

Plan No, 2: Executive Mansion
Grounds, General Plan for
Improvements, October 1935

The Olmsted Brothers design
for the south grounds altered
traditional circulation patterns
and planting schemes at the
White House.

Courtesy: Frederick Law
Olmsted National Historic Site,
National Park Service

247

Office of National Parks, Buildings, and Reservations — August 10, 1933, to March 2, 1934; National Park Service — March 2, 1934, to May 10, 1958



Frank T. Gartside — July 31,
1939, to February 1, 1940;
Edmund B. Rogers —
February 1, 1940, to April
18, 1940; Francis F. Gillen
— April 18, 1940, to
January 2, 1941; Irvin C.
Root — January 2, 1941, to
July 28, 1950

262

nationwide, the American-Hellenic war bond drive brought a piece of
the war effort to the frontyard of the nation’s house.

In December 1943 Fred W. Shipman, later director of the Franklin
Roosevelt Library, wrote a report analyzing the function of the White
House as a business office. He reported that the core of the
presidential staff was made up of four secretaries, an executive clerk
overseeing the president's ‘clerical and administrative staff, six
administrative assistants, a special assistant, a special executive
assistant, and a special counsel. In addition, the executive office also
included the Bureau of the Budget, the Liaison Office for Personnel
Management, the Office for Emergency Management, the Committee
for Congested Production Areas, and the National Resources Planning
Board. The study, which had been instigated by the Archivist of the
United States, was to augment and establish a policy for the papers
of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt that were to be included in the li-
brary collection.”

In October 1944 landscape architect S. E. Sanders, of the Public
Buildings Administration, and Lorenzo S. Winslow, of the National
Park Service, prepared a report recommending, among others things,
extensive pruning and surgery for plant materials, with additional
recommendations for plantings and fountain repairs.

The fourth inauguration of Franklin Roosevelt on January 20, 1945,
brought the ceremonies to the south lawn of the White House. In
anticipation of the event, the house had received a fresh coat of paint
the previous June. Although the ceremonies were short because of
the president’s il] health, the National Park Service and the Federal
Works Agency spent much time and effort preparing for the event.
Ten thousand invited guests attended the ceremonies; there were no
chairs. Traffic was the largest single problem, according to the com-
mittee members. Broadcasting equipment continued to directly affect
the site and adjacent areas such as the Washington Monument; some
companies asked to place equipment atop the monument. Permission

50, “American-Hellenic $50,000,000 War Bond Drive,” press release [n.d.j; sen. asst.
supt. to C. B. Johannides, Oct. 28, 1942; both in 1460/Lafayette Park (2), box 17, ace.
66A-1097, ESF/WHL/NPS.

51. Fred W. Shipman, "The White House as a Business Office” (Dec. 8, 1946; copy for
President Truman delivered May 16, 1945), pp. 45-51, OF 50, box 301, HSTL.

52. S. E. Sanders and Lorenzo S. Winslow, “Report to the President of the United States
on the Proposed Landscape Improvements for the Executive Mansion Grounds”
(Washington, DC: Public Buildings Administration, Federal Works Agency, 1944).

‘CHAPTER 6. THE New DEAL, WORLD WAR II, AND PEACE: 1933-1958



Also in 1924 a white birch was planted on the White House grounds
to honor the mothers of the presidents. The planting was sponsored
by the American Forestry Association and the District of Columbia
Federation of Women’s Clubs.*7”

Site Security

Presidential protection became increasingly complicated. At President
Harding’s request Congress authorized the Treasury to create a
division of the Secret Service called the Executive Protective Service.
Congress passed legislation on September 14, 1922, creating the
White House Police Force, under the control of the Office of Public
Buildings and Grounds. These officers were drawn from both the
United States Park Police and the Metropolitan Police. Eight years
later, the White House police were placed under the control of the
Secret Service through congressional action."

The 1924 annual report stated that the superintendent of the United
States Park Police was a regular army officer detailed for that duty
by the secretary of war. Uniforms of military design with cavairy
breeches and leather puttees replaced the earlier knickerbockers and
knee socks. The force consisted of 61 men; 20 members had motor-
cycles, and the rest had bicycles. During this period the force made
1,612 arrests, with fines totaling $6,423.50 and collateral of
$11,135 forfeited, for a total of $17,558.50.”

Additional special park policemen were authorized in 1924 without
compensation for duty in the parks. New storage facilities were built
in the White House for police equipment at the east end of the cloak-
room in the east terrace and in the boiler room in the basement. By
act of Congress on August 5, 1924, the Park Police received full re-
tirement benefits commensurate with the Washington Metropolitan
Police. The force's eight-month cost amounted to $89,874.45."

Public Parks), Sept. 18, 1928, Finnan to Maj. C. R. Huebner, Nov. 10, 1936, Huebner to
Finnan, Nov. 13, 1936, notes; “The Executive Committee First Division Memorial
Association,” Maj. H. B. Vaughn to Finnan, Jan. 31 and Feb. 2, 1939, Gartside to Maj. H.
B. Vaughn Jr. (Corps of Engineers), May 16, 1939; all in 1430/First Division Monument
and First Infantry Division, box 16, acc. 66A-1097, ESF/WHL/NPS.

177. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1925, 1962; “Historic Trees — White House
Grounds” |1934}, 950-50/Planting (2), box 4, acc. 64A-42, ESF/WHL/NPS.

178. McCarthy and Smith, Protecting the President, 100; act of Sept. 14, 1922 (42 Stat.
841), as amended June 9, 1947 (61 Stat. 132).

179. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1924, 2018, 1925, 1950.
180. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1924, 2018, 1925, 1950.

Clarence O, Sherrill — March
21, 1921, to February 26,
1925

215

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Office of Public Buildings and Grounds — March 9, 1897, to February 26, 1925


damage and to create an environment for the future. The White
House received portions of these congressional appropriations. For
example, Michler’s total projected budget for the fiscal year ending
June 30, 1871, amounted to $347,208, with President’s Park
receiving a small portion.*

Jurisdiction
Jurisdiction continued to be an ongoing dialogue between the federal
government and the District of Columbia, In 1871 the local

government of the District of Columbia changed to a governor, a
legislative assembly, and a board of public works.”

Site Security

In 1868 Michler suggested that wounded veterans be hired as
security guards for the public properties; unemployed soldiers
swelled the ranks of the police as the decade proceeded. Besides the
doorkeeper and his assistant, two watchmen and two policemen now
served at the President’s House.”

Orville E. Babcock — June 1, 1871, to March 3, 1877

Orville E. Babcock succeeded Michler on June 1, 1871. Born in Ver-
mont, Babcock was appointed to West Point and graduated third in
his class on May 6, 1861. He received his first appointment and was
promoted to brevet second lieutenant and to first lieutenant, Corps of
Engineers. He served in the city of Washington, drilling volunteers
from May 8 to 25, 1861. He formally received the rank of first
lieutenant, Corps of Engineers, on November 17, 1861, and the rank
of brevet captain on May 4, 1862, for gallant and meritorious service
in the siege of Yorktown, Virginia. Working as an engineer in the
building of defenses and bridges, he was promoted to lieutenant
colonel, staff, U.S. Volunteers on January 1, 1863. He also served as
assistant inspector-general of the Army. On March 29, 1864, he
became aide-de-camp to Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, achieving the rank
of lieutenant colonel; he later was awarded the rank of colonel, staff,
as aide-de-camp to the general in chief. One source credits Babcock

25. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1870, 520-23, 528-29.

26. See District of Columbia, act of Feb. 21, 1871 (16 Stat. 419), as noted in Annual
Report, Chief of Engineers, 1900, 5277.

27. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1868, 6, 10, 26, 27.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Office of Public Buildings and Grounds — March 2, 1867, to March 9, 1897

Orville E. Babcock — June 1,
1871, to March 3, 1877

Orville E. Babcock

Courtesy: Library of
Congress

125



included in abundance. The reports were calculated not only to
communicate, but also to impress.”

The Spanish-American War led to improvements in the telephone
lines between the White House and the War Office, and an automatic
exchange telephone system was installed in the White House to im-
prove security because no operator was needed. To improve com-
munication security, “national defense” appropriations made avail-
able $7,000 under the authority of the War Act of March 9, 1898.
Work that began on April 18 consisted of installing a four-way
terra-cotta conduit from the State, War, and Navy Building to the
Treasury Building, with a hookup at the White House. The telegraph
room in the White House was moved from the northeast corner to
the southeast corner on the second floor. Security grilles for the
basement windows were made out of old fencing. A portable bridge
that was used during receptions to exit out the East Room window
on the north was painted. A new electric system replaced the
hydraulic system in the main elevator shaft and was hooked to the
dynamo in the State, War, and Navy Building.”

In Lafayette Square six new electric lamps were installed on February
18, 1897, leaving only a few gas lamps. The following year four gas
lamps in Lafayette Square were removed, and a new sewer was in-
stalled to drain the catch basin in the square’s center. The high iron
fence enclosing the Jackson statue remained.”

On Easter Monday, April 11, 1898, the grounds of the White House
were opened to children. Much damage was done to plantings,
“many of the young trees were badly injured, some having their tops
twisted off, and others disfigured by having limbs and branches torn
off.” Twelve men and a cart labored for three days removing trash
from the event. Faintly visible pathways still crisscrossed the lawns
despite efforts to discourage them. Cobble walkways were installed
from 17th Street to E Street." .

A new maintenance yard where equipment and material could be
stored was established in 1898 at Potomac Flats between 18th and
19th Streets. Additional improvements were made to the White
House telegraph system, including a four-wire switch and a new

41. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1897, 4027-32.

12. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1897, 4039, 4055-57, 4060-61; ibid., 1898, ii,
3361-65, 3743-44.

13. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1898, 3722-23, 3726-27.
14. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1898, 3722-23, 3726-27.

Theodore A. Bingham —
March 9, 1897, to April 30,
1903

167

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Office of Public Buildings and Grounds — March 9, 1897, to February 26, 1925



General Administration

The Harry S. Truman Administration. As a result of the National Park
Service's 1950 reorganization, which created Land and Recreation
Planning Divisions, resources like President’s Park began to receive
more systematic and organized planning efforts. Recreation issues
also now played a part in NPS planning concerns.”

The Finish of the White House Renovation ~- The renovation of the
White House was accomplished not only with the assistance of the
Commission on Renovation of the Executive Mansion, but also with
the participation of various Executive Office personnel like Hazel F.
Taylor, whom President Truman commended on her retirement in
1951. Upon completion of the work, some 660 tons of steel sup~
ported the interior building, and foundations had been shored. Fifty~
four rooms replaced the original 48. Although the intention was to
carefully mark the interiors for reinstallation, troubles with the
contractor and other complications resulted in a substantial loss of
interior fabric. State rooms and other traditional settings like the
Lincoln Bedroom were reproduced.”

Truman was under no illusion: he had built a new structure based on
a historic model. He later remarked to Douglas W. Orr that “McKim,
Mead & White would probably turn over in their graves if they knew
that we really have done a job on the old White House.” Most
reactions to the renovation were either neutral or positive. However,
some people were more impressed than others. According to one
source, Eleanor Roosevelt reminiscing years later said, “Mr. Truman
showed me around the White House, which he’d just redone, and he
was so proud of the upstairs, which looked to me exactly like a
Sheraton Hotel!”

94. Annual Report, Secretary of the Interior, National Park Service, 1950, 333; ibid. 1951,
345.

95. Seale, The President's House, 1034-45, 1050-51; Winslow to Truman,
memorandum, Jan. 9, 1950, PSF (file 2), box 301, HSTL.

96. Seale, The President's House, 1050-51; Gore Vidal, United States: Essays 1952-1992
(New York: Random House), 743; Truman to Orr, Apr. 13, 1952, PSF (file 3), box 301,
Truman to Hazél E Taylor, Sept. 9, 1951, OF HSTL. The cornerstone of the building was
never discovered; an army mine detector was used in 1946 in an attempt to find the
stone, without success. See Maj. Gen. Harry H. Vaughn to R. Baker Harris, Mar. 17,
1952, OF 50/Misc. (file 1), box 309, HSTL; Manus J. Fish (dir, NCP) to James W.
Robertson, Jan. 13, 1975, D24/Maintenance, Rehabilitation, box 31, acc. 79-80-0002,
ESF/WHL/NPS; supt. to Master Eric Smith, Feb. 10, 1960, White House Correspondence,
box 13, ace. 644-901, ESF/WHL/NPS; Plans and Estimates for Maintenance of Roads &
Trails, 1949-50, box 31, acc. 654-664, ESF/WHL/NPS.

Edward J. Kelly — July 28,
1950, to May 10, 1958

279

Office of National Parks, Buildings, and Reservations — August 10, 1933, to March 2, 1934; National Park Service — March 2, 1934, to May 10, 1958


Harry T. Thompson — May
10, 1958, to February 25,
1961; T. Sutton Jett —
March 15, 1961, to January
14, 1968; 1. J. Castro —
January 14, 1968, to
September 25, 1969; Rex W.
Scouten (Assistant Regional
Director} — February 24,
1968, to May 4, 1969

330

collections. McClure noted that 15 publications were initially sent to
the first lady, but that “very few worthwhile books” had been
written about the structure or its environs. A total of 231 magazine
articles were taken to the White House in February 1961; 25 were
found to be significant. The chief usher also had 124 more articles
copied. From the thousands of photographs in the NPS Information
Section and the Lincoln Museum, 210 views of the White House were
made. Mrs. Kennedy also received a list of all White House items
stored at Fort Washington, plus 43 photographs of items.‘

Based on this preliminary research, a statement was developed about
the White House and its furnishings. The legislation that passed on
September 22, 1961 (Public Law 87-286) said that the 18 acres inside
the fence would continue to be known as the White House and that
the property would be administered in accordance with the act of
August 25, 1916. In carrying out this act, “primary attention shall
be given to the preservation and interpretation of the museum
character of the principal corridor on the ground floor and the prin-
cipal public rooms on the first floor of the White House.” Articles of
furniture, fixtures, and decorative objects, when declared by the
president to be of historic or artistic interest, were to be considered
“inalienable and the property of the White House.” When such
articles were not in use at the White House, they were to be trans-
ferred as a loan to the Smithsonian Institution. Nothing would
hinder the use of the White House as the home and office of the
president. Over the years the National Park Service, in collaboration
with the White House Curator’s Office, have taken the lead in devel-
oping centralized facilities for the care and storage of the collection.”

Reproductions of historic furnishings were made. For example, 11
duplicates were made of the Monroe chair at the Adams National
Historic Site. The chair, originally purchased for the White House in
1817, had been acquired by the Adams family at auction.”

67, Leonard Carmichael (sec., Smithsonian institution) to Jett, nd; acting dir. to
Clinton F. Anderson (chairman, Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs), July 11,
1961; dir. (NPS) to chief usher, memorandum: “Statement Concerning the Museum
Character of the Public Rooms of the White House, 6/9/61”; all in 955/Historical, box
15, acc, 65A-1108, WH&WPP files, ESF/WHL/NPS.

68. PL 87-286, Sept. 22, 1961 (75 Stat. 586). McClure to chief (Public Use and Interpre-
tation), Feb. 24, and Mar. 2, 1961; dir. (NPS} to chief usher, June 6, 1961, “Establishing
the White House National Monument, Washington, D.C."; Stewart Udall to Bell, June
26, 1961; acting dir. to Clinton P Anderson, July 11, 1961; all in 920-25/Executive
Mansion, box 14, acc. 654-1108, WH&WPP files, ESF/WHL/NPS.

69. Lorin A. Davis to West, Apr. 7, 1959; Wilhelmina S. Harris (supt., Adams National
Historic Site) to reg. dir. (Region 5, NPS}, Oct. 17, 1961; Ronald F. Lee to dir. (NPS), Oct.
24, 1961; all in 990-55/issue or Loan, box 15, acc. 65A-1108, WH&WPP files,
ESF/WHL/NPS.

CHAPTER 7. THE NATION'S FRONTYARD: 1958-1983


public inquiries about tours and the scheduling of special White
House tours could be better handled as part of the National Park
Service’s White House visitor service program instead of a separate
White House office. The salaries were subsequently paid through the
National Park Service, but the office retained its identity as the White
House Visitors Office. The four employees continued under federal
personnel law (in accordance with FPM 212, 2-3a(1)), although the
function was under White House Liaison.’*

The Ronald Reagan Administration. During the Reagan administra-
tion the National Park Service was involved in the maintenance and
remodeling of various White House interiors, including the Oval
Office and the Cabinet Room. Flooring and other treatments were
replaced, and facilities were generally updated. New marquetry floors
were laid in the Oval Office and the Red, Green, Blue, and East Rooms.
Painted marble floor molding and fireplace mantles were restored to
their original natural stone colors, marble was cleaned, walls in the
State Dining Room were repainted and glazed to enhance detailing,
and restrooms were remodeled and modernized. This work was
executed under the direction of Ted Graber, the designer for President
and Mrs. Reagan. The 1934 detailing in the Cabinet Room in the West
Wing was reworked, and the family theater in the East Wing was
improved. The work in the East and West Wings was accomplished in
cooperation with the General Services Administration,”

By 1981 the office of White House Liaison had evolved from a part-
time position in the 1960s to an office of considerable size. It now
included the administrative function served by the assistant regional
director for White House Liaison, his assistant, various adminis-
trative staff, and the head of the Executive Support Facility (including
numerous personnel attached to that facility).

Because of proliferating uses and increasing numbers of tourists, the
firm of Wiley and Wilson of Lynchburg, Virginia, was contracted to
do a structural analysis and inspection of the White House. The
firm’s April 1981 report did not uncover any major structural prob-
lems; however, it did call for minor repairs. More importantly, an

128. Reg. dir. (NCR) to dir. (Office of Personnel, USDI), Jan. 12, 1981, P64/White House
Visitors Office, box WHL-AM-009, Records of White House Liaison, ESF/WHL/NPS.

129, Office of the Chief Usher, The White House, The White House: The Ronald W. Reagan
Administration, 1981-1989 (Washington, DC: White House Historical Association, 1989),
passim.

130. Director's Office, organizational chart, Records of President's Park, ESE/WHL/NPS.

Russell E. Dickenson —
September 26, 1969, to
November 11, 1973; Manus
J. Fish — November 11,
1973, to September 4, 1988;
Elmer S. Atkins (Assistant
Regional Director) — May 4,
1969, to December 31, 1983

351

‘The National Park Service — 1958-1983


The Burning of Washington — After the British landed on August 19,
1814, they marched on Washington. On August 24, 1814, the city
was abandoned by the government, and the President’s House was
looted after sunset by its own citizens. First the Capitol was torched
in retribution for the American burning of the governor’s house and
legislative building at York (later Toronto), Canada. About 7:30 P.M.
British officers Maj. Gen. Robert Ross and Rear Adm. George Cock-
burn marched British troops down Pennsylvania Avenue to the
President's House. Breaking into the structure, the officers helped
themselves to food and wine, then naval personnel set fire to the
house and the adjacent office buildings. The buildings were gutted
before rain doused the fire. The Madisons returned to Washington
three days after the departure of the British, taking up residence in
the nearby Octagon House, formerly the residence of the French
minister, where Madison signed the Treaty of Ghent on February 17,
1815, formally ending the War of 1812.”

In the aftermath of the British burning of Washington, Jean-Pierre
Sioussat and others dug through the mounds of ash inside the White
House, salvaging what they could; the refuse was dumped on the
grounds. Thomas Munroe declared the White House to be in worse
shape than the Capitol, after an appraisal by architect George
Hadfield. Experts believed that although the brick interior partitions
had sustained damage, the outer walls seemed sound enough. Even
though people initially spoke of moving the nation’s capital to the
interior of the country, the government soon embarked on rebuilding
the city on its original site. President Madison approved an act of
February 13, 1815, to borrow up to $500,000 to rebuild “the
President’s House, Capitol and public offices.” Attempts by congres-
sional representatives to move the, executive offices from their sites at
President’s Park were referred to a select congressional committee and
finally dismissed; the executive offices remained on the site."

Commissioners Appointed to Supervise the Repair or Rebuilding of the
Public Buildings in Washington (March 10, 1815, to April 29,
1816)— On March 10, 1815, President Madison and Congress
appointed a commission to supervise the rebuilding of the city. The

27. Seale, The President’s House, 132-37; Dolkart, The Old Executive Office Building, 4.

28. Seale, The President's House, 138-39, 1085, n.1; Annals of Congress, 13th Cong., 3rd
sess., 413-14, as noted in the McClure collection, ESF/WHI/NPS; Dolkart, The Old
Executive Office Building, 4.

Thomas Munroe — May 1,
1802, to March 3, 1817

47

Superintendent of the City of Washington (Commissioner of Public Buildings) — May 1, 1802, to March 3, 1817



Departments of the Interior, Navy, Treasury, and War all had space in Benjamin B. French — June
the structure.” 14, 1853, to June 5, 1855

In June 1854 resolutions were introduced in Congress to buy the
Winder Building. The five-story building was 70 feet high and had a
capacity of 13,819 square feet, including the basement. It occupied
209 feet of frontage on F Street, and an ell on 17th Street occupied
101 feet; the main building and the ell were 53 feet deep. Without the
basement it contained 130 rooms, according to the memorial, the
same number of rooms as the new Treasury Building. The building
was heated by hot water furnaces and said to be fireproof. Winder
asked $300,000 for the building; Robert Mills appraised it at
$260,000. The Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds thought
that $250,000 would be adequate compensation. The acquisition of
the structure was supported by the departments.”

In his 1855 annual report French said that he needed another clerk,
that his salary was not commensurate with his responsibilities, and
that similar officials made more. He requested a $1,000 raise.**

Despite attempts to refine and define it, the south lawn beyond the
Jefferson wall remained for the most part wild and marshy.
Workmen cared for the area within the enclosure, mowing its lawns
and grazing sheep inside and outside the fenced areas. The grounds
now known as the “old garden,” near the east entrance and colon-
nade, served as a private garden for the president, separated from the
rest of the southern lawn by trees and a sentry box. Seats, trellis
work, roses, other flowers, and bluegrass completed the environment
for this private presidential getaway.”

The grounds of the White House continued to be transformed from a
rural vista to an urban landscaped park. French stated that
Downing’s plans had been carried forward by Brackenridge until his
resignation, at which time the immediate care had been given over to
John Watt. French had “general over sight” and assumed Bracken-
tidge’s former position as implementer of Downing’s plan. French
said that the grounds “were in a good state of improvernent” and

50. Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds, “The Winder Building,” 1-22, passim.
51. Annual Report, Commissioner of Public Buildings, 1855, 600, 602-4.

52. Annual Report, Commissioner of Public Buildings, 1855, 5, 7, 9, 11, 14, 15, 19, 23, 24,
26-31. .

53. Seale, The President's House, 319, 324-25, 343-44.

101

US. Department of the Interior, Commissioner of Public Buildings — March 5, 1849, to March 2, 1867



. Reservations 1 and 10 (1879). Cartographic Division.

Records of the Commission on Renovation of Executive Mansion. Record
Group 220. National Archives, Washington, D.C.

Records of the National Capital Planning Commission. Record Group 328.

Harry S$. Truman Library, Independence, Missouri

Clifford, Clark M. Assistant to White House naval aide, 1945-46, special
counsel to the president, 1946-50. Interview by James M. Hyde and
Stephen J. Wayne, Oct. 4, 1973. Transcript.

De Weldon, Felix. U.S. Commission of Fine Arts. Oral History Collection.

“Historical Information on the White House and Its Furnishings.” Office file
50, box 306.

[Harvey D. Smith]. “History of Changes in Space at the White House and
Executive Office Building, Taken from Reports of Officer in Charge,
Public Buildings and Grounds, and Successors, The Director of Public
Buildings and Public Parks, and Director, National Park Service, from
1872 to 1935.” PSE, file 1, box 301.

Dwight David Eisenhower Library, Abilene, Kansas
John R Kermedy Library, Boston, Massachusetts

Library of Congress
Catalogue: “Washington, D.C. Project.” {1990}.

Hopkins, G. M. A Complete Set of Survey and Plats of Properties, City of
Washington, District of Columbia. Philadelphia: By the author: 1887.

Mills, Robert. “Journal, 1834-1840.” Robert Mills Papers, Manuscript
Division.
Shelf list 3258D: White House and President's Park drawings.

Washington, D.C.
Biography Files, Historical Society of Washington, DC.
Collection of the Office of the Curator, The White House.

National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior

Administrative Files, Park Manager. White House Visitor Center. President's
Park.

Castro, I. J. (Nash). General superintendent / regional director, 1969.
Conversation with S. Herbert Evison, October 27, 1971 (Tape Numbers
107-108), National Park Service, Harpers Ferry Center Library, Harpers
Ferry, WV.

.. Interviews by Emily Soapes, June 21, 1995, and October 25, 1995.
White House Historical Association. Transcripts.

421
Bibliography



Site Security

During the Adams administration an important change was made in
Washington security practices. Detachments of marines had handled
guard duties at the Capitol since 1823. Adams discontinued the
practice and appointed a watch of civilians, including James Knock,
J. A. French, Samuel! Goldsmith, and Ignatius Wheatley. Two of the
watchmen were to be on duty during the day and one at night. No
such provisions were made for the President’s House, however. How
security was handled at President’s Park during this period remains
unclear. However, by the 1830s the watch in Washington was
referred to in the official record as “the police.”*

William Noland — February 10, 1834, to November 5, 1846

William Noland succeeded Joseph Elgar on February 10, 1834, and
served until his death in 1846, during the Polk administration.
Information concerning the life and background of William Noland is
unavailable.

General Administration

The Andrew Jackson Administration. By 1834 William Whelan, a
Jackson appointee, had taken the post as vegetable gardener at the
White House, and John Ousley’s time was devoted to ornamental
plantings. A new kitchen garden was established southwest of the
house, while Jefferson's original southeast gardens were expanded
and improved. In the fall of 1834 Bryan and Wood, a Washington
firm, built trellises, benches, and fences, as well as a hothouse.

On the north side of the property Noland presented plans to President
Jackson for building a parapet wall to protect the area at the front of
the residence. Jackson, however, was more interested in the redesign
of the entire wall system for the property. The drive on the north had
assumed its present configuration in May 1833. The curved fence on
the north (which had been rebuilt during the Monroe administration)
was straightened. Gates and piers were moved farther apart, and a

85. Establishment of watch, July 28, 1817, “Journal, Commissioner of Public
Buildings,” 7:17, RG 42; Washington Henning application for place in the police, 1830,
ibid., 7:18; appointment of H. Wailes, 2 police officer, to the Capitol, Nov. 16, 1835, ibid.,

86. Secale, The President's House, 200-4; agreement with Philip Mohun, Apr. 15, 1833,
“Journal, Commissioner of Public Buildings,” 7:26, RG 42; distance from Capitol to
President's House, 1838, ibid., 7:30.

William Noland —
February 10, 1834, to
November 5, 1846

65

Commissioner of Public Buildings — March 3, 1817, ta March 3, 1849



Harry T. Thompson — May
10, 1958, to February 25,
1961; T. Sutton Jett —
March 15, 1961, to January
14, 1968; 1. J. Castro —
January 14, 1968, to
September 25, 1969; Rex W.
Scouten (Assistant Regional
Director) — February 24,
1968, to May 4, 1969

Courtesy: National Park
Service

304

1. J. (Nash) Castro was born in Nogales, Arizona, January 14, 1920.
He went to work for the National Park Service in May 1939 at Grand
Canyon National Park. In summer 1941 he worked in Washington,
D.C., for: NPS Director Newton Drury. He took night courses at
George Washington University until he joined the U.S. Navy in
August 1942. Castro worked for Associate Director Demaray for
about three weeks during a hiatus in his navy career. By 1945 he had
left the navy, and in 1946 he and his wife moved to Chicago where
the National Park Service offices had been moved during the war,
working for Director Newton Drury and Assistant Director Hillary
Tolson. He became chief clerk for the National Park Service and
reorganized its filing system. In fall 1947 Castro oversaw the move
back to Washington. In July 1949 he took a job as assistant to the
superintendent for NPS operations in Hawaii. In January 1955 he
accepted a position as superintendent of Shiloh National Military
Park; however, locals objected to a Latino as superintendent, and
Castro subsequently took a position as chief of administration in
Omaha, Nebraska, where later he was promoted to chief of opera-
tions. Six weeks later, the director of the National Park Service asked
Castro to become assistant superintendent of National Capital Parks.
He arrived back in Washington in June 1961. He served as one of
two assistant regional directors for T. Sutton Jett, who handled all
White House concerns for the National Park Service.*

Castro’s first duties included the management of the United States
Park Police in Washington as acting chief. He worked to establish the
Park Service's liaison function with the White House within the
office of assistant superintendent. He also helped organize the White
House Historical Association, for which he served as administrator.
He remained active in the historical association’s leadership until
1965, when expanding NPS duties precluded his intense involvement;
however, he later served as a member of the board of directors.
Castro succeeded Jett as regional director in 1968; his White House
duties then passed to Rex Scouten. In 1966 Castro was offered a job
as director of New York State Parks by Laurence Rockefeller, which he
declined out of respect to Mrs. Johnson and her beautification
programs. After President Johnson left office, Castro accepted a job
from Rockefeller as general manager of the Palisades Interstate Park
Commission.’

6. Nash Castro, interview by Emily Soapes, June 21, 1995 (White House Historical
Association [hereafter abbreviated as WHHA), transcript), pp. 1-4, 13-15; Castro,
interview, Oct. 25, 1995 (WHHA, transcript), pp. 1-9, 12-14, 16-27, 32-33, 38-50.

7. Castro, interview, June 21, 1995, pp. 1-4, 13-15; Castro, interview, Oct. 25, 1995,
pp. 1-9, 12-14, 16-27, 32-33, 38-50.

CHAPTER 7. THE NATION'S FRONTYARD: 1958-1983


Daniel Carroll, Thomas
Johnson, David Stuart,
Gustavus Scott, William
Thornton, Alexander White,
William Cranch, and
Tristram Dalton

16
CHAPTER 1. BEGINNINGS: 1791-1802

with various methods of administration, as evidenced by Samuel
Blodgett’s one-year appointment as supervisor of buildings i in 1793;
the appointment was not continued.

LEnfant and his Plan for the City — Pierre LEnfant worked on his
initial plans for the new capital at his rooms in Suter’s Fountain Inn
at Georgetown. Washington passed along ideas and designs from
other interested parties, including Thomas Jefferson. (Jefferson had
supposedly favored a site nearer to Georgetown than to Carrollsburg
or Hamburg because of “the backwardness that appeared in them.”)
Washington noted that although he did not expect [Enfant to find
much to use in these ideas, he sent the information with consider-
ation for those who had proposed them. L’Enfant’s final plan was
predictably European, with streets radiating from a variety of points.
The central elements of his plan were a statehouse and mall oriented
from east to west and a “palace” for the president, with a broad lawn
and a view to the Potomac oriented from north to south. Not only
did these expanses provide vistas for the executive and legislative
buildings, they also provided large open spaces for public recreation.**

The presidential palace projected by L’Enfant was approximately five
times the size of today’s White House. His pian for the surrounding
lands called for great terraces on the south, with substantial retain-
ing wails cascading across the landscape to a large pond nearly level
with the river: “Water was to be seen beyond water, in the best
traditions of French Baroque gardens,” as historian William Seale
notes. A large complex of buildings would surround the Executive
Mansion.*

That the area south of the President’s House was originally conceived
as public space in conjunction with the rest of the general plan of the
federal city is without question. Early maps based on the LEnfant
plan show a broad expanse that connects with the Capitol mall in the
vicinity of Goose Creek. A broadside entitled “A Description of the
Situation and Plan for the City of Washington,” which was printed in
London on March 12, 1793, by George Walker and was designed to
solicit British investors, stated:

22. Dowd, Records of Public Buildings and Public Parks, 1-2, 13-14; Lanman, Biographical
Annals, 306.

23. Frederick Gutheim, Worthy of the Nation: The History of Planning for the National
Capital (Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1977), 26: Fitzpatrick, The
Writings of George Washington, as noted in the McClure collection, ESE/WHL/NPS; John
W. Reps, Washington on View: The Nation’s Capital Since 1790 (Chapel Hill: University of
North Carolina Press, 1992}, 3.

24. Seale, The President's House, 18; Reps, Washington on View, 38-39.


Harry T. Thompson — May
10, 1958, to February 25,
1961; T. Sutton Jett —
March 15, 1961, to January
14, 1968; 1. J. Castro —
January 14, 1968, to
September 25, 1969; Rex W.
Scouten (Assistant Regional
Director) — February 24,
1968, to May 4, 1969

332

The director of the National Park Service appointed a secretary to
serve the committee. The Department of the Interior was ordered to
provide all administrative needs, and all agencies represented on the
committee were expressly ordered to provide “necessary assistance”
under the act of May 3, 1945. The committee was to cooperate with
the White House Historical Association. James Ketchum served as the
first official White House curator, although the position had been
unofficially filled previously by Lorraine Pearce and William Elder in
the Kennedy administration.”

Gifts to the White House had always been accepted discreetly; how-
ever, gifts, particularly fine arts, were made more frequently during
the Kennedy and Johnson administrations. The National Park Service
continued to formally accept and acknowledge donations of money,
furnishings, and other gifts under the authority of the act of June 5,
1920 (41 Stat. 917) and the act of June 25, 1948 (62 Stat. 672).
Paintings, flatware, furniture, plantings, china, letters, and cash do-
nations were administered by the National Park Service in conjunc-
tion with the curator of the White House. On December 12, 1968,
Mrs. Johnson held a reception at the White House to formally thank
donors, which now boasted paintings by artists such as Mary
Cassatt and Winslow Homer.”

By fall 1966 storage for most White House furnishings had been
consolidated at a 20,000-square-foot warehouse at Washington
National Airport. Offices in the warehouse occupied 2,000 square
feet. Options to expand the storage facilities were considered, from
remodeling the existing structures to demolishing them and
constructing new facilities. Cost estimates ranged from $340,000 to
$800,000. It was decided that a new building would need to be built
elsewhere, as the National Park Service did not control enough of the
property at the current site. However, because of budgetary consider-
ations, the White House collection remained in the airport

72. Executive Order 11145, Mar. 7, 1964; PL 79-49, May 3, 1945 (59 Stat.106); Hyde
and Wayne, “Interview with Clark M. Clifford,” pp. 8-10; Nancy Jean Hough (sec. to
James R. Ketchum, curator) to Carol Smith (Information Office}, Nov. 12, 1964,
K3023/Loan and Gifts of Pictures (1963-64), ESF/WHL/NPS; Castro to Martin Stuart,
June 4, 1965, K-14/White House History Matters (1963-65), box 19, acc. 68A-3201,
ESF/WHLANPS.

73. “Donors Tour Mansion,” Washington Post, Dec, 13, 1968, and misc. files, passim.
Due to the confidential nature of the “donors” files (D6223/White House (1/1/66), box
25, acc, 72A-6215, ESF/WHL/NPS)}, separate citations for gifts have not been included.
See also D6223/White House Gifts {1963-1965}, box 26, acc. 72A-6215, ESF/WHL/NPS;
948/Gifts and Donations, box 14, acc. 654-1108; 945/Furniture and Furnishings, box 1,
acc. 64A-42, ESFANHL/NPS. Richard H. Howland, “Mrs. Kennedy‘s Reactions fo the
Project,” Dec. 7, 1961, 920-25/Executive Mansion and Grounds, box 14, acc. 65A-1108,
ESF/WHL/NPS.

CHAPTER 7. THE NATION’S FRONTYARD: 1958-1983


Memorials

In 1847 Polk had a bronze statue of Thomas Jefferson by Pierre-Jean
David d'Angers, which had been located at the Capitol, moved to a
brick and stuccoed pedestal in the center of the north lawn. Polk
apparently wanted to underscore his relationship with his republican
ideal. The statue remained there for 27 years; this is the only such
monument to a president ever erected on the grounds. As the first
installation of its kind in President’s Park, it represented the
beginning of a trend of memorialization on the property that has
continued to the present day,"*

Jurisdiction
The act of March 3, 1849, that created the Department of the Interior
made the commissioner of public buildings responsible to the

secretary of the interior, beginning a new chapter in the history of
the administration of the White House and President’s Park.""*

Site Security

Security continued to be a problem at the White House. Joanna
Rucker, Mrs. Polk's niece, reported that she was startled one day by a
man who pretended to have been lost on his way to the president’s
office. She said the “house belongs to the government and everyone
feels at home and they sometimes stalk into our bedroom and say
they are looking at the house.”

The commissioner of public buildings was in charge of security
officers for federal buildings, including the White House. On May 1,
1847, Douglas removed David M. Wilson as chief of police at the
Capitol and appointed Charles Dunnington in his place."

138. Seale, The President's House, 252, 1094 (n. 5). The Jefferson statue now stands in the
Capitol building.

139. 9 Stat. 395-96.
140. Seale, The President's House, 264,

141, Removal of David M. Wilson and appointment of Charles Dunnington chief of the
police at the Capitol, May 1, 1847, “Journal, Commissioner of Public Buildings,” 7:35,
RG 42; appointment of William Dant, July 16, 1847, ibid., 35.

Andrew Beaumont —
November 5, 1846, to March
3, 1847; Charles Douglas —

March 3, 1847, to April 7,
1849

83

Commissioner of Public Buildings — March 3, 1817, to March 3, 1849



On December 24, 1973, Public Law 93-198 established the National
Capital Service Area under a director. The director, appointed by the
president, was to ensure adequate police and fire protection and
maintenance of streets and highways in the district, except for the
Capitol, Supreme Court, and Library of Congress buildings and their
grounds. The law was never put into effect, nor was the position
filled.”

A decision in 1973 by the U.S. District Court of Appeals in Allen v.
Norton (a suit brought by clergy members) prohibited the erection of
a nativity scene at the pageant site. However, an independent group
petitioned the National Park Service and received a public gathering
permit to erect a scene on the Ellipse outside the central pageant area.
Another private group received a permit to perform a living nativity
enactment on the grounds of the Washington Monument; the per-
formance, with theatrical sets 12 feet high, included 24 sheep, 4
camels, and a donkey. Neither scene was sponsored or endorsed by
the National Park Service. The American Christian Heritage Associa-
tion did not remove the nativity scene until February 1974.

Other questions and concerns affected the pageant and changed its
focus to a general celebration of peace. When individuals questioned
energy consumption for the event, the National Park Service re-
sponded that it was minimal. Fifteen-year-old Shari Krieger was one
of a number of people who wrote to President Nixon to suggest that
amenorah accompany the Christmas symbols on the Ellipse. Others,
like Harriet Miller of New York, mentioned the separation of church
and state and questioned what she called the “blatant commer-
cialism” of the event. A permanent tree, which had long been
discussed, was finally planted on the Ellipse on October 11, 1973, by
the National Arborist Association through the generosity of Mr. and
Mrs. Charles Atherton of Hunlock, Pennsylvania. A bronze plaque
was installed in 1974 to commemorate the planting of the tree. (The
tree had to be replaced twice by 1978.) By the fall of 1974, the court

District of Columbia, Women Strike for Peace, Plaintiff, x. Walter J. Hickel, et. al., Defendants,
civil action 1455-69: “Supplement to Deposition of William R. Failor," 7-14-71, 37-aj,
passim, A8219/Demonstrations (5/1/71) (3), box 27, acc. 79-7514, ESE/ARD/WHL/
NPS,

97. PL 93-198, Dec. 24, 1973 (40 U.S.C. 1068}; NPS, “The Park Service in
Washington,” McClure, 3.

98. Dir. (NCP) to |}, Dec. 12, 1974, A8227/Pageant of Peace (supplement), box 29,
acc. 79-770003, ESF/ARD/WHL/NPS; dir. (NCP) to dir. (NPS), Dec. 6, 1974; Lamb
{Special Events) to Vaughn Barkdoll, Feb. 1, 1974; John A. Townsley (dep. dir., NCP} to
Carolyn Walther, Apr. 12, 1974; all in A8227/Christmas Pageant of Peace (1/1/74) (4),
box 30, ace. 79-70003, ESF/ARD/WHL/NPS, U.S. District Court for the District of
Columbia, Women Strike for Peace v. Hickel, et. al., passim.

Russell E. Dickenson —
September 26, 1969, to
November 11, 1973; Manus
J. Fish — November 11,
1973, to September 4, 1988;
Elmer S. Atkins (Assistant
Regional Director} — May 4,
1969, to December 31, 1983

341
The National Park Service — 1958-1983


complicated, this historical overview is broadly organized by the
periods when a certain entity or agency had principal administrative
responsibility for the site. These include the following:

Commissioners for the District of Columbia — 1791 to 1802

Superintendent of the City of Washington (Commissioner of
Public Buildings) — 1802 to 1817

Commissioner of Public Buildings — 1817 to 1849

U.S. Department of the Interior
Comunissioner of Public Buildings — 1849 to 1867

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Office of Public Buildings and Grounds — 1867 to 1925

Office of Public Buildings and Public Parks of the National
Capital — 1925 to 1933

U.S. Department of the Interior
National Park Service — 1933 to the present

This administrative history covers the period up through 1983 in
depth. At the end of that year James I. McDaniel assumed NPS ad-
ministrative: responsibilities as associate regional director for White
House Liaison, a position he continues to hold as of the date of this
publication. The history of this period is summarized in an epilogue;
however, a full analysis of administrative functions since 1983 must
be left to a future study.

Each chapter describes the site administrators during that period,
focusing on the following specific topics in order to delineate the
site’s administrative evolution:

An Overview of the Period — Summaries of the presidential
administrations and the major trends in site development and
management are given.

Site Administrator —- When information is available, a brief
biography is given for each administrator.

General Administration — The administrative organization
and the principal events that have physically shaped the
site during a particular administrator's tenure are de-
scribed, including major planning efforts, construction
and landscaping projects, visitor use, and traffic and park-
ing problems. At various times the president and Congress
appointed commissions with specific tasks related to the
development, maintenance, or administration of the site.
These entities are described as they relate to a particular
administrator.

xiii
Preface



William Noland —
February 10, 1834, to
November 5, 1846

66

new iron fence that was lower to the ground and heavily orna-
mented was installed. In addition, new gutters were added to
Pennsylvania Avenue.”

By May the major landscaping and grading on the south had been
completed. New stables, gardens, reservoirs, walks, drives, and
plantings graced the property. Jefferson’s arched gate remained, as
well as the drive configuration, with trees screening the White House
from view. Two willows beside the arch, which dated from
Jefferson’s administration, even then were described as “ancient.” The
elm tree planted by John Quincy Adams survived the Jacksonian
renovations. The area south of the White House to the river remained
unlandscaped and generally segregated from the rest of the property
by Jefferson’s decaying stone wall.”

An orangery was established in 1835 in what was left of Jefferson’s
old treasury vault, which had been used as a storage shed since 1814.
Little is known of the orangery; according to historians, it resembled
the orangery at Mount Vernon, which had burned in the winter of
1835. The building had low windows on each side, and it could
accommodate large tub planters in use at the house.”

During Jackson's administration stable facilities had outgrown those
in the west wing. Architect William P Elliot designed a new facility
that was built just outside the southeast gate, in the vicinity of
today’s Sherman monument. The brick building was stuccoed and
detailed in limestone, with six columns in brick and plaster on the
south porch. The ground ievel floors were of stone. The first floor
contained the necessary stalls and storage for vehicles; the second
floor, a hayloft and quarters for the White House grooms and
stableman. The facility was finished in September 1834. In addition,
the old cow barn, a part of the west wing since the Jefferson
administration, was removed and possibly included as part of the
new stable in a separate facility outside the grounds. The former
stable and barn areas were quickly converted into service rooms.”

87. Seale, The President's House, 203; contract for gutter construction, Apr. 15, 1833,
“Journal, Commissioner of Public Buildings,” 7:26, RG 42.

88. Seale, The President's House, 203. Although Seale notes the north drive as being
established in 1833, the watercolor sketch by Baroness Hyde de Neuville (ca. 1820}
shows a similar design for the north drive. See Reps, Washington on View, 71.

89. Seale, The President's House, 206.
90. Seale, The President's House, 197-99, 260.

CHAPTER 2. THe GROWTH OF THE REPUBLIC: 1802-1849


William Noland —
February 10, 1834, to
November 5, 1846

72

South Grounds of President's
Park, ca, 1841

A romantic depiction of the
White House from Tiber
Creek and the Potomac River,
looking northeast.

Courtesy: Office of the
Curator, The White House

east-west access across President’s Park was envisioned at least as
early as 1845.14

In 1840 the hot air heating system was replaced; the basement oval
room served as the furnace room. Wood and glass partitions with
doorways were placed between the Jonic columns in the central hail,
closing off the main hallway and cutting down on drafts.’

The Board of Commissioners to Supervise the Erection of Public
Buildings was dissolved on December 8, 1840. For the next nine
years the commissioner again answered only to the chief executive."

104. Proposal of Mr. Lorritz to furnish asphaltum flagging for Treasury Building, Jan.
14, 1840, Proceedings, Board of Commissioners, 21; cracks in ceiling in Treasury and door to
be cut between two rooms, Jan. 21, 1840, ibid., 22; new furnace for Treasury, n.d., ibid.,
22; Feasibility Study for the Renovation of the Treasury Building (Washington, DC: Nicholas
Satterlee and Associates, 1968), A-7, 8; Robert Mills, “Plan of the Mall, 1841," as
Teprinted in Gutheim, Worthy of the Nation, 53; M. C. Ewing (civil engineer), “Chart of the
Potomac River and Eastern Branch from the Sister Islands to Geesboro Point and thence to
the Navy Yard Bridge with the Topography of the Adjacent County, Made in Pursuance of
a Resolution of the Corporation of the City of Washington, Approved May 26, 1837” and
“Map of the City of Washington, District of Columbia” (1845), F116, no. 2, and F 117,
2-3, Records of the Office of the Chief of Engineers, RG 77, National Archives,
Washington; Dolkart, The Old Executive Office Building, 6; Committee on Public Buildings
and Grounds, “The Winder Building,” 3. .

105. Seale, The President's House, 216-18.

106. “Records of the Commissioners,” iii, RG 42; dissolution of the Board of Com-
missioners, Dec. 8, 1840, ibid., 25; [journal entry], Jan. 5, 1841, ibid., 26. The year of
this last entry is misrecorded in the minutes as 1840.

CHAPTER 2. THE GROWTH OF THE REPUBLIC: 1802-1849


and supervising the government wharf. The director had to serve as
executive and disbursing officer of various memorial projects and
commissions, be a member of the Public Buildings Commission and
member-secretary of the National Capital Park Commission, act as
disbursing officer of the White House Police, and serve as a military
aide to the president. The director was no longer listed as serving on
the Commission of Fine Arts. By the next year, the duties of the office
were substantially limited to only those items specifically called for
in legislation, with the addition of membership on the Zoning
Commission of the District of Columbia."

in May 1925 it was recommended that two of the White House
greenhouses be replaced by one structure costing $7,000. The green-
house operation continued to expand in capacity and complexity.

President Coolidge made the first Christmas address in December
1925 as part of the national community Christmas tree lighting
ceremony. The event was carried on local radio; four years later it
was broadcast coast to coast. A typical setup in Sherman Square for
the event ca. 1925 involved a bandstand and a presidential stand on
the west side of the park facing East Executive Avenue. Fourteen U.S.
Park Police were included, as well as Boy Scouts. An “aerial bomb”
(firework) was used to signal other tree lighting ceremonies once the
presidential tree was lit. Transportation costs for chairs, music
stands, barricade ropes, and other minor items totaled $200."

Collection Management

At the request of President Coolidge, an act passed by Congress
February 28, 1925, authorized the acceptance gifts of furniture and
objets d'art, thus making of record for the first time the mansion’s
function as a museum as well as office and residence. In March 1925
President Coolidge appointed the first furnishing advisory committee
for the White House, with Robert W. DeForest, president of the
Metropolitan Museum of Art, as chairman, and Mrs. Harold 1.
{Harriet Barnes} Pratt, Mrs. Miles White Jr., William Adams Delano,

183. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1925, 1935-37; U.S. Army, Corps of Engineers,
Office of Public Buildings and Public Parks of the National Capital, Annual Report, Director
of Public Buildings and Public Parks, 1926, 1~7.

184, Earl G. Marsh (chief, Design and Construction} to chief (Construction and Major
Alterations), n.d.; Sherrill to the chief (Design and Construction), memorandum, May 15,
1925; Sherrill to Hitchings and Co., May 26, 1925; all in 920-50/Greenhouses, box 1,
acc. 64A-42, ESF/WHL/NPS.

185. Peeples, American Forests, p. 6; map: Christmas Tree, Sherman Square [ca. 1925],
4115-30-75/Sherman Plaza, box 10, acc. 64A-42, WH&WPP files, ESF/WHL/NPS.

Clarence O. Sherrill —
February 26, 1925, to
January 1, 1926

217

US. Army Corps of Engineers, Office of Public Buildings and Public Parks of the National Capital — February 26, 1925, to June 10, 1933


Chicken wire mesh had been applied about 1962 to the south fence as
an additional security measure to keep White House pets from
roaming into the street; however, the public objected to the appear-
ance. Experiments with vinyl-coated mesh systems were also tried in
1965, but eventually the additional fence systems were eliminated.
Additional fencing in the north Ellipse area brought up more
questions of jurisdiction. Maj. Ralph Stover, chief of White House
Police, thought fencing could constitute a hazard to pets that might
become trapped.”

Russell E. Dickenson — September 26, 1969, to November 11, 1973;
Manus J. Fish — November 11, 1973, to September 4, 1988;
Elmer S. Atkins (Assistant Regional Director) — May 4, 1969, to
December 31, 1983

Russell E. Dickenson, an NPS career professional since 1946, became
director of the National Capital Region in December 1969 after Nash
Castro left. He was a Marine Corps veteran of World War II and a
graduate of Northern Arizona University. After his initial position as
a park ranger in Grand Canyon National Park, Dickenson served in
various positions throughout the national park system, including
chief of the Division of Resource Management and Visitor Protection
in the Midwest Regional Office. In 1967 he was transferred to
Washington as chief of new area studies and master planning.
During his tenure as director of the National Capital Region, the
function of White House Liaison was first defined and brought into
being. Dickenson subsequently served as director of the Pacific
Northwest Region and NPS deputy director. On May 15, 1980,
Dickenson was appointed director of the National Park Service, a
position he held until his retirement on March 3, 1985.”

Maintenance) to ARD (Operations and Maintenance), memorandum, Mar. 20, 1964; all in
D46/White House Fences and Gates (1962-65), box 20, ace. 68A-3201, ESE/WHL/NPS.
Hugh B. Wallis to chief (NCDC), Nov. 10, 1965, construction photographs: Guardhouses,
Fence, and Sidewalk, no. 14 (general view looking east on Pennsylvania Ave. from main
guardhouse, Oct. 1, 1965) and no, 17 (main guardhouse looking N.W., Nov. 30, 1965},
W 14-2913/White House/Guard Booth, Fence, and Walk (1965), box 22, acc. 72A-6215,
ESE/WHL/NPS.

79. Castro to West, memorandum, July 26, 1965; Howard W. Baker (acting dir.) to
Thomas A. Gendy, July 2, 1965; Castro to chief (NCDC), memorandum, Oct. 14, 1964;
Stover to Castro, Oct. 9, 1964; all in D46/White House/Fences and Gates, (1962-65), box
20, acc. 68A-3201, ESF/WHL/NPS.

80. Russell E. Dickenson, interview by Herbert Evison, Sept. 26, 1962 (NPS, Harpers
Ferry Center, WV, transcript), reel CXIIL, side 2, p. 1. “Background Information, Russell E.
Dickenson, Director, National Park Service,” NPS, Washington, DC.

Russell E. Dickenson —
September 26, 1969, to
November 11, 1973; Manus
J. Fish — November 11,
1973, to September 4, 1988;
Elmer S. Atkins (Assistant
Regional Director) — May 4,
1969, to December 31, 1983

iam
Russell Dickenson

Courtesy: National Park
Service

335
‘The National Park Service — 1958-1983


During this period NPS White House operations changed and ex-
panded. Before, the director for the National Capital Region had
directly supervised White House concerns. NPS assistant regional
director Nash Castro began acting more and more as the official
liaison for day-to-day operations at the site. Eventually this position
would evolve into a position known as the assistant regional director
for White House Liaison.”

In May 1962, at the request of President Kennedy, the National Park
Service assumed responsibility for planning, design, budget and
maintenance of the White House landscape. Before this time the
gardens had been under the direct control of the usher and the staff
of the West Wing, at a cost of approximately $22,000 a year. Under
the new arrangement, the four White House gardeners were trans-
ferred to the National Park Service. The Chief Usher’s Office reserved
the right to approve all plans submitted for the property. The Park
Service went to work on various projects, including the installation
of a sprinkler system for the lawns. Concrete helicopter pads were
contemplated for the south lawn by President Kennedy but later
vetoed; it was decided to stabilize the turf and to improve drainage in
the landing area, as long as these measures did not change the
growth, color, or texture of the lawn. Accommodations were made
for Caroline Kennedy’s pony, Macaroni, and stepping stones were in-
stalled in the tennis court area in lieu of concrete sidewalks.”

Dealing with animal pest species continued to be a problem. Record-
ings of distress calls were wired into the trees to discourage the
nesting of starlings in the fall of 1962. Mist spray applications of
molasses and nicotine sulfate were also used to discourage nesting.
The success of these programs is not recorded. One citizen suggested
hanging plastic bags in the shape of toy clowns in the trees; NPS

18. West to reg. dir. (Region Six, NPS), May 25, 1962, 950/Grounds (2), box 14, acc
65A-1108, WH&WPP ESF/WHL/NPS; Haussmann (chief, National Capital Regional
Office of Design and Construction {hereafter abbreviated as NCDC]) to Castro, Aug. 21,
1962, 977/Water Supply, box 15, acc. 65A-1108, ESF/WHL/NPS.

19. West to reg. dir. (Region 6, NPS), May 25, 1962, 950/Grounds (2), box 14, acc.
65A-1108, WH&WPP files, ESF/WHL/NPS; Haussmann to Castro, Aug. 21, 1962,
977/Water Supply, box 15, acc. 65-1108, ESF/WHL/NBS; Jett to chief (NCDC), July
12, 1962, box 14, acc. 65A-1108, 920-25/Executive Mansion; “Care, Maintenance, and
Operation Statement Relating to 1962, 1963, and 1964 Programs,” 915/Appropriations,
box 14, acc. 65A-1108, ESE/WHL/NPS; Jett to Horne et al., memorandum, July 31,
1964, D24/Grounds/White House (1963-65), box 20, acc. 68A-3201, WH&WPP files,
ESF/WHL/NPS; West to reg. dir. (Region 6, NPS), June 19, 1962, White House Corres-
pondence, box 13, acc. 644-901, ESF/WHL/NPS,

Harry T. Thompson — May
10, 1958, to February 25,
1961; T. Sutton Jett —
March 15, 1961, to January
14, 1968; I. J. Castro —
January 14, 1968, to
September 25, 1969; Rex W.
Scouten (Assistant Regional
Director) — February 24,
1968, to May 4, 1969

309

‘The National Park Service — 1958-1983



Foreword

he administrative history of the White House is a story of

both management and cooperation. The appointment of the

first three commissioners of the District of Columbia in

1791 mirrored the post-colonial social and administrative
structure of the early republic. The commissioners reported directly
to the president of the United States. Although administrative forms
and structures have changed over the last 200 years, the need for co-
operation has only continued to increase. Current responsibilities are
shared by the Office of the Chief Usher of the White House and the
Office of White House Liaison for the National Park Service. This
arrangement preserves the original concept of direct participation by
the president and facilitates the necessary daily communications with
various departments and agencies.

Many agencies have had roles in the daily administration of the
White House. Oftentimes the relationships between individuals and
agencies tested the abilities and diplomacy of administrators. But
over the years cooperation, more than any other single element, has
proved to be paramount to the successful operation of this most
prestigious and powerful residence and office.

This report relates the evolution of the administrative structure for
the White House and President's Park over the last 200 years.
Because of its special nature as home and office, at once public and
private, speculation and detailed analysis have been held to a
minimum. The facts are presented to inform readers about the
administrative evolution of the property and to make that informa-
tion readily available to administrators and the American public.

“Definitive” is not a word that is useful when discussing White
House history. The history of the White House, like the nation it
serves, is diverse, dynamic, and complex. Facts and documents that
further illuminate the history of this great house are constantly
coming to light, and the need for additional articulation and study
will always be needed. To quote the Belgian educator and historian
Henri Pirenne, “The scholar’s work .. . is inevitably provisional. He
knows this and rejoices in it for the rapid obsolescence of his books is
the very proof of the progress of scholarship.”

Foreword



456

INDEX

Park Watchmen, 114, 152, 180,
181-182, 190, 198, 199, 401,
402, 404; request to change to
Park Police, 205; changed to
United States Park Police, 209

Parris, Albion K., 53

Partridge, William, 231

Patent Office Building, 51, 53

paths and walks: Adams (J) tenure,
29; Adams (JQ) tenure, 62-63;
Arthur tenure, 144-145;
Buchanan tenure, 105; Bush
tenure, 368; Cleveland tenures,
148, 150; Fillmore tenure, 89,
94-95; Grant tenure, 127-128,
131; Harrison (B) tenure, 154-
155; Jefferson tenure, 41;
Johnson {LB} tenure, 321, 356-
357; McKinley tenure, 169;
Nixon tenure, 342; Roosevelt (T)
tenure, 175, 180, 188; Taft
tenure, 199; Van Buren tenure,
73; Wilson tenure, 201, 207-
209. See also bridle path

Patowmack Company, 7-8, 11-12

Patterson, captain, 232

Patterson, Martha, 113

Paulding, James K., 70

paving: Buchanan tenure, 105;
Lincoln tenure, 111; McKinley
tenure, 168; Pierce tenure, 103

Payne, I. W., 230

Payne, Melvin, 355

Pearce, Lorraine, 331-332

Peaslee, Horace, 213-214, 410, 417

Pendel, Tommy, 135, 141, 147,
175

Pennsylvania Avenue: Buchanan
tenure, 105; Clinton tenure, 363,
371-372, 381; Coolidge tenure,
212; early development of, 27;
Grant tenure, 124; Jackson
tenure, 66; Jefferson tenure, 37;
Johnson (A) tenure, 122; and
jurisdiction issues, 79; Lincoln
tenure, 111; paving, 29, 61;
Reagan tenure, 378-379; Taylor
tenure, 88

Pennsylvania Avenue Development
Corporation, 312, 344-346,
368-369

Pennsylvania Avenue National
Historic Site, 325

Pentagon, construction of, 264

pest control: Coolidge tenure, 224;
DDT, for Dutch elm disease,
286; Grant tenure, 129; Johnson
(LB) tenure, 317; starlings, 309-
310. See also rats

Peter, butler, 96

Peterson, Harold, 315

Petronard, M. and Mme., 151

pets, 367

Pfister, Henry, 136-137, 142, 169

Phillips, Fred J., 142,

photographic building, McKinley
tenure, 169 .

Pierce, Franklin, 86, 95-97, 100-
103

Pilcher, Milton A., 328

Pinkerton, Allan, 114

Platt, Charles A., 218

playgrounds: Cleveland tenures,
159; Roosevelt (T) tenure, 176.
See also recreation

plumbing: Arthur tenure, 143-
144; Grant tenure, 130;
Harrison (B) tenure, 151, 154;
Lincoln tenure, 110; McKinley
tenure, 171

Poinsett, Joel, 70

police: Buchanan tenure, 108;
establishment of, 65; Pierce
tenure, 98; Polk tenure, 83; for
Roosevelt (FD) inauguration,
250, 253, 256-257; Roosevelt
(T) tenure, 181, 189-190;
Truman tenure, 278; Tyler
tenure, 80. See also Capitol
Police; Metropolitan Police; Park.
Police; Park Watchmen; security
issues; White House Police

Polk, Frank L., 397

Polk, James K., 40, 76-78, 80-82

Polk, Sarah, 76-77, 81

Poole, John H., 398

Pope, John Russell, 252, 418

Popiel, Antoni, 412

Popkin, Mrs. Elmer, 285

porches, Johnson (A) tenure, 112-
113

Porter, Charles, 331


Clinton tenure, 381; construc-
tion of, 28-32, 51; included in
Lafayette Square National
Historic District, 339; Jackson
tenure, 39, 67-68; Johnson (LB)
tenure, 320; memorials, 413-
414; Polk tenure, 77-78; site of,
21, 23; Roosevelt (FD) tenure,
253; Van Buren tenure, 69, 71

Treasury, U.S. Department of the,
115, 366, 371, 378; jurisdiction
of, 349; Procurement Division,
and collection management, 253

Treasury Place: acreage, 355;
Eisenhower tenure, 289; World
War Il and, 261. See also
Hamilton Place

treehouse, 349

Trowbridge and Livingstone, 195,
225

Truman, Bess, 263, 269, 275

Truman, Harry S, 240, 263-285,
413

Turton, John, 96

Twentieth Amendment, 250

Tyler, John, 40, 74-76, 79-80

typewriter, 118

U

Udall, Stewart L., 306, 314, 320,
323-324, 324

Uhl, Edwin F., 397

Union Fire Company, 70

United Industrial Services, Inc., 368

United States Army: and bonus
marchers, 236-237; First Divi-
sion Monument, 214, 293, 352-
354, 376, 415; jurisdiction of,
277; Second Division Memorial,
252, 329, 418; site security, 114

United States Army Corps of
Engineers, 40, 86, 96, 102, 165-
237, 256, 356; administration
by, 1867-1897, 117-161

United States Coast and Geodetic
Survey, 271, 290

United States Code, Title 3, 399

United States Departments. See
Agriculture, Interior, Navy,

State, Treasury, or War
Department

United States Golf Association, 286

United States Park Police. See Park
Police, U.S.

University of Pennsylvania, 350

University of the District of
Cohimbia, 350

Upshur, Abel P., 76

Urgent Deficiency Act of 1909, 192

urns, 410; Grant tenure, 128, 129;
Hayes tenure, 136

ushers, 104; Taft tenure, 192. See
also chief usher

utility systems, Carter tenure, 349-
350

V

Van Buren, Angelica, 68

Van Buren, Martin, 39, 68-74, 79

Vandenberg, Virginia, 243

Van Ness, John P., 48

Van Ness v. the United States and the
Corporation of Washington, 64

Van Rensselaer, Stephen, 57

Vasilakos, Steve, 261

Veblen, Thomas, 323

Vemereu, Pierre, 104

ventilation: Buchanan tenure, 104;
Fillmore tenure, 95. See also
HVAC system

Vietnam POW dinner, 344

Vietnam War, 301; and security
issues, 357

Virginia, and jurisdiction issues,
160

visitor pavilion (NPS). See Ellipse
visitor pavilion

visitors: Buchanan tenure, 105;
Carter tenure, 351; Civil War
and, 115; during construction of
White House, 35; Coolidge
tenure, 222; with disabilities,
375; Eisenhower tenure, 288,
290-291, 305; Fillmore tenure,
92; Ford tenure, 348; Grant
tenure, 131-132; Gulf War and,
367; Jefferson tenure, 43, 50;
Johnson {LB) tenure, 313-316,
321; Kennedy tenure, 306;

463

index



Harry T. Thompson — May
10, 1958, to February 25,
1961; T. Sutton Jett —
March 15, 1961, to January
14, 1968; 1. J. Castro—
January 14, 1968, to
September 25, 1969; Rex W..
Scouten (Assistant Regional
Director) — February 24,
1968, to May 4, 1969

310

officials thanked the man for his suggestion but said that such
installations would detract from the overall dignity of the site.”

Throughout internal reorganizations, the National Park Service con-
tinued to coordinate White House needs within its sphere of juris-
diction. National Capital Parks moved into a new building at 1100
Ohio Drive in 1963, reflecting the Mission ‘66 philosophies that had
driven the agency since the mid 1950s. For the first time all regional
administrative offices were included under one roof. The facility also
included space for the U.S. Park Police, whose force was increased by
31 positions.

From August through December 1962, officials made plans to im-
prove the fire protection at the White House. Plans were begun in
fiscal year 1963 to. completely reconstruct South Executive Avenue,
State Place, and E Street at a cost of $150,000. The work, approved
by the Bureau of Public Roads, U.S. Department of Commerce, placed
an 8-inch stone base on the drives and covered them with 2 inches of
asphalt. The usual painting of the exterior of the White House also
continued, but costs had increased over the years. In October 1962
Dewey D’Agostino and Company painted the White House, the East
and West Wings, the Executive Offices, and the White House fences
for a total of $23,800,"

In 1963 the navy mess, built in the 1930s and located underground
south of the West Wing, was expanded.»

In 1963 the National Park Service instituted a crash program for
improved lawn maintenance. Soil conservationist Alton E. Rabbitt,
from the National Park Service's National Capital Region, filed tech-
nical recommendations for a complete renovation of all White House

20. Robert C. Horne (acting reg. dir., NPS) to George C. Legeros, Apr. 5, 1963; Heine to
Eugene J. O'Neill, Feb. 18, 1963; both in N1419/Bird Control/White House (1963), box
19, acc. 68A-3201, ESE/WHL/NPS.

21. Annual Report, Secretary of the Interior, National Park Service, 1963, 119-20; NPS,
“Regional Director, National Capital Region,” by Stanley W. McClure and Russell Dicken-
son [1971], p. 1, H26/History of National Capital Parks, box WHL-AM-005,
ESF/WHL/NPS; Annual Report, National Capital Region, National Park Service, 1963, pp. 2,
7; "West Wing Roof Repairs, Phase 1V, Waterproofing,” chapter 2, p. 1, file PRJ-7-004:
‘West Wing Waterproofing, box 120, ARD/WHL/NPS.

22. Freeman to chief (NCP), memorandum, Dec. 5, 1962, 920-25-25/Fire Protection;
contract 14-10-0028-2099, Dewey D'Agostino and Co., Oct. 11, 1962, 920-25/
Executive Mansion, box 14, acc. 65A-1108, WH&WPP files, ESF/WHL/NPS;
“Reconnaissance Report: Department of Commence, Bureau of Public Roads,” (n.d.},
1460/Lafayette Park (2), box 17, acc. 66A-1097, ESF/WHL/NPS.

23. “West Wing Roof Repairs, Phase IV, Waterproofing,” chapter 2, p. 1, PRJ-7-004,
‘West Wing Waterproofing; all in box 120, ARD/WHL/NPS.

CHAPTER 7. THE NATION'S FRONTYARD: 1958-1983


Benjamin B. French — June
14, 1853, to June 5, 1855

100

General Administration

The Franklin Pierce Administration. Under French’s tenure, the office
of the commissioner of public buildings expanded dramatically, and
additional guards, watchmen, and park keepers were hired to take
care of myriad concerns.**

In 1853 French recommended that the wall south of the White House
be removed and extended 15 to 20 feet farther south and reduced to a
height of 2 feet. The wall would be built in an ellipse of 2,800 feet
running from 15th to 17th Streets and topped with an iron fence.
The east and west gateways would be reestablished at 15th and 17th
Streets. “This improvement to the grounds would give the house an
appropriate finish,” wrote French. He estimated the cost at $15,000.
It took four years, however, for the project to be realized because of
construction on the Treasury Building.”

The White House underwent extensive interior redecoration during
the Pierce administration, and repairs were also made to the roof.
Lamps were set in front of Lafayette Square.

In 1854 legislation required all reports from the office to be made to
the secretary of the interior, who in turn reported to Congress. ‘The
officers of the two congressional houses still directed the com-
missioner in matters concerning the Capitol Police.”

Office space continued to be a problem for the expanding executive
branch because of the limited space at the President’s House. The
government rented private houses and buildings throughout the city
at great expense. Congress did not respond to the need for office
space, according to Mr. Winder, a local developer. Secretary of War
William Marcy and Secretary of the Navy John Mason had previ-
ously encouraged Winder to construct a building, assuring him that
the structure would be rented by the government. The building at the
corner of 17th and F Streets was completed in 1848 and rented at
$175 per room. The amount paid annually was $21,875. The

46. Annual Report, Commissioner of Public Buildings, 1854, 5, 7,9, 11, 14, 15, 19, 23, 24,
26-31.

47. Annual Report, Commissioner of Public Buildings, 1854, 5, 7, 9, 11, 14, 15, 19, 23, 24,
26-31.

48. Annual Report, Commissioner of Public Buildings, 1855, 597.
49. Dowd, Records of Public Buildings and Public Parks, 29.

‘CHAPTER 3: THE ANTEBELLUM, Civ. WAR, AND RECONSTRUCTION YEARS: 1849-1867


Harry T. Thompson — May
10, 1958, to February 25,
1961; T. Sutton Jett —
March 15, 1961, to January
14, 1968; 1. J. Castro —
January 14, 1968, to
September 25, 1969; Rex W.
Scouten (Assistant Regional
Director) — February 24,
1968, to May 4, 1969

334

temporary structures before World War II. New aluminum struc-
tures would allow the booths to be easily moved and repaired. Design
reviews by the Commission of Fine Arts in June 1963 resulted in
minor changes that were accepted. Mrs. Kennedy thought mullioned
windows would look better, but she relented when security experts
objected. The Park Service received construction bids on May 5, 1964;
however, the bids exceeded available funds and were rejected. Public
opinion also caused delays; the booths (finally projected at $9,923
each, with a total estimated construction cost of $357,346) rivaled
costs for a small home in the Washington area at the time.
Congressional inquiries caused further delays. Finally, after much
discussion, a contract for the northwest guardhouse and fence was
approved in June 1968; the work was completed by December 3,
1968. A 3-foot roof extension on the north and south elevations and
a new information and pass window were included, along with
stainless steel shelving. New crowd control barricades were also
ordered.”

The effects of crowds during Kennedy’s inauguration in 1961,
combined with a vehicle incident at the northwest gate in 1964,
necessitated reworking the gate and fence systems. Work was
accomplished in conjunction with the guardhouse project, including
the replacement of gate and fence sections with more durable
materials. The rubble wall and coping on the north side were treated
with ZIM sealer, a waterproofing agent. Sidewalk areas on the north
were also improved, just as the New Executive Office Building arose
above the 19th century streetscape to the west of Lafayette Park.”

77. Castro to Baldi Construction Engineering, Inc., June 4, 1964, W14 (2793}/White
House Guard House (1/1/63-1/1/66), box 18, acc. 684-3047, ESF/WHL/NPS; Robert G.
Cooper (chief, Div. of Contract Administration; construction contracting officer), to J. W.
Voegtli, “Specifications for Alterations to N.W, Guardhouse and Fence, White House
Grounds, Reservation No. 1, Washington, D.C., Contract 14-10-7:991-186, April 10,
1968,” June 6, 1968, passim, D52-14-10-7:991-186/Altemnatives to NW Guard House
and Fence White House (1/1/68), box 25, acc. 72A-6215, ESF/WHL/NPS. David E. Finley
(chairman, CFA) to Wirth, June 24, 1963; Walter M. Macomber to Robert W. Andrews,
June 21, 1963; Walton (chairman, CFA) to Wirth, July 29 and Sept. 11, 1963; acting
reg. dir. to chief (NCDC), memorandum, Sept. 23, 1963; Ralph T Stover to Jett,
memorandum, Dec. 11, 1963; Jett to William D. Carey, memorandum, Dec. 18, 1963;
reg. chief (Safety) to ARD (Administration), memorandum, May 6, 1964; Elizabeth G.
Weston to {(LBJ|, Mar. 3, 1965; John B. Jessup to {LBJ], Mar. 25, 1965; ARD
(Administration) to dir. (NPS), June 9, 1965; Sam J. Ervin Jr. to Jett, June 1, 1965; all in
D3415/White House Guard Booths (1/1/63 to -) (1 and 2}, box 21, acc. 72A-6215,
ESF/WHL/NPS. William S, Buchanan (ARD, Administration) to John L. Clearwater, June
2, 1968, D24/White House Grounds (1/1/66 to -) (1), box 21, acc. 72A-6215,
ESE/WHL/NPS.

78. Horne to ARD, memorandum, Jan. 13, 1964; Maj. Ralph C. Stover to Jett, Jan. 20,
1964, Castro to Stover, Jan. 27, 1964; Walter C. Hinkle (acting reg. chief, Facilities
Maintenance), memorandum to file, Feb. 17, 1964; Preston D. Riddel (reg. chief, Facilities

CHAPTER 7. THE NATION‘S FRONTYARD: 1958-1983


388

thorough inspection needs to be accomplished. A calendar for this
record group or a more lengthy analysis, such as the one accom-
plished for record group 42, would also be helpful.

Records of the National Park Service (RG 79)

This record group contains the bulk of National Park Service
materials concerning its administration of the White House and
President’s Park. Most of the files pertaining to this function are now
stored at the Executive Support Facility of White House Liaison. An
additional search in the National Archives and the Washington
National Records Center would make this portion of the research
more complete.

Other Record Groups: Office of Management and Budget (RG 51);
Commission of Fine Arts (RG 66); Public Buildings Service (RG 121);
Presidential Commissions — Commission on Renovation of the
Executive Mansion (RG 220); National Capital Planning Commission
(RG 328)

These records were only selectively used; a thorough inspection of all
holdings pertaining to the White House and President’s Park is
needed.

Other record groups pertaining to the Department of the Treasury,
the White House Military Office, the Department of State, the War
Office (Department of Defense), the Department of the Navy, the
District of Columbia, the secretary of the interior, and the General
Services Administration should also be inspected for relevant data.
Mary-Jane Dowd’s Records of the Office of Public Buildings and Public
Parks of the National Capital identifies most of these and other pos-
sible record groups in the “Related Records” section of the
introduction.

Presidential records should also be reviewed. Since the Herbert Hoover
administration records of the presidents and their staffs have been
deposited at presidential libraries (which are administered by the
National Archives). Before that time, presidents retained their own
records as personal papers. Independent presidential libraries, such as
the Hayes Library, and other repositories containing presidential
materials, such as the Manuscript Division at the Library of
Congress, should also be reviewed.

The National Archives’ Cartographic and Architectural Branch and
the Library of Congress’s Geography and Maps Division and Prints
and Photographs Division contain materials relevant to the history of
the property. Record Group 79 (Records of the National Park Service)

CHAPTER 10, RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH


William Noland —
February 10, 1834, to
November 5, 1846

70

Two new fire engines were purchaged for the executive departments,
to be managed by the Franklin and Union Fire Companies. The
government firehouse at H and 19th Streets was refurbished. The
public gardener now served both the President's House and the
Capitol.”

Board of Commissioners to Supervise the Erection of Public Buildings (April 23,
1838, to December 31, 1840) — On April 23, 1838, President Van Buren
appointed Secretary of State John Forsyth, Secretary of the Treasury
Levi Woodbury, and Secretary of War Joel Poinsett as a commission
to supervise the “erection of public buildings now in progress in this
city” and to direct the commissioner of public buildings. On the same
day, on the recommendation of Woodbury, the new commission
hired a clerk, one of four who served over the next two years. On
March 6, 1839, Postmaster General Amos Kendall was added to the
commission, and Secretary of the Navy James K. Paulding was
appointed on November 5. The commission met, at least for a time,
at the President’s House.”

This commission signifies the first time the president would share
power in deciding matters relating to President's Park. It restricted the
substantial power of the commissioner of public buildings, who now
answered to various department heads, all having interests in the
decisions of the board and the actions of the commissioner.”

In 1838 labor unrest at the Treasury Building became a problem for
the commission. A total of 111 carpenters and other laborers struck
for better working conditions and petitioned the commission for
disability benefits and for higher wages or less work. Robert Mills
suggested to the Board of Commissioners that workers be paid by the
piece instead of by the hour, but the stonecutters objected. The
commission refused to acknowledge workers’ requests on any level
and merely stated that workers could resign if they wished. In March
1839 the commission approved plans for a new city jail. It is not

98. Annual Report, Commissioner of Public Buildings, Dec. 15, 1837, 1-6, RG 42.

99. “Records of the Commissioners,” ili, RG 42; Van Buren to commission, hiring of
clerk, 1838, Proceedings, Board of Commissioners to Supervise the Erection of Public Buildings,
3; clerk appointment, Apr. 23, 1838, ibid. 3; appointment of J. K Paulding to
commission and resignation of Mr. Brown, clerk, Nov. 5, 1839, ibid., 18; appointment of
Charles 5. Woodbury to position of clerk, Nov. 7, 1839, ibid., 18; commission meetings
at President’s House, Mar. 3, 1839, ibid., 24; Nov. 2, 1839, ibid., 24; Nov. 10, 1839, ibid.,
25; Dec. 8, 1839, ibid., 25.

100. “Records of the Commissioners, RG 42.

‘CHAPTER 2. THE GROWTH OF THE REPUBLIC: 1802-1849


Theodore A. Bingham — completion was rescheduled for September 1, 1903, and the
March 9, 1897, to April 30, dedication for October 15, 1903."
1903

The construction of a pedestal for the Sherman statue emphasized
the low topography of the site and its poor drainage. Because of the
site’s marshy nature, pilings had to be driven, and a grillage built
with concrete walls to contain stable sand so that the statue would
not sink of its own weight.

As the City Beautiful movement and urban planning initiatives
gained momentum across the nation, embellishments and improve-
ments continued at President’s Park. A statue of Rochambeau in
Lafayette Square was dedicated on May 24, 1902. New carriages
were constructed for the cannon surrounding the Jackson statue.
Bingham included in the 1903 report a complete inventory of park
statues, methodically noting the sculptor, the date of dedication, and
other pertinent information as part of the report's appendix.”

Collection Management

After the White House was redecorated for its centennial, the chief
steward arranged for a public auction of rugs and furniture on
December 10, 1899; $1,251.75 was turned over to the Treasury.” @

On April 17, 1900, Congress instructed the White House steward, as
directed by the officer in charge, to make a complete inventory of all
property at the Executive Mansion and to submit it with the officer
in charge’s annual report. Bingham included a partial list in his
report for 1901, promising more complete lists in the future. It was
impossible to give a complete accounting, he stated, because up to
that date no systematic list had ever been kept of the public property
at the White House, even though regular accountings of the house
contents had been common since John Adams‘s administration. In
the 1902 report Bingham began to include lists of purchases made
during the year. Items were noted as to the type, size, number, and
business from which they had been purchased.*

51, Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1898, 3737; ibid., 1903, 2563.

52. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1899, 3841.

53. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1902, 2715, 2732; ibid., 1903, 2560-62.
54. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1900, 5227, 5229-33.

55. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1901, 3693; ibid, 1902, 2717, 2760-61;
Legislative, Executive, and Judicial Appropriation Act, Apr. 17, 1900, Public Statutes,
31:97; House of Representatives, Report of the Joint Committee Appointed to Consider What @

178

CHAPTER 5. THE WHITE House, WASHINGTON, AND THE WORLD: 1897-1933


Holland, Janice. They Built A City. New York: Scribner, 1953.

Hoxie, R. Gordon. The White House: Organization and Operations. New York:
Center for the Study of the Presidency, 1971.

Humphrey, Robert L., and Mary Elizabeth Chambers. Ancient Washington:
American Indian Cultures of the Potomac Valley. Washington: George
Washington University, 1977.

Jeffries, Ona Griffin. In and Out of the White House: From Washington to the
Eisenhower. New York: W. Funk, 1960.

Jellicoe, Sir Geoffrey, and Susan Jellicoe. The Oxford Companion to Gardens.
New York: Oxford University Press, 1986.

Jensen, Amy La Follette. The White House and its Thirty-five Families. New
York: McGraw-Hill, 1970.

Johnson, Haynes Bonner. The Working White House, New York: Praeger,
1975.

Judge, Joseph. “New Grandeur for Flowering Washington.” National
Geographic 3 (April 1967): 500-39,

King, Nickolas. “Legislative history of the National Capital Parks and
Description of the Seventeen Original Reservations.” N. p.: n.d. On file at
National Park Service, Denver Service Center, Library.

Kirk, Elis. Music at the White House: a History for the American Spirit. Urbana,
IL: University of Ilinois Press, 1986.

Kite, Elizabeth S. LEnfant and Washington. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins Press,
1929.

Klapthor, Margaret Brown. Official White House China: 1789 to the Present.
Washington: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1975.

Kohler, Sue A. The Commission of Fine Arts; A Brief History 1910-1990.
Washington: Commission of Fine Arts, 1990.

Kramer, Frederick L. The White House Gardens: A History and Pictorial Record.
New York: Great American Editions, 1973.

Lanman, Charles. Biographical Annals of the Civil Government of the United
States. Washington, DC: John Aglier, 1876.

Leeming, Joseph. The White House in Pictures and Story. New York: G. W.
Stewart, 1953.

Lehman, Donald J. Executive Office Building. Washington, DC: General
Services Administration, 1970.

Leish, Kenneth W. The White House. New York: Newsweek Book Division,
1972.

Leupp, Francis E. “The Story of the White House,” Harper's Weekly, Nov. 28,
1896, 1174.

Lewis, Ethel. The White House: An Informal History of its Architecture. New
York: Dodd, Mead and Company, 1937.

431
Bibliography



William Easby — March
12, 1851, to June 14, 1853

96

private secretary. Webster, in his early 20s, employed Benjamin
Brown French, age 53, as an assistant. William H. Snow, a former
hotel operator, was hired as steward, and Snow and his wife moved
into the White House. Snow handled all outside catering and hired a
full-time butler from Boston (known only as Peter) to help in the
management of large dinners and gatherings.”

Grounds additions that had been initiated under Fillmore continued
during the Pierce administration. John Watt and his assistants began
spending $12,000 for the south grounds as approved by Congress on
March 2, 1853, half of which evidently went to the gardens and the
erection of a greenhouse. Watt attempted to disguise some of the
spending, saying that the money had been used to fill an old cow
pond; however, it was pointed out that the pond had already been
filled under the Fillmore administration. Jemmy Maher continued to
provide plant materials from his Washington greenhouses, and Watt
expanded the old orangery into a greenhouse facility by the fall of
1853, with the assistance of carpenter John Turton and painter
Thomas Stanley. Six years later the facility was demolished.

With $25,000 appropriated by Congress, Pierce had the interior of
the White House refurbished, installed bathing and toilet facilities on
the second floor, and revamped the heating system. After attempts by
Snow and Webster to supervise the work, Secretary of War Jefferson
Davis. suggested that an officer from the Corps of Engineers be as-
signed to manage the projects. Pierce agreed, and Captain Thomas
Jefferson Lee took over as project manager, consulting with Capitol
architect Thomas U. Walter. Together they supervised much of the
interior work. This established the first relationship of White House
management with the Corps of Engineers.’”

In his annual report for 1853 Easby said the public grounds at
President’s Park had been under “a course of improvement” but had
been placed in charge of a “special agent” of the president and that
although the disbursements of funds still took place through the
Office of Public Buildings, the “manner” (quoted in the report) in
which expenditures were made was not known to the commissioner.
He also said that he was sure an independent report would be filed by
the “gentleman who fills that agency.” The agent, William D.

35. Seale, The President's House, 308.
36. Seale, The President’s House, 310-14.

37. Seale, The President's House, 314-20; “Historical Information on the White House
and Its Furnishings,” 6, HSTL. .

(CHAPTER 3: THE ANTEBELLUM, CIVIL WAR, AND RECONSTRUCTION YEARS: 1849-1867


The positions of both steward and commissioner remained highly Andrew Beaumont —
political. Decisions had to be made as to which house expenses could November 5, 1846, to March
be charged to the public bill. While the presidential household applied 3, 1847; Charles Douglas —
pressure on Bowman, the commissioner had to remain vigilant, as March 3, 1847, to April 7,
Congress constantly reviewed his records for evidence of over- 1849
spending by the president and his staff. Cooperation between the

White House steward, who controlled the house affairs, and the

commissioner of public buildings, who controlled the grounds,

became imperative not only because of their close relationship, but

also because of the political conflict between the executive and

legislative branches. This cooperation continues to this day."

In 1848 gas lines were run to the White House from the gas plant
that supplied the Capitol; Congress paid most of the lighting cost.
The initial $25,000 covered pipes, outside lighting, and other labor
expenses. On December 29, 1848, the chandeliers in the East Room
were lit, to the satisfaction of President and Mrs. Polk. In the early
years gaslights functioned only as long as the gas plant operated, so
candles had to be lit when the plant shut down in the evening. Gas
lights were also installed on the exterior of the White House."

As of January 22, 1848, there were 76 lamps on Pennsylvania
Avenue between the President’s House and the Capitol, and 42 more
on the Capitol grounds; no lamps were scheduled for the grounds of
the President’s House. A notation in February 1849 recorded
$39,847.84 to install and service the gas lighting system for the
Capitol, Pennsylvania Avenue, and the President's House since
September 1848. Douglas considered the original gas bill for service
from September to December 1848 too expensive and demanded that
the company reduce it by $568, which was done."

132. "Records of the Commissioners,” vi; Seale, The President's House, 260.

133, Seale, The President's House, 268-69, 1095 (n.39); NPS, “The White House,” 33; gas
meter in President's House and distance from north end of Capitol to the gasworks, Dec.
19, 1846, “Journal, Commissioner of Public Buildings,” 7:44, RG 42; “Washington 1848
Recleiplts for Money on A/C, J. F Callahan on a/c for Gas Pipes, G. M. McLaughlin,
superintendency laying gas pipes @ $2,” ibid., 40; estimate of cost for pit of gas holder at
Capitol, Jan. 29, 1849, ibid., 48; “Historical Information on the White House and its
Furnishings,” 6, HSTL.

134. The commissioner compiled information on other lighting companies, including the
Lower and Upper Gas Companies of New York. This information gives a profile of the
early gaslight industry and the change from oil to gas. The Lower Gas Company of New
York charged $10 a year for each lamp lit with oil, compared to $15 by the Upper Gas
Company. The companies estimated 2,300 hours of lighting time per year. The Lower
Gas Company manufactured rosin gas; the Upper Gas Company used coal gas. “Journal,
Commissioner of Public Buildings,” 7:43, RG 42; estimate of expense of installing gas
light system, “Journal, Commissioner of Public Buildings,” 7:48, RG 42; report to T. J.
Rusk, “Cost of Gas Service to date,” Feb. 1849, ibid., 7:51.

81
Commissioner of Public Buildings — March 3, 1817, to March 3, 1849



Theodore A. Bingham —
March 9, 1897, to April 30,
1903

170

survey of the city, and Bingham was not willing to part with the
records. A complete inventory of the records held by his department
was included in the report. Also included was the usual plant
inventory for all parks, but this time the inventory was annotated.”

The plans put forward by the Joint Committee for the Centennial of
the Establishment of the District of Columbia for 1900 included the
enlargement or replacement of the White House, borrowing plans
from the Benjamin Harrison administration. Bingham also proposed
a new plan to expand the White House. According to one source, he
had pirated plumbing plans for the White House that had been made
by Glenn Brown, who was secretary of the American Institute of
Architects from 1899 to 1913. Brown had an interest in the develop-
ment of Washington, having made an exhaustive 10-year study of
the Capitol building. He was also the great-grandson of Peter Lennox,
one of the officials involved in the original construction of the White
House.

Brown successfully thwarted Bingham’s attempt to expand the
White House. A model of the proposal originally unveiled in the East
Room before President McKinley and 20 state governors in 1900
ended up in the basement of the Corcoran Gallery after objections
from the American Institute of Architects. Subsequently, the Senate
Park Commission proposed a long-term vision of the national capital
based on the original Enfant plan. Known as the McMillan plan, the
plan was enthusiastically endorsed by Roosevelt, and it became clear
that the president would remain at the White House and that the
building would be substantially remodeled.»

The preparations for the 100th anniversary of the White House
included numerous repairs and changes. Silk damask wall coverings
were hung, wall drapes of light blue sateen were installed in the Blue
Room to prevent fading of the new blue silk damask wall coverings,
and chair covers in dimity and pique were made. Two parlor mirrors
in the Green Room were regilded.*

One of the large structures erected on the north lawn of the White
House for McKinley’s inaugural parade caught fire on March 15,

21. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1900, 5269, 5273-315.

22. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1900, presidential message; Bess Furman, “Symbol
Going Back in White House,” New York Times, Oct. 23, 1951, photocopy, OF 50, Misc.
Reconstruction, file 1, box 312, HSTL; Seale, The President's House, 642-45.

23. Seale, The President's House, 637-38, 640-45, 653-57.
24. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1900, 5227, 5229-33.

(CHAPTER 5. THE WHITE HOUSE, WASHINGTON, AND THE WORLD: 1897-1933


stair to the basement were removed, and a private service stair from
attic to basement was installed. The Tiffany glass screen in the front
vestibule that Chester Arthur had installed was removed, with the
vestibule and corridor becoming one space. The columns that divided
the spaces were removed and replaced with others in different
positions. The state dining room was expanded north by removing
the grand staircase and stair hall at the west end of the corridor. The
grand staircase was rebuilt in the location of the old office staircase
and was entered from the Cross Hall just to the left of the East Room
doors. Mantels were shuffled between rooms, and a new door was
cut between the Green and Blue Rooms. In the East Room four
African red marble mantels were installed, and the room decor was
changed. The doors at each end of the main corridor received new
treatments, with the tops changed from arches with fan lights to
square lintels. The new floors on the second floor were of white
maple. The second-floor office was made into bedrooms with baths,
and baths were added for all other bedrooms. Several servants’ rooms
were installed in the attic. The first family reoccupied the mansion on
November 4, 1902, before the work was completed. The cost of the
changes to the White House and executive offices, including
refurnishing, was $475,445.”

A new elevator car, paneled in quartered American oak, was installed
between August 20 and November 18, 1902. Part of the wood came
from the trusses of the Old South Church in Boston by way of the
Norcross Brothers, who had replaced the roof of the church and
saved the materials. The electrical components were manufactured by
the Marine Engine and Machine Company of New York. The car cost
$979; the total installation costs were $5,000.”

After the reconstruction, superintending architect Glenn Brown left a
note in a box under the main lobby of the White House documenting

32. See [Smith], “History of Changes,” 3~6; “Historical Information on the White House
and its Furnishings,” 7, HSTL; Seale, The President’s House, 678; Annual Report, Chief of
Engineers, 1903, 2521; “Historical Information on the White House and Its Furnishings,”
7, HSTL; Moore, “The Restoration of the White House,” 809, 825-30.

33. Reports of McKim, Mead & White, Senate doc. 197, 57th Cong. 2nd sess., 1903, 35;
McKim, Mead & White to Bingham, Nov. 18, 1902, doc. 1346-281 and Dec. 6, 1902,
doc. 1346-312; Bingham to Olin Scott, Aug. 20, 1902, doc. 1346-138; final bill, Nor-
cross Bros., Feb. 12, 1903, doc. 1346-618; all in NA, Department of the Interior, Office of
Public Buildings and Grounds. Annual Report, Director of Public Buildings and Public Parks
of the National Capital, 1926, 21, as cited in Eben A. Ayers “The White House Elevator
Car,” Eben A. Ayers presidential file (White House Elevator), box 21, HSTL.

Theodore A. Bingham —
March 9, 1897, to April 30,
1903

173

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Office of Public Buildings and Grounds — March 9, 1897, to February 26, 1925



Stuart’s portrait of Washington survived because it had been
removed on the order of Dolley Madison.”

Jurisdiction

Jurisdictional responsibilities for the White House and President’s
Park evolved in concert with the administration of the capital city.
The act of May 1, 1802, which abolished the Commission for the
District of Columbia as of June 1, 1802, designated that a
superintendent of public buildings for the city of Washington be
appointed by the president of the United States. An act of March 3,
1803, refers to the position as the “superintendent of the city of
Washington.”

On May 3, 1802, officials incorporated the District of Columbia as a
municipal entity; surveys, lot sales, and related matters were retained
by the federal government. Although the city government continued
to evolve as an entity separate from its federal creator, the symbiotic
nature of the city and national government made the application of
administrative authority more difficult as the years progressed."

Legislation adopted on February 24, 1804, delineated the powers of
the city council, the authority for subdivisions, and the establish-
ment of lots; the authority to open streets and avenues was not
given to the city until 1812. An act of January 12, 1809, established
municipal regulations and limits regarding the sale of lots, sub-
divisions, and surveys for the city of Washington and the recording
of such sales. *

Questions of jurisdiction at President’s Park arose almost immedi-
ately. On Apri) 5, 1806, Attorney General John C. Breckinridge deliv-
ered the following opinion to President Jefferson:

{T]he power of the President to establish the plan of the city
is derived solely from the deeds of the proprietors. These
require the trustees to convey to the commissioners such

32.. Seale, The President's House, 122-26,133-34.

33. Act of March 3, 1803 (2 Stat. 235); Dowd, Records of Public Buildings and Public
Parks, 24-25.

34. See act of May 1, 1802 (2 Stat. 175); act of May 3, 1802 (2 Stat. 195).

35. See act of Feb. 24, 1804 (2 Stat. 254), and act of Jan. 12, 1809 (2 Stat. 511), as
noted in Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1900, 5274-75; and Annual Report, Commissioner
of Public Buildings, October 11, 1856, 855, RG 42, NA. For a concise summation of
legislation concerning streets in the city of Washington before the Civil War, see above
report.

Thomas Munroe — May 1,
1802, to March 3, 1817

49

‘Superintendent of the City of Washington (Commissioner of Public Buildings) — May 1, 1802, to March 3, 1817



triumphal arch at the main southeast gate on Pennsylvania Avenue
was. Based on a Roman plan, the arch reflected Jefferson’s interest in
both classical and early romantic thought. The arch illustrated the
idea that ruins might “stimulate the intellect and cause the spectator
to reflect about the passage of time, the meaning of history and the
destiny of man.” A sketch by Baroness Hyde de Neuville, the wife of
the French minister to the United States, shows the triumphal arch
flanked by walkway entrances with gates. On top of the arch is a
parapet memorial with bas-reliefs of fasciae, each topped by Phrygian
liberty caps on each side of an oblong plaque.

Jefferson conceived of portions of the White House grounds a ferme
ornée, or a landscape that incorporated practical estate applications
into formal garden settings, similar to his conception for Monticello.
Vegetable and herb gardens became part of the designed landscape.
Beauty could not be just an aesthetic ornament, it must also
incorporate the functional, according to Jefferson.»

Gates to the President’s Park had been established at the southeast,
along with the triumphal arch. Jefferson’s design reflected his belief
that the original grounds of the President’s House were too extensive.
He conceived of the south grounds as “pleasure gardens,” under-
scoring the republican aspirations of his administration. A drawing
by William H. Bartlett published in 1839 shows a perspective from
the top of the south portico looking down Pennsylvania Avenue to
the Capitol. The entry arch can be seen in the shadows, and a drive
swings far to the left, or south, as it is enters from the east. It then
turns from south to west to north in a circular route as it approaches
the house.»

22. William L. Beiswanger, “The Temple in the Garden: Thomas Jefferson’s Vision of the
Monticello Landscape” (Charlottesville, VA: Thomas Jefferson Memorial Foundation
11981}} 170-73, 175, 181, 185; Baroness Hyde de Neuville, pencil sketch of southeast
entrance gate, President’s House, ca. 1820, as reproduced in Seale, The White House, 47.
When the arch was under construction, it collapsed, causing Latrobe much embarrass-
ment and resulting in a libel suit between him and Dr. Thornton, the former commis-
sioner and architect of the Capitol; see Seale, The President’s House, 116-17.

23. Beiswanger, “The Temple in the Garden,” 181, 185. See also Beiswanger, “Jefferson’s
Concept for a ferme orné,” preliminary study, 9/24/80, 2/25/81 (photocopy); and map
by Thomas Jefferson, “Observations from a! | of the Mountain Back of Monticello:
August 4, 1772" (photocopy).

24. Seale, The President's House, illus. 14-15, pp. 90, 96, 101, 112-15; James Hoskins,
Narrative of a Voyage from England to United States of North America in the Year 1811
(Penzance: T. Vigurs, 1813), as noted in the McClure collection, ESF/WHL/NPS; "The
White House,” McClure, 12; “Washington from the President’s House,” by William} H.
Bartlett, engraved by H. Wallis and published by George Virtue, London, 1839, as
reprinted in Reps, Washington on View, 107.

Thomas Munroe — May 1,
1802, to March 3, 1817

Jefferson Landscape Plan, ca.
1802-5

Jefferson attempted to bring
the vast landscape of the
White House into a reasonable
scale by establishing landscape
elements, including walls,
drives, and strategically placed
plantings. This sketch is in
part attributed to him.

Courtesy: Library of Congress

45

Superintendent of the City of Washington (Commissioner of Public Buildings) — May 1, 1802; to March 3, 1817



6

‘CHAPTER 1. BEGINNINGS: 1791-1802,

politics. Security questions had been of paramount importance since
the Continental Congress had met at Philadelphia from 1774 to 1783
(with the exception of 1776-77). This need was underscored when
riots broke out in 1778 and 1779, and again in June 1783 when the
statehouse in Philadelphia was surrounded by unpaid Continental
Army soldiers with fixed bayonets (Congress subsequently fled to
Princeton, New Jersey).?

The site that was finally selected for the capital city, sandwiched
between the states of Maryland and Virginia, occupies three river
terraces overlooking the Potomac. Originally, most of the Jand that
would ultimately become President's Park was bottomland that
gently sloped toward Goose Creek.as it entered the Potomac. The site
that LEnfant and Washington chose for the “President's palace” was
on the edge of a soil formation now known as the Talbot terrace.
Lands were increasingly low-lying nearer the creek and river areas;
however, previous descriptions of this and other areas of the nation’s
capital as being built in a swamp are likely exaggerated.

The general boundaries for the District of Columbia were made public
by George Washington on January 24, 1791. Two days earlier the
first three commissioners for the district had been appointed under
the authority of a 1790 act of Congress. The commissioners were
initially responsible for supervising the transformation of fields,
forest, and bottomland into a capital city and the construction of an
executive mansion.*

3. Bowling, Creating the Federal City, 11-12, 14-19.

4. Act of July 16, 1790 (1 Stat. 130); introduction to “Index to Proceedings of the
Commissioners for the District of Columbia, 1791-1802” in “Records of the Commissioners
of the District of Columbia and the Commissioner of Public Buildings 1791-1867,” ii,
Records of the Office of Public Buildings and Public Parks of the National Capital, Record
Group (RG) 42, National Archives, Washington (microfilm) (hereafter cited as “Records of
the Commissioners,” RG 42); minutes of meeting, Dec. 22, 1791, ibid., 69; minutes of June
22, 1793, ibid., n.p.; Mary-Jane M. Dowd, comp., Records of the Office of Public Buildings
and Public Parks of the National Capital, Record Group 42, Inventory Group No. 16
(Washington, DC: National Archives and Records Administration, 1992), 1.


gateposts, which dated from the Grant administration, on the north
end of West Executive Avenue. These gateposts impeded traffic and
endangered pedestrians. But the legislation was amended, and the
gateposts were not removed. Almost immediately trucks and other
traffic began using the roadway as a thoroughfare, causing traffic
and security problems.”

As director, Grant supervised the construction of two additional
buildings for the American Red Cross on the west side of President’s
Park, one facing E Street and the other 18th Street. The first of these
two buildings was approved by Congress on June 7, 1924, with an
initial appropriation of $150,000, later increased to $200,000.
Matching funds of $150,000 were required before federal money
would be spent; over $350,000 was raised. Architects Trowbridge
and Livingstone designed the structure, and the Charles H. Tompkins
Company acted as the builder. Ground was broken February 24,
1928, the cornerstone was laid May 31, and the building was dedi-
cated March 19, 1930. On February 7, 1930, Congress authorized an
additional office building for the American Red Cross on the same
block, and $350,000 was raised as matching funds. Trowbridge and
Livingstone again served as architects, and McCloskey and Company
served as contractors. The building was begun in March 1931 and
completed July 6, 1932.7

Suggestions for updating and remodeling the Executive Office
Building and the Treasury Building continued to be entertained from
time to time. Proposals by Washington architect Waddy B. Wood to
reface the Executive Office Building with a neo-classic facade ended
with the Great Depression and contract disputes, although the
Commission of Fine Arts had approved the plans and Congress had
appropriated $3 million for the work.”

The Herbert Hoover Administration. Herbert Hoover's inaugural
parade stand held 854 people and used a variety of items, including
plate glass, awnings, four plaster and gilt eagles, chairs, muslin, and

207. Annual Report, Director of Public Buildings and Public Parks, 1928, 21; PL 70-265, Apr.
11, 1928 (45 Stat. 422); ABC to John Nolen (city planner, National Capital Park and
Planning Commission), memorandum, Oct. 18, 1933, and Nolen to Cammerer,
memorandum, Oct. 27, 1933; both in 950-13/Fences and Gates, box 4, acc. 64A-42,
ESF/WHL/NPS. The gates were presented to the Ohio State Archeological and Historical
Society on April 11, 1928, for use as memorial gateways into the Spiegel Grove State Park
(formerly the Rutherford B. Hayes estate) at Fremont, Ohio. The gates were delivered in May
without expense to the government.

208. Dowd, Records of Public Buildings and Public Parks, 78.
209. Dolkart, The Old Executive Office Building, 22.

U.S. Grant Il! — January 1,
1926, to April 5, 1933;
James A. Woodruff — April
5, 1933, to August 10, 1933

225

ULS. Army Corps of Engincers, Office of Public Buildings and Public Parks of the National Capital — February 26, 1925, to June 10, 1933



During its construction, the President’s House was visited regularly
by the public, who strolled in and out of the project site and unfin-
ished building, marveling at its size and generally getting in the way.
Finally the commissioners closed the building except to those with
official business or passes. Guards were hired for the public buildings,
evidently using military troops under supervision of the secretary of
war,’

Conclusion

From the initial selection of the site of the capital city in 1791, an
efficient system of administration was required for its development.
Questions of personnel, finance, jurisdiction, planning, design, con-
struction, and security occupied administrators from the beginning.
As the years progressed and technologies evolved, other concerns
would be added to the numerous subjects that administrators had to
deal with as part of their daily duties. Different presidential adminis-
trations would require different administrative approaches. As duties
and programs increased in complexity, it became apparent that the
office of the site administrator and its duties would also grow, Adams
did not change Washington's administrative structure. Thomas
Jefferson, however, would significantly change the physica] appear-
ance and the administration of the capital and what would become
President's Park.

massed in formation on the mall, underscoring at least in theory the possibility of
military considerations in its design and use. See Gutheim, Worthy of the Nation, 62.

76. Seale, The President’s House, 73-79, stationing of troops, Aug. 18, 1799, “Records of
the Commissioners," 417, RG 42; guards at public buildings, Apr. 14, 1800, ibid., 320.

35

Conclusion


In January 1942 the National Park Service finally approved a tem-
porary move of the greenhouses and the propagating gardens to the
former Department of Agriculture experimental farm in Arlington,
Virginia. Finally, another site in the Washington, D.C., area was
selected. On July 1, 1942, the National Park Service abandoned the
propagating gardens, the White House greenhouses, the tourist
camp, and other facilities at the Washington Monument. Plant
materials were distributed to a number of government agencies and
to organizations such as the Corcoran Gallery. Fifteen greenhouses
were demolished; 11 more were converted into mechanical shops at
15th and C Streets SW. The White House used contract florists for a
few years. The White House greenhouse facilities were reestablished
in 1952; however, they never reached the scale of operations that had
existed before World War II.“

The war necessitated new construction on the site. According to
Lorenzo S. Winslow, designs for additional office space began on
December 9, 1941. A new East Wing was built in 1942, replacing the
older structure and providing a bomb shelter. The bomb shelter was
begun on January 2, 1942, and at least partially ready in April,
before the completion of the upper story. The shelter, which cost
$65,000, consisted of a main room 40 feet square, with a ceiling of 9
feet of concrete and %4-inch of steel. The floors and walls were 7 feet
thick. Two ventilating systems served the structure, which had a
first-aid room, toilets, a radio, telephone and telegraph systems, air
raid alarms, and decontaminating chambers. A diesel generator
provided energy.*

The upper part of the East Wing was constructed of shatterproof
masonry and concrete with a limestone exterior. The roof was 12
inches thick to serve as a bomb slab in case of a direct hit. Police

Ave.l, (10/15/41); “Greenhouses Used Exclusively for the White House," all in 920-
50/Greenhouses, box 1, acc. 64A-42, ESF/WHL/NPS.

44. Clarke (chairman, CEA) to Drury, Dec. 18, 1941; Donald L. Ktine (acting chief, Plan-
ning and Construction), through. Gillen, to supt., memorandum, Dec. 31, 1941;
“Demaray to {Ickes}, memorandum, July 1, 1942; Drury to Frederic A. Delano (chairman,
National Capital Park and Planning Commission), Jan. 10, 1942;. Demaray to Dodd, Jan.
30, 1942; Harold D. Smith (dir., Greenhouses) to Crim, memorandum: "White House
greenhouses,” Mar. 6, 1942; Crim to Mrs. Roosevelt, memorandum, Mar. 9, 1942; Crim
to Gillen, memorandum, Apr. 15, 1942; Gillen to Dodd, memorandum, May 6, 1942;
Gillen to Mrs. C. T. Potts, memorandum, Aug. 31, 1942; Gillen to Louis Goldbaum
(president, Avon Wrecking Co.}, memorandum, Sept. 1, 1942; Gillen to Arrow Wrecking
and Lumber Co., memorandum, Sept. 2, 1942; “Contract 1-28P-1083, September 9,
1942,” Root to Public Roads Administration, memorandum, Apr. 16, 1946; Jeremiah
O'Conner (curator, Corcoran Gallery of Art) to Gillen, memorandum, May 16, 1942; all
in 920-50/Greenhouses, box 1, acc. 644-42, ESE/WHL/NPS.

45. “Historical Information on the White House and Its Furnishings,” 12~13, HSTL.

Frank T. Gartside — July 31,
1939, to February 1, 1940;
Edmund B. Rogers —
February 1, 1940, to April
18, 1940; Francis F. Gillen

— April 18, 1940, to
January 2, 1941; Irvin C.
Root — January 2, 1941, to
July 28, 1950

259

Office of National Parks, Buildings, and Reservations — August 10, 1933, to March 2, 1934; National Park Service — March 2, 1934, to May 10, 1958



Harry T. Thompson — May
10, 1958, to February 25,
1961; T. Sutton Jett —
March 15, 1961, to January
14, 1968; I. J. Castro —
January 14, 1968, to
September 25, 1969; Rex W.
Scouten (Assistant Regional
Director) — February 24,
1968, to May 4, 1969

308

appropriate. Palmer continued to coordinate all major rehabilitation
and improvement items."

Formal additions were also introduced on the White House grounds.
The redesign of the Rose Garden that was requested by President
Kennedy in 1961 was completed the following year by Mrs. Paul
Mellon. NPS employee Irvin Williams, who was reassigned to the
White House as chief horticulturalist, assisted with the redesign. The
completed Rose Garden immediately became the site of Congressional
Medal of Honor award ceremonies, receptions for America’s first
astronauts, and state dinners. In 1964 Mrs. Mellon also contributed
to the redesign of the East Rose Garden, later renamed the Jacqueline
Kennedy Garden. Again NPS personnel, including Irv Williams and
William F. Ruback, carried out Mrs. Mellon’s designs."

The Kennedy administration also wished to hold musical concerts on
the grassed areas. Stagecraft, Inc., provided a rental acoustical shell

for two events, charging $900 and $1,200 for the rentals. The -

National Park Service finally bought the unit in August 1962,
subtracting the amount of the first two rental prices.’

The yearly Christmas Pageant of Peace, which now included reindeer,
a@ yule log, and a nativity scene and had various corporate sponsors,
commenced at 4:30 P.M. on December 20, 1961, continuing until
New Year’s Day. While planning was under way for the 1962 event,
a letter was received protesting the use of the nativity scene as a
violation of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.
This matter was finally settled by the Supreme Court in 1973.”

14. (Floyd B Hough], memorandum to the record, Nov. 22, 1961, 915/ Appropriations,
box 14, acc. 65A-1108, WH&WP? files, ESE/WHL/NPS.

15. Dir. (NPS) to sec. of the int., Dec. 16, 1965; sec. of the int. to Mrs. Paul Mellon;
both in D24/Beautification file (1965), box WHL-BF-007, ESF/WHL/NPS. Jerry O'Leary
Jr, “White House Gets Redesigned Rose Garden,” Washington Star, June 25, 1962.
Haussmann to chief landscape architect (NCDC), Aug. 24, 1962; region 6 log, Mar. 5,
1962; Jett to West, Apr. 2, 1962; all in White House Correspondence, box 13, acc. 64A-
901, ESF/WHL/NPS.

16. “Statement and Certificate of Award,” Aug. 25, 1962, White House Correspondence,
box 13, acc. 64A-901, ESF/WHL/NPS.

17. Jett, "Requirements for the Christmas Pageant of Peace, Dec. 4, 1962"; dir. (NPS) to
[Udail}, memorandum, Nov. 21, 1962; Milo F. Christiansen (supt., D.C. Recreation) to all
board members, memorandum, Nov. 14, 1962; Heine to James McKechnie, Oct. 15,
1962; Heine to reg. dir. (NPS), Oct. 31, 1962; Wirth to Leonard A. Baron, June 5, 1962;
all in 1115-27/Christmas Pageant of Peace, box 16, acc. 654-1097, WH&WPP files,
ESF/WHL/NPS. Jerome W. Bailey, news release, Dec. 18, 1961, A8227/Special Events
(4972), box 31, acc. 79-770005, ESF/WHL/NPS.

(CHAPTER 7. THE NATION'S FRONTYARD: 1958-1983


40

John Tyler became the first vice president to assume office on the
death of a president. During Tyler’s administration Robert Mills
presented the results of the first formal planning effort for any part
of the federal city since LEnfant’s and Ellicott’s plans in the 1790s."

Almost immediately after James Polk’s election, diplomatic relation-
ships with Mexico came to an end, and within a year war broke out
between the two countries. Troops once again camped in Lafayette
Square. While the war was initially popular, it quickly divided the
nation, and Americans such as Henry David Thoreau spoke out
against it, setting a precedent for Vietnam War protests in the second
half of the 20th century. On July 4, 1848, Polk signed the Treaty of
Guadalupe-Hidalgo, ending the war and adding 500,000 square miles
to the United States. The same day the cornerstone for the
Washington Monument, which would not be finished until the
1880s, was laid.*

On March 3, 1849, Congress approved an act creating the Depart-
ment of the Interior. Under section 9 of the act the functions of the
president relating to commissioner of public buildings were trans-
ferred to the newly created secretary of the interior. This arrange-
ment continued until March 2, 1867, when responsibilities were
transferred to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Thus, executive
prerogative regarding the daily administration of the property was
delegated to an executive department. However, no president ever
remained very far from the daily workings of President’s Park, and
the White House stewards and ushers, as representatives of the
president and working in concert with the commissioners of public
buildings, played ever increasing roles in its supervision and
administration.”

12. Seale, The President's House, 243, 246-47; NPS, "The White House,” 31; Robert Mills,
Plan of the Mall (1841), as reprinted in Gutheim, Worthy of the Nation, 53; Dolkart, The
Old Executive Office Building, 6.

12. Seale, The President's House, 250-51, 253-54, 266-67, 274. See Thomas R. Hietala,
Manifest Design: Anxious Aggrandizement in Late Jacksonian America (Ithaca, NY: Cornell
University Press, 1985), 111, 262; John C. Calhoun to Mrs. Anna Clemons, Dec, 26, 1847,
as quoted in Hietala, Manifest Design, 242-43.

13. Act of March 3, 1849 (9 Stat. 395-96); NPS, Lafayette Park, 1; Annual Report,
Director of Public Buildings and Public Parks of the National Capital, 1933 (Washington, DC:
U.S. GPO, 1933), 1; Seale, The President's House, 277.

CHAPTER 2. THE GROWTH OF THE REPUBLIC: 1802-1849


Seville, Spain, in 1875, according to plaques attached to the tops of the
gun barrels. From 1900 to 1943 there were 29 such pieces of ordnance
from the Revolutionary, Mexican-American, and Spanish American
wars on display around the Old Executive Office Building. These were
later sent to various battlefields or scrapped during World War II.”

Anchors

Anchors L1984.A and B are on loan to the Old Executive Office Building
from the Department of the Navy, Navy Historical Center, Washington
Navy Yard, Washington, D.C. They are Badlt MFG type anchors 76”
high, 58" wide, and 75” across. Both are inscribed with “LISN” and
weigh 1,011 and 1,027 pounds respectively.

State, War, and Navy Building Markers (2)
(1) History of the building and a map. No date.
(2) National Register of Historic Places plaque. 1972.

State, War, and Navy Building
History of the Spanish brass trophy guns. No date.

Old Executive Office Building Plaque
Building’s history and its placement on the National Register of Historic
Places in 1971.

President’s Park South

First Division Monument — American Expeditionary Forces, World War I

Sculptor: Daniel Chester French

Designer: Cass Gilbert

Dedication: October 4, 1924

A public resolution of December 16, 1921 (H. J. Res. 81), authorized the
placement of the memorial on public grounds without expense to the
government. Sponsored by the Memorial Association of the First
Division of the U.S. Army in the World War. The World War II exten-
sion on the west was designed by Cass Gilbert Jr., in 1957 under
authority of an act of Congress June 25, 1947 (61 Stat. 178). The
Vietnam extension on the east was completed in 1977.8

Sherman Monument

Sculptor: Carl Rohl-Smith with Sara Rohl-Smith, Lauritz Jensen, Sigvald
Asbjornsen, Stephen Sinding, and Mrs. Theo Alice Ruggles Kitson.

Dedication: October 15, 1903

Appropriation from Congress by an act of July 5, 1892, in the amount of
$50,000 and by an act of March 2, 1895, for $30,000. The Army of

12. John F. Dawson (Executive Office of the President, Office of Administration) to
O'Brien, facsimile, Oct. 14, 1993.

13. NPS, ‘A History of National Capital Parks,” table IV; NPS, The President's Park South,
45-47.

415

Appendix D. Memorials in President's Park



houses were moved, since they would be in the sight lines of both the
new memorial and the White House. Repairs to the White House
greenhouses again became an item of question. Estimates of private
contracting for floral services for any given year came to
$68,805.42. The repair of the existing greenhouse structures was
estimated at $10,000. By 1938 the chief horticulturist S. E. Sanders
reported on the generally dilapidated condition of the complex and
suggested that some thought be given to a new home for the
operation, which would require 50 to 60 acres. Shops and green-
houses should not be at the same location, and both should remain
near the site, Sanders noted. He suggested a 65-acre site west of
Military Road, north of the railroad line, that belonged to the
Department of Agriculture. Because the United States Department of
Agriculture was leaving this site, according to Sanders, the Park
Service should take immediate action. However, an estimate of $2
million to move the facility along with the heating plant and a
tourist camp put the project temporarily on hold.*

In the summer of 1938 the director of the National Park Service re-
marked on the poor appearance of the Ellipse: in dry weather large
dirt areas appeared, causing dust problems. In wet weather the area
became a sea of muddy pools. He also noted that the privet hedge
inside the south fence was dying and needed to be replaced, and he
requested that the walks on the Ellipse be raised and that adequate
drains be installed to prevent the pooling of water.*

Between 1937 and 1939 the guitar-shaped road configuration on the
south lawn was redesigned (as per Olmsted's suggestions) to its
present route, and gates and stone piers were replaced at the east and
west entrances. The low iron fence at the southern edge of the south
grounds was replaced with a “higher fence of copper-bearing steel’
designed to match the fence on the north grounds.*

23. Sanders to Gartside, memorandum, Sept. 14, 1936; Sanders to Gartside, memo-
randum, Dec. 8, 1938; “Summary of Estimated Cost to Reestablish National Capital
Parks Propagating Gardens, Shops Including Central Heating Plant and Tourist Camp at
Arlington, Virginia Site,” June 22, 1939; Edmund B. Rogers (acting supt.) to N. A. Degen,
Feb. 14, 1940; all in 920-50/Greenhouses, box 1, acc. 644-42, ESF/WHL/NPS.

24. NPS dir. to Finnan, memorandum, July 1, 1938, 950-50/Planting (2), box 4, acc.
64A-42, ESF/WHL/NPS.

25. Annual Report, Secretary of the Interior, 1939, 26; “Historical Information on the
White House and Its Furnishings,” 12, HSTL; W. G. Carnes to Olmsted Brothers, May 20,
1937; Demaray to Thomas H. McDonald, June 1, 1937; Taylor to Gartside, Feb. 23,
1938; all in 950/Grounds, box 4, WH&WPP files, ESF/WHL/NPS.

Frank T. Gartside — August
10, 1933, to October 9,
1933; C. Marshall Finnan —
October 9, 1933, to July 31,
1939

251

Office of National Parks, Buildings, and Reservations — August 10, 1933, to March 2, 1934; National Park Service — March 2, 1934, to May 10, 1958



for the “bulkhead” area of the President's House. In October 1837 he
drew illustrations of proposed new office buildings on either side of
the White House, together with a scheme for Pennsylvania Avenue
and New York Avenue to actually enter the grounds, meeting at the
north and south porticoes, with circular garden areas on the north
and the south. He also drew what appears to be a third-story
addition on the main house — presaging work that would ultimately
take place in the Coolidge administration more than 100 years later.*

On December 21, 1837, President Van Buren forwarded a report by
Robert Mills to the Committee on Public Buildings regarding execu-
tive office space. To use the new Treasury Building for any other
office space would be impossible, Mills concluded. He said that after
the Treasury Building burned in 1833 he had set plans before the
committee to place all of the executive offices under one roof. Mills
presented plans for an office building south of the White House
between 15th and 17th Streets, presumably in the area of today’s
Ellipse, fronting to the north and south. The committee remained
divided on this plan and finally agreed that the office sites should
remain where they were. Mills, however, continued to lobby for
building office space off site. In reality, the government had already
rented offices away from the White House, including 34 rooms for
everything from payroll to the topographical engineer’s office. Mills
stated that the War Department needed 38,815 square feet, with 116
rooms 19.8 by 16.9 square feet, each housing two employees. This
contrasted with the War Department Building’s space of 12,154
square feet, which, when combined with 18,240 of rented space,
came to 30,394 feet. With additional rooms for record storage and
museum space “to house trophies of the Revolution and of the last
war,” stairways, and halls, Mills projected an office building of about
44,000 square feet. Also included were reports from the various
secretaries and departments noting the need for additional space.”

In 1837 maintenance of the president’s grounds came to $6,227.72.
Treasury construction amounted to $145,816.05. Work continued
with 552,000 bricks, 227 barrels of hydraulic cement, 500 barrels of
lime, plus structural lumber and glass for the construction of win-
dows, all stored on the site. A dwarf wall and fence were constructed
from the southwest corner of the President's House to the new fence
at the north corner of the Navy Department for a cost of $1,257.89.

96. Robert Mills, “Journal, 1834-1840,” Robert Mills Papers, Manuscript Division,
Library of Congress.

97. Message from the President of the United States Transmitting a Report of the Architect of
the Public Buildings, with a Pian of the Treasury Building now in Process of Erection, &c.
December 21, 1837, 25th Cong., 2nd sess. (n.p.), 3-9.

William Noland —
February 10, 1834, to
November 5, 1846

69

Commissioner of Public Buildings — March 3, 1817, to March 3, 1849



allegorical female figure on the Lafayette monument; during repair Edward J. Kelly — July 28,
work the sword had been replaced incorrectly. The National Park 1950, to May 10, 1958
Service thanked Mrs. Georg and corrected the mistake.

On August 24, 1957, an addition was dedicated to the First Division
Monument commemorating the division’s World War II veterans.
The addition, designed by Cass Gilbert Jr. (son of the original archi-
tect), included new south steps and low walls. It was finished by
May 30, 1958. Plans by various governmental agencies to appro-
priate the site for additional office space and to move the monument
met with quick and strong disapproval by representatives of the U.S.
Army. More inscriptions were added to the north wall face, and
insignia were added as well in the next few years.”

The 200th anniversary of the birth of the Marquis de Lafayette was
commemorated in Lafayette Park at moon on September 6, 1957.
French Ambassador Herve Alphand spoke at the ceremony, which
consisted of military displays and music by the Marine Band. On
September 13, 1957, E. J. Foote of the British Embassy asked
permission for the regimental band and massed pipers of Her
Majesty’s Black Watch to beat the retreat on the Ellipse at 5 p.M. one
day in the third week in September. In 1960 President Charles De
Gaulle of France participated in a wreath-laying ceremony at the
Lafayette statue; the National Park Service constructed a small
platform for the occasion.“?

In 1957 President Eisenhower planted a walnut tree on the grounds.
The tree originated from trees growing at the Abraham Lincoln
homestead. Eisenhower also planted a pin oak originally from the

138. Gartside to Phyllis B. Georg, Jan. 11, 1955, 1460/Lafayette Park, box 17, acc. 66A-
1097, ESF/WHL/NPS.

139. The addition was constructed under the authority of PL 121, 50th Cong. ch. 142,
Ist sess. (HJ, Res. 188). Col. William F. Shepard, USA (ret.), “Letters to the Editor,” The
Washington Post and Times Herald, Apr. 24, 1957; Shepard to Jett and William E.
Shepherd, June 16, 1961; Shepard to Lt. Col. (ret.) Edward B. Finnigan, Oct, 31, 1961;
Shepard to Shepherd, May 27, 1959; Shepard to L. R. Wilson (sec., CFA), Apr. 22, 1959;
Shepard to William M. Haussmann (chief, Architecture), Apr. 9, 1958; Lt. Col. Theodore
Antonelli to Kelly, Feb. 10, 1958; “Dedication Program for the World War I Monument of
the 1st infantry Division, Saturday, 24 August 1957 at 1:30 P.M.,” Heine, Aug. 12, 1957,
memo to files; A. H. Hanson (landscape architect), memorandum to files, June 18, 1956;
all in 1430/first Division and First Infantry Division, bax 16, acc. 66A-1097,
ESF/WHL/NPS.

140. Press release, Sept. 3, 1957; Wiley T. Buchanan Jr. (chief of protocol) to Thompson,
June 20, 1960, 1460/Lafayette Park (2), box 17, acc. 66A-1097; E. J. Foote to Heine,
Sept. 12, 1957, 1460/Grounds South, box 11, acc. 644-42, ESE/WHL/NPS,

293

Office of National Parks, Buildings, and Reservations — August 10, 1933, to March 2, 1934; National Park Service — March 2, 1934, to May 10, 1958



The need for adequate executive office space continued to plague
administrators. Legislation was considered in the fall of 1961 that
would implement the studies done in 1957 by the Presidential
Advisory Council on Executive Office Space. Discussions began that
ultimately resulted in the construction of the New Executive Office
Building behind Blair House. This construction and other similar
developments threatened to destroy the 19th century atmosphere of
Lafayette Park, which continued to serve as a social center for a cross
section of Washington society. As a result, preservationists (most
notably the Committee of 100, a citizens’ activist group interested in
historic preservation) and the National Capital Planning Commission
began developing preservation plans for Lafayette Park and the sur-
rounding neighborhood. Activists such as Grosvenor Chapman pre-
pared sketches to convince President and Mrs. Kennedy that the
buildings surrounding Lafayette Park could be preserved. Landmarks
such as St. John’s Church were recognized and incorporated into the
neighborhood plans.”

NPS officials made plans in November 1961 for future White House
improvements. David A. Palmer, a civil engineer in the Office of the
Naval Aide to the President, recommended that $407,000 projected
for NPS operations and maintenance at the White House be included
in the 1963 NPS construction appropriation. He also suggested that
all capital improvements be handled by the National Park Service and
that the General Services Administration be responsible for the East
and West Wings and the main mechanical plant. Operating: expenses
would continue to be carried in the federal budget under an item
labeled “Executive Mansion and Grounds,” and extraordinary expense
items would be divided between construction and operations as

13. NPS, “Historical Study of the Buildings along Madison Place, Lafayette Square,
Washington, D.C.,” (1960), pp. i-vii, 1-32, passim, H34/National Landmarks (Supple-
ment) (1/1/65-1/1/68), box 20, acc. 68A~3201, ESF/WHL/NPS. Lisa Gutherie (John
Carl Warnecke and Associates) to Elwood W. Rensch, Jan. 12, 1965; Harold L. Adams to
Rensch, Nov. 3, 1964; George B. Hartzog Jr. to Ernest Brooks, Dec. 15, 1965; reg. dir. to
sec, (CFA), memorandum, June 22, 1964; Rostad to Warnecke, Dec. 30, 1965; all in D18/
Master Plan/Lafayette Square, box 18, acc. 68A-3201, ESF/WHL/NPS. | | to Thompson,
Mar. 11, 1960; ISG to Jett, memorandum, Feb. 17, 1961; Donald W. Mayberry (rector,
St. John’s Church) to E. T. Scoyen (acting dir, NPS), Mar. 16, 1961; both in
1460/lafayette Park (2), box 17, acc. 66A-1097, ESF/WHL/NPS, Michael Painter to
Castro, Feb. 26, 1969, D24/Lafayette Park (1/1/69), box 28, acc. 279-7524, ESF/
WHL/NPS; Rose Marie Chapman, “Lafayette Square’s Visionary,” Washington Post, June
11. 1994; NPS, Historic Districts, map in Comprehensive Design Plan and Final
Environmental Impact Statement, The White House and President's Park (DSC 1999}, 138. For
a detailed account of President Kennedy's involvement in the preservation and redesign of
the Lafayette Square neighborhood see Kurt Helfrich, “Modernism for Washington? The
Kennedys and the Redesign of Lafayette Square,” Washington History, Spring/Summer
1996, 17-37.

Harry T. Thompson — May
10, 1958, to February 25,
1961; T. Sutton Jett —
March 15, 1961, to January
14, 1968; 1. J. Castro —
January 14, 1968, to
September 25, 1969; Rex W.
Scouten (Assistant Regional
Director) — February 24,
1968, to May 4, 1969

307
The National Park Service — 1958-1983


area, using soil from other project excavations (such as work at
Judiciary Square). Babcock continued to haul decomposed vegetation
out of the marshes on the monument grounds, dry it on the Ellipse,
mix it with lime, and use it as fertilizer. “

Babcock recorded the first mention of a landscape gardener for public
Teservations in 1875. George H. Brown purchased trees and shrubs
for the grounds from nurseries in Maryland, New York, and Penn-
sylvania. Munson’s Hill Nursery in Virginia supplied materials, and
Mlinois supplied 1,100 elm trees. Babcock reported that 2,200 plant-
ings were set out in the fall in the south grounds and in the White
Lot. Ten settees were installed in Lafayette Square.’*

Babcock’s new greenhouse and nursery on the Washington Monu-
ment grounds supplied the White House with flowers and orna-
mental plantings. Grass seed from Kentucky expressly set aside for
the grounds was used on selected public reservations. While Presi-
dent’s Park was not mentioned, the action represents one of the earli-
est attempts to use particular types of lawn grasses for public build-
ings. Kentucky bluegrass would be used extensively on the White
House lawn in the future. Babcock asked for money to pave walks
and drives in President’s Park with asphalt and to install a bandstand.
Funds were also requested to illuminate the executive grounds during
the 1876 Centennial of the American Revolution.“

In 1875 the house was draped in mourning for the death of former
President Johnson, and later that same year for the death of Vice
President Henry Wilson. In 1876 a total of 41,110 cubic yards of fill
were dumped and graded in the White Lot area. A fountain 75 feet in
diameter was installed on south lawn. The flagstone walks to the
new State, War, and Navy Building were reworked. Babcock observed
that as the building was occupied, more and more work would be
needed on the walks due to traffic. By this time two prairie dogs,
which were gifts to the officer in charge, were on display in cages in
Lafayette Square, in addition to German sparrows and an eagle
placed earlier in Franklin Square.”

Visitation to the White House increased to about 2,000 a day during
the 1876 Centennial, and the carpets on the first floor were removed

44. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1874, 3-4, 8-9, 12-13; Seale, The President's House,
476-80.

45, Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1875, 10-13, 16-17.
46. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1875, 10-13, 16-17.
47. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1876, 4, 7, 12-18, Seale, The President's House, 504.

Orville E. Babcock -— June 1,
1871, to March 3, 1877

131

ULS. Army Comps of Engineers, Office of Public Buildings and Grounds — March 2, 1867, to March 9, 1897



Nathaniel Michler — March
13, 1867, to June 1, 1871

124

china. Employees stored the plate, flatware, and china in the base~
ment.”

Personnel needs continued to grow during Michler’s tenure. In 1870
he requested a foreman and 21 laborers for public grounds, sup-
ported by a clerk and messenger, a plumber, an “electrician” to light
the Capitol dome, plus two day and two night watchmen at the
President’s House, along with doormen. The officer in charge also
served as military aide to the president.

By 1870 the White House had been repointed and repainted, and re-
furnishing continued. Michler asked for $20,000 to be added to the
previous year's appropriation of $15,000 to refurnish and repair the
presidential mansion. He also asked for additional funds to continue
cutting the street through President’s Park, “as per plan.” Michler
requested 4,428 lineal feet of fencing, stone fence, and curb for the
park, 17,055 feet of macadamized roads “through the President’s
Grounds,” including “paving, gutters, gates and gateposts,” and
88,400 square feet of brick pavement along 15th, Canal (later
Constitution Avenue), and 17th Streets.*

In June 1870 Michler called for Executive Avenue to be fenced and
additional improvements to be made on the south grounds. He also
recommended that pavement on Pennsylvania Avenue be improved,
as well as pavement for Jackson and Madison Places and 17th Street
due to “the interminable noise” of traffic on the cobblestones. On
July 8, 1870, Congress passed Public Law 144, authorizing funds to
repair and pave Pennsylvania Avenue and setting up a special com-
mittee to oversee the work. It was also decided to dredge the
Washington Canal. Michler recommended opening streets parallel to
the canal and planting trees. He said the condition of the canal was
“nauseating.” During these years Michler worked as a board member
on plans for a new War Building. He continued to work on the plans
until June 1, 1877, some time after his departure from the position
as officer in charge.*

Even though funds were limited in the years after the Civil War, the
national capital received substantial amounts to repair the war

21. Seale, The President's House, 467-68; [Smith], “History of Changes,” n.p.

22. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1870, 520-23, 528-29. In 1868 Michler had
reported that 24 laborers were working on the public grounds of the Capitol; ibid, 1868,
12, 17-18.

23. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1870, 520-23, 528-29,

24. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1870, 520-23, 528-29; Cullum, Biographical
Register, United States Military Academy at West Point, 2:348.

(CHAPTER 4. THE LINITED STATES ON THE THRESHOLD OF WORLD POWER: 1867-1897


Introduction

Tonight {1} took a long look at the President's House... .
The White House of future dreams and dramas . . . full of
reality, full of illusion ... The White House of the land.

Walt Whitman, “Specimen Days”'

he White House — one of the most important buildings in

American history — is an icon of national stability. It serves

as the symbolic domus of the American nation. Douglas W.

Orr, a former president of the American Institute of Archi-
tects and a commissioner involved in the renovation of the White
House during the Truman administration, said in a speech given in
January 1950 that perhaps no building was “so important to the
people of the United States” and that it has “become a symbol of the
endurance of our democratic way of life.”*

The White House lies within meticulously landscaped grounds and
gardens that provide a suitable setting for this classic Georgian
manor house. The White House grounds, together with Lafayette
Park to the north and the Ellipse to the south, are today collectively
known as President's Park. The park serves as the primary landscape

1. Whitman, “Specimen Days,” in The Portable Walt Whitman, 418.

2. Manuscript of a speech given by Douglas W. Orr to the Washington Building Con-
gress, Jan. 5, 1950, p. 1, Presidential Secretary’s Files (hereafter cited as PSF), file 1, box
301, Harry 5. Truman Library, Independence, Missouri (library hereafter referred to as
HSTL).

Nations invoke and use symbols as points of political stability in a world of change
and uncertainty. Over the millennia, humans have used architectural symbolism to
underscore both power and authority. The Hebraic term Pharaoh means “He who lives in
the Great House.” The sultan of Turkey was also known as “The Sublime Porte," a direct
reference to the palace in which he lived. The Roman emperors, as heads of the pre-
Christian state religion, also referred to themselves as “Pontifex Maximus,” a reference to
the great bridge between the gods and humanity; the papacy later incorporated this
imagery into its own titles. The designation came from an ancient Roman May festival in
which supplicants attempted to appease the river Tiber through sacrifice. The White
House provides a similar image and function and operates very much in this ancient
manner when reporters state “The White House said today. . .”, See Barbara Mertz,
Temples, Tombs and Hieroglyphs: A Popular History of Ancient Egypt (New York: Dodd,
Meade and Co., 1978}, 152; Encyclopedia Britannica, 15th ed. (1976), 17:794; 18:223.

1

introduction


Frank T. Gartside — July 31, As in the past, permanently moving the president's residence to an
1939, to February 1, 1940; alternative site was briefly considered and dismissed. “The facts in the
Edmund B. Rogers TA i case are this,” wrote Truman,

ee rant os Gulen This old barn called the White House should be turned into

_— April 18, 1940, to a museum and a comfortable residence, inside a one
January 2, 1941; Irvin C. hundred and sixty acre farm in reach of Washington,

Root —- January 2, 1941, to should be arranged for the President so he could live like

July 28, 1950 other people, but that, of course, is beyond the dreams of

d probability.”

Commission on Renovation of the Executive Mansion — The White
House renovation beginning in 1949 was directed by the Commis-
sion on Renovation of the Executive Mansion, which met about once
every 10 days. The members of the commission were presidential
appointees: Richard E. Dougherty, Douglas W. Orr, Senators Kenneth
D. Keller of Tennessee and Edward Martin of Pennsylvania, and
Representatives Louis C. Rabault of Michigan and Frank B. Keefe of
Wisconsin. Lorenzo S$. Winslow, the White House architect, reported
directly to the president. Work was overseen by the General Services
Administration’s Public Buildings Service. Winslow asked the
National Park Service to be responsible for all construction

photographs of the work.” @

The president briefed the commission on June 3, and Congress
approved the appropriation on June 23, 1949. Consultants included
architect William Adams Delano of New York and engineer Ernest
Howard of Howard, Needles, Tammen, and Bergendorf of Kansas
City, Missouri. John McShain, Inc., of Philadelphia was hired as the
contractor. A subcontractor, Spencer, White & Prentis, Inc., of New
York, had the job of underpinning the stone walls. Maj. Gen. Glenn
E. Edgerton, a retired’ U.S. Army chief of staff, served as executive
director. Edgerton had experience in a variety of complex engineering
studies and had been a member of the Isthmian Canal Commission
during the construction of the Panama Canal, the chief engineer of
the Federal Power Commission, and district engineer for the Rock
Island District (1930-33) during the Upper Mississippi 9-Foot
Channel Project.”

70. ‘Truman to Delano, Nov. 22, 1947, WHCF permanent files, White House balcony
file, box 306, HSTL.

71. Seale, The President's House, 1028-30; Winslow to Root, Jan. 3, 1950, 1770-
20/100/White House, box 16, acc. 65A-1108, WH&WPP files, ESF/WHL/NPS.

72. Seale, The President's House, 1028-30, 1034; NPS, Gateways to Commerce: The U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers’ 9-Foot Channel Project on the Upper Mississippi River, by William e@

270

‘CHAPTER 6. THE NEW DEAL, WORLD WAR II, AND PEACE: 1933-1958


394

U.S, Army Corps of Engineers: Officer in Charge of Public
Buildings and Grounds, March 2, 1867, to February 26, 1925

Nathaniel Michler

Bvt. Brig. Gen., U.S, Army

Maj., Corps of Engineers
Orville E. Babcock

Bvt. Brig. Gen., U.S. Army

Maj., corps of Engineers
Thomas Lincoln Casey

Col., U.S. Army”

Lt. Col., Corps of Engineers
Almon F Rockwell

. Col. U.S. Army

Capt., Quartermaster Corps
John M. Wilson

Col., US. Army

Lt. Col., Corps of Engineers
Oswald H. Ernst

Col., US. Army

Maj., Corps of Engineers
John M. Wilson

Col., U.S. Army

Lt. Col., Corps of Engineers
John $. Sewell

ist Lt., US. Army
Theodore A. Bingham

Col., US. Army

Capt., Corps of Engineers
Thomas W. Symons

Col., US. Army

Maj., Corps of Engineers
Charles S. Bromwell

Col., U.S. Army

Capt., Corps of Engineers
Spencer Cosby

Col., U.S. Army

Maj., Corps of Engineers
William W. Harts

Col., US, Army

Lt. Col., Corps of Engineers
Clarence S. Ridley

Col., U.S. Army

Lt. Col., Corps of Engineers
Clarence O. Sherrill

Col., U.S. Army

Lt. Col., Corps of Engineers

March 13, 1867
June 1, 1871
March 3, 1877
April 1, 1881
June 1, 1885
September 7, 1889
March 31, 1893

February 16, 1897**

March 9, 1897
April 30, 1903
April 26, 1904
March 15, 1909
August 19, 1913
September 22, 1917

March 21, 1921

Officer in Charge of Public Buildings and Public Parks of the
National Capital, February 26, 1925, to June 10, 1933

Clarence O, Sherrill
Col., U.S. Army

Lt. Col., U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Ulysses S$. Grant IT
Maj., US. Army

Maj., US. Army Corps of Engineers

James A. Woodruff
Col., U.S. Army

Col., U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

February 26, 1925

January 1, 1926

April 5, 1933


Orville E. Babcock — June 1,
1871, to March 3, 1877

126

with choosing Appomattox Court House as the meeting site of the
opposing forces of the Civil War on April 9, 1865,

After the war Babcock served at the héadquarters of the commanding
general of U.S. armies from April 9, 1866, to March 4, 1869. He was
then appointed as superintending engineer of public buildings and
grounds, overseeing public works such as the Washington Aqueduct
(1871-77), the Chain Bridge (1872-77), and the Anacostia Bridge
(1874-77). He also served as Grant's personal secretary from 1869.
In December 1875 he was charged by a St. Louis grand jury of
involvement in the “Whiskey Ring,” a collusion of distillers and gov-
ernment officials to’ avoid taxes. Babcock had friends among the
criminals and had received gifts from at least one. President Grant
himself gave a deposition attesting to his innocence. Babcock was
acquitted in February 1876 and returned to his official duties.”*

Babcock left his position at the Executive Mansion and as super-
intendent on March 3, 1877, just before the inauguration of Ruther-
ford B. Hayes. Babcock drowned at Mosquito Inlet, Florida, on June
2, 1884, at the age of 48.”

General Administration

The Ulysses $. Grant Administration. Babcock was a favorite of Grant
and maintained close ties with first lady Julia Grant, similar to the
way that Benjamin French had worked with Mrs. Lincoln. Babcock
immediately found that accounts were overdrawn by $51,824.55
(mostly for improvement to Executive Avenue in 1869). He stated
that Michler had not left a certified statement of accounts as required
by U.S. Army regulations.”

The officer in charge of public buildings and grounds had occupied
the former offices of the commissioner of public buildings in the
basement of the Capitol. In 1871 the office was moved to
Pennsylvania Avenue and 21st Street NW. Its records, however,

28, Heitman, Historical Register, U.S. Army, 1:178; Cullum, Biographical Register, U.S.
Military Academy, 2:770-71; Webster's American Military Biographies (Springfield, MA:
G&C Merriam, 1987), 18.

29. Heitman, Historical Register, U.S. Army, 1:178; Cullum, Biographical Register, U.S.
Military Academy, 2:770-71; Webster's American Military Biographies (Springfield, MA:
G&C Merriam, 1987), 18; Seale, The President's House, 483-84; Annual Report, Chief of
Engineers, 1877, 5.

30. U.S. War Office, “Casualties, 1885,” in U.S. Army Register, 3:364.

31. Seale, The President’s House, 483; Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1871, 968-70,
971-72; bid., 1872, 9.

(CHAPTER 4. THE LINITED STATES ON THE THRESHOLD OF WORLD POWER: 1867-1897



44

(CHAPTER 2. THE GROWTH OF THE REPUBLIC: 1802-1849


CONTENTS

Illustrations

George Washington, Esq., President of the United States of America, from the Original Portrait
Painted at the request of the Corporation of the University of Cambridge in Massachusetts — 1
Daniel Carroll — 8
Thomas Johnson — 8
Gustavus Scott — 10
William Thornton — 10
William Cranch — 11
Sketch of Washington in Embryo — 15
Plan of the City Intended for the Permanent Seat of the Government of the United States — 19
“Sketch of the White House from the Southeast,” by Nicholas King, ca. 1799 — 27
Thomas Munroe — 41
Jefferson Landscape Plan, ca. 1802-05 — 44

“Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington et La Porte du Jardin du Président” by Baroness Hyde de
Neuville, 1821 — 46

“Washington City 1821,” by Baroness Hyde de Neuville — 55
South Grounds of President’s Park, ca. 1847 — 72

Detail of a Landscaping Plan for the National Mall and the White House Grounds by Andrew
Jackson Downing, ca. 1851 — 91

William Easby — 93
Benjamin B. French — 98
The Stable of the White House, Harper’s Weekly, April 17, 1869 — 111
Nathaniel Michler — 120
Orville E. Babcock — 125
Lafayette Square Urn — 129
Thomas L. Casey — 134
John M. Wilson — 146
John Sewell — 157
Theodore A. Bingham — 166
Thomas W. Symons — 183
Charles S. Bromwell — 183
Spencer Cosby — 191
Butt-Millet Memorial Fountain, 1913 — 197
William W. Harts — 199
New Lodge Building, Lafayette Park, 1914 — 202
Clarence S. Ridley — 205
Clarence O. Sherrill — 210
U, $. Grant HI— 219
James Woodruff — 220
C. Marshall Finnan — 241


contains the largest collection of drawing materials, dating back to
the late 19th century, which was transferred to the National Park
Service when the Office of Public Buildings and Public Parks of the
National Capital was abolished in 1933, These three offices have been
surveyed for drawing, map, and photographic records, but a
thorough investigation is needed for additional materials.

Private Records

In addition, manuscript collections of prominent individuals and
firms associated with the White House and President’s Park should be
consulted. Individuais inclide Benjamin Henry Latrobe (surveyor of
public buildings of the United States) and Col. Theodore Bingham.
(officer in charge of public buildings). Firms include McKim, Mead &
White of New York City and the Olmsted Brothers of Brookline,
Massachusetts.

Secondary Sources

Secondary sources on the White House are many; scholarly works
are few. Most extant secondary works and articles were looked at in
the course of work. Those that proved specifically illuminating were
incorporated as part of the research.

389

Recommendations for Future Research



Mansion to the White House. The order formalized the nickname
that had been in use for many years?

In 1901 the McMillan plan, produced by the Senate Park Commis-
sion, proposed a long-range vision for the national capital. The core
of President's Park — Lafayette Square, the White House, the
Treasury Building, the State, War, and Navy Building, and the Ellipse
~— were left intact. Overall, the plan acknowledged the property as an
important element in the design of the Monumental Core. The plan
also put an end to efforts to move the president out of the White
House and led to the extensive renovation of the structure the
following year.

Under the guidance of the architectural firm of McKim, Mead &
White, the White House was remodeled between March and Decem-
ber 1902, first major architectural changes since its reconstruction
after the War of 1812. A new executive office building (eventually
becoming known as the West Wing) was also built. Charles Moore,
clerk of the Senate, summed up American feeling about the house at
the time, saying in Century Magazine that “to the American people [it]
represents the personality of the President of the United States.”*

At the beginning of the Taft administration the Executive Office
Building (West Wing) was expanded, doubling the office space and e@
creating the Oval Office, echoing the elliptical shape of the second

floor oval room in the Executive Residence. Taft was the first

president to use automobiles at the White House, and automobiles

soon became a major factor in future site designs and functions.>

During Woodrow Wilson’s administration World War I caused many
changes to take place at President's Park, including closing the White
House to the public as a security measure. Early in his first term

3. The naming of the White House took place at a time when the south grounds
continued to be referred to as the “White Lot.” The nation’s Navy was referred to as the
“Great White Fleet,” Broadway received its name of “The Great White Way,” the Chicago
Exposition was hailed as “The White City,” John L. Sullivan was referred to as the "Great
White Hope,” and President Taft’s personal car would be known as “The Great White
Steamez." As racism and Jim Crow legislation became more institutionalized in the United
States, public imagery followed suit: whiteness became important. Roosevelt's invitation
of Booker T Washington to the White House on October 16, 1901, the ensuing scandal,
and the change of the official designation on October 17 underscored the tenor of the
times. See Seale, The President's House, 646, 652-53.

4. Seale, The President’s House, 680-81; Charles Moore, “The Restoration of the White
House,” Century Magazine, 65 (April 1903): 808.

5. {Smithl, “History of Changes,” 6; “Historical Information on the White House and
Its Furnishings,” 7, HSTL; Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1909, 2353; ibid., 1920,
2656-57.

164

(CHAPTER 5. THE WHITE HOUSE, WASHINGTON, AND THE WORLD: 1897-1933


Thomas W. Symons — April
30, 1903, to April 26, 1904;
Charles $. Bromwell — April
26, 1904, to March 15, 1909

188

Memorials

The Sherman statue was dedicated on October 15, 1903, and its
location was renamed Sherman Plaza on February 18, 1904. Walks
were installed, along with flower beds planted in the designs of the
corps badges of the Army of Tennessee.”

Initial plans were made in 1904 to install statues of Generals von
Steuben and Kosciuszko at the northwest and northeast corners of
Lafayette Square, respectively. The memorials were finally erected in
1910.”

A 1904 inventory of trees of the White House grounds mentions two
fern-leaf beeches planted by President and Mrs. Roosevelt on February
22, 1904. (Thirty years later these full-grown specimens were moved
to Seaton Park, nearly a mile away.)”

Collection Management

The repair and regilding of the large presidential oi] portraits and
frames was carried out in 1904 under the direction of the officer in
charge. A portrait of Theodore Roosevelt was purchased from artist
John Singer Sargent for $2,500. For the first time, four cabinets were
purchased for the display of historic artifacts and for the exhibition
of White House china; this marked the beginning of the White House
china display.

Archibald Butt, who was incredibly loyal to the Roosevelts, even
attended to duties that were less than legal. Edith Roosevelt

89. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1904, 3923; ibid., 1905, 2655.

90, Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1904, 3950; ibid., 1908, 2377-81, 2390, 2392,
2404-5, 2409, 2412: Seale, The President's House, 736.

91, ‘Historic Trees: White House Grounds” |1934)], 2, 950-50/Planting (2), box 4,

accession no, (acc.) 644-42, ESF/WHL/NPS. Mention was also made of a “Russo-
American oak” planted by President Roosevelt, Secretary of Agriculture James Wilson,
and Secretary of the Interior W. A. Hitchcock on April 6, 1904, east of the west terrace.
This tree was supposedly grown from a tree in Saint Petersburg, Russia, that had in turn
been grown from acorns collected from an oak shading Washington's tomb at Mount
‘Vernon and sent by Senator Charles Sumner of Massachusetts to the Russian czar. In
Russia Hitchcock had picked up some acorns he thought were from this tree, brought
them back to the states, grew some small trees at his home in St, Louis, and presented
one to the White House. However, the tree he presented was a Quercus dentata or daimyo
oak, not a Quercus bicolor as at Mount Vernon; Hitchcock evidently had picked up the
wrong acorns on Czarina Island. The daimyo oak was blown over by high winds in
1956. See assoc. supt. to files, memorandum, Apr. 16, 1958, 950-50/Plantings (2}, box
4, acc. 64A-42, ESF/WHL/NPS.

92. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1904, 3907-11.

‘CHAPTER 5. THE WHITE HOUSE, WASHINGTON, AND THE WORLD: 1897-1933.


The Calvin Coolidge Administration. In 1923 the first national com- Clarence O. Sherrill — March
munity Christmas tree was erected on the Ellipse. The tree was cut in 21, 1921, to February 26,
the Green Mountains and shipped from Vermont by Middlebury 1925
College as a Christmas gift to President Coolidge. The Community

Center Department of the District of Columbia Public Schools, the

American Forestry Association, and the Potomac Electric Power

Company were among the sponsors. Delivered on December 17, the

tree was erected in the middle of the Ellipse. The tree was decorated

with 3,000 electric lights; wiring was trenched to the site, and a large

transformer was buried near the tree. A small bandstand north of the

tree housed the button for the president to turn on the lights, in

addition to music stands. With 3,000 people looking on, the

president lit the tree at 5 P.M. on Christmas Eve, with a fanfare of

trumpets. The Marine Band accompanied choirs singing carols and

gave a formal concert at 7 P.M. Between midnight and 12:40 A.M. the

Colored Community Centers of the District of Columbia sang carols.

The tree remained lit each night until January 2, when it was

removed and the grounds restored. U.S. Park Police handled the

crowds, and a policeman was detailed to guard the tree. C. Kirby

Smith, president of the Louisiana Society of Washington, presented a

check for $60 to erect the tree and stand. According to the official

report, $39.12 was spent, with $20.88 returned to the donors.’

In 1924 the American Forestry Association presented the nation its
first living Christmas tree, a Norway spruce, which was balled,
planted in Sherman Square, and removed after the event. Sherman
Square was specifically chosen to keep “the ceremony, spiritual in
character, from reaching carnival proportions.” The event remained
at this location for the next 10 years.”

166. “1923” [National Community Christmas Tree Report], 1115-30-75/Sherman Plaza,
box 10, acc. 64A-42, WH&WPP files, ESF/WHL/NPS. According to at least one source,
the national Christmas tree ceremony had its origins in the lighting of a tree on the east
plaza of the Capitol on December 24, 1913. President Wilson did not participate in the
lighting ceremony but was active in planning the event, which was attended by 20,000
people. The Marine Band played, and numerous choirs sang. See Bill Reuter, Reuter and
Associates, to Sandra Alley (WHL), memorandum: “History,” Nov. 14, 1995, NCR, NPS,

167. During this time the celebration grew slowly in both size and expense. Crowds
remained at about 1,000 to 2,000 people for each lighting with the exception of 1927,
when 4,500 people attended. At that time the Community Center Department of the
District of Columbia placed a bronze marker at the foot of the tree; the Office of Public
Buildings and Public Parks placed the marker for the District. Elizabeth Peeples, American
Forests (December 1940), as quoted in a radio script for the lighting of the community
Christmas tree, 1940, pp. 3-4; program, “The Lighting of the National Community
Christmas Tree, Washington, D.C., Christmas Eve, Tuesday, Dec. 24, 1940, The Ellipse,
Four-Thirty”; A. Clyde Burton, “Placing and Removing Equipment for National
Community Christmas Tree in Grounds South of Executive Mansion [2/21/41]"; all in
1115-30-15/Grounds South (1924-34), National Community Christmas ‘Tree Reports,
1927, p. 8, passim, box 11, ace. 64A-42, WH&WPP files, ESF/WHL/NFS.

211
U.S. Amy Corps of Engineers, Office of Public Buildings and Grounds — March 9, 1897, to February 26, 1925


John M, Wilson —~ June 1,
1885, to September 7, 1889

152

walk was laid in the middle of the gravel-surfaced road between the
southeast and southwest gates."

Site Security

Security continued to expand at President's Park. Vandalism required
repairs at both President’s Park and the Washington Monument.
Wilson proposed in 1885 to remove the last remaining part of the
south boundary wall and flagstone walks and to construct a new
wall with iron railing and new bluestone flagging. Lighting for the
area also continued to be a concern. Immediately after the arrival of
Wilson as officer in charge, the Legislative, Executive and Judicial Act
took effect, giving Park Watchmen the same power and duties as the
Metropolitan Police, as of August 5, 1885. It also authorized them to
exercise police powers anywhere in the district, functionally making
them a police unit. Rockwell had eliminated watchmen and doormen
at the Executive Mansion as line items from his budget in 1881.
While a watchman for Lafayette Square still appeared in the budget,
White House staff and security mysteriously disappeared as specific
references, subsumed into one of the more general categories list in
the budget of the officer in charge."*

in 1885 additional watchmen were requested for Lafayette Square
and the Ellipse. While the popularity of the Ellipse continued to grow,
as of 1887 it was still not lighted. Wilson recommended that a 150-
foot tower be erected in the center of the lot and equipped with six
lamps of 2,000 candlepower each. The installation would cost about
$750 to build and $1,533 per year to operate, reported Wilson. The
next year he reconsidered, saying that the structure would
“disfigure” the Ellipse. To complement the 71 gaslights elsewhere on
the Executive Mansion grounds, he now recommended that seven
iron electric light poles 25 feet high be placed around the perimeter of
the Ellipse. Wires would be placed underground. Operating each lamp
would cost 70 cents per night, for a total of $1,788.50 per year. Bids
were let for the work, but arguments over cost kept the Ellipse dark.
Wilson said the area was dangerous at night. “It is earnestly
recommended in the interest of morality and of the welfare of those

121. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1889, iii-iv, 2827, 2835, 2839,

122. Legislative, Executive, and Judicial Act, act of March 3, 1882 {22 Stat. 243), as
quoted in Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1925, 1949; ibid., 1881, 2342-44, 2716, 2718;
ibid., 1882, 2739, 2744; ibid., 1884, 2346; ibid., 1885, 2513; ibid., 1887, 2580; ibid.,
1888, 2783; ibid., 1889, 2827, 2830, 2856; 1889, 1889, 2841.

CHAPTER 4. THE UNITED STATES ON THE THRESHOLD OF WORLD POWER: 1867-1897


in 1831, the porte cochére of the north portico had been completed, Joseph Elgar — May 8,
with iron railing and fittings, at a cost of $3 per foot.” 1822, to February 10, 1834

Officials recorded plans for extensive changes to the landscape in the
southern part of President’s Park in the “Journal of the Commis-
sioner of Public Buildings.” An entry dated November 30, 1830,
makes the first mention of a circular road configuration in the south
precinct of President’s Park. It gives an “estimate for the closing of
the public grounds between the circular road and Tiber,” using 3,189
feet of wall and iron railing at $6 per foot and eight stone piers at
$300 each, for a total cost of more than $20,000. Estimates were
also given for changing the course of Tiber Creek, with brickwork
laid in an arch for a total cost of $3,202.30. It can be assumed that at
least part of the creek was also put underground at this time. These
entries confirm the existence of a road pattern on the south side of
the mansion as early as 1830.”

By 1832 Pennsylvania Avenue between 3rd and 14th Streets had been
macadamized and paved. Additional funds amounting to nearly
$30,000 were requested to improve the entire length of the street. In
1832, $3,000 was spent on general improvements to President's
Park.”

An engraving made about 1832 shows the upper part of the south
lawn looking northeast. The ancillary service wings of the White
House are clearly visible, as is the brick Treasury Building in the
distance, which evidently had suffered some unfortunate additions to
the west, if the engraving is accurate. Formal walkways and gardens
appear in the foreground, and a large wooden fence encloses an
irregular portion of the south lawn. The south part of the entry drive
can barely be seen as a dark area. This configuration of President's

70. Seale, The President's House, 173-74; contract with Jardella, Mar. 31, 1828,
“Journal, Commissioner of Public Buildings,” 7:18, RG 42; railing at President's House,
id., 7:20; Annual Report,

1830, ibid., 7:18; recommendations for hiring, 1834,
Commissioner of Public Buildings, Jan. 4, 1830, n.p., RG 42.

71. “Estimates for the Closing of the Public Grounds between the Circular Road and
Tiber and Changing the Course of the Tiber,” Nov. 30, 1830, “Journal, Commissioner of
Public Buildings,“ 7:19, RG 42; anonymous watercolor, ca. 1827, as reproduced in Seale,
The White House, 72-73. The dollar estimate for the wall to close the public ground
between the circular road and the Tiber is listed at $21,374; however, there was an error
in addition; the actual figure should have been $21,534. It is unknown if this wall was
ever constructed.

72. Annual Report, Commissioner of Public Buildings, Dec. 13, 1832 (n.p.), 1-3, RG 42.

61

Commissioner of Public Buildings — March 3, 1817, to March 3, 1849



15

Commissioners for the District of Columbia — January 22, 1791, to May 1, 1802


for crowned road systems and rolled stone aggregate bases. Other
road systems, such as the ones proposed by Thomas Telford, were
also popular in the region. Very likely the experiment stemmed from
these and similar influences. As far as is known, this represents the
first attempt to pave driving surfaces in President's Park in material
other than brick.

The John Quincy Adams Administration. Under John Quincy Adams
the White House was run by chief steward Antoine Michel Giusta
and his wife, who had been brought to Washington by the Adamses.
Adams's son was his personal secretary and was given responsibility
for government appropriations for the house.*

By 1825 Adams evidently had become dissatisfied with gardener
Charles Bizet and replaced him with John Ousley, who maintained a
residence in the east wing in the former stable area. Under the Adams
administration hundreds of seedlings were planted on the north and
south lawns. Adams wanted to turn the grounds into a botanical
garden, with plantings of walnut, persimmon, tulip, oak, willow
catalpa, chestnut, and honey locust. Jefferson’s gardens to the right
of the south entrance gate were developed as 2 acres of ornamental
gardens equipped with their own cistern. The Treasury pump was
equipped with a garden spout attachment, and the former treasury
vault (built during the Jefferson administration) was turned into a
gardener’s shed. Cold frames were built to the north and south of the
ornamental gardens, and the president worked with them when time
permitted. Adams himself noted that over 1,000 varieties of plants,
trees, shrubs, herbs, and flowers were included in the plot. The
garden area seems to have been in full operation by 1827, in time for
the next presidential election. Lafayette Square received an additional
$2,891.92 worth of unspecified improvements in 1827.*

In February 1828 it was noted that the wall south of the President’s
House had never been completed and was deteriorating as a conse-
quence, so that the “temporary gate at the southwest entrance will
no longer prevent the intrusion of cattle.” Officials requested

64. NPS, Lafayette Park, 7, 19-20; “Experiment near the President's Gate,” “Journal,
Commissioner of Public Buildings,” 1824, p. 9, RG 42; Paul D. Marshall, American
Institute of Architects, ed., ‘A Cultural Research Project: The New River Gorge National
River, West Virginia,” (Charleston, WV, 1981) 2:156.

65. Seale, The President's House, 166; notes, Monkman (OC/WH), July 19, 2000.

66. Seale, The President's House, 169; appointment of John Qusley, gardener, at
President’s Square, Aug. 1, 1825, “Journal, Commissioner of Public Buildings," 7:17, RG
42; Annual Report, Commissioner of Public Buildings, January 4, 1828, 5, RG 42.

Joseph Elgar — May 8,
1822, to February 10, 1834

59

Commissioner of Public Buildings — March 3, 1817, to March 3, 1849



September 2, 1874. After his service as officer in charge of public Thomas L. Casey — March
buildings and grounds he continued to work in the Corps of 3, 1877, to April 1, 1881
Engineers, supervising the completion of the Washington Monument

among other projects. For the monument he solved problems in the

initial faulty design and personally designed and set the capstone on

December 6, 1884. He served as president of the Board of

Fortifications and Public Works for New York City from 1886 to

1888. He was promoted to colonel in 1884 and brigadier general,

chief of engineers, on July 6, 1888. He retired from military service

May 10, 1895, but continued to supervise the completion of the

Library of Congress. Casey died March 25, 1896.*

General Administration

The Rutherford B. Hayes Administration. In the Hayes administration,
the president's four secretaries and office staff of 15 were supervised
by “office steward” or office manager William T. Crump. House
matters were initially handied by a house steward; both office and
house stewards answered to the officer in charge. The management
staff for the White House now included doorkeeper Tommy Pendel
and his assistant, and Charles Loeffler, who served as usher. Former
doorkeeper William Crook served as disbursing agent and executive
clerk. Webb Hayes, the president’s son, served as both secretary and
armed guard. In an attempt to prove his good will toward blacks,
Hayes carefully involved them in office positions; for example, he
appointed Frederick Douglass as marshal of the District of Columbia;
however, Douglass was not asked to officiate at White House
functions. John A. Simms replaced Valentino Melah as steward but
left after two years. William Crump then managed both office and
household for the Hayes family. The family maintained a house staff
of about 14 servants, including cook Winnie Monroe, butler Jerry
Smith, and laborer and servant Telemachus Ford. With a large house
staff, 10 laborers in the gardens, an office staff of 12, and a family of
7, nearly 50 people could be found on the property at most times of
the working day. Caterers were engaged for large occasions, as in
years past.”

Casey recommended staff increases including a clerk, a messenger, a
public gardener, a draftsman, a foreman and laborers, a night watch-

58. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, (Mar. 3 to Jume 30} 1877, 9-10, 12; (Smith,
“History of Changes,” no page; Heitman, Historical Register, U.S. Army, 1:289; Cullum,
Biographical Register: West Point, 3:309; Webster's American Military Biographies, 64; Seale,
The President’s House, 499-502.

59. Seale, The President’s House, 494-98.

135
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Office of Public Buildings and Grounds — March 2, 1867, to March 9, 1897



Samuel Lane — March 3,
1817, to May 8, 1822

52

General Administration

The James Monroe Administration. During Monroe's presidency the
administration of the property remained in the hands of the
commissioner of public buildings. Day-to-day administration of the
house was left to the chief steward; the grounds generally were
under the direction of the gardener.

During Lane’s period of service, Joseph Elgar was appointed surveyor
of the city upon the resignation of Benjamin Latrobe on April 24,
1817. From 1818 until his appointment as commissioner in 1822,
Joseph Elgar served as both clerk and surveyor.

The Reconstruction of Washington, D.C. — The initial appraisal of the
surviving walls of the White House proved to be too positive. Many
of the surviving sections and detailing had be to dismantled and
rebuilt. Interior brick partitions were rebuilt in wood, which
weakened the structural integrity of the building.*

The solicitation of the best artisans to execute construction projects
continued to be the hallmark of federal projects in Washington. At
the Capitol, George Blagden headed the stonecutter’s department
while Giovanni Andrei of Carrara, Italy, headed the skilled stone
carver’s department and modeled the ornamental work in both stone
and stucco. Andrei, who was selected by a representative of Jefferson,
arrived in Washington in 1806. At the President’s House most of the
stoneworkers listed were of Irish, English, and German backgrounds.
Thomas MacIntosh seems to have handled most of the stone carving
at the mansion under Andrei's supervision.”

By 1817 Latrobe had again caused tempers to flare, and he resigned
from his position as Capitol architect; Charles Bulfinch succeeded him
in December. At the White House Hoban had no such problems.
What Hoban felt about the bureaucratic shuffling between com-
missioners and superintendents is not recorded, but it must have
been confusing.”

43. Scale, The President's House, 167. The Monroes delegated responsibilities for com-
pletely furnishing the new structure to William Lee, a trusted aide; notes, Betty
Monkman (OC/WH), July 19, 2000.

44, Dowd, Records of Public Buildings and Public Parks, 28-29.
45. Seale, The President's House, 138-45.
46. Seale, The President's House, 140-41.
47. Seale, The President’s House, 138-45.

CHAPTER 2. THE GROWTH OF THE REPUBLIC: 1802-1849


support pools on the east and west, wanting to retain the bronze
urns at those locations; however, the pools’ were installed as War-
necke planned. Review of the plans and discussion continued through
the fall of 1964. In July 1964 George Olszewski finished his study of
Lafayette Park and the historical development of its landscape.**

The 1964 controversy over Lafayette Park served as a rallying point
for many interested in historic preservation,. including Mrs.
Jacqueline Kennedy and. friends such as Mrs. Paul Mellon. In
December 1965 a meeting was conducted that included Mrs. Mellon,
Secretary of the Interior Stuart Udall, NPS representatives,
individuals from John Carl Warnecke’s San Francisco office, and
White House fellow Thomas Veblen. By 1966 Lafayette Square
National Historic District had been established, the first of five
historic districts that would be designated in the vicinity of
President's Park between 1966 and 1984. Development pressures had
begun to erode and compromise the traditional Washington
neighborhood surrounding the White House. However, measures did
not prove as strong as they might have been, and much of the
surrounding neighborhood was either lost to development or
compromised over the next years.**

Lafayette Park served as the first of many landscape improvement
projects in the Johnson administration. Lady Bird Johnson's national
beautification program proved to be one of the most visible and
successful programs. In September 1964 A. Weldon Kent of Glendale,
California, sent a letter to Mrs. Johnson saying,

The mere raising of your voice with an expression of
interest in a new beautification project would bring experts
from far and wide. ... I assume you too are pleased with
Mrs. Kennedy's fine efforts towards refurbishing the
President’s Home. The same need exists for the grounds.”

55. Andrews to R. P Daly (comm., PBS, GSA), June 25, 1963; Walton to Jett, July 9,
1964; reg. dir. (NPS) to chief (National Capital Office}, memorandum, July 6, 1964;
Heine to reg. dir. (NPS), through Cutler, memorandum, Sept. 15, 1964; chief (Resource
Planning) to ARD (Resource Planning, NPS), memorandum, Sept. 23, 1964; Theodore T.
Smith to Vincent Walsh, Oct. 13, 1964; Harry Zegas to Heine, May 4, 1965,
D18/Lafayette Park (1963-67), box 21, acc. 72A-6215, ESF/WHL/NPS.

56. Dir. to (Udall}, Dec. 16, 1965; fUidalll to Mrs. Paul Mellon, D24/Beautification file
(1965), box WHL-BF-007, ESF/WHL/NPS. Haussmann to chief landscape architect
(NCDC), Aug. 24, 1962; region 6 log, Mar. 5, 1962; Jett to West, Apr. 2, 1962; all in
White House Correspondence, box 13, acc. 64A-901, ESF/WHL/NPS.

57. Kent to Mrs. Lyndon Johnson, Sept. 8, 1964; Kent to Bess Abell (social secretary to
Mrs. Johnson), Oct. 10, 1964; Kent to Jett, nd.; all in D24/Grounds/White House
(1963-65), box 20, acc. 68A-3201, ESF/WHL/NPS.,

Harry T. Thompson —- May
10, 1958, to February 25,
1961; T. Sutton Jett —
March 15, 1961, to January
14, 1968; I. J. Castro —
January 14, 1968, to
September 25, 1969; Rex W.
Scouten (Assistant Regional
Director) — February 24,
1968, to May 4, 1969

323
‘The National Park Service — 1958-1983


Daniel Carroll, Thomas Daniel Carroll, senior member of the first commission, was

Johnson, David Stuart, born in 1730 into an illustrious Maryland family. Educated in
Gustavus Scott, William Flanders, he was Maryland’s delegate to the Continental
Thornton, Alexander White, Congress from 1780 to 1784, served in the Maryland State
William Cranch, and Senate from 1781 to 1786, and represented the state at the

Tristram Dalton

Confederation Congress. He signed both the Articles of Con-
federation and the Constitution, and he represented Maryland
in Congress from 1789 to 1791. He could not accept the post
of commissioner until his term in the House of Representa-
tives expired on March 3, 1791. The owner of substantial
properties, as well as slaves, Carroll was brother-in-law to
Notley Young, one of the principal landholders in the pro-
posed district, and uncle to Daniel Carroll of Duddington,
another district proprietor. He was a shareholder in the
Patowmack Company and part owner of the Aquia Creek

Daniel Carroll quarries that would supply building stone for the White
Courtesy: Library of House and the Capitol. He was among those who voted to
gress

locate the new capital on the Potomac.’

Thomas Johnson, a business associate of Washington’s, was
born in Calvert County, Maryland, in 1732 and educated by
private tutors. He studied law and served as a revolutionary
leader. He was Maryland’s representative to the First and @
Second Continental Congresses from 1775 to 1777, where he
introduced the measure to make Washington commander-in-
chief in 1775. Johnson worked hard raising both troops and
money for the Revolution. He was instrumental in organizing
the famous “Flying Camp of ‘77,” marching 1,800 troops to

Thomas Johnson Washington’s camp in New Jersey. In 1789, when Washing-
Courtesy: Library of ton was elected president, Johnson replaced him as head of
Congress the Patowmack Company. He also served as governor of

Maryland (1777 to 1779), chief judge of the Maryland
General Court, judge for the U.S. District Court in Maryland,
and later.a member of the Supreme Court (1791 to 1793),
where he was the first member to record a case opinion. He
also supervised the construction of Maryland’s state house.
Strongly partisan to the south and southerners, he is alleged
to have told John Adams that if it were not for southern men

7. William C. di Giacomantonio, “All the President's Men: George Washington's
Federal City Commissioners,” Washington History (Washington, DC: The Historical
Society of Washington, DC, 1991) 3, no. 1 (spring/summer 1991): 59-61; Charles
Lanman, Biographical Annals of the Civil Government of the United States (Washington, DC:
John Aglier, 1876), 70.

8

CHAPTER 7. BEGINNINGS: 1791-1802


Chapter 9. Conclusion

n a little over 200 years, President’s Park has changed from a

parcel of farmland into an international symbol of democracy.

Driven by its status as both the home and the office of the

president of the United States, the site has evolved from what
was initially conceived of as a private deer park in the 18th century
European tradition, to the People’s House in the 19th century, to a
private, secured precinct within a public ceremonial and recreational
area in the 20th century.

The administration of undeveloped open space as a symbol of power
is an ancient one. Traditionally only the wealthy and powerful could
afford to keep large tracts of Jand open without having to cultivate or
develop them. The National Mall provides an obvious and excellent
example of such a concept, and President’s Park, which is related to
the overall plan of the Mall, provides another. The powers of the
legislative and executive branches of government, which are
represented by these large open expanses, literally meet at an axis
marked by the Washington Monument. This open space, a former
symbol of exclusivity, now announces the prerogatives of a republic.

By establishing memorials on the site and by allowing recreational
uses, the power that is represented by this site is shared with the
public in a manner befitting the republic that it represents. Without
such public use, the site would become exclusive, a concern that was
addressed by Jefferson, Jackson, and others. As noted by the
historian Simon Schama, the common grounds, particularly the
Ellipse, represent the “level playing field” so dear to the hearts of
Americans — a place where all are equal. It is the physical manifes-
tation of our democratic ideals, literally Whitman’s “Democratic
Vista.”

The administration of President’s Park has always been the concern
of the executive branch of the United States government. At times, as
in the early days of its existence, that administration was closely
controlled by the president. President’s Park has been overseen by
both military and civilian authorities. However, it has always been
clear that al] administrators of the site, whether commissioners, the
War Department, or the Department of the Interior, have served the
chief executive in a unique way, requiring both excellence and

383

Conclusion


tants. They came from a variety of backgrounds and talents:
Frenchman Pierre Enfant had helped select the site, Irishman James
Hoban drew the plans, Anglo-American Maj. Andrew Ellicott and free
black mathematician and astronomer Benjamin Banneker surveyed
the land, and Scotsman James McDermott supervised its clearing.
African slaves, hired from their masters at £21 a year, cut trees, dug
cellars, and performed other necessary preparatory tasks. Additional
blacks were hired over the course of the project, as in October 1793,
when Captain Williams was instructed “to hire 40 negroe [sic]
laborers for the next year.”

Canals were projected for the city, and Patrick Whelan agreed to cut a
canal 15 feet wide from James Creek (running south from Jenkins
Hill towards the mouth the Anacostia River at the Potomac) to Goose
Creek.®

The John Adams Administration. The President’s House: Preparations
for Occupancy — The projected occupancy of the President’s House by
John Adams in November 1800 caused work to be speeded up
considerably. A roof was finished by 1798. Interior woodwork and
plaster continued until the same time, when work was concentrated
on the Capitol. In 1798 Hoban became overseer of construction for
the Capitol as well as the President’s House.”

By 1799 plastering had started again at the President’s House;
50,000 laths and 120,000 lathing nails were purchased in June and
September. The exterior of the structure was whitewashed, and the
effect was so singular that the commissioners decided against
establishing outbuildings on the site. The main doors of the
President’s House were veneered with patterned mahogany.”

In January 1800 the basement of the President’s House was paved,
and plastering and stuccoing work was begun; plastering would still
be taking place at the residence in April of that year. In May the
commissioners solicited proposals for a presidential stable to house
12 horses, a carriage house for three carriages, and a smal! grain

48. Minutes of meetings: hiring of Negro laborers; Oct. 15-22, 1793, “Records of the
Commissioners,” 198-201, RG 42; Seale, The President's House, 14-15, 37-39.

49, Contract for canal with Whelan, Apr. 15-24, 1794, “Records of the Commis-
sioners,” 234.

50. Seale, The President's House, 73-79; Seale, The White House, 23.

51. Seale, The President's House, 73-77; Joseph Middleton, June 4, 1799, “Records of the
Commissioners,” 144, RG 42.

Daniel Carroll, Thomas
Johnson, David Stuart,
Gustavus Scott, William
Thornton, Alexander White,
William Cranch, and
Tristram Dalton

25

Commissioners for the District of Columbia — January 22, 1791, to May 1, 1802


John M. Wilson — June 1,
1885, to September 7, 1889

=
John M. Wilson

Courtesy: History Office,
U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers

146

were shown as not being under the jurisdiction of the officer in
charge, nor do the annual reports include maintenance or adminis-
tration cots for these structures.’”

Also, by 1884, Lafayette Square had been separated from Reservation
1 and renumbered as reservation 10."

Site Security

After Garfield was shot, the doormen were alerted, the Metropolitan
Police sealed off the house, and Secretary of War Robert Lincoln (son
of President Lincoln) placed military units in the Washington area on
alert. Afterwards, security at the White House and President’s Park
continued to tighten, with the Metropolitan Police playing a major
role in White House security matters.'?

In 1885 it was proposed that Lafayette Square, which had been
closing at 11 P.M., be kept open all night. This would necessitate the
hiring of an additional watchman.'®

John M. Wilson — June 1, 1885, to September 7, 1889

John Moulder Wilson was appointed by Grover Cleveland as officer
in charge in June 1885, a little more than two months after
Cleveland’s inauguration. With Wilson, the position of officer in
charge reverted to a West Point trained member of the Corps of Engi-
neers. A Washington, D.C., native, Wilson entered West Point July 1,
1855, and graduated July 1, 1860. Beginning as a brevet second
lieutenant appointment to the artillery, he worked in both artillery
and ordnance until 1861 when as a first lieutenant he transferred to
the Topographical Engineers. He was transferred: to the Corps of
Engineers in March 1863. Wilson was decorated during the Civil War,
achieving the ranks of brevet lieutenant-colonel and brevet colonel.
He fought in various engagements, including the Battle of Bull Run
in 1861. By 1865 he was in command of the engineering depot and
company at the Jefferson Barracks, Missouri. In 1867 he was

100. Dowd, Records of Public Buildings and Public Parks, 1-3; Annual Report, Chief of
Engineers, 1887, 2570, and “Map of the City of Washington Showing the Public
Reservations under the Control of the Office of Public Buildings and Grounds, Prepared by
Col. John M. Wilson, Lt. Col., Corps of Engineers, USA, 1884."

101. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1884, 2350.
102. Seale, The President's House, 513-18, 520-21, 535.
103. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1885, 2504-5, 2510.

CHAPTER 4. THE UNITED STATES ON THE THRESHOLD OF WORLD POWER: 1867-1897



U. S. Grant Ill — January 1,
1926, to April 5, 1933;
James A. Woodruff — April
5, 1933, to August 10, 1933

234

into conflict with each other. For example, the Commission of Fine
Arts had disapproved a series of low granite steps on the south side
of the First Division Monument. Four years later, Director Grant
approved the construction of the steps, in opposition to the com-
mission’s recommendation. Grant also interfered with Ferruccio
Vitale, a New York designer involved with the landscaping of the
monument for the U.S. Army and the memorial association. Grant
stated that he did not approve of Vitale’s landscape designs and that
the walk cutting diagonally across the tapis vert in front of the
monument would need to stay because of foot traffic. Conflicts over
the administration of the grounds continued between the office and
the various other agencies having interests in President's Park.2”

Also in 1928 the president established the Office of the Chief of
Protocol. In the 19th century the commissioner of public buildings
often served in receiving lines and introduced the president at recep-
tions, since no official was specifically assigned to that duty, During
the Roosevelt and Taft administrations such concerns became more
formalized and were generally handled by presidential personne] and
military aides, with assistance from the State Department. From this
date on, however, the chief of protocol answered all questions about
receptions or formal interactions with officials or dignitaries.”

Site Security

‘Like other programs, security expanded at a rapid rate. The Protec-

tion Division now consisted of 1 lieutenant, 1 first sergeant, 5 ser-
geants, and 61 privates. Uniforms were modeled on the military,
with puttees, roll collars, and cavalry breeches. Jurisdiction was
equal to that of the Metropolitan Police, and the Park Police co-
operated with this force. In 1926, 1,332 arrests were made; fines and
collateral forfeited amounted to $12,300. In addition to Park Police,
there were building guards, consisting of an inspector, a chief fire
marsha! and his assistant, 4 captains, 21 lieutenants, 24 sergeants,
and 303 guards assigned to 34 public buildings in Washington,
including those at President's Park. (Specific numbers for President’s
Park were not reported.) The 1922 legislation that authorized the
White House Police was amended to clarify jurisdictional matters.
Members of the White House Police drawn from the Metropolitan

239. Grant to Ferruccio Vitale, Nov. 24, 1928; Grant to Charles Moore (chairman,
Commission of Fine Arts [hereafter abbreviated as CFAI), Apr. 26, 1926, and Nov. 15,
1927; Grant to Geolrge] A. Fuller Co., Apr. 15, 1926; Vitale to Grant, Nov. 21, 1928;
Moore to Grant, Apr. 20, 1926; all in 1430/First Division Monument and First Infantry
Division, box 16, acc. 66A~1097, ESF/WHL/NPS.

240. Seale, The President's House, 623-34, 859.

CHAPTER 5. THE WHITE HOUSE, WASHINGTON, AND THE WORLD: 1897--1933


Thomas Munroe — May 1,
1802, to March 3, 1817

46

“Pennsylvania Avenue,
Washington et La Porte du
Jardin du Président” by Baroness
Hyde de Neuville, 1822

Benjamin Latrobe's arched
entryway into the president's
grounds reflected both 18th

” century classical sensibilities in

its design and construction and
romantic elements in its
detailing and landscaping.
Jefferson's double allée of
Lombardy poplars to the
Capitol is prominently noted
in this pencil-on-paper
illustration.

Courtesy: ©Collection of The
New-York Historical Society

The James Madison Administration. Jean-Pierre Sioussat took over

house managerial duties under Madison. Sioussat, known as the
master of ceremonies, hired a chef by the name of Douhar in 1813. A
woman and a man whose names were not recorded worked under
Douhar. Various slaves from Madison’s Montpelier estate served at
the house, including Sukey and Paul Jennings. There was a butler,
and the former stablemaster was appointed doorman.”

In 1811 British traveler James Hoskins noted his feelings concerning
the President's House, saying that the park around the house was
badly laid out, that the grounds remained unleveled, and that in one
of the primary spaces a kitchen garden had been divided from the rest
of the lawn by a wooden rail fence similar to those dividing the
adjacent fields, “which disfigures the park or lawn.” Hoskins also
noted the poor placement of stable facilities and the effect of those
facilities on the overall landscape. His description leaves the impres-
sion of a Jandscape still in its infancy, unsophisticated, and rather
rough in appearance.”

25. Seale, The President's House, 93-99, 122.

26. Hoskins, Narrative of a Vayage from England to the United States, as noted in the
McClure collection, ESF/WHL/NPS.

(CHAPTER 2. THE GROWTH OF THE REPUBLIC: 1802-1849



President Hoover planted an American elm on the northeast corner of
the grounds between the front drive and East Executive Avenue in
April 1931. He also planted a white oak on the north grounds west
of the large fountain in December of the same year.”

In the spring of 1931 Lt. F B. Butler, assistant director of public
buildings and public parks, suggested the addition of names to the
various figures included on the Lafayette monument. The Com-
mission of Fine Arts had no objection, provided that they could
review the type and style of lettering to be used.**

Collection Management

Grant's office continued to inventory and assess items in the White
House collection. However, this did not always run smoothly. As a
result of the 1932 annual White House inventory, a number of items
were found missing, including bedspreads, soup plates, cups, plates,
flatware, napkins, and assorted kitchen utensils.*”

Jurisdiction

The concept of what exactly constituted President's Park had changed
over the years. Lafayette Square, now listed as Reservation 10, was
6.97 acres in size and appraised at $10,621,250. The grounds south
of the White House were listed as being on Reservation 1, totaling
53.44 acres, and being worth $11,420,865. The total acreage was
given as 60.41, leaving some 20 acres unaccounted for. The grounds
of the State, War, and Navy Building and the Treasury were not
mentioned in the report, although they still remained part of the
executive grounds and President's Park.#**

The growing administration of the site inevitably became compli-
cated, and various groups with interests in the property often came

(1963-67), box 21, acc. 72A-6215, ESF/WHL/NPS; “Tree Markers, cont.," 1430/Tablets,
Markers, etc., box 17, ace. 66A-1097, ESF/WHL/NPS.

235. |Smith}, “History of Changes,” 9-10; NPS, Presiderit’s Park South, plate XX.

236. Butler to Caemmerer (sec., CFA), May 16, 1931; Caemmerer to Butler, May 20,
1931; Moore to Butler, June 1, 1931; ail in file 1430/Lafayette Park, box 17, acc. 66A-
1097, ESF/WHL/NPS.

237. [Ava?) Long (custodian), “List of Property Missing in the Executive Mansion as of
June 30, 1932," 990-50/Inventories, box 7, acc. 64A-42, WH&WPP files,
ESF/WHL/NPS.

238. Annual Report, Director of Public Buildings and Public Parks, 1927, 32, 39, 40, 43;
ibid., 1928, 33.

U.S. Grant Hl — January 1,

1926, to April 5, 1933;
James A. Woodruff — April
5, 1933, to August 10, 1933

233

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Office of Public Buildings and Public Parks of the National Capital — February 26, 1925, to June 10, 1933



became a representative from Virginia and also owned stock Daniel Carroll, Thomas

in the Patowmack Company. He worked in Congress to see Johnson, David Stuart,
Gustavus Scott, William

Thornton, Alexander White,
William Cranch, and
Tristram Dalton

that the federal city was located in a place that would be
advantageous to his company. White had questioned separa-
tion from Great Britain as Jate as June 1776. He reluctantly
took the position of commissioner, doubting his abilities
initially, but remaining in the office until it was abolished by
Congress in 1802. He died two years later.

Attorney William Cranch, a nephew of Abigail Adams, was
appointed commissioner by John Adams at the death of
Gustavus Scott. Cranch was born in Weymouth, Massa-
chusetts, on July 17, 1769, and graduated from Harvard in
1787, along with his cousin, John Quincy Adams. After
studying law, he was admitted to the bar in 1790, practicing
in Braintree and Haverhill, Massachusetts. In 1794 he moved
first to Washington and then to Alexandria. Cranch was also

a business associate and brother-in-law to James Greenleaf, William Cranch
one of the new city’s main real estate speculators. He served Courtesy: Library of
as commissioner only two months. Adams then nominated Congress

him as assistant judge in the District of Columbia — one of
Adams's famous “midnight appointments.” He held this posi-
tion for the rest of his life. Cranch presided over the trial of
Richard Lawrence, who had attempted to assassinate President
Jackson at the Capitol in January 1835. Between 1801 and
1841 Cranch published nine volumes of Reports of the United
States Supreme Court, six volumes of Reports of the Circuit Court
of the District of Columbia, and an eight-volume set of the
memoirs of John Adams (1827). He drafted the first law code
for the District and also served on the first Board of Trustees
for the District. He was a member of the American Academy
of Arts and Sciences. He died on September 1, 1855."

14. Giacomantonio, "All the President's Men," 69-70. At least four other men were
considered for the post of commissioner but refused to serve, including Tobias Lear,
Richard Potts, Thomas Sim Lee, and Edward Carrington. With the exception of Thornton
and Carrington, all of the men either chosen or requested to serve were stockholders in
Washington's Patowmack Co. See Giacomantonio, “All the President's Men,” 74;
Lanman, Biographical Annals, 459.

15. Cranch to commissioners, Jan. 13, 1801, “Records of the Commissioners,” 76, RG
42; minutes of meeting, Jan. 14, 1801, ibid., 79; resignation of Cranch, Mar. 5, 1801,
ibid., 117.

il

Commissioners for the District of Columbia — January 22, 1791, to May 1, 1802


Hamilton Fish and Alfred Mullett supervised the construction of the Orville E. Babcock — June 1,
south wing of the building. Excavation for the foundations alone 1871, to March 3, 1877
took seven months. Granite for the building came from Maine and

Virginia. To devote his time to the project, Mullett resigned as

supervising architect of the Treasury Building in October 1874. In

January 1875, when the State Department wing was nearly

complete, Fish resigned from supervisory control of the structure.

William Potter took over Mullett’s responsibilities but had little effect

on the completion of the building. Construction supervision was

transferred to Babcock until he was replaced in 1877 by Thomas

Lincoln Casey, who remained with the project to its end.*

Memorials

In 1875 the statue of Thomas Jefferson, which had been installed
during the Polk administration, was removed from the north lawn of
the White House and placed in Statuary Hall in the Capitol. The
statue was in need of repair, and Babcock sent the piece to Robert
Wood and Company in Philadelphia. Imperfections that occurred in
its original casting had caused the statue to be full of holes, which
were filled with lead and putty. Repair consisted of over 1,000 rivets
and 73 separate pieces of metal, after which it was dipped in a bath
to give it a complete appearance. It was placed on a pedestal of New
York and Vermont marble and Virginia alabaster.**

Collection Management

Three inventories of the White House were taken during the Grant
administration, in 1869, 1872, and 1873.

To round out the White House portrait collection, Babcock asked for
items such as nine additional presidential portraits. While funds were
appropriated for storage and maintenance, actions in these areas
remained minimal.*

52. Dolkart, The Old Executive Office Building, 1, 7-8, 21.
53. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1875, 9.
54, Notes, Monkman (OC/WH), July 19, 2000.

55. Seale, The President’s House, 483; Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1871, 968~72;
ibid., 2872, 9.

133
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Office of Public Buildings and Grounds — March 2, 1867, to March 9, 1897



and their claim has been sanctioned by a solemn decision of
the Supreme Court of the United States.

The corporation’s representatives complained of the macadamed
Pennsylvania Avenue and the dust from the gravel and also asked the
government to light Pennsylvania Avenue. Furthermore, they noted
the need for a hospital and “lunatic asylum... the importance of
which is more and more confirmed by every day’s experience.” The
Board of Aldermen and the Board of Common Council of the city of
Washington resolved that a joint committee made up of the mayor
and three members of each board be designated to monitor all actions
of Congress affecting the city of Washington.”

Site Security

Security, always a concern at the White House, was heightened after
an assassination attempt on Andrew Jackson at the Capitol in
January 1835. Although neither Adams nor Jackson had seemed
very concerned with such matters, after that attempt, a sentry box
was constructed at the White House. The south gardens were not
open for public viewing; they remained the personal domain of the
president and his household.**

Van Buren used police during formal receptions to control access to
the building; police usually were not at the house. The porter
remained on duty and controlled access to the building. Tourists and
people with appointments now used the smal] service stair to the left
of the entrance rather than entering the main part of the structure.”

Shortly after John Tyler became the 10th president, several events
caused security at the White House to be taken more seriously —
angry mobs marched on the White House to protest Tyler's
opposition to reestablishing the Bank of the United States, there were
calls for his impeachment, angry letters poured into the White
House, and anti-Tyler signs were affixed to lampposts in the area.
Doorman Martin Renehan chopped to pieces an unmarked package
that was found in the front hall of the White House, thinking that it

124, Memorial of the Corporate Authorities of the City of Washington Praying the improvement
and Repair of Certain Streets, and the Establishment of an Hospital and Lunatic Asylum, in
Said City, January 20, 1840, 26th Cong, 1st sess. (Washington): Blair and Rives, n.d.), 1-

3.

125. Memorial of the Corporate Authorities, 1-3.
126. Seale, The President's House, 200-4.

127. Seale, The President's House, 216-18.

William Noland —
February 10, 1834, to
November 5, 1846

79

Commissioner of Public Buildings — March 3, 1817, to March 3, 1849



lawn areas, including a color diagram showing how the plan might
be effected. However, this plan was only partially implemented.
Rabbitt’s participation diminished as Irv Williams’s work on the site
increased. When asked for a specific day-to-day maintenance pro-
gram for the White House lawn, Rabbitt replied that such a program
was impossible as it required onsite inspection and evaluation. By
July 1964, complaints from tourists over the lawn conditions caused
the staff to take additional steps to ensure a well-manicured White
House yard. Rabbitt and other agronomists and plant pathologists
continued to make yearly recommendations and to propose various
chemical and maintenance treatments. The use of toxic agents in pest
and fungus removal remained a concern.*

The American public responded positively to the improvements made
at the White House and President’s Park. Mrs. Henry Jones of
Amston, Connecticut, wrote a poignant letter to President Kennedy in
June 1963, saying that although she thought her letter would end
up in a pile somewhere, as a “very average American housewife and
mother of two young children,” she wished to express her feelings
concerning the nation’s capital and her travel experiences. “If it
wasn’t for the lovely Federal and State parks we could not show our
children so much of this wonderful country of ours,” she wrote.
Mrs. Jones noted that she and her family were “thrilled to see the
White House as a true showplace,” especially after her post-wartime
experiences in the Washington of the late 1940s had left her with a
feeling of tawdriness and shabbiness. “Money always having been
short, we have become campers,” she wrote, and she urged the presi-
dent to provide further maintenance to the nation’s campgrounds.
“Couldn’t there be an area outside with frequent buses to your fair
city? It is the only way some of us low income families can visit.”
The National Park Service thanked Mrs. Jones for her suggestions.*

24. Rabbitt to ARD, Feb. 6, 1963, May 22, 1963, Oct. 22, 1964, Feb. 18, 1965, Nov. 16,
1965; Rabbitt to reg. chief (Horticulture Maintenance), Feb. 18, 1964; Rabbitt to reg. dir.
(NCR), Aug. 20, 1964; A. P Mathison to Stewart Udall, July 28, 1964; Jett to Mathison,
Aug. 19, 1964; ARD (Administration) to ARD (Operations and Maintenance), July 22,
1964; ARD (Operations and Maintenance) to ARD (Administration), Aug. 4, 1964; Horace
V. Webster (plant pathologist) to ARD (Operations and Maintenance}, Oct. 1964 and Nov.
22, 1965; Webster to R. C. Hildreth, Oct. 21, 1964; A. A. Hanson (chief, Forage and
Range Research), K. W. Kreitlow (asst. chief), and F. V. Juska (research agronomist) to Jett,
Aug. 31, 1965; Edward B. Willard to soil conservationist and plant pathologist, Nov. 3,
1965; all in D54/White House Turf (1/1/63-65), box 20, acc. 68A~3201,
ESF/WHL/NPS; Castro to Lloyd W. McCloskey, Oct. 5, 1962, 950/Grounds (2), box 14,
acc. 65A-1108, ESF/WHL/NPS.

25. Mrs. Henry Jones to [Kennedy], June 13, 1963, D24/Grounds/White House (1963—
65), box 20, ace. 68A-3201, ESF/WHL/NPS,

Harry T. Thompson — May
10, 1958, to February 25,
1961; T. Sutton Jett —
March 15, 1961, to January
14, 1968; I. J. Castro —
January 14, 1968, to
September 25, 1969; Rex W.
Scouten (Assistant Regional
Director) — February 24,
1968, to May 4, 1969

311

‘The National Park Service — 1958-1983


May 1951, 45,000 “souvenirs” of White House material (nails,
wood, brick, and other fragments of the historic structure) had been
sold.

Operations and Maintenance (1948-49) — In 1949 the Secret Service
petitioned the Park Service for five parking places east of the Ellipse
roadway, east of the intersection of South Executive Avenue and E
Street.’*

Vendors continued to frequent President’s Park, selling foodstuffs and
souvenirs. The National Park Service required permits for such
activities. By the late 1940s a firm named Government Services, Inc.
{GSI), handled most of the vending in President’s Park under an
official permit. An incident on the Ellipse in 1948 involving an
independent vendor, one John Costello, called into question the
policies of the National Park Service regarding sales in President's
Park. Costello had applied for a permit to vend in the park through
attorney Ford E. Young Jr. on May 7, 1948. However, the permit was
denied because Costello had nearly 200 previous violations of
vending on park property. Superintendent Irvin C. Root wrote,

In closing, I should like to call to your attention the fact
that Mr. Costello's District license permits him to make
sales in areas sufficiently close to the parks and therefore it
could hardly be expected that the Federal interests should be
disregarded merely for his own personal aggrandizement.”

Costello complained that GSI had a monopoly on vending, but the
National Park Service replied that GSI provided service at the agency's
request only when and where the services were needed and supplied a
large “rolling diner,” complete with trash receptacles. Independent
vendors would create both trash and security problems, the Park
Service said. In addition, Costello's previous .record included a
conviction for vending in the vicinity of the Smithsonian Institution
without a permit; a district court judge had sentenced him to a fine

75. Seale, The President's House, 1034-45, 1050-51; Winslow to Truman, memoran-
dum, Jan. 9, 1950, PSF (file 2), box 301, HSTL; Douglas W. Orr, “Plan for the Disposition
of Surplus Material from the White House,” PSF (file 2}, box 301, HSTL; “White House
Selis Souvenirs,” New York Times, May 30, [1951].

76. U. E. Baughman to Root, Mar. 29, 1949, 1460/Grounds South (3), box 11, ace.
64A-42, ESF/WHL/NPS.

77. Ford E. Young Jr. to Root, May 7, 1948; Root to Young, June 2, 1948, 1460/
Grounds South (3), box 11, ace. 64A-42, ESF/WHL/NPS.

Frank T. Gartside — July 31,
1939, to February 1, 1940;
Edmund B. Rogers —
February 1, 1940, to April
18, 1940; Francis F. Gillen

— April 18, 1940, to
January 2, 1941; Irvin C.
Root — January 2, 1941, to
July 28, 1950

273

Office of National Parks, Buildings, and Reservations — August 10, 1933, to March 2, 1934; National Park Service — March 2, 1934, to May 10, 1958


President of the United States. Message from the President of the United States
Transmitting a Statement of the Expenditures upon the Public Buildings and
an Account of Their Progress for the Year 1818. Washington: E. De Krafft,
1818,

—-——.. Message From the President of the United States upon the Subject of the
Furniture Necessary for the President’s House, &c. February 10, 1818.
Washington: E. De Krafft, 1818.

———. Message from the President of the United States Transmitting a Report of
the Commissioner of the Public Buildings, November 27, 1820. Washington:
Gales and Seaton, 1820.

. Message from the President of the United States Transmitting the Report
of the Commissioner of Public Buildings, January 17, 1822. Washington:
Gales and Seaton, 1822.

——. Message from the President of the United States Transmitting a Report of
the Commissioner of the Public Buildings, December 18, 1823. Washington:
Gales and Seaton, 1823.

. Message from the President of the United States Transmitting an Account
of the Disbursement of the Sums Appropriated by the Acts of 30th April, and
3rd March, 1819 for Improving the President's Square, April 20, 1824.
Washington: Gales and Seaton, 1824.

—_—. Message from the President of the United States transmitting the Annual
Statement of the Commissioner of Public Buildings of the Expenditure on the
same and of the Progress of the said Buildings, December 8, 1826
Washington: Gales and Seaton, 1826.

.. Message from the President of the United States Transmitting a Report of

the Architect of the Public Buildings, with a Plan of the Treasury Building
now in Process of Erection, &c. December 21, 1837, 25th Cong., 2nd sess. n.

Pp.

. Restoration of the White House: Message of the President of the United
States [Theodore Roosevelt] Transmitting the Report of the Architects.
Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1903.

* Public Buildings Commission. Report of the Public Buildings Commission for
the Year 1922. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1922.

Sanders, S. E., and Lorenzo Winslow. “Report to the President of the United
States on the Proposed Landscape Improvements for the Executive

Mansion Grounds.” Washington, DC: Public Buildings Administration,
Federal Works Agency, 1944.

Statutes at Large of the United States of America, 1789-1873. 17 vols.
Washington, DC: 1850-73.

U.S. Army, Corps of Engineers. Annual Reports of the Chief of Engineers.
Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1867-1926. Officers
in charge:

1868-70 — Nathaniel Michler.
1871-77 — O. E. Babcock.

425
Bibliography



422

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——. The Letters of Archie Butt, Personal Aide to President Roosevelt. Edited
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———~. Historic Resource Study: Rock Creek Park, District of Columbia, by
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—_. The National Parks: Shaping the System, by Barry Mackintosh.
Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1984.

———. Parks of the National Capital. Washington, DC: U.S. Government
Printing Office, 1963.

———. “The President's Garden: An Account of the White House Gardens
from 1800 to the Present,” by Eleanor M. McPeck. National Capital
Parks, Washington, DC, 1971.

—_—. The President's Park South, Washington, D.C., by George J. Olszewski.
Prepared by Eastern Service Center. Washington, DC: n. p., 1970.

————. White House Stone Carving: Builders and Restorers, by Lee H. Nelson.
Prepared by National Capital Region. Washington, DC: U.S. Government
Printing Office, 1992.

. "The White House,” by Stanley W. McClure. 1953.

Nesbitt, Victoria Henrietta. White House Diary. Garden City, NY: Doubleday,
1948.

Nicholas Satterlee and Associates. Feasibility Study for the Renovation of the
Treasury Building. Washington, DC: Nicholas Satterlee and Associates,
1968.

Nichols, Frederick Doveton, and Ralph E. Griswold, Thomas Jefferson,
Landscape Architect. Charlottesville, VA: University Press of Virginia,
1978.

Peters, Charles, and Timothy J. Adams. Inside the System: A Washington
Monthly Reader. New York: Praeger Publishers, 1970.

Peterson, Jon A. “The Nation’s First Comprehensive Plan: A Political
Analysis of the McMillan Plan for Washington, D.C.” Journal of the
American Planning Association 51 (Spring 1985): 134-50.

Rappleye, Howard S. “Precision Leveling at the White House.” Transactions:
American Geophysical Union 33 (Feb. 1952}: 1-7.

Reps, John W. Washington on View: The Nation’s Capital Since 1790. Chapel
Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1992.

——. Monumental Washington. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press,
1967.

433
Bibliography



Conclusion

Between 1867 and 1897 the United States expanded its influence and
prerogatives in the international arena. The nation consolidated its
federal power at home, and gradually became recognized as a world
power. During this period President's Park changed from an unde-
veloped marshland bordering on a river and a canal into a federal
park fronting on both a wide boulevard and the Washington Monu-
ment grounds. The administration of the property had passed from
the Department of the Interior to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
The Corps added various touches to the landscape, but for the most
part it respected the original intent, with various late Victorian addi-
tions and embellishments. As the new century dawned, Theodore
Bingham and the Corps of Engineers would continue to manage
President‘s Park with military precision — planning and building in a
manner that bespoke the dignity and importance of both the prop-
erty and its residents. As administrators found out through trial and
error, successful tours of duty at the White House and President's
Park depended on interagency cooperation rather than contention.

161

Conclusion



Daniel Carroll, Thomas
Johnson, David Stuart,
Gustavus Scott, William
Thornton, Alexander White,
William Cranch, and
Tristram Dalton

32

CHAPTER 1. BEGINNINGS: 1791-1802

When Congress abolished the Board of Commissioners on May 1,
1802, the commissioners requested their secretary, Thomas Munroe
(whom Jefferson appointed superintendent of the city), to “settle all
accounts to date” and ended their business with the inscription “Finis
coronat opus,” crowning the end of the record of their work.

The classical mode] on which the government and its architecture
were based, and the pretensions to which it aspired, were reflected by
the renaming of Goose Creek as Tiber Creek. The classical allusion
was not lost on visitors. The Irish poet Thomas Moore, on a visit in
1804, noted,

Come, let me lead thee o’er
this second Rome,
Where Tribunes rule, where
dusky Davi bow,
And what was Goose Creek once
is Tiber now.

Collection Management

From the beginning. the administrators of the President’s House took
great care to account for all public property at the site. For example,
William Smith Shaw, the Adamses’ personal secretary, reported to a
congressional joint committee in February 1801, stating that of the
$14,000 appropriated to furnish the President’s House in 1797,
$1,100 remained unspent. All furnishings at the President's House
were considered public property and were subject to inspection by the
general public. Seven horses and two carriages were also noted as
being attached to the property. A note from Samuel Dexter recorded
an additional $15,000 dollars that had been approved in the last
congressional session for presidential furnishings, and $8,240.62 re-
mained. The money had been used to purchase, among other things,
the Gilbert Stuart portrait of General Washington, acquired through
General Henry Lee ($800) and furniture through Thomas Claxton
($5,959.38). Claxton, a staff member of the House of Representa-
tives, purchased the furniture at the direction of the Adamses and
took the first inventory in 1801. Accounting for the public collection
at the White House would become a regular event, with increasing
attention paid to expenditures and the disposition of the contents.”

69. Thomas Moore, as quoted in Reps, Washington on View, 51.

70. Report of the Joint Committee Appointed to Consider what further measures ought to be
taken for the Accommodation of the President of the United States; And to whom was referred
the message from the President of the United States concerning the disposition of the property of
the United States, in his possession. Feb. 27, 1801 (|Washington, DC], Published by order of


William Noland —
February 10, 1834, to
November 5, 1846

74

Robert Mills’s 1841 Plan — In 1841 Robert Mills drafted a plan for
the Mall that specified a location for what would become the home of
the Smithsonian Institution. While the plan was not adopted, this
was the first formal planning effort for any part of the federal city
since the LEnfant and Ellicott plans in the 1790s. in the plan Mills
also noted the White House, its office buildings, the Treasury
Building, and Lafayette Square. Tiber Creek, by this time changed
into a canal, effectively separated President's Park from the Mall area.
Pennsylvania Avenue is shown as being cut through in front of the
White House; however, the south lawn is uninterrupted all the way
south to North B Street and the canal (today Constitution Avenue). A
wharf is shown at the terminus of 17th Street on the south, and a
small island is located at the mouth of Tiber Creek. The north drive of
the White House, as established in Jackson’s administration, shows
plainly. While no streets are shown south of the President's House,
this may have been more of a schematic wish of Mills’s than an
actual record of existing conditions.”

The William Henry Harrison Administration. As president, William
Henry Harrison had little time to make any mark upon the White

House or its grounds, dying one month after his inauguration. For
the state funeral, arranged by Alexander Hunter (an important
Washington merchant and marshal of the District of Columbia), the
presidential casket was laid out in the East Room; an elaborate
funeral car was constructed for the cortege; and hundreds of yards of
black and white materials and fringe were used on buildings and
vehicles. The Marine Band played dirges; salutes were fired as the
cortege left the gate of the White House; pallbearers walked beside the
funeral car; and Hunter led the dignitaries to the congressional vault
where the body was stored until it could be returned to Harrison’s
home in Ohio."

The John Tyler Administration. John Tyler was sworn in as president
by William Cranch, a former commissioner for the District of
Columbia. Tyler changed little at the White House or on the grounds
and made few purchases for furnishings except for office-related
items. During his administration more and more work was done by

109, Robert Millis, Pian of the Mall (1841), as reprinted in Gutheim, Worthy of the Nation,
53; Dolkart, The Old Executive Office Building, 6.

110. Seale, The President's House, 230-38.

(CHAPTER 2. THE GROWTH OF THE REPUBLIC: 1802-1849


Frank T. Gartside — August
10, 1933, to October 9,
1933; C. Marshall Finnan —
October 9, 1933, to July 31,
1939

Facing page:
Plan No. 1: Executive Mansion
Grounds, General Survey
Showing Existing Conditions as
of January 1, 1935

Courtesy: Frederick Law
Olmsted National Historic Site,
National Park Service

244

The Olmsted Plan for the White House Grounds — As early as 1933
members of the American Association of Landscape Architects tried to
hold a competition for a design for the White House grounds.
Because of the possible breaches in security and Commissioner
Grant's proprietary feelings, the competition was not supported.
Possibly in an effort to avert any other such attempted intrusion,
President Roosevelt supported a report on the grounds by Olmsted
Brothers of Brookline, Massachusetts, in 1935. The Olmsted firm
worked in conjunction with Professor Morley Williams of Harvard to
formulate a new landscape scheme for the White House. The $2,000
for the plan's creation came from public works funds; therefore, the
Olmsted Brothers joined the ranks of professionals benefiting from
Roosevelt's public welfare programs during the Depression of the
1930s. The plan was forwarded to President Roosevelt on October 24,
1935. On March 2, 1936, Gilmore D. Clarke, chairman of the
Commission of Fine Arts, recommended the approval of the plans,
with minor adjustments. The cost for implementing the plans was
projected to be between $215,900 and $271,878.41.

The plan caused some conflicts in administration. The Commission of
Fine Arts, after approving the Olmsted Brothers’ general concepts,
believed that the commission should also be able to approve each
individual element. Eric Gugler, architect for much of the renovation
work at the White House during the Roosevelt administration, was
not consulted by Olmsted about landscaping plans. As a result,
Gugler was “most perturbed,” chose not to agree with Olmsted's
landscaping scheme, and recommended changes. A squabble ensued
involving Gilmore Clarke of the Commission of Fine Arts and Gugler
on one side and the National Park Service and Olmsted on the other.
Finally, Superintendent Finnan elected to take Olmsted’s plans
forward with minor modification as suggested by Captain E. P. Locke
of the National Park Service’s Buildings Office. Conflicts between
various agencies continued to make the administration of President's
Park ah exercise in both political and diplomatic adroitness."*

13. Finnan to Demaray, memorandum, Dec. 5, 1934; Moore to Finnan, memorandum,
Dec. 5, 1934; both in 950-50/Planting (2), box 4, acc. 64A-42, ESF/WHL/NPS.

(CHAPTER 6. THE NEW DEAL, WORLD Wan Il, AND PEACE: 1933-1958



Harry T. Thompson — May
10, 1958, to February 25,
1961; T. Sutton Jett —
March 15, 1961, to January
14, 1968; 1. J. Castro —
January 14, 1968, to
September 25, 1969; Rex W.
Scouten (Assistant Regional
Director} — February 24,
1968, to May 4, 1969

312

In 1963 President’s Park hosted the Easter egg roll, Fourth of July
ceremonies, the Christmas Pageant of Peace, and-a variety of
additional special events. Student protests also began to center at the
site; the Committee for Nonviolent Action held an assembly in
Lafayette Park as early as August 1963.7

The mourning ceremonies at the White House for John E Kennedy
after his assassination on November 22, 1963, drew on historical
precedent. A catafalque, based on the Lincoln catafalque, was made
available, and Kennedy’s remains lay in state in the East Room of the
White House and the rotunda of the Capitol. As in similar events in
the past, the administrators of President’s Park, including NPS
personnel, were involved in the many arrangements related to the
funeral.”

The Pennsylvania Avenue Development Corporation — As a result of
observations initially made during President Kennedy’s inauguration,
a temporary commission on Pennsylvania Avenue was created with
architect Nathaniel Owings as chairman. Kennedy was appalled by
the state of the avenue and was determined to do something about it.
He discussed his observations at the inauguration with Secretary of
Labor Arthur J. Goldberg; soon after the Pennsylvania Avenue
Development Corporation was formed. For more than 30 years this
body oversaw the redevelopment of the avenue, from a blighted and
confusing roadway to a boulevard that more completely com-
municated LEnfant’s original idea of a ceremonial connection
between the executive and the legislative branches of government.”

The Lyndon B. Johnson Administration. During these hectic years

Nash Castro's position was described as having “many of the func-
tions typically performed by a park superintendent.” The coordina-
tion of special events occupied much of his time. The National Park
Service assisted in developing the budget for the Executive Mansion
and grounds and in defending it before Congress, in conjunction with

26. Robert F. Fenton (park specialist) to Heine, May 15, 1964, A2621; ‘Annual Report,
National Capital Region, 1/1/63,” book #1 (12/31/64); both in box 18, acc. 68A-3201,
ESF/WHL/NPS. Heine to Irwin Hogenaur (local walk coordinator, Peace Action Center),
Aug. 23, 1963; Robert W. Andrews (chief, NCP) to Bernard L. Boutin, June 4, 1963; both
in D18/lafayette Park, 63-67, box 21, acc. 72a-6215, ESF/WHL/NPS.

27. Research librarian, John F Kennedy Library, telephone conversation with O’Brien,
Jan. 8, 1997.

28, The corporation was disbanded in April 1996. See Joseph Judge, “New Grandeur
for Flowering Washington,” National Geographic 3 (April 1967): 505, 507.

‘CHAPTER 7. THE NATION’S FRONTYARD: 1958-1983


Frank T. Gartside — July 31,
1939, to February 1, 1940;
Edmund B. Rogers —
February 1, 1940, to April
18, 1940; Francis F. Gillen
— April 18, 1940, to
January 2, 1941; Irvin C,
Root — January 2, 1941, to
July 28, 1950

274

of $25 or 30 days in jail. The National Park Service filed a motion to
dismiss the case on August 4, 1948.”

Costello was again stopped from vending in the park without a
permit on October 17, 1948; his goods were confiscated by the police
and later stolen by a crowd playing football on the Ellipse. The
policeman in question, Alfred Capasso, reported that he had asked
Costello if the merchandise belonged to him. He said Costello
answered him in Italian that it did not. Capasso confiscated the mer-
chandise, walked toward his car, set the goods down to go for the
car, and while he was getting it a number of children grabbed the
merchandise and fled. Capasso did nothing to stop the crowd. Later
the National Park Service reimbursed Costello for his loss. Vending
continued to be a problem as tourism and crowds increased.”

General recreation also continued to play a major role in the admin-
istration of President’s Park. In 1949 President Truman received a
letter from Everett Clift, formerly of Independence, Missouri, and a
road overseer in Jackson County when Truman was the county’s
chief administrator. Clift wrote concerning the condition of the
horseshoe pits at 15th and Constitution. Clift, who had moved to
Washington in 1935, had seen the president playing on the courts
several times but “didn’t want to bother” him with his request. He
wrote that the courts were in bad condition and poorly lit, and that
the backstops had rotted away. if Truman could get them fixed, he
continued, the members of his league who played there would be
very grateful. It is unclear if the repairs were made.”

For the inauguration of President Truman in January 1949 the
National Park Service instituted guidelines for the use of park prop-
erties, including limits on truck weights and the prohibition of
digging holes for tent supports and similar items. In a memorandum
dated February 16, 1949, to the Subcommittee on Presidential
Grandstands, Superintendent Root asserted that the Treasury south
grounds were not under his jurisdiction; however, he did not specify

78. Mastin C. White (solicitor) to A. Devitt Vanech (asst. atty. gen), July 2, 1948;
Vanech to White, Aug. 4, 1948; both in 1460/Grounds South (3), box 11, acc. 64A-42,
ESF/WHL/NPS.

79, Capasso (pvt.) to comdg. off., letter of complaint, Oct. 18, 1948, Oct. 22, 1948;
1460/Grounds South (3), box 21, acc. 64A-42, ESF/WHL/NPS,

80. Clift to Truman, Feb. 9, 1949, 1460/Grounds South (3}, box 11, acc. 64A-42,
ESF/WHL/NPS,

(CHAPTER 6. THE NEW DEAL, WORLD WAR II, AND PEACE: 1933-1958


Lafayette Park lighting plan,
276; on office space, 247; and
Olmsted plan, 244; and rehabili-
tation of Lafayette Park, 322;
and Roosevelt East Wing pro-
posal, 260; on Second Division
Memorial, 252; and security
arrangements, 359; and Sher-
man Park, 368; and Truman
balcony plan, 268; and Truman
office space plan, 265; and
Truman renovation, 280

Commission on Renovation of the
Executive Mansion, 270-273,
279-281, 396

Commission to Investigate the Title
of the United States to Lands in
the District of Columbia, 197

Committee for a More Beautiful
Capital, 324. See also Society for
a More Beautiful Capital

Committee for Congested
Production Areas, 262

Committee for Nonviolent Action,
312

Committee for the Preservation of
the White House, 296, 301, 331-
332

Committee of 100, 307

Committee on American Arab
Relations, 356

Committee on Public Buildings and
Grounds, 39, 69, 101, 110

Comunittee on the Contingent
Expense of the Senate, 67

commons, 37, 50, 56

communications technology, 361-
362

Comprehensive Design Plan for the
White House and President’s
Park, 369-370

Compton, Karl, 294

Conant, James B., 294

concerts: acoustical shell, on
grounds, 308; for Bicentennial,
349; Kennedy tenure, 308;
Nixon tenure, 339; Taft tenure,
194, See also Marine Band
concerts

concessioners: Coolidge tenure,
212, 222; Truman tenure, 273-
274

Conger, Clement E., 354

Conrad Schmitt Studios, 369

conservation: environmental, 370.
See also historic preservation
issues

conservatories. See greenhouses;
orangeries

Constitution: Twentieth Amend-
ment, 250; on White House and
President's Park, 399-400

Constitution Avenue: Hoover
tenure, 231; Nixon tenure, 344

Coolidge, Calvin, 165, 211-213,
216-217, 220-225

Coolidge, Grace, 232

Coons, M. P., 82

Corcoran and Riggs, 90

Corcoran Art Gallery, 166

Corcoran, W. W., 77, 99

Corder, Frank E., 379

cornerstone of White House, 375

Corniel, Marcelino, 380-381

Corporation of Washington, 64

Cortelyou, Bruce, 158

Cortelyou, George, 174, 184

Cosby, Frank C., 191, 198

Cosby, Spencer, 191, 191-199

Costello, John, 273-274

court of honor: for Eisenhower
inauguration, 285; for Roosevelt
(FD) inauguration, 250. See also
presidential inaugurations

Coville, Frederick, 228

Crammer, Blanche, 247

Cranch, William, commissioner, 7,
11, 11, 74, 88

crime. See arrest statistics

Crim, Howell G., 241, 268, 276-
277, 283

Crook, William H., 123, 135, 142,
147

croquet courts: Hayes tenure, 137;
Wilson tenure, 207

Cross Hall, McKinley tenure, 173

Crowley, Bartholomew, 42

Crowninshield, Mrs. Francis, 2817

Crump, Donald, 306

Crump, William T., 135, 141-142

44]
Index



Theodore A. Bingham —
March 9, 1897, to April 30,
1903

Theodore A. Bingham

Courtesy: History Office,
U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers

166

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Office of Public Buildings
and Grounds — March 9, 1897, to February 26, 1925°

Theodore A. Bingham — March 9, 1897, to April 30, 1903
With the inauguration of William McKinley, Col. Theodore A.

Bingham assumed the position of officer in charge of public buildings
in March 1897.

. Born in Andover, Connecticut, Bingham graduated from West Point

third in his class on June 12, 1879, and received the rank of second
lieutenant in the Corps of Engineers the next day. He also graduated
from Yale University in 1879. He was promoted to first lieutenant on
June 17, 1881. He served in Arizona from 1883 to 1885; then he
served as secretary and disbursing officer of the Missouri River
Commission and as recorder of the Board on Construction of Bridges
across the Missouri, Mississippi, and Illinois Rivers from 1885 to
1888. He was promoted to captain on July 2, 1889, and to captain in
the Corps of Engineers on July 23, 1889. Concurrent with his
appointment as officer in charge, he was promoted to colone! the fol-
lowing year (July 5, 1898). Bingham attained the rank of brigadier
general on July 11, 1904, and retired the following day. Bingham
held a disability in the line of duty and also held the French Legion
d’Honneur.*

General Administration

The William McKinley Administration. In his first year Bingham en-
gaged an independent surveyor to check all the sewers with hy-
draulic pressure. The spring at Franklin Square that supplied the
White House with water now ran only in the late winter. A new tin
roof was installed on the White House. Bingham cailed for the re-
moval of the presidential stable because it conflicted not only with
the State, War, and Navy Building, but also with the new Corcoran
Art Gallery on 17th Street, which fronted on the stable yard.
Bingham’s programs for the White House and President's Park were
ambitious. His annual reports became twice the size of any previous
reports, but also more organized and detailed. Photographs were

9. Includes superintendent and officer in charge of public buildings and grounds, Mar.
2, 1915, to Feb. 26, 1925.

10. Heitman, Historical Register; United States Army, 1:218; Cullum, Biographical Register,
U.S, Military Academy, 3:309; U.S. War Office, “Retired Lists, 1934” in U.S, Army Register,
3:787. Bingham's papers are located at the Library of Congress.

(CHAPTER 5. THE WHITE HOUSE, WASHINGTON, AND THE WORLD: 1897-1933


William W. Harts — August
19, 1913, to September 22,
1917

New Lodge Building, Lafayette
Park, 1914

The design and materials used
in the lodge building reflected
trends in the early 20th
century.

Courtesy: Archives Library
Information Center, National
Archives

202

By 1915 office space for the departments of the executive branch had
expanded far beyond the confines of the State, War, and Navy
Building. The offices now included the Army and Navy Medical
Museum; Ford’s Theater, and eight other structures, including the
Lemon, Winder Annex, and Navy Buildings.’

By 1915 the office operated a citywide recreation program that
utilized 15 baseball diamonds, 22 tennis courts, a three-hole practice
golf course, and various other facilities, including those for pole

vault, broad jump, high jump, cricket, polo, and croquet. Recreation”

areas were separated into four divisions. Specific mention was made
of four baseball diamonds on the Ellipse in President’s Park. Fields
were equipped with backstops, bases, and pitcher’s and batter’s
plates. All activities required permits. By 1916, applications by thou-
sands of users required the Corps of Engineers to establish a card
index system to avoid duplication or the domination of permits by
any one group. The index contained between 8,000 and 9,000
names. Presidential recreation facilities also continued to be a
responsibility of the officer in charge, and a new wire backstop was
installed on the presidential tennis court in 1916.*”

Effective March 1, 1915, the officer in charge of public buildings and
grounds was also detailed as superintendent of the State, War, and
Navy Building. However, the two offices — the Office of Public
Buildings and Grounds and the Office of Superintendent of the State,
War, and Navy Building — operated separately, each with its own

136. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1915, 1676.
137. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1915, 1663-64, 3724-25; ibid., 1916, 3579, 3597.

(CHAPTER 5. THE WHITE HOUSE, WASHINGTON, AND THE WORLD: 1897-1933


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Spencer Cosby — March 15,
1909, to August 19, 1913

192

carried on his functions as a presidential aide, as he had in the
Roosevelt administration, until his death in 1912.23

The Tafts brought with them Elizabeth Jaffray as housekeeper; she
managed the house for the next 17 years. The duties of chief usher
Thomas Stone were reassigned to Archie Butt, who remained in
charge of the house, and Mrs. Jaffray. In fact, Taft had intended to
no longer have ushers. Butt intervened, and Stone and his assistants
were promoted to the Executive Office, with two ushers left to
supervise servants. The officer in charge had usually acted as chief
ceremonial officer at the White House since before the Civil War;
Cosby, however, contented himself with logistics and maintenance.’

At the beginning of the Taft administration plans were made to
expand the executive offices. Under the Sundry Civil Act approved
March 4, 1909, $40,000 was appropriated, and a general design was
drawn up by the officer in charge. After a competition for design,
Nathan C. Wyeth of Washington was chosen to make final plans.
Another $13,500. was approved in the Urgent Deficiency Act of
August 5, 1909.75

The contract was entered into on August 6, 1909, and contractors
broke ground for the addition three days later. The work was
completed nine days ahead of schedule, and the staff occupied the
building by October 31. The addition doubled the office space. The
president's office took on its now familiar oval shape; the cabinet
room occupied one side of the Oval Office and the secretary’s room
the other side. Waiting rooms separated this office from the corridor.
The brick addition was stuccoed and given five coats of paint to
match the original “temporary” building from the Roosevelt admin-
istration. New ventilating systems, extra telephones, and cosmetic
interior work completed the project.’

During the expansion of the West Wing in the Taft administration,
the tennis court that had been established during. the Theodore

103. Seale, The President's House, 734, 740-45, 768, 932; Annual Report, Chief of Engineers,
1910, 2361; Butt, Letters, 3, 21.

104. Seale, The President's House, 734, 740-45, 768, 932; Butt, Letters, 234-35; Annual
Report, Chief of Engineers, 1910, 2361; McClure to Crim, Jan. 31, 1956, 955/Historical,
box 5, acc. 64A-42, White House and President’s Park files (hereafter abbreviated
WHE&WPP), ESFAVHL/NPS.

105. [Smith], “History of Changes,” 6; “Historical Information on the White House and
Its Furnishings,” 7, STL; Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1909, 2353.

106. [Smith], “History of Changes,” 6; “Historical Information on the White House and
Its Furnishings," 7, HSTL; Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1909, 2353; ibid. 1910,
2656-57; ibid., 1971, 2962, 2979; ibid., 1912, 3486.

CHAPTER 5. THE WHITE HOUSE, WASHINGTON, AND THE WORLD: 1897-1933


conservation and preservation of the White House collection, per-
forming surveys of objects and providing conservation treatments at
the request of the White House curator. In 1978 and 1979 the
National Park Service Data Systems Division and White House
Liaison, in conjunction with the Office of the Chief Usher and
curatorial staff at the White House, began to plan and develop

custom software for a computerized inventory and museum .

management system. The system was designed to automate the
tracking of property and the printing of schedules for the annual
inventory. The system also provided a museum cataloguing and
reporting system for the White House museum collection. By 1980
the White House Inventory and Museum Catalogue Systems
(WHIMS) was in operation.'”

In 1981 the White House collection consisted of 28,647 objects, in-
cluding paintings, drawings, sculpture, furniture, decorative objects,
rugs, textiles, documents, and other memorabilia. It was noted that
up to 1961 most 20th century objects were reproductions.”

The White House Preservation Fund was formed in September 1981
with a goal of raising $25 million as a permanent endowment. Dr.
Melvin Payne, chairman of the board of the National Geographic
Society, served as acting chairman. The White House Historical
Association considered the establishment of three subcommittees: one
to raise funds for the preservation of the White House public rooms,
one to deal with fine art acquisitions, and one to oversee
publications.

Jurisdiction

With the exception of Lafayette Park, jurisdiction for the lands
comprising the White House grounds and President's Park had re-
mained fairly consistent over 200 years. In 1971 historian Stanley
McClure reported that President’s Park comprised 82.22 acres: 17.07
acres in the executive grounds, 52.43 in the south grounds, 1.84
occupied by Executive Avenue and “Treasury Place,” 5.37 for the

139. Richard Napoli (div. chief, ESF/WHL), interview with author, Sept. 1997.

140. “The White House Collection,” Oct. 1981, WHL, box 69, Reorganization,
WHHA/CPWH/WHPE ESF/ARD/WHL/NPS; “White House Inventory Management
System I (WHIMS il) 1981,” and “1996 — Inventory of Public Property In and
Belonging to the Executive Mansion,” ESE/WHL/NPS.

141. MMPiaynel to Bernard Meyer et al., Dec. 22, 1981, White House Historical
Association, roster; “The White House Preservation Fund: A Permanent Endowment
‘Trust, Board of Trustees, September 1981,” A22/Reorganization, WHHA/CPWH/WHPE,
box WHL-AM-028, ESF/ARD/WHUNPS.

Russell E. Dickenson —
September 26, 1969, to
November 11, 1973; Manus
J. Fish — November 11,
1973, to September 4, 1988;
Elmer S. Atkins (Assistant
Regional Director) — May 4,
1969, to December 31, 1983

355
‘The National Park Service — 1958-1983


Commissioner of Public Buildings — March 3, 1817, to Samuel Lane — March 3,
March 3, 1849 1817, to May 8, 1822

There were five commissioners of public buildings for the city of
Washington: Samuel Lane {began his duties on April 30, 1816,
although the effective date was March 3, 1817, to May 8, 1822),
Joseph Elgar (May 8, 1822, to February 10, 1834}, William Noland
(February 10, 1834, to November 5, 1846), Andrew Beaumont
{November 5, 1846, to March 3, 1847}, and Charles Douglas (March
3, 1847, to April 7, 1849).

Competition for contro) of the office of commissioner had always
been an issue between the executive and legislative branches. It con-
tinued in May 1828 when Congress passed legislation requiring the
commissioner to reside near the Capitol and ended the position of
architect of the Capitol at the same time. Congress demanded that the
commissioner report directly to them; before, the commissioner had
reported to the president. To further compound the situation, the
commissioner acted as his own fiscal officer. In the 1830s the office
received an increase in salary as a result of the building program in
the city of Washington. By 1840 the commissioner was regularly
reporting to the House Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds.

@ The commissioner’s staff had increased substantially by this period,
and now included a clerk, a gardener, the head of the capitol police,
and briefly, the superintendent of construction. In 1836 the position
of architect of the public buildings was given to Robert Mills as he
supervised the erection of the Treasury and Patent Office Buildings.
The position continued until 1843 when Congress directed the com-
missioner to employ no additional clerks or architects unless
specifically authorized."

Samuel Lane — March 3, 1817, to May 8, 1822

Samuel Lane oversaw the bulk of the reconstruction work at the
White House in years following the War of 1812. Information on his
life and background is scant, although it is known that a birth defect
left him crippled. He traveled around the site in a horse-drawn cart
and had the reputation of being an irascible overseer.*

41. Dowd, Records of Public Buildings and Public Parks, 28-29.
42. Seale, The President's House, 141, 146.

51

Commissioner of Public Buildings — March 3, 1817, to March 3, 1849



earlier Roosevelt suggestion. Truman said, “The White House will not
be changed or altered in any manner — exterior or interior.”*

Winslow and his staff worked for seven months on the project; and
by November they were ready to present the results. The neoclassic
style was reminiscent of Winslow’s earlier work. The architects did
not believe the addition would compromise the White House
grounds. Congress supported the proposition by appropriating
$1,650,000. The project would include the implementation of the
landscape plans proposed under the Franklin Roosevelt administra-
tion by Winslow and S. E. Sanders. Additional storage space would be
built under the north lawn, and a new delivery drive and trash
removal area would be built from West Executive Avenue “into a
short tunnel passing below and north of the Executive office
entrance, leading directly to the mansion courtyards.” The
Commission of Fine Arts, under Gilmore D. Clarke, approved the
preliminary plans, with reviews of design details to come at a later
date, and workers began preparing to make the addition to the
president's office.

However, public opinion made the project impossible. Because the
Project was announced in the press as an “addition” to the White
House, the American public reacted negatively. Even though in the
beginning Truman had the general support of the Commission of
Fine Arts, the commission reversed its position. In addition, Secretary
of the Interior Harold Ickes was concerned about the project.
Members of the American Institute of Architects were divided.
Opposition was also expressed by the American Planning and Civic
Association, chaired by former NPS Director Horace M. Albright,
with former director Ulysses $. Grant Ili as first vice president.
Letters flowed into the White House criticizing the expense and inap-
propriateness of the project. Winslow, referring to the public concern
over Truman’s plans when asked about watchdog agencies for the
White House, replied, “there are about 130 million self-appointed
Watchdogs that could come under this general classification.”
Congress called a hait to the project, and it was finally abandoned. In
September 1946 Truman remarked that the controversy was

59. Seale, The President’s House, 1007-8; “Memorandum of Remarks by the President at
his Press Conference of January 24, 1946,” no. 480, Ayers presidential files (White House
Executive Offices}, box 21, HSTL; Edith Helm to Mrs. Truman, memorandum, Jan. 4,
1946; Truman to Winslow, memorandum, Jan. 5, 1946; both in WHCF (permanent file),
box 306, HSTL.

60. Seale, The President’s House, 1008; PL 269, Dec. 28, 1945 (59 Stat, 634); “Outline of
Construction Work on the White House . . . for the Information of Correspondents,” Jan.
11, 1946, p. 2, Ayers presidential file (White House Executive Offices), box 21, HSTL;
Clarke to Truman, Dec. 3, 1945, WHCF (permanent file), box 306, HSTL.

Frank T. Gartside —- July.31,
1939, to February 1, 1940;
Edmund B, Rogers —
February 1, 1940, to April
18, 1940; Francis F. Gillen
— April 18, 1940, to
January 2, 1941; Irvin C.
Root — January 2, 1941, to
July 28, 1950

265

Office of National Parks, Buildings, and Reservations — August 10, 1933, to March 2, 1934; National Park Service — March 2, 1934, to May 10, 1958


contractors instead of by house staff. Officials even contracted the
maintenance of four clocks to a private firm in March 1843,'"

Tyler continued to make the White House available to the general
Public, holding levees once a month without invitation. Summer
evenings the Marine Band played on the south portico, and the
grounds were open to the public. British author Charles Dickens, a
guest of President Tyler, recorded the simplicity of official receptions
and the remarkable facility with which the presidential staff handled
a crowd of over 3,000 at the property. The first permanent White
House security guard was established on July 1, 1842.77

As the commissioner's duties became more complex, Noland began to
assess the size of the properties under his supervision, including
President’s Park. In March 1843 he noted that Lafayette Square
encompassed 7 acres, having a 728-foot frontage on Pennsylvania
Avenue, with 420 feet on the east and west boundaries. Noland
designated another area, comprised of about 27 acres, as “President’s
Square”; this area is. presumably within the present-day fence
{including the south lawn). Noland estimated the “President's
Garden” contained 36 acres, for a total of 70 acres. By this time it
seems that the area south of the President’s House had been fenced
off from the canal. Three dimensions were given for the distance
from the president’s wall to the canal: 1,488 feet, 1,546 feet, and
1,600 feet. Noland provided an estimate of $2,410 for 6,042 feet of
“panels”; it is unknown if a fence was ever constructed.’

111. "The Presidents of the United States, The Inauguration of John Tyler,” available on
the Internet at <http://www2.whitehouse.gov/WH/glimpse/presidents/htm//jtinau.
html>; Seale, The President's House, 246-47; contract for clock maintenance, Mar. 1843,
“Journal, Commissioner of Public Buildings,” 7:31, RG 42.

112. Seale, The President's House, 243, 246-47; NPS, "Phe White House,” 31; Dolkart, The
Old Executive Office Building, 6.

113. ‘Dimensions of Lafayette Square, President's Square and President's Garden,” Mar.
1843, “Journal, Commissioner of Public Buildings," 7:32. In this 1843 entry it is difficult
to know if the entry under the President's House and Grounds is 36, 20, or 96 acres.
Obviously the commissioner did not have a completely accurate compilation of all the
lands for which he was responsible. A notation made in 1848 lists the “Grounds South of
the President's House” at 50 acres, the "President’s House and Grounds" at 20 acres, and
“Lafayette Square" at 7 acres, for a total of 77 acres. A faint pencil notation on this entry
lists the house and grounds at 27 acres, See “Acreage of Various Federal Installations,” c.
1848, ibid., 7:36. In March 1844 Noland gave the dimensions of President’s Park as
comprising $3 acres, 1 “rood,” and 22 perches. See Report of the Commissioner of Public
Buildings, Made in Compliance with a Resolution of the Senate, Showing the Lots and Squares
in the City of Washington, Conveyed to the United States by the Original Owners, Those Sold,
the Amount of Sales, and the Estimated Value of Those Granted to Public Institutions, March
1844 (n.p.), 38-40.

William Noland —
February 10, 1834, to
November 5, 1846

75

Commissioner of Public Buildings — March 3, 1817, to March 3, 1849



Edward J. Kelly — July 28,

1950, to May 10, 1958

280

Glenn Stanton, president of the American Institute of Architects,
congratulated President Truman “for a project that stirs pride and
appreciation throughout the land.”*” Yale and Towne Manufacturing
presented Truman with a gold key in a leather box with the
following inscription, underscoring the importance of the White
House as a symbol to the American people:

Ina free society, the key to a man’s house symbolizes his and
his family’s rights to those privacies and freedoms which are
" the heart and sinews of the American way of life. This key

and the lock it operates are the products of the skills and

ingenuity of American men and women living and working

safe in their liberties. With God's help, may it ever be so!*
White House Furnishings — The Commission on Renovation of the
Executive Mansion also managed interior concerns, including
decorating, much to the consternation of the Commission on Fine
Arts and its new chairman, David E. Finley. The commissioners, by
now mostly Truman appointees, had not been asked for their
opinions about the general renovation, nor would they be. Finley
believed that they had the right by law to review the plans. Mrs.
Harold 1. Pratt, former member of the White House Advisory
Committee established in the Coolidge administration, also thought
that others should be consulted. But for the most part the president
ignored the Fine Arts Commission, except for some items of interior
decoration. Some years later, however, commission member Felix De
Weldon recalled being actively involved in the project.”

97. Stanton to Truman, Mar. 31, 1952, OF 50/Misc. Reconstruction {file 2}, box 312,
HSTL.

98. “The White House Door Key,” Dec. 1952, post-presidential files (White House
History), box 92, HSTL. Years later Truman, in a televised interview, said that he had to
threaten and cajole the contractor into finishing the work on time. John McShain, the
contractor, took exception with this interpretation in a letter, saying that Thaman had
offered a luncheon in the State Dining Room to McShain and his associates if the work
could be completed ahead of. schedule. McShain agreed, completed the work, got the
luncheon and a lighter from the president. in reply, Truman insisted that his problems
were not with McShain but with “people in your organization on whom I found it
necessary to apply pressure to rush completion. Your reputation, which has always been
excellent, is not the point at issue and should not be questioned.” McShain used
stationery with an image of the White House printed at the bottom of the page. See
McShain to Truman, Jan. 24, 1961, and Truman to McShain, Mar. 16, 1961, Post-
Presidential Files (White House Data), box 91, HSTL.

99. Seale, The President's House, 864; 1038-41, 1045; Jerry N. Hess, “Oral History
Interview with Felix De Weldon, Nationally Kaown Sculptor and Former Member of the
US. Fine Arts Commission,” 38-41, HSTL; “Second Report of the Commission on the
Renovation of the Executive Mansion,” Aug. 1, 1950, p. 1, PSE file 2, box 301, HSTL;
“Third Report of the Commission on the Renovation of the Executive Mansion,” Jan. 3,
1951, passim, WHCF permanent file, box 306, HSTL. The commission was consulted
near the end of the project; notes, Monkman (OC/WH), July 19, 2000.

CHarrer 6. THE New DEAL, Worip WAR II, AND PEACE: 1933-2958


394; duties of, 207; office space,
126; Roosevelt (T) tenure, 174

office space: Buchanan tenure,
106-107; Cleveland tenures,
158, 160; Eisenhower tenure,
289-292; Hoover tenure, 165;
Johnson (A) tenure, 112;
Kennedy tenure, 307; McKinley
tenure, 172-173; Monroe tenure,
53-54; Nixon tenure, 346; Pierce
tenure, 100-101; Polk tenure,
78; Roosevelt (FD) tenure, 247,
259-260; Truman tenure, 264-
266; Van Buren tenure, 69;
Wilson tenure, 202, 205

Ogle, Charles, 73

Ohio Power Company, 337

OKA+GDO, 374

Oklahoma City memorial, 375-376

Old Dominion Foundation, 326,
337; plaque, 412

Old Executive Office Building:
building of, 118, 132-133, 145,
150-151; Coolidge tenure, 223;
Hoover tenure, 226; jurisdiction,
253; as landmark, 339; memor-
ials, 414-415; proposed demoli-
tion of, 247, 289-290; remodel-
ing of, 165; superintendent of,
199, 202

Olmsted Brothers, plan for White
House grounds, 239, 244, 245-
246, 333

Olmsted, Frederick Law, Jr., 196,
248 -

Olmsted, Frederick Law, Sr., 255

Olney, Richard, 397

Olszewski, George, 323

O'Neil, Jemmy, 63

O'Neil, Thomas, 98

One Per Cent Club, 220-221

Operation Desert Shield/Storm,
214, 293, 361-362, 367, 375,
379

orangeries: Fillmore tenure, 95;
Jackson tenure, 66. See also
greenhouses

Ordway-Kousoulas, 374

Orr, Douglas W., 269-270, 279,
282, 396

Ousley, John, 59, 65, 68, 76, 94

Oval Office: Carter tenure, 351;
construction of, 164, 192

Owen, Frank, 151

Owings, Nathaniel A., 312, 324,
416; and Ellipse fountains, 327.
See also Skidmore, Owings &
Merrill

P

Paccard Sons foundry, 292

Packwood, Robert, 338

Pageant of Peace. See Christmas
Pageant of Peace

Paine, Lewis, 115

Painter, Michael, 326

painting, exterior: Eisenhower
tenure, 290; Fillmore tenure, 89,
94-95; Ford tenure, 347; Grant
tenure, 124; Jackson tenure, 60;
Johnson (A} tenure, 122;
Johnson (LB) tenure, 321;
Kennedy tenure, 310; Reagan
tenure, 352, 353; Roosevelt (T}
tenure, 185

paint shop: Johnson (LB) tenure,
318; Nixon tenure, 346. See also
shops

Palmer, Campbell, and Reese, 327

Palmer, David A., 307-308

Palmer, George, 303

pantries, Roosevelt (FD) tenure,
248

Parade (Ellipse), Downing plan and,
90

Parker, Esther, “Miss Hetty,” 103

parking: Clinton tenure, 370;
Eisenhower tenure, 286-288;
Hoover tenure, 226; Johnson
(LB) tenure, 318-319, 328;
Nixon tenure, 342, 345-346;
Truman tenure, 267, 273, 284.
See also traffic

Park Police, ULS.: Clinton tenure,
381; Coolidge tenure, 211;
Eisenhower tenure, 291;
Kennedy tenure, 310; Reagan
tenure, 380; Roosevelt (FD)
tenure, 243, 256; Wilson tenure,
205, 209

435
Index



the Chief Usher’s Office. A total of 76 full-time White House em-
ployees were on the payroll by 1964, among them painters, carpen-
ters, electricians, plumbers, maids, cooks, and butlers. The Curator’s
Office remained separate from these functions, but the National Park
Service did fund five positions connected to the Curator’s Office: a
secretary, a clerk-typist, a curatorial assistant, a property assistant,
and an administrative assistant. The curator’s position was funded
by an annual donation to the Park Service by the White House His-
torical Association. NPS personnel regularly inventoried the 27,000
items included as White House property. Submitted to the president,
the inventory was given to the NPS director for safekeeping.»

Between 1963 and 1965 unprecedented moves in cultural interpre-
tation were made on the site. The guidebook for the White House
was in its fourth printing by 1964, and more than a million copies
had been sold. Liz Carpenter, press secretary for Lady Bird Johnson,
suggested to the National Park Service that the official materials dis~
tributed at the White House be made more attractive and that the
four-fold leaflet describing the White House be printed in French,
Spanish, and German. The information being presented at that time
to foreign visitors consisted of translations made by the Hospitality
and Information Service. In 1964 Jett said in a letter that the
Kennedy and Johnson administrations had taken “a much more
thoughtful and productive interest in the White House grounds and
the capital city itself than any other First Families I can recall.””

By 1964 a total of 1.8 million visitors were touring the White House.
Members of the White House Police, a division of the U.S. Secret
Service, continued to give tours of the White House, but only VIPs
received interpretive services. Most visitors received no guided tours
or interpretation. The director of the National Park Service recom-
mended the addition of a professional interpretive staff of historians
to augment the public tours at the White House in February 1965.
Complaints about the length of wait and the quality of tours reached
the ears of Lady Bird Johnson. Acting upon suggestions from Nash
Castro, the first lady arranged for benches and water fountains on
East Executive Avenue. Arrangements were also made for uniformed

29. ‘The Service and the White House — Background,” Dec. 9, 1964, A56/Misc. (1 of
2), box WHL-AM-020, Office of the Director, WHL/ESF/NPS.

30. Annual Report, Secretary of the Interior, National Park Service, 1962, 114; ibid., 1963,
423; reg. dir. (NCR) to dir. (NPS), memorandum, Oct. 28, 1965, K1815/NCR/Anterpretive
Services and Facilities (1/1/63-1/1/66), bax 19, acc. 68A-3201, ESF/WHL/NPS; Roberts
to Bowen, Apr. 26, 1966, K14/White House information 1966, box 26, acc. 72A-6215,
ESF/WHL/NPS; Jett to Mrs. Rowe, Sept. 25, 1964, D24/Rose Garden/White House
(1/1/63-1/1/66}, box 20, acc. 68A-3201, ESF/WHL/NPS; David Krause (WHL, NPS),
telephone conversation with O'Brien regarding tourist services, Mar. 23, 1995.

Harry T. Thompson —~ May
10, 1958, to February 25,
1961; T. Sutton Jett —
March 15, 1961, to January
14, 1968; I. J. Castro—
January 14, 1968, to
September 25, 1969; Rex W.
Scouten {Assistant Regional
Director) — February 24,
1968, to May 4, 1969

313

The National Park Service — 1958-1983


Charlie Byrd, Bill Harris, and the National Symphony Orchestra.
Shakespeare's The Tempest was also performed for four nights.'”

The Jimmy Carter Administration. President Carter took an active

interest in all activities, including the establishment of a new mainte-
nance facility on the south grounds; Carter resurveyed the site after
NPS personnel had initially staked it out. The small concrete block
structure, which was effectively masked by landscaping, housed
equipment and materials used on the White House grounds,
eliminating the need for constant security checks for equipment and
materials brought into the site. A free-standing treehouse designed by
President Carter was built for Amy Carter in one of the older cypress
trees on the south grounds.’

In 1977 the National Park Service began a multi-year program to
upgrade utility systems. Many of the systems had been installed
during the Truman renovation of the White House. The various
projects included rehabilitating secondary electrical systems; revamp-
ing the heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning system; upgrading
the primary electrical distribution systems; replacing energy manage-
ment and control systems; redoing the grounds utilities; conducting
a structural survey of the Executive Residence; and improving
security and fire systems.'*

In 1978 the Department of the Treasury arranged with the National
Park Service to assume responsibility for the Treasury grounds on a
reimbursable basis. The work, supervised by the park horticulturist,

121. |Ruback], “Report of National Park Service Bicentennial Activities”; notes, Krause
(ESF/EHL/NPS), July 13, 2000; “Visits to the U.S. by Foreign Heads of State ~ 1976,” U.S.
Department of State, available on the Internet at <www.state.gov/www/about_state/
history/1976.html>. The visit by Queen Elizabeth required extensive support and was
partially subsidized by an anonymous donation of $40,000, which helped pay for rugs,
lumber, table linen, and various construction projects (including the first use of an air-
conditioned tent in the Rose Garden). The event was spectacular, but the diplomatic corps
found the United States Marine Band's selection of dance music for the president and the
queen — “The Lady is a Tramp” by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart, and “Muskrat
Love” by The Captain and Tennille — inappropriate. See assoc. dir. (WHL) to chief usher,
memorandum, Aug. 16, 1976, A7217/Reading File (Aug. 1976-Dec. 1976) (1 of 2),
WHL-AM-010, ESF/WHL/NPS; Office of the Curator, The White House, telephone
conversation with O'Brien, no date. Information on the visit of Queen Elizabeth II is
included in the NPS ‘Architectural Drawing Inventory: The White House,” comp. Krause,
ESF/WHL/NPS, 1992.

122. Herbert D. Rosenbaum and Alexi Ugrinsky, eds., The Presidency and Domestic Policies
of Jimmy Carter (Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1994), 24-25, 150, 375, 376-77, 483;
McDaniel, conversation with O'Brien, Dec. 1, 1995.

123. Michael Summerlin (asst. dir, Project Management, WHL)}, communication with
O'Brien, Nov. 1997,

Russell E. Dickenson —
September 26, 1969, to
November 11, 1973; Manus
J. Fish — November 11,
1973, to September 4, 1988;
Elmer S. Atkins (Assistant
Regional Director) — May 4,
1969, to December 31, 1983

349
The National Park Service — 1958-1983


William S. Wood — May
31, 1861, to September 5,
1861; Benjamin B. French —
September 5, 1861, to
March 2, 1867

110

presidential orders ended such actions. Quartermasters turned the
Washington Monument grounds into a stockyard, pasturing cattle at
a livestock depot. Drovers ran thousands of cattle through the streets
around the White House, raising incredible clouds of dust and
creating general havoc. President’s Park was still separated from the
Washington Monument and the Mall by the Washington Canal, by
this time a fetid and reeking open sewer full of refuse. Most of the
south lawn and what later became the Ellipse remained undeveloped
pasturage.®

Telegraph service was provided to the War Department by 1861. To
provide more office space, third floors and attics were added to the
War and Navy Buildings, and a southern addition was constructed
for the Navy Building. While routine tasks continued, the
requirements of the Civil War forced many matters relating to the
White House to be postponed until they could be dealt with after the
war.

On February 12, 1864, the presidential stables burned to the ground.
Although it had been planned that replacement stables would occupy
the same space, consultations between President Lincoin and architect
Thomas U. Walter resulted in the stables being located in the
“southwest corner of the Presidential gardens” for $12,000. The
stable was in place by October 1864, with a $600 cost overrun.”

In November 1864 Commissioner French reported that the usual
$6,000 appropriated for repairs had been reduced to $5,000 and that
plumbing problems had caused the money to be spent rather quickly,
leaving the first family to rely on personal funds. French stated that
the President’s House needed much repair and that the old furnace
had to be rebuilt. After a tour of the grounds, the Committee on
Public Buildings and Grounds from the House of Representatives
“agreed, unanimously, that no private gentleman would suffer his
house and grounds to remain in such a dilapidated condition,”
remarked French.*

83. Matthew Brady, photograph from the corner of 14th Street and the Mall looking
northwest, ca. 1861, as reproduced in Gutheim, Worthy of the Nation, 66; Seale, The
President's House, 370-71; Whitman, ‘Ambulance Processions” and “Cattle Drives about
Washington,” in The Portable Walt Whitman, 428, 440-41.

84. Dolkart, The Old Executive Office Building, 7; Seale, The President's House, 369.
85. Annual Report, Corps of Engineers, 1868, 10.

86. U.S. Army, Corps of Engineers, Annual Report of Brevet Brigadier General Nathaniel
Michler, Major of Engineers, U.S. Army, in Charge of the Public Buildings and Grounds, Works,
Etc. (Washington: U.S. GPO, 1868), 10.

(CHAPTER 3: THE ANTEBELLUM, CIVIL WAR, AND RECONSTRUCTION YEARS: 1849-1867


time, gaslights had been eliminated inside the house.) In addition, the
White House was connected to an electrical company in case its
private power source in the State, War, and Navy Building failed. The
White House was painted on the outside; in some places paint was
burned off the exterior and sometimes replaced with as many as four
coats. Both the presidential stables and the stables for the Office of
Public Buildings and Grounds were extensively repaired, and a
cesspool was installed directly behind the office stable. Greenhouses
for the White House were located at the Washington Monument.”*

In 1904 the trees on the White House grounds were inventoried, and
the report was included as part of the chief of engineers’ annual
report. At the request of Mrs. Roosevelt, “colonial” gardens were
installed on the east and west terraces immediately south of the
mansion.”

Requests for permission for baseball games on the Ellipse became so
numerous that in 1904 the officer in charge opened the Ellipse to
such use in April. The grounds were used on every clear day and
attended by large crowds. Three diamonds with wire backstops were
initially laid out on the east, west, and south sides. Because of the
rapid deterioration of the grass, six additional diamonds were laid out
between the original three so that use could be rotated. Additionally,
a request was made to install a walk around the perimeter of the
Ellipse so that the crowds using the property might have a place to
waik and so that the grass would not be reduced to mud.”*

In the summer of 1904 the secretary of war extended the custom of
Saturday afternoon concerts by the Marine Band on the White House
grounds, with concerts in other public parks in the city on Monday,
Tuesday, and Friday. In 1905 the Marine Band continued to give
Saturday afternoon concerts, from June through September.”

In 1905 maintenance of the house included the cleaning, repairing,
and protecting the trophy heads in the State Dinning Room placed
there by McKim, Mead & White. Bromwell also purchased the first

76. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1904, 3906-10.

77. “Historic Trees: White House Grounds” [1934], 2, 950-50/Planting (2), box 4,
accession no. (acc.) 644-42, ESE/WHL/NPS; Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1905,
2757-65, 3923; “White House Trees,” Dec. 2, 1952, 1, post-presidential files (White
House History), box 91, HSTL.

78, Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1912, 3486; Seale, The President's House, 756, 762,
861; EDAW et al. “President's Park Cultural Landscape Report,” 5-15 through 5-17,
figure 5-7.

79. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1904, 3923; ibid., 1905, 2624, 2626, 2649.

Thomas W. Symons — April
30, 1903, to April 26, 1904;
Charles S. Bromwell — April
26, 1904, to March 15, 1909

185

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Office of Public Buildings and Grounds — March 9, 1897, to February 26, 1925



384

CHAPTER 9. CONCLUSION

prudence in the handling of the myriad duties that attend a typical
days work at the White House and President's Park.

Even though the National Park Service now has general responsibility
for the house and its property, responsibility for the administration
of the site is shared with 10 other federal agencies — the Office of the
President, the Executive Residence at the White House, the White
House Military Office, the General Services Administration, the U.S.
Department of the Treasury, the U.S. Secret Service, the District of
Columbia, the Commission of Fine Arts, the National Capital
Planning Commission, and the Advisory Council on Historic
Preservation. Cooperation, not contention, has proved to be the
historical key to the successful administration of Presidents Park.
Nothing less than the daily efficient operation of one of the world’s
best known executive residences is in their hands. For administrators
to succeed and to be able to provide for the incredible demands that
are often made of them, they must work together to provide a
seamless and seemingly perfect tableau and backdrop to the workings
of the American presidency. Anything less is unacceptable.

Access to these spaces remains the single most powerful concept at
President’s Park. The idea of accessibility is the heart of American
government. The government must be accessible to the people; such
ideas were at the center of the American Revolution, and they are still
central to American culture. As a symbol of American democracy, the
site must be accessible to its citizens so as to accurately reflect the
democratic ideals that the nation is founded upon. Like the
government it serves, the site has remained relatively open and
accessible throughout its history.

Access has also made recreation possible at President’s Park. Recrea-
tional activities in the modern sense became available in the late
1880s and expanded dramatically from 1910 to 1920. But until the
second half of the 20th century, recreational activities served only
part of the public. The types of games allowed, the permitting
procedures, the predominance of organized sports, and the associated
costs made such areas available only to the middle and upper classes.
Later notions of public recreation caused these spaces to develop as
truly democratic venues full of diverse peoples and activities — and
to be fraught with all the related benefits and problems.

While open access compounds security concerns, access to the White
House has traditionally meant access to the nation. The White House
must remain open to all, not only through the electoral process, but
also in a literal day-to-day context as the home of the president and
as the People’s House. As can only be expected, every national crisis
has caused security at the White House and President’s Park to be


fountain opening onto the new East Executive Avenue. He also
presented a landscape plan for President’s Park, and French recom-
mended its acceptance. The plan, which was based on Downing’s
earlier design, was implemented incrementally over the next several
years. Its major element was the formal establishment of East and
West Executive Avenues and the Ellipse. Within the next decade the
south grounds of the White House extended to the north of the
Ellipse, and the former east-west roadway across the property (in the
vicinity of today’s Hamilton and State Places) was opened to general
traffic. By the turn of the century, however, this roadway was
reduced to an interior carriageway serving only the immediate
grounds. General traffic was forced to find other routes across
President’s Park. A small fountain built on the south lawn near the
portico replaced an earlier one featuring terra-cotta bowls and a sea
serpent established during the Lincoln administration.”

In 1866 the commissioner of public buildings reported that the White
House had again become dilapidated and had not been thoroughly
refurbished since the Pierce administration, when $73,450 had been
spent on repairs. A sum of $3,000 was appropriated to rework the
gutter system. Additional repairs made during the Johnson
administration were supervised by Mrs. Martha Patterson, President
Johnson's daughter.”

After the Civil War additions were made to the Treasury Building on
the west and north. This required removing the old State Department
Building of the 1820s and redesigning the area between the White
House and the Treasury Building. The Ellipse area continued to serve
as a public dumping ground and looked, according to one source, like
“a desert of tomato cans and discarded hoop skirts.”

In 1866 the Corps of Engineers spent $75,000 to dredge the
Washington Canal, dumping the muck in the Ellipse area in an
attempt to level the property. The project to fill the 3 million square
feet of the Ellipse continued for the next 14 years, with the corps
finally bringing it to grade in 1880.”

94. Seale, The President's House, 433, 504; Annual Report, Commissioner of Public
Buildings, 1866, 547-48; Seale, The White House, 72-73, 120; Reps, Washington on View,
125, 139, 155, 157, 169, 171, 189, 191, 197, 213, 214, 227, 233, 235, 257; Gutheim,
Worthy of the Nation, 64, 83, 152; Annual Report, Corps of Engineers, 1868, 10; EDAW et
al., “President's Park: Cultural Landscape Report,” draft report prepared for the National
Park Service (Washington, DC, 1995), 3-26.

95. Annual Report, Commissioner of Public Buildings, 1866, 547, RG 42.
96. Seale, The President's House, 433; Reps, Washington on View, 86.
97. Dolkart, The Old Executive Office Building, 6; NPS, President's Park South, 9.

William S. Wood — May
31, 1861, to September 5,
1861; Benjamin B. French —
September 5, 1861, to
March 2, 1867

113

U.S, Department of the interior, Commissioner of Public Buildings — March 5, 1849, to March 2, 1867


To meet increasing visitor needs, the National Park Service con-
structed a new visitor pavilion on the northeast panel of the Ellipse,
which was opened to the public in May 1994. Designed by Oehrlein
& Associates Architects and the National Park Service, the new
facility replaced three outmoded temporary structures.”

In October 1994 First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton opened an exhibit
of 20th century sculpture in the east garden of the White House. The
12 pieces, from 10 Midwestern art collections, constituted the
beginning of a revolving art exhibit of American sculpture. J. Carter
Brown, director emeritus of the National Gallery of Art, coordinated
the exhibition, which was funded by the Iris and B. Gerald Cantor
Foundation. The curator of the first exhibit was George W. Neubert,
director of the Sheldon Memorial Art Gallery and Sculpture Garden in
Lincoln, Nebraska. Artists represented were Louis Bourgeois,
Alexander Caulder, Bryan Hunt, Richard Hunt, Ellsworth Kelly,
Gaston Lachaise, Paul Manship, Manuel Neri, Louise Nevelson,
George Segal, and Judith Shea. The six-month exhibit was followed
by a series of eight similar installations from other museums around
the nation. Also, a temporary exhibit of bronze sculpture by Colom-
bian artist Fernando Botero was placed at the southern end of the
Ellipse along Constitution Avenue at the request of the Organization.
of American States in the fall of 1996."

Public vehicular traffic on Pennsylvania Avenue was restricted on
May 20, 1995. The U.S. Treasury Department and the Federal
Highway Administration coordinated compliance for the action in
accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act. The com-
pleted traffic analysis was summarized in a report released by the
Federal Highway Administration in May 1997; the impacts of the
restrictions were analyzed in an environmental assessment released
that same year by the Department of the Treasury.” (Also see the
discussion under “Site Security.”)

After Pennsylvania Avenue was closed to public vehicular traffic, the
National Park Service, at the request of the president, took the lead in
a planning process to redesign the portion of the avenue in front of

30. Krause, personal communication with O’Brien, June 17, 1996, ESE/WHL/NPS.

31. "The White House,” news release, Oct. 11, 1994 (Contacts: Lisa Caputo, Neel
Lattimore, Karen Finney), pp. 1-3.

32. Federal Highway Administration, US. Department of Transportation, “Analysis of
Transportation Conditions after Traffic Restrictions and Street Modifications “in the
Vicinity of the White House,” prepared by Baston-Ashman Associates, Inc. (Washington,
DC: 1997); U.S. Department of the Treasury, Environmental Assessment: Implementation of
White House Security Review Vehicular Traffic Restriction Recommendations (Washington,
De: 1997).

Manus J. Fish — Continuing
to September 4, 1988; Ronald
N. Wrye — September 4,
1988, to December 18, 1988;
Robert G, Stanton —
December 18, 1988, to
January 3, 1997; James I.
McDaniel (Associate Regional
Director) — December 31,
1983, to -

371

National Park Service — 1983 to 1997


, Appendix B. Various Persons, Boards, and
Commissions Attached to President’s Park

Surveyor of Public Buildings — March 6, 1803, to March 3, 1817
Benjamin Henry Latrobe March 6, 1803

U.S. Surveyors of the City/Superintendents — March 4, 1803, to
September 5, 1815

Nicholas King March 4, 1803
Robert King Jr. May 21, 1812
Benjamin Henry Latrobe September 5, 1835
Robert King Jr. September 5, 1815

Commissioners Appointed to Supervise the Repair or Rebuilding of the
Public Buildings in Washington — March 10, 1815, to April 29, 1816

John P Van Ness
Richard Bland Lee

_ Tench Ringgold
Architect of the Capitol: Benjamin Henry Latrobe, mid-April 1815 @
Architect of the White House: James Hoban, March 25, 1815

Board of Commissioners to Supervise the Erection of Public
Buildings — April 23, 1838, to December 31, 1840

Appointed by Van Buren, the commission was to supervise the “erection of
public buildings now in progress in this city” and to direct the commis-
sioner of public buildings. Others were added on the dates shown below.

John Forsyth, Secretary of State April 23, 1838
Levi Woodbury, Secretary of the Treasury April 23, 1838
Joel R. Poinsett, Secretary of War April 23, 1838
Amos Kendall, Postmaster General March 6, 1839
James K. Paulding, Secretary of the Navy November 5, 1839

Commission on Renovation of the Executive Mansion —
April 14, 1949, to March 27, 1952

Kenneth D. McKellar, Senator, Tennessee

Edward Martin, Senator, Pennsylvania

Louis C. Rabault, Representative, Michigan

Frank B. Keefe, Representative, Wisconsin; replaced by J. Harry McGregor,
Representative, Ohio, in January 1951

Richard £. Dougherty, President, American Society of Civil Engineers

Douglas W. Orr, President, American Institute of Architects

396
APPENDIXES


Commissioners for the District of Columbia — January 22, 1791, to May 1, 1802


Manus J. Fish — Continuing
to September 4, 1988; Ronald
N. Wrye — September 4,
1988, to December 18, 1988;
Robert G. Stanton —
December 18, 1988, to
January 3, 1997; James I.
McDaniel (Associate Regional
Director) — December 31,
1983, to-

374

‘CHAPTER 8, EPILOGUE: 1983-1997

The White House Visitor Center — In 1991 planning had begun for
ihe exhibit areas of the visitor center. In honor of- Herbert Hoover’s
position as secretary of commerce under Harding and Coolidge, and
his laying of the Commerce Building’s corner stone in 1929, an
exhibit on the Hoover presidency was included in the plan for the
visitor center. In March 1993 a proposal was received from the firm
of Ordway-Kousoulas to design a temporary exhibit on the life and
accomplishments of President Hoover. The National Park Service's
Museum Support Division at the Harpers Ferry Center coordinated
the planning and design for the exhibits.”

The themes developed for the White House exhibits were the White
House as a national treasure, its symbol and image, telling the story
of presidential families, events at the White House, and how it is
changing. The contract for interpretive exhibit design was awarded to
OKA+GDO of Bethesda, Maryland, and construction of the exhibit
cases to the Explus Company of Chantilly, Virginia. The work was
overseen by National Park Service project manager Philip Mussel-
white of the Harpers Ferry Center.”

In February 1993 bids for the renovation of Baldrige Hail as a visitor
center were opened, but the contract was not awarded. After changes
to the construction documents, the project was finally awarded to a
minority contractor, NPP Contractors, in September 1993 in the
amount of $1,749,670. Ben Biderman of the Denver Service Center's
Falls Church office served as project manager.”

In March 1995 First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton cut a ceremonial
red, white, and blue ribbon to formally open the visitor center. The
center inchides displays on the presidents and their administrations,
along with three-dimensional exhibits of artifacts and audiovisual
installations. It also provides necessary public facilities, especially for
visitors with disabilities, as well as a gift shop managed by the White
House Historical Association.*

The new White House visitor center, along with the visitor pavilion
that opened on the northeast panel of the Ellipse the previous year,
has helped meet increasing visitor needs. While the ticketing function
has been moved indoors, tour staging has remained outdoors on the

39. D22/WHVC/Exhibits, Records of White House Liaison, ESF/WHL/NPS.
40. D22/WHVC/Exhibits, Records of White House Liaison, ESF/WHL/NPS.

41. Summerlin to O’Brien, Nov. 29, 1999, summary notes, “White House Visitor
Center,” ESF/WHL/NPS.

42, Summerlin to O'Brien, Nov. 29, 1999.


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325

‘The National Park Service — 1958-1983


further enhanced when in 1883 the fence surrounding the house was
not only painted but also detailed with gilding.»

Temporary plank walkways 24 inches wide were installed across the
Jawn in 1884 south of the White House to accommodate traffic
during the winter. The walk was stored at the nursery grounds for
later use.*

In 1884 an additional road “provided in the plan” was opened in the
northwest section of the Ellipse, connecting the central Ellipse to 17th
Street, evidently one of the bowed roadways at the four corners of
the property. Damage to the lawns from Cleveland’s March 4, 1885,
inauguration was repaired, with most of the work completed by
June. The area was top dressed and sown in grass seed.”

Recreation continued to be an evolving concern at President's Park.
By 1884 four baseball diamonds were mapped to be laid out on the
Ellipse. However, their actual establishment is not mentioned in
reports.”

The State, War, and Navy Building Commission — The creation of the
post of superintendent for the State, War, and Navy Building also
occasioned the creation of the State, War, and Navy Building Com-
mission. The commission served from March 3, 1883, to February
26, 1925, and was made up of the secretaries of the three depart-
ments that occupied the structure. The superintendent served under
the direction of the commission.”

Jurisdiction

Jurisdiction over the buildings at President’s Park changed with the
appointment of a superintendent and a commission to oversee the
State, War, and Navy Building. In the map of the city of Washington
attached to the reports of the officer in charge for 1884 and 1887
both the Treasury Building and the State, War, and Navy Building

95. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1884, 2340; ibid., 1885, 2504-5, 2510.
96. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1885, 2510.

97. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1885, 2503.

98. “Ellipse in White Lot,” Scale: 1:80 (Basebal) Fields, “J. S." 1884), E #5, 1-1-1,5, 23-
40, RG 79, NA; Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1872, 6; ibid., 1882, passim. See also
Annual Reports, Chief of Engineers, 1884-89.

99. Act of March 3, 1883 (22 Stat. 553); Dowd, Records of Public Buildings and Public
Parks, 67-69.

Almon F. Rockwell — April
1, 1881, to June 1, 1885

145

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Office of Public Buildings and Grounds — March 2, 1867, to March 9, 1897



began serving as a member of the board of directors, following the
13-year membership by his predecessor, Elmer Atkins.’

In addition to security, other issues drove projects through the 1980s,
including asbestos removal on the site. Soil borings were done on
West Executive Avenue in anticipation of future projects. The
government of the District of Columbia began to work with the
National Park Service to create a White House precinct concept that
would improve the environment in the neighborhoods immediately
surrounding President's Park.'*

During the Reagan administration patios were built for the president
and the chief of staff adjacent to their West Wing offices. The
National Park Service also completed a waterproofing project to
repair leaks in areas of the West Wing. This work was within the
Jurisdiction of the General Services Administration. The National Park
Service, however, performed the work at the request of the
president's staff. The swimming pool was closed from 1986 to 1988
while leaks were repaired.”

By 1987 East Executive Avenue, established in 1869, had been re-
moved, gates installed, and East Executive Park created as a pedestrian
walkway. The park project, managed by NPS landscape architect
Merrick Smith, won an environmental design award from
Washington Mayor Marion Barry in 1989."

During the 1980s the director of the White House Visitors Office (an
employee of the Executive Office of the President supervised by the

9. McDaniel, interview, July 5, 1995, 4.

10. "The Removal of Asbestos-Containing Material from the Historical Site,” project
manual, June 25, 1987, Designer: The Pickering Firm, Inc., box 120,
ESF/ARD/WHL/NPS. Fish to Frank M. Doyle, Feb. 17, 1984; Fish to the Rev. Thurman
Babbs, n.d.; “White House Precinct Study, D.C. Government” (1), June 2, 1980, passim;
all in, box 148, ESF/ARD/WHL/NPS. Edward J. Donnelley to Francis A. Long, Jan. 30,
1976; [McDaniel] to chief (Contracting), Mar. 12, 1986, Gates, box 143,
ESE/ARD/WHL/NPS.

11. Staff of the White House Grounds Division, telephone conversation with O’Brien, n.d.;
Records of the White House Grounds Division, n.d., WHL/NPS; Jim McDaniel, notes to
O'Brien, Aug. 4, 1999.

12. Solicitor to reg. dir. (NCR), July 22, 1986, A8031/Administration/Parking Space
(1972-73), box 31, acc. 79-80-0002, ESF/ARD/WHL/NPS; Rogers to Fish, Apr. 29, 1987;
Fish to Rogers, June 4, 1987; ARD (Professional Services} to McDaniel, memorandum,
Nov. 3, 1987; all in PRJ-7001/East Executive Pedestrian Mall, 86-003, USSS 1986,
Blanket Account, Plant Pathologist. Reg. IPM coordinator to supt. (White House Div.),
Aug. 5, 1987, box 120, ESFYARD/WHLNPS.

Manus J. Fish — Continuing
to September 4, 1988; Ronald
N. Wrye — September 4,
1988, to December 18, 1988;
Robert G. Stanton —
December 18, 1988, to
January 3, 1997; James 1.

McDaniel (Associate Regional
Director) — December 31,
1983, to-

365

National Park Service — 1983 to 1997


greenhouse south of the Treasury Building were removed in antici~
pation of the construction of the Sherman monument."

The report for 1900 noted that stables were still south of the State,
War, and Navy Building, across the street from the Corcoran Gallery.
Evidently the officer in charge had given up trying to move the
facilities, for no mention of such a move is included in the report.
Extensive repairs were made to plumbing, roofing, and stalls. A rope
Jadder was placed in a box on the roof of the White House in case of
fire. An electric silver polishing machine was installed in the base-
ment. Electric cables and all communication cables were put under-
ground in a new conerete tunnel constructed the previous year.
Additional work was done on telephone wiring at the mansion, and
chandeliers were wired for electricity in some of the rooms."

For 1900 gardener Henry Pfister supplied a complete list of trees and
shrubs, along with a map showing the location of each planting.
Bingham reported that Lafayette Square received new brick pavement
and granite curbing on the outside walks from the District of
Columbia; obviously district officials thought that their jurisdiction
now required them to repair these items. Coping was lowered on the
south side and raised on the north. This required additional grading
in the park, including the mound surrounding the Lafayette statue.
Gas radiators replaced the coal stoves in the watchman’s lodge. In the
Ellipse area gutters were widened, and a 1-mile bridle path 17 feet
wide was laid out around the Ellipse and covered with sand. Wooden
bridges were built so the path could pass over gutters and connect
with roadways. Light standards were shortened to bring the lights
closer to the riding area, and the lower branches of the elm trees were
cut off at a height of 7 feet. A bridle path was also established on the
Washington Monument grounds, 5,200 feet long and 18 feet wide.
The monument grounds continued to be the main place for public
events and fireworks displays.”

Bingham received the money needed for a storage building. In 1900
he asked for $2,500 for a palm house for plants, $8,500 for a shop
building, and additional money to improve the parks. He included in
his report the administrative histories of the Office of Public
Buildings and Grounds as a “Legal History of Public Buildings and
Grounds,” in which he listed for the first time the provenance of his
office. Evidently the District of Columbia had tried to take over the

18. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1899, 3812, 3837, 3845-46.
19. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1900, 5231, 5227, 5229-33.
20. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1900, 5231, 5245-49, 5252-53, 5256, 5260.

Theodore A. Bingham —
March 9, 1897, to April 30,
1903

169

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Office of Public Buildings and Grounds — March 9, 1897, to February 26, 1925



Preface

he history of the White House and the surrounding

President’s Park has been one of constant change over 200

years, evolving from the plans of George Washington and

Pierre Charles LEnfant in 1791. The placement of the White
House, the Capitol, and the Supreme Court were to be integral to
LEnfant’s design for the city and would physically represent the
inherent balance of power between the branches of government in
the new republic. Within this overall grand design the White House
and President's Park have evolved, the result of constant change
within the parameters of tradition and excellence. Perhaps no words
better describe this evolution than those of Walt Whitman, who in
1871 wrote, in an essay entitled “Democratic Vistas,” that “the
greatest lessons of nature are varicty and freedom.” Whitman
advocated the creation of a vigorous, hybrid national culture to be
founded on the exciting dynamic of new ideas, worthy of the
democracy it reflected. He envisioned his new cultural ideal as a
standard for the nation “on which all the superstructures of the
future are permanently to rest.” He quoted John Stuart Mills’s essay
regarding the future of liberty, noting that Mills had required two
elements for “grand nationality” — a variety of character and the
ability to grow in many and even contrary ways.’ This summarizes
the history of the White House and President's Park.

The lands surrounding the White House encapsulate two centuries of
American history and have been developed in diverse and at times
even contrary ways. The overall result is a vital, composite land-
scape. Individual elements such as memorials, plantings, and even
security installations reflect the tenor of the nation at various
periods, yet the overall ambience of President’s Park remains timeless.

The property’s administrative history mirrors its physical evolution.
This study documents the important epochs in the administration
and development of the White House and President’s Park from 1791
to 1983 and provides a background for decisions relating to future
planning and development. Because the property’s administration is

1, Walt Whitman, “Democratic Vistas," in The Portable Walt Whitman, ed. Mark Van
Doren (New York: Viking Press, 1973), 317.

xi
Preface



Mount Vernon Avenue
Association, 160

Mudd, Ignatius, 85, 87-93

Mudd, J. T., 88

Muir, Raymond Douglas, 232, 241

Muller, Mary, 123

Mullett, Alfred, 112-113, 132-133,
397

Munroe, Thomas, 14, 32, 37, 41,
41-50

Munson’s Hill Nursery, 131

Murray, Thomas, 62

Musselwhite, Philip, 374

N

National Arborist Association, 341

National Botanical Garden, 230

Nationa] Bureau of Standards, 340,
347

National Bureau of Standards and
Technology, 352

National Capital Area, 372. See also
National Capital Region

National Capital Memorial
Advisory Committee, 284, 354

National Capital Park and Planning
Commission, 257

National Capital Park Commission,
213

National Capital Parks, 253, 257,
339, 347; administration of,
decentralization of, 316; and
Christmas tree, 255; and
collection management, 252-
253; and inaugural planning,
250; office space for, 310. See
also Office of National Capital
Parks

National Capital Parks-Central,
master plan for, 319

National Capital Parks~West, and
Ellipse management, 346;
transfer of jurisdiction, 357

Nationa) Capital Planning Act of
1952, 284

National Capital Planning
Commission: on Ellipse, 326;
and Lafayette Park plan, 307;
and Sherman Park redesign, 348

National Capital Region, 347, 350,
372; jurisdiction of, 277. See also
National Capital Area, National
Capital Parks

National Capital Service Area, 341

National Christmas Tree, 418;
Plaque, 418; Roosevelt (FD)
tenure, 242, 255. See also
Christmas tree lighting
ceremony

National Drill Committee, 149

Nationa] Endowment for the Arts,
350

National Environmental Policy Act
of 1969, 371, 408

National Geographic Society, 306

National Historic Preservation Act
of 1966, 289, 301-302, 407

National Park Foundation, 347

National Park Service: 1934-1958,
239, 241-299; 1958-1983, 301-
359; 1983-1997, 361-382;
annual reports of, 257; Brent-
wood shops, 370; and budgets,
283; and building maintenance,
319-320, Buildings Management
Branch, 239, 253; and collection
management, 252-253; and
concert shell, 308; Conservation
Division, Harpers Ferry Center,
354, 369-370, 374; cooperation
with other agencies, 378; and
Costello, 274; creation of, 204;
Data Systems Division, 355;
Denver Service Center, 361, 366,
369-370, 373; directorate,
relocation of, World War I] and,
258; “Gardens and Grounds”
report, 350; and inaugural
planning, 256, 262-263, 274-
275, 285; Interpretation Divi-
sion, 284-285, 291, 305;
Johnson (LB) tenure, 313-314;
and Lafayette Park rehabilitation,
322-323, 328; Land and.
Recreation Planning Divisions,
279; and landscaping, 262, 290,
309; and Living White House
Precinct Study, 350; and me-
morials, 208, 214; Mission ‘66
Program, 289, 310; NPS Organic

453


408

Executive Order 11593 of 1971 — Requires all federal agencies to protect the
cultural resources under their jurisdiction.

Federal Advisory Committee Act, October 6, 1973 — Authorized the
establishment of a system governing the creation and operation of
advisory committees in the executive branch (86 Stat. 770-76).

Act of December 24, 1973 — Would have established a director of a national
capital service area in the Office of the President to coordinate activities;
called for study on the advisability of combining the United States Park
Police and the Executive Protective Service; never implemented (87 Stat.
774-836).

Archeological and Historic Preservation Act of 1974 — Further strengthens
the procedures for the preservation of archeological and historical data,
including relics and specimens that might be lost or destroyed as a
result of flooding, access road construction, erection of workers’
communities, relocation of railroads or highways, dam alterations to
terrain in federal or federally sponsored projects (88 Stat. 174).

Public Buildings Cooperative Use Act of 1976 — Requires the General
Services Administration to acquire and use structures of historic,
architectural, or cultural significance for federal office buildings unless
such space is infeasible or imprudent compared with other choices (90
Stat. 2505).

Archeological Resources Protection Act of 1979 — Secures the protection of
archeological resources and sites on public lands and Indian reservations
and fosters increased cooperation and exchange of information between
governmental authorities, the professional archeological community,
and private individuals (93 Stat. 721).


Russell E. Dickenson —
September 26, 1969, to
November 11, 1973; Manus
J. Fish — November 11,
1973, to September 4, 1988;
Elmer S, Atkins (Assistant
Regional Director) — May 4,
1969, to December 31, 1983

354

In an effort to control the number of memorials in the nation’s
capital, Public Law 92-463 established the Federal Advisory Com-
mittee Act. In accordance with this act, the National Capital Memor-
ial Advisory Committee was established on March 6, 1973. Its
purpose was to review all proposed memorials and to recommend
designs and locations to the secretary of the interior. The committee
was also to provide information about such memorials.'*

The American Society of Civil Engineers commemorated its interest in
transportation and the national system of interstate and defense
highways with a bronze plaque installed at the Zero Milestone in
July 1974.5

Collection Management

In 1970 Clement E. Conger was appointed curator of the White
House; his predecessor, James Ketchum, had served as curator from
1964 to 1970. Conger remained in the position until 1986, when Rex
Scouten succeeded him. Conger served simultaneously as curator of
the Diplomatic Reception Rooms at the State Department.

A hygrothermograph was installed at the White House storage
facilities in September 1972. This represented the first time such
technology had been used for the White House storage collection. A
lack of security and fire protection and a host of similar problems
continued to plague the operation, however.”

In 1976 the National Park Service proposed a new warehouse for the
White House collection."*

During the 1970s, the Nationa] Park Service's Division of Conser-
vation at the Harpers Ferry Center began assisting with the

134. PL 92-463, Oct. 6, 1973 (86 Stat. 770-76); “Charter: National Capital Memorial
Advisory Committee,” D66/First Infantry Division (1/1/66-12/31/74), box 30, acc. 79-
770003, ESF/ARD/WHL/NPS.

135. James O. Granum (PE) to Fish, May 24, 1974; John D. Townsley (acting dir, NCP)
to Granum, June 28, 1974; both in D66/Genera) Memorials (6/1/74) (2), box 31, acc.
79-77000-3, ESF/ARD/WHL/NPS.

136. Betty Ford with Chris Chase, The Times of My Life (New York: Harper and Row and
the Reader's Digest Association, Inc., 1978), 174-75,

137. Atkins to chief (Museum Operations), Sept. 25, 1972, White House Gifts (1/1/72-
12/31/74), box 30, acc. 79-77000-3, ESF/ARD/WHL/NPS.

138. Bob Marshall (museum curator) to mgmt asst. (WHL), Sept. 10, 1976; Atkins to
Joe Collins (President's Park), Sept. 13, 1976; McDaniel to Site Selection Committee
Members, Oct. 4, 1976; all in WHL-AM-010, ESF/ARD/WHL/NPS.

CHAPTER 7. THE NATION'S FRONTYARD: 1958-1983


Spencer Cosby — March 15,
1909, to August 19, 1913

196

upon questions of art when required to do so by the president or by
any committee of either House of Congress.” Four-year appoint-
ments to the commission were to be made by the president. The
commission did not have authority to make recommendations about
the Capitol or the Library of Congress. Over the next 80 years, the
commission would be involved with many of the major changes in
President’s Park. The original members were architect Daniel H.
Burnham, landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted Jr., sculptor
Daniel Chester French, artist Francis Davis Millet, architect Cass
Gilbert, architect Thomas Hastings, and former newspaperman and
McMillan plan advocate Charles Moore. All were appointed by the
president on June 15, 1910. Cosby, appointed June 17, 1910, as
secretary of the commission, requested $10,000 to cover administra-
tive expenses. Reports of the activities of the commission were filed
independently with Congress.”

After Maj. Archie Butt and Francis Davis Millet died aboard the
Titanic in 1912, friends established a fountain in their memory.
Created by noted American sculptor Daniel Chester French and archi-
tect Thomas Hastings, the fountain was installed in 1913 on the
Ellipse just east of the recently removed presidential stables. A public
resolution by Congress, approved August 24, 1912, placed the
monument on the grounds at no expense to the government. No
dedication ceremony was held.""”

Collection Management

Congress amended legislation adopted in 1900 regarding the annual
inventory of the White House contents, requiring employees to be
bonded at $10,000 and designating June as the month for the inven-
tory to begin. Custody of the collection was left to the house staff;
however, the Office of Public Buildings and Grounds was given re-
sponsibility not only for conducting the inventory but for storing
the records as well. W. McC. Sauber, the supervising architect of the
Treasury, now assisted the officer in charge with the inventory.”

118. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1910, 2687, 2698; ibid., 1911, 2995,

119. NPS, ‘A History of National Capital Parks,” by Cornelius W. Heine (Washington,
DC, 1953}, table IV; NPS, President's Park South, 44-45.

120. Act of June 25, 1910 (36 Stat. 728, 773, 774); Annual Report, Chief of Engineers,
1911, 2962, 2963.

CHAPTER S. THE WHITE HOUSE, WASHINGTON, AND THE WORLD: 1897-1933


Orville E. Babcock —- June 1,
1871, to March 3, 1877

128

to be filled and graded, but it remained for the most part an unim-
proved public dump.*

In 1872 two bronze urns were installed on granite pedestals in
Lafayette Square. The urns had been cast at the brass foundry of the
Washington Navy Yard at the request of Secretary of the Navy
George M. Robeson. Seven feet in height and weighing 1,300 pounds
apiece, they complemented the Jackson statue.*

Also in 1872 Babcock tried without success to smooth out Lafayette
Square’s gravel walks with a 3,600-pound roller. The walks were
finally reworked with finer grade gravel. Eight new lampposts were
installed; two were combination light posts and drinking fountains.
New drains and four street washers were also installed. Iron fencing
and public benches were painted and the color changed to bronze (a
dark green) instead of the traditional black. Wooden fences were
treated with brown wash instead of whitewash because Babcock
thought it would not become dirty so quickly and because it did not
reflect the sun so harshly. A watchman’s lodge was built on the
north, combining the needs of a lodge, toolshed, and public rest-
rooms. Circular walks served the building at both ends, with thick
plantings of evergreens. The north side was ornamented with flower
beds and low shrubs. A number of trees were removed from
Lafayette Square and replanted on the grounds of the White House
during this period. Brick pavement now surrounded the park.”

Babcock began using the grounds of the Washington Monument as a
storage area in 1872. A new road was built to service the area, which
had been used both as a stockyard and as a hospital area during the
Civil War. A nursery was established on the monument grounds to
serve all the government reservations, including President’s Park. A
total of 10,000 cartloads of muck from the swampy areas on the
grounds were hauled out, dried, and mixed with lime. It was then
spread as fertilizer on both Lafayette Square and the south lawn.
Lafayette Square received 17 brick traps for surface drainage. A row
of old trees between the Executive Mansion and the War and Navy
Building were replanted on the south grounds of the White House.
The stable that was built after the fire in the Lincoln administration

35, Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1872, 5-6, 23; ibid., 1873, 11.
36. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1872, 6-7, 9, 23.
37. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1872, 6-7, 9, 23.

CHAPTER 4. THE UNITED STATES ON THE THRESHOLD OF WORLD Power: 1867-1897


418

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Second Division Memorial / American Expeditionary Forces Memorial

Sculptor: James E. Fraser

Architect: John Russell Pope

Dedication: July 18, 1936

Sponsored by the Second Division Association at a cost of $60,000 and built
under the authority of a 1931 joint resolution of Congress. Additions to
the memorial for World War 1] and the Korean War were added in
1962.7"

Bulfinch Gatehouses

Architect: Charles Bulfinch

Dedication: 1828

Originally built as gatehouses for the U.S. Capitol, the structures were
moved to the corners of 15th and 17th Streets at Constitution Avenue
in 1880 and substantially overhauled in 1939.7

National Christmas Tree

Dedication: 1923

Lighting of the National Christmas Tree, a Washington tradition since 1923
began on the Ellipse. A cut tree was placed at various sites over the
years, but the same site has been used since 1054. in 1973 a permanent
tree was planted and was replaced in 1976. In 1978 a 30’ Colorado blue
spruce was donated by Mr. and Mrs. William E. Meyers of York,
Pennsylvania.

National Christmas Tree Plaque
A suggested inscription for the plaque as of August 6, 1974, read “A gift of
the National Arborist Association 1973."*3

21. NPS, ‘A History of National Capital Parks,” table IV; NPS, The President's Park South,
43-44; NPS, “The Second Division Memorial,” by Stanley McClure, 1430/Histories of
Various Statues and Monuments, box 16, acc. 66A-1097, ESF/WHL/NPS.

22. NPS, ‘A History of National Capital Parks," table IV; NPS, The President’s Park South,
39-42. The only mention of the lodge by the Corps of Engineers is in the Annual Report,
Chief of Engineers, 1881, which reported that a high water mark was cut in the stone
lodge for a flood in February of 1881 (p. 2712). However, there is no reference in the
Corps reports for the actual assembling of the lodges. Olszewski, although stating that
the gatehouses were reconstructed at their present location for the first time in 1880,
notes that a high water mark for the Potomac River in 1876 is also cut into the
southeastern house; this would have been impossible if the gatchouses were still at the
Capitol in 1876.

23. Art Lamb (chief, Special Events) to assoc. dir. (Professional Services}, July 22, 1974;
assoc. dir. (Cooperative Activities) to chief (Special Events), Aug. 6, 1974; both in
D66/General Memorials {6/1/74} (2), box 31, acc. 79-770003, ESF/WHL/NPS.


Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the White House was closed to
public vehicular traffic on May 20, 1995. The avenue subsequently
became a pedestrian space, with public traffic no longer separating
Lafayette Park from the White House. However, traffic circulation in
the downtown area remained an unresolved issue.

By the end of the 20th century, President’s Park had evolved from a
tural farmstead in a “City of Magnificent Distances” to a ceremonial
landscape in an international urban environment — a curious
combination of private domain and public park, serving as the home
and office of one of the most powerful heads of state in the world.

National Park Service — 1983 to 1997

Manus J. Fish — Continuing to September 4, 1988;
Ronald N. Wrye — September 4, 1988, to December 18, 1988;
Robert G. Stanton — December 18, 1988, to January 3, 1997;

James I. McDaniel (Associate Regional Director} — December 31,
1983, to-

Robert G. Stanton was born September 22, 1940, in Fort Worth,
Texas. He received a bachelor’s degree in 1963 from Huston-Tillotson
College in Austin, Texas. He also did graduate work at Boston
University and at George Washington University in Washington,
D.C. He became regional director of the National Capital Region in
December 1988, with oversight responsibility for White House
Liaison.*

Stanton started his career with the National Park Service as a
seasonal ranger at Grand Teton National Park in the summer of 1962
and returned the following year. From 1964 to 1966 he served as
director of public relations and alumni affairs for Huston-Tillotson
College. His permanent career with the National Park Service began
in 1966, when he became a personnel manager and public
information specialist in Washington, D.C. In 1969 he transferred to
National Capital Parks-Central as a management assistant; in 1970
he became superintendent of National Capital Parks-East. One year

5. United States Secret Service, U.S. Dept. of the Treasury, “Closure of Streets,” Federal
Register 60, no. 102 (May 26, 1995): 27882-85; Dept. of the Treasury, “Treasury Order
Number 170-00," Federal Register 60, no. 104 (May 31, 1995): 28435.

6. “Biography, Robert G. Stanton, Field Director, National Capital Area, National Park
Service, Washington, DC,” National Capital Area [hereafter abbreviated as NCA) Office,
Washington D.C., July 17, 1995.

Manus J. Fish — Continuing
to September 4, 1988; Ronald
N. Wrye — September 4,
1988, to December 18, 1988;
Robert G. Stanton —
December 18, 1988, to
January 3, 1997; James 1.

McDaniel (Associate Regional
Director) — December 31,
1983, to -

Robert G. Stanton

Courtesy: National Park
Service

363

National Park Service — 1983 to 1997



South Executive Avenue and was critically injured. There were several
similar incidences.’

Congress continued to argue with the executive branch over appro-
priations for the site. Various amendments introduced in 1951
sought to curtail presidential spending. The presidential office work-
ing force of 161 had cost $312,588 in 1946; by 1950 expenses had
grown to $1,374,069. H. G. Crim reported that Congress had reduced
the maintenance budget for the White House and grounds by
$15,600. He said that about $1 million of new heating and cooling
machinery was being installed in the White House and that it would
increase maintenance by 50%. Never had the presidential budget been
so summarily slashed, and such cuts were not prudent in a budget
that had been virtually free from fat in the past, stated Crim. The
White House was not only the presidential residence, he observed,
but also the “prideful possession of all the people of the United States,
upon which the cynosure of the eyes of the world rest and where the
blowing of one fuse becomes a mewspaper item.” Such actions,
common in presidential history, caused officials to look for new
ways to guard against the political infighting that promised io
complicate the administration of the site. The National Park Service
and the Chief Usher‘’s Office in particular began to consider collab-
oration on budgetary items, and as time went on the chief usher
depended more and more on the Park Service to assist in making
many of its fiscal concerns a part of the larger NPS budget."

In 1951 inspector Hobart W. Francis of the White House Police
contacted the chief usher concerning the rat problem on the grounds;
the renovation of the building had caused a substantial infestation of
the property. As usual, bureaucratic jurisdiction made matters worse.
Evidently no one could decide who was responsible for eliminating
the rats — the Chief Usher’s Office, the Executive Office, or the
Commission on Renovation of the Executive Mansion. After
consulting with General Edgerton, Crim said that “the General
reluctantly admitted the subject has been discussed many times, but
that actually nothing has been done about it. Asks advice.” Other
rodents also presented problems. A squirrel bit eight-year-old
Matthew Zuzolo on the thumb, and his mother forwarded the doctor

104. M. H. Raspberry (capt., U.S. Park Police) to supt., memorandums, Mar. 13, 1949,
Feb. 3, 1950, both in 1460/Grounds South (3), box 11, acc. 664A-42, ESF/WHL/NPS.

105. Richard E. Neustadt to Murphy, memorandum, June 23, 1951; Crim to Hopkins,
memorandum, June 22, 1951 (copy); both in PSF (file 1), box 301, HSTL.

Edward J. Kelly — July 28,
1950, to May 10, 1958

283

Office of National Parks, Buildings, and Reservations — August 10, 1933, to March 2, 1934; National Park Service — March 2, 1934, to May 10, 1958


House, 20; and site of DC, 16;
Truman on, 267-268

Jennings, Paul, 46

Jensen, Lauritz, 415

Jett, T. Sutton, 278, 303, 303, 304,
313

John Car} Warnecke and
Associates, 322, 326, 337

John McShain, Inc., 270, 280

Johnson, Andrew, 86, 112-116,
121~123, 131

Johnson, Dolly, 152

Johnson, Lady Bird, 301, 313, 324,
332, 416; and beautification
projects, 323-324, 327; and
Children’s Garden, 322

Johnson, Lyndon B., 301, 312-327

Johnson, Robert, 112

Johnson, Thomas, commissioner,
7, 8, 8-9

Johnson, Thomas, Jr., 14

Johnson W. Johnson, Inc., 321

Joint Agency Steering Committee,
378

Joint Committee for the Centennial
of the Establishment of the
District of Columbia, 170

Joint Committee of the Library,
107

Jones and Wood, 379

Jones, Francis C., 218

Jones, J. Glancy, 104

Jones, Jim, 322

Jones, Mrs. Henry, 311

Julien, Auguste, 80

Julien, Honoré, 80

Junior Chamber of Commerce, 291

jurisdiction issues: Adams (JQ}
tenure, 64; Arthur tenure, 145-
146; Bush tenure, 366;
Cleveland tenures, 160-161;
Clinton tenure, 377-378;
Eisenhower tenure, 296-298;
Fillmore tenure, 92; Grant
tenure, 125, 134; Harrison (B)
tenure, 156; Hayes tenure, 139;
Hoover tenure, 233-234;
Jackson/Polk tenures, 78-79;
Kennedy tenure, 306, 333;
Lincoln tenure, 114; Madison
tenure, 49-50; Monroe tenure,

56-57; Nixon to Reagan tenures,
356-358; Pierce tenure, 107-
108; Polk tenure, 83; Roosevelt
(FD) tenure, 253-254; Roosevelt
{T) tenure, 179-180, 189; Taft
tenure, 197-198; Truman
tenure, 277, 298; Washington/
Adams (J) tenures, 33-34;
Wilson tenure, 208-209

K

Kale, Jeremiah, 24

Keefe, Frank B., 270, 396

Keller, Kenneth D., 270

Kellogg, Frank B., 397

Kelly, Edward J., 278-299, 303

Kelly, Ellsworth, 371

Kendall, Amos, 70, 99

Kennedy, Caroline, 309, 333

Kennedy, Jacqueline, 306, 323,
329-331, 333-334. See also
Jacqueline Kennedy Garden

Kennedy, John F., 301-302, 306-
312

Kent, A. Weldon, 323

Kessler, George, 255

Ketchum, James, 332, 354

King, Nicholas, 27-28

King, Robert, 20

King, Robert, Jr., 42

Kirby, Edward M., 286-287

Kissinger, Henry, 346

kitchens, Roosevelt (FD) tenure,
248

Kitson, Theo Alice Ruggles, 415

Knock, James, 65

Knowles, William, 22

Knox, Philander C., 397

Kosciuszko statue, 188, 195, 412

Krafft, George 5., 80

Krieger, Shari, 341

L

laborers: in construction of District
of Columbia, 24-25; in
construction of White House,
21-23; Fillmore tenure, 94;
Jackson tenure, 62; Polk tenure,
82; in reconstruction of White

449
Index



Russell E. Dickenson —
September 26, 1969, to
November 11, 1973; Manus
J. Fish — November 11,
1973, to September 4, 1988;
Elmer S. Atkins (Assistant
Regional Director) —- May 4,
1969, to December 31, 1983

358

rarily abated when, in the spring of 1969, an 8-foot fence was
installed around Lafayette Park as part of the park’s rehabilitation."

Vehicular accidents took on a new importance in February 1973
when an automobile crashed through the Pennsylvania Avenue gates,
stopping short of the north portico. A helicopter flown by an Army
private landed within the south fence in 1974; the pilot was captured
and removed for psychiatric evaluation. That same year a man
crashed a gate on Pennsylvania Avenue, holding the Secret Service off
for four hours when it appeared he was wired with explosives; the
device proved to be a fake. In 1976 new gates were designed for the
White House entrances as part of an overall White House barrier
proposal (the old gates, designed in 1818, were put in storage). Later
that same year a man in a truck attempted to ram the new gates,
which withstood the impact.¥°

On March 30, 1981, John W. Hinckley Jr. attempted to assassinate
President Reagan outside a Washington hotel. The event heightened
security concerns. These and other related incidents resulted in the
erection of a temporary security station at the east portico at a cost
of $10,800 in the late spring of 1981. However, a more permanent
facility was needed. At a meeting of the Fine Arts Commission on
September 16, 1981, NPS architect Ron Dickson presented plans for a
magnetometer building built in the style of a classical orangery
structure. The building, which was to. be installed south of the east
entrance, next to the fence, would be used to screen White House
visitors. The concept was contrary to the democratic history and
tenor of President’s Park and met with resistance from the com-
mission members, who objected to any new structure and suggested
an alteration of the eastern porte cochére instead. One commission
member said such a building would make him “feel like I belong to a
banana republic somewhere, for heaven's sake.” However, as security
problems continued, the facility was finally built. As a concession to

148. Darwina L. Neal to supt. (NCP), Feb. 24, 1969, D24/Maintenance and Rehabilitation
(1969), box 31, acc. 79-80-000 2, ESF/ARD/WHL/NPS..

149. Paul Hodge, “White House Gates To Be Replaced,” The Washington Post, Feb. 26,
1976; Ann Devroy and Pierre Thomas, “White House Security Has Been Breached Several
Times Before,” Washington Post, Sept. 13, 1994; Jeffrey Smith, “Note Reveals Suspect Was
Ready To Die,” Washington Post, Oct. 31, 1994; “Vehicle Barrier Proposal: White House
Prepared,” by Ronald Dickson (architect, NCP) and John Longworth (civil engineer, NCP},
passim; assoc. dir. (WHL) to dir. (NCP), memorandum: “Environmental Assessment:
White House Gates Project,” n.d.; Office of White House Liaison, “Environmental
Assessment: White House Gates Project,” Apr. 20, 1976, Gates [/General Repairs/White
House, box 69; Vikki to Fish, Dec. 17, 1976; Atkins to Teets, “Paramount Filming
Request,” Sept. 21, 1976; all in A7217/Reading File (Aug. 1976-Dec. 1976), WHL-AM-
O10. Kelly to Lumbermens Mutual Casualty Co., Mar. 18, 1952, 950-13/Fences and
Gates, box 4, acc. 644-42, ESF/ARD/WHL/NPS.

CHAPTER 7. THE NATION'S FRONTYARD: 1958-1983


Thomas L. Casey ~ March
3, 1877, to April 1, 1881

136

man, and a night usher at the Executive Mansion, in addition to two
day ushers, two doorkeepers, and a watchman for Lafayette Square.
Casey also recommended moving the Office of Public Buildings and
Grounds to rental property, amounting to $900 a year. Salaries for
the office now amounted to $34,169.51 a year.”

Casey continued laying out President’s Park in general accordance
with Downing’s plan of the 1850s, In 1877 Casey recommended that
concrete be used for various walks around the White House and that
the greenhouses be repaired. He complained that filling of the White
Lot area was proceeding very slowly and that people continued to use
it as a dump. This must have provided an undesirable environment
for the people attending the weekly band concerts. Casey said that a
plan was being prepared for the permanent improvement of the
reservation.”

In Lafayette Square trellises were established in the lodge area. Be-
cause traffic had widened the walks an additional 1 to 5 feet, de-
stroying the original layout, Casey recommended a plan to make
them more even and uniform. Drainage continued to be a problem.
Staff at Lafayette Square repaired gates and the lodge, tended flower
beds, and did other minor maintenance, including the manufacture of
galvanized metal inserts for the two large bronze urns so they could
be used as planters.”

in 1879 Casey apparently moved his offices from Townson House at
17th and F Streets to the old Navy Building. Salaries for the office
increased to $41,420. Also in 1879 Casey again called for an iron-
framed greenhouse and recommended roadway improvements north
of the house. Telegraph poles were replaced, but no mention was
made of putting them underground, as was done at the Capitol.

Henry Pfister of Cincinnati was hired as White House horticulturist
in May 1877. He managed the grounds, including planting a buckeye
tree on the north drive, as directed by the Hayes family. (The tree was
toppled in a storm some 40 years later.) Pfister replaced the
gardening staff, and by 1880 he had 10 employees, including a
woman bouquet-maker. Hayes ordered the parterres on the north

60. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, {Mar. 3 to June 30} 1877, 20-21.

61. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, (Mar. 3 to June 30} 1877, 9-10, 12; ibid., 1880,
2339.

62. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, (Mar. 3 to June 30] 1877, 9-10, 12.
63. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1879, 1882-83.

(CHAPTER 4. THE UNITED STATES ON THE THRESHOLD OF WORLD POWER: 1867~1897


First Division Monument, 214,
415; additions to, 293, 352-354,
375

Fish and Wildlife Service, United
States, 257

Fish, Hamilton, 132-133

Fish, Manus J. “Jack,” 335-336,
336, 363

Fitch, John, 10

Fitzgerald, Edmund, 315

flagpole, Grant tenure, 128

Fleming, Philip B., 269

Fletcher, Bill, 315

flooring: Carter tenure, 351;
Harrison (B) tenure, 151;
McKinley tenure, 168, 173

florist’s room, Hoover tenure, 229

Foote, E. J., 293

Ford, Gerald, 302, 346-349

Ford, Telemachus, 135

Forrest, Richard, 41

Forsyth, John, 70

Foster, John W., 397

foundations, construction of, 23

fountains: Arthur tenure, 144;
Cleveland tenures, 148, 150;
Grant tenure, 128, 130-131;
Harrison (B) tenure, 155; Haupt,
327, 416; Hayes tenure, 137;
Johnson (A) tenure, 113;
Johnson (LB) tenure, 313, 326;
Roosevelt (FD) tenure, 261;
Truman tenure, 267; Wilson
tenure, 207

Fourth of July ceremonies:
Kennedy tenure, 312; Nixon
tenure, 337

Francis, Hobart W., 283, 298

Francis, Sharon, 321

Franklin Fire Company, 70

Fraser, James E., 252, 413, 418

free blacks: Banneker, 13, 25; and
construction of White House,
23; Pierce tenure, 98; Polk
tenure, 76; Taylor tenure, 87;
Van Buren tenure, 68. See also
African Americans

Frelinghuysen, Frederick T., 397

French, Benjamin Brown, 96-97,
98, 98-102, 109-116

French, Daniel Chester, 99, 196,
214, 415-416

French, Henry Flagg, 99

French, J. A., 65

funerals/mourning; Garfield, 141;
Grant, 149; Harrison (WH), 39,
74; Hayes, 155; Johnson (A),
131; Kennedy, 312; Lincoln,
111-112; McKinley, 172;
Princeton victims, 76; Roosevelt
(FD), 263; Taylor, 85; Wilson.
(H), 131

Funk, Jacob, 13

furnishings: Adams (J) tenure, 31-
32; Adams (JQ) tenure, 63;
Arthur tenure, 143; Buchanan
tenure, 104; Cleveland tenures,
159; Coolidge tenure, 217;
Eisenhower tenure, 294-295;
Ford tenure, 348; Hoover tenure,
231; Johnson (LB) tenure, 332-
333; Madison tenure, 48-49;
McKinley tenure, 173;
reproductions of, 330; Roosevelt
{T) tenure, 178-179; Truman
renovation and, 280-281; Van
Buren tenure, 73

G

Gallatin statue, 443

Gantt, John M., 7, 14, 41

gardens: Adams (J) tenure, 26;
Adams (JQ) tenure, 59; additions
to, Kennedy tenure, 308;
Buchanan tenure, 106; Clinton
tenure, 371; Eisenhower tenure,
290, 293-294; Fillmore tenure,
94; Grant tenure, 131; Harrison
(B) tenure, 154; Hayes tenure,
136-137; history of, 321;
Jackson tenure, 65, 79; Jefferson
tenure, 43; Kennedy tenure,
308-309; McKinley tenure, 169;
Monroe tenure, 53; Pierce
tenure, 96, 101, 103; Polk
tenure, 76, 82; Roosevelt (FD)
tenure, 250-251, 258-259;
Roosevelt (T) tenure, 185;
sprinkler systems, 309, 318;
Van Buren tenure, 68, 70;

445
Index



Police force were subject to disciplinary action by the Metropolitan
Police Tria} Board. The director of public buildings and public parks
objected to this situation, and by May the House of Representatives
had referred the matter to the Committee on Public Buildings and
Grounds. During the Hoover inauguration, the officer in charge
added guards to the regular force to protect parks and resources.”

President’s Park had long been a gathering place not only for the
powerful, but also the powerless. Traditionally, transients, prosti-
tutes, and others considered nuisances or outside the bounds of polite
society had gathered here ever since the early days of the site.
Lafayette Square and the Ellipse in particular remained well-known
meeting places for homosexuals.”

Security at President’s Park was now handled by a Protection Di-
vision consisting of the United States Park Police, building guards,
and fire marshals, ail under a chief U.S. Army officer. In four years
the number of privates had increased from 54 to 62, and by 1931, 5
more privates were requested. Officers wore Sam Browne belts, and
the division supported 18 motorcycles plus other vehicles. Washing-
ton Park arrests nearly doubled over three years, from 1,332 to
2,073. The Security Division also staffed White House receptions.”

On March 13, 1929, nine days after being inaugurated, President
Hoover ordered eight policemen to be added to the White House
detail. Thirteen guard positions were later added around the house as
the Great Depression and the ensuing unrest resulted in stricter White
House security. A demonstration by what Grant identified as
“communists” took place in front of the White House on December

241, Annual Report, Director of Public Buildings and Public Parks, 1926, 33; 69th Cong. 1st
sess., H.R. 10938, Apr. 1, 1926, and $. 3844, Apr. 5, 1926; Discipline of the White House
Police Force, 69th Cong. 1st sess., $. Rept 627, Apr. 20, 1926; Grant to R. N. Elliot (chair-
man, House Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds), Apr. 6, 1926; Grant to F A.
Fenning (D.C. comm.)}, Mar. 17, 1926; Fenning to Grant, Mar. 16, 1926; all in 980/Police,
box 6, acc. 644-42, WH&WPP files, ESF/WHL/NPS. “Inaugural Ceremonies, 1929” and
“Inaugural Ceremonies, 1929: Costs to March 5, 1929,” 1115~45/Inauguration, box 10,
acc, 64A-42, WH&WPP files, ESF/WHL/NPS.

242. “The Secret Life of Jeb Alexander,” Washington City Paper 13 (Nov. 5, 1993): 22-32;
arrest schedules, 1880 through 1920, in Annual Reports, Chief of Engineers, passim. By the
end of the 1940s the U.S. Park Police had instituted what they styled frankly as a
“pervert climination program.” A memorandum to the park superintendent in 1947 from
park police noted that the evergreen hedges around the Jackson statue prevented officers
from “observing persons occupying the benches in that portion of the park” and
suggested better lighting to discourage what they considered questionable activities. See
M. H. Raspberry (capt., U.S. Park Police) to Root, Oct. 31, 1947, 1460/Lafayette Park (2),
box 10, WH&WPP, ESF/Associate Regional Director|ARD|/WHL/NPS.

243. Annual Report, Director of Public Buildings and Public Parks, 1929, 11, 44, 45, 47;
ibid., 1931, 59.

U. S. Grant HI — January 1,

1926, to April 5, 1933;
James A. Woodruff — April
5, 1933, to August 10, 1933

235

US. Army Corps of Engineers, Office of Public Buildings and Public Parks of the National Capital — February 26, 1925, to June 10, 1933



402

APPENDIXES

Act of February 21, 1871 — Changed the government of the District of
Columbia to that of a governor, a legislative assembly, and a board of
public works (16 Stat. 419).

Act of March 3, 1871 — Congress authorized funding for a new building
for the State, War, and Navy Departments on the site of the old Navy
and War Buildings at President’s Park (16 Stat. 494).

Act of March 3, 1873— Authorized all government buildings to be
connected by telegraph, with a special provision that the “immediate
connection with the public buildings be placed underground or in such
a manner as not to injure the appearance of the Capitol or other public
buildings” (17 Stat. 519). Gave the rank of colonel to the officer in
charge of public buildings and grounds (17 Stat. 535).

Act of February 4, 1874 — Placed telegraph lines under the control of the
officer in charge of public buildings and grounds, U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers (18 Stat. 14).

Act of June 29, 1874— Changed the government of the District of
Columbia to three commissioners, one of them being an engineer officer
of the U.S. Army (18 Stat. 116).

Act of March 3, 1875 — Transferred responsibility for the construction of
the State, War, and Navy Building from the supervising architect of the
Treasury to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (18 Stat. 391).

Act of June 11, 1878 — Changed some aspects of government of the District
of Columbia but retained the governing authority of three commis-
sioners (20 Stat. 102).

Act of June 20, 1878 — Made the statement that only trees, shrubs, and
plant materials suitable for planting on public property should be
grown at the federal greenhouses (20 Stat. 220).

Legislative, Executive and Judicial Act, Act of March 3, 1882 — Stated that
park watchmen “shall have and perform the same power and duties as
the Metropolitan Police” as of August 5, 1885. It also authorized them
to exercise police powers anywhere in the district (22 Stat. 243).

Act of March 3, 1883— Authorized the president to designate a
superintendent of the State, War, and Navy Building from the Army or
Navy Engineer Corps (22 Stat. 553).

Act of March 2, 1895 — Authorized the use of portions of the Ellipse as a

children’s playground at the discretion of the officer in charge of public
buildings and grounds (28 Stat. 943).

Act of July 1, 1898 — Vested in the commissioners of the District of
Columbia the jurisdiction and control of public parks and street
parking; placed the district’s park system under the supervision of the
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (30 Stat. 570).

Act of April 17, 1900 — Required a yearly inventory of all White House
- furnishings and public property (31 Stat. 97).


Bibliography

Abbreviations
The following abbreviations have been used throughout the footnotes:
acc. accession number
AIA American Institute of Architects
ARD Associate Regional Director (NPS)
CFA Commission of Fine Arts
DDEL Dwight David Eisenhower Library
DOI Department of the Interior
DSC Denver Service Center (NPS)
ESF Executive Support Facility (WHL, NPS)
GSA General Services Administration
HSTL Harry S. Truman Library
JAIA Journal of the American Institute of Architects
NA National Archives

@ NARA National Archives and Records Administration
NCA National Capital Area (NPS)
NCDC National Capital Design and Construction (NPS)
NCP National Capita] Parks (NPS)
NCPC National Capital Planning Commission
NCR National Capital Region (NPS)
NPS National Park Service
PBS Public Buildings Service
PL Public Law
PSF Presidential Secretarial Files (HSTL)
PPF Post-Presidential Files (HSTL)
RG Record Group (NA)
WHHA White House Historical Association
WHL White House Liaison (NPS)
Primary Sources

Records and Manuscripts

National Archives, Washington, D.C.

Records of the Commissioners of the District of Columbia and the
Commissioner of Public Buildings. Record Group 42.

419.
Bibliography



Rex Scouten was born in Snover, Michigan. After serving in the
military during World War II, he majored in business and public
service at Michigan State University. Upon graduation he joined the
U.S. Secret Service as part of President Truman’s security detail. He
was detailed to Richard Nixon when he became vice president in
1952. In 1956 Scouten left the Secret Service and became an assistant
usher at the White House. Nash Castro asked Scouten to join the
National Park Service as deputy assistant regional director for the
National Capital Region, where he worked closely with Castro on
Mrs. Johnson’s beautification program. Upon the retirement of chief
usher J. B. West in 1969, President Nixon asked Scouten to become
chief usher, a post he held until retiring in 1986. Later that year, at
the request of President Reagan, he became chief curator and was also
awarded the Federal Civilian Service Award by the president. Scouten
retired again in 1997, at which time Betty Monkman took over the
duties of curator of the White House.‘

General Administration

The Dwight D. Eisenhower Administration. On March 18, 1959, 197
NPS chief rangers and interpreters toured the White House at the

request of Cornelius Heine, chief of ‘the Division of Public Use and
Interpretation. That year 961,600 visitors were recorded on White
House tours, falling to 800,000 the next year.’

In the spring of 1960 officials reassessed the fencing on the north side
of the White House, in preparation for the upcoming inauguration.
NPS officials suggested that the fence be lowered or that “portholes”
be added for tourists who wanted to take photographs; however, this
idea was shelved. Estimates were made for repairing and strength-
ening the fences between East and West Executive Avenues and for
replacing the sidewalk. The price was estimated at $105,000. How-
ever, this work was not started for five more years.”

8. - Castro, interview, June 21, 1995, pp. 98-100; "Rex W. Scouten: White House
Curator,” June 11, 1997, OC/WH.

9. Heine, Mar. 16, 1959, 99914/Visitors, box 15, acc, 65A-1108, ESF/WHL/NPS.
Annual Report, Secretary of the Interior, National Park Service, 1962, 114; ibid., 1963, 121;
“White House Visitation by Tourists,” Oct. 20, 1981, box 69, Reorganization,
WHHA/CPWH/WPF, ESE/ARD/WHL/NPS.

10. Jett to supt. (NCP), memorandum, Oct. 19, 1960; Horne to chief (Administration),
memorandum, Oct. 19, 1960; both in 950-13/Fences and Gates, box 14, acc. 65A-1108,
ESE/WHL/NPS. E. T. Scoyen (acting dir., NPS) to West, Nov. 27, 1957; supt. to dir. (NPS),
Nov. 7, 1957; acting chief (Design and Construction) to asst. supt., Oct. 31, 1957;
Gartside to dir. (NPS), Sept. 9, 1957; all in 950-13/Fences and Gates, box 4, acc. 644-42,
ESE/WHL/NPS. Jett to chief (Maintenance), Mar. 9, 1961, White House Correspondence,
box 13, acc. 644-901, ESF/WHL/NPS.

Harry T. Thompson — May
10, 1958, to February 25,
1961; T. Sutton Jett —
March 15, 1961, to January
14, 1968; 1. J. Castro —
January 14, 1968, to
September 25, 1969; Rex W.
Scouten (Assistant Regional
Director) — February 24,

Rex Scouten

White House Collection
Courtesy: White House
Historical Association

305
‘The National Park Service — 1958-1983



As the nation’s principal conservation agency, the Department of the Interior has
responsibility for most of our nationally owned public lands and natural resources.
This includes fostering sound use of our land and water resources; protecting our
fish, wildlife, and biological diversity; preserving the environmental and cultural
values of our national parks and historical places, and providing for the enjoyment
of life through outdoor recreation. The department assesses our energy and mineral
resources and works to ensure that their development is in the best interests of all
our people by encouraging stewardship and citizen participation in their care. The
department also has a major responsibility for American Indian reservation
communities and for people who live in island territories under U.S. administration.

NPS 868/D-49 (Printed August 2003)


462

Summer in the Parks program,
339

summer quarters: Arthur tenure,
143; Blake on, 103; Buchanan
tenure, 108: Johnson (A) tenure,
115-116; Lincoln tenure, 115;
Van Buren tenure, 68

Sumner, Charles, 188

Sundry Civil Act of 1900, 192,
201, 403

Superintendent of the City of
Washington, 37, 41-50

Supreme Court, 28; rulings on
demonstrations, 356

surveyors, 396; King (Nicholas),
27-28; King (Robert), 42;
Latrobe, 41-43, 45-46, 48-50,
52

Sutter, T. J., 106

Swem, Earl G., 303

Sylvan Theater, 227

Symons, Thomas W., 183, 183-
191

T

Taft, Helen, 193

Taft, William Howard, 164, 191-
195, 397

Taher, Mahmood K., 271

Taylor, Assistant Secretary of
Interior, 186

Taylor, Billy, 349

Taylor, Hazel F., 279

Taylor, Zachary, 85, 87-88

telecommunications office,
Johnson (LB) tenure, 317

telegraphs systems: Cleveland
tenures, 118, 149, 160; Grant
tenure, 130-131; Hayes tenure,
136; Johnson (A) tenure, 112;
Lincoln tenure, 110; McKinley
tenure, 168; Roosevelt (T)
tenure, 174

telephone systems, 118; Cleveland
tenures, 149; Coolidge tenure,
221; Hoover tenure, 229;
McKinley tenure, 167, 169;
Roosevelt (FD) tenure, 247;
Roosevelt (T} tenure, 181, 190;
Taft tenure, 194

television broadcast facilities,
Johnson (LB) tenure, 317

Telford, Thomas, 59

tennis courts: Coolidge tenure,
222; Kennedy tenure, 309;
Roosevelt (T} tenure, 174, 187;
Taft tenure, 193-194; Wilson
tenure, 202, 207

terrorism, 358-359, 379

third-floor addition, Coolidge
tenure, 240

Thomas, Benjamin, 48

Thomas, James L., 112, 123

Thompson, Amos, 123

Thompson, Harry T., 290, 303,
303

Thornton, William, 7, 9-10, 10,
26, 28

Tiber Creek, 13, 32; Adams (JQ)
tenure, 61; Johnson (A) tenure,
117, 121; Van Buren tenure, 74.
See also canals

Tiffany, Candace Wheeler, 143

Tiffany, Louis Comfort, 143-144

Tilden, Frecrnan, 284

time capsule, White House, 414

toilets: Arthur tenure, 144; Pierce
tenure, 96; Roosevelt (T) tenure,
176. See also bathrooms;
restrooms

Tolson, Hillary, 304

Tompkins, Charles H., 228

Tonetti, Michel, 186

tourist camp: Coolidge tenure, 212,
222; relocation of, 258-259

Tracy, Benjamin F., 398

traffic: Eisenhower tenure, 287-
289; Johnson (LB) tenure, 320-
321; Nixon tenure, 345-346;
Roosevelt (FD) tenure, 242, 248-
.249, 261, 263; Roosevelt (T)
tenure, 176-177; Truman
tenure, 282-284. See also air
traffic; automobiles; parking

transportation, presidential. See
automobiles; helicopter landing
area; stables

Traquair, James, 22

Treasury Building, 27, 28; Adams
(JQ) tenure, 61-62; additions to,
102, 113; Carter tenure, 350;


The White House
and President’s Park

CELLED)

Appendixes / Bibliography / Index



Almon F. Rockwell — April
1, 1881, to June 1, 1885

142

The Chester Arthur Administration, Rockwell continued to serve as
officer in charge of public buildings under Arthur. The president
moved his staff to his temporary offices across from the Capitol. Fred
J. Phillips served as his personal secretary. The rest of the staff
remained unchanged, with William Crook as the principal disburse-
ment officer and Octavius Pruden as assistant to Phillips. Warren S.
Young took over Pruden’s duties as social coordinator. Henry Pfister
remained as head gardener. William T. Crump served as steward until
April 1882, when Howard H. Williams took his place. The coachman,
Hawkins, was second in command, and Arthur’s New York driver,
William Willis, took over chauffeuring duties. The Marine Band,
which came into international renown under John Philip Sousa,
continued to play regularly at the White House.”

President Arthur proceeded with the refurbishing plans of the
Garfields, but he increased the redecorating project by adding many
items. Rockwell complained that the budget would not allow such
extravagance. The president stated that it was his job to raise the
money and Rockwell’s job to see that the work was done. Work
commenced October 1 and by December 7, 1881, Arthur was in
residence with Alfred Cupplinger as chef and Bridget Smith as cook.
Because Arthur's wife was deceased, his sister, May Arthur McElroy,
acted as hostess.

In 1881 Rockwell eliminated positions for watchmen and doormen at
the Executive Mansion. But by 1883 he was asking for extensive
increases in the annual appropriations.”

In his 1881 report Rockwell noted that “the ellipse now presents an
unbroken lawn surface.” The eastern half of the 50-foot Ellipse
roadway was finished, and drainage was provided with terra-cotta
pipes and brick traps. The eastern part of the grounds was graded
and sown in grass, and roadways and walks were graveled. A row of
American elms was planted around the central Ellipse, with similar
trees. planted on the outer edge of the main roadway.”

Five hundred feet of granite curbing was installed on the northeast
and northwest grounds of the White House. Stoneyards and shops
still occupied some parts of the western side of President’s Park

85. Seale, The President's House, 520-28, 532, 543, $4648.
86. Seale, The President’s House, 535-37, 545.
87. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1881, 2342-44, 2716, 2718; ibid., 1884, 2346.

88. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1881, 2711~12, 2716; NPS, President's Park South,
39-40.

‘CHAPTER 4. THE UNITED STATES ON THE THRESHOLD OF WORLD POWER! 1867-1897


444

INDEX

Elisworth, Elmer, 109

elms: Dutch elm disease, 267, 286,
288; elm scorch, 288

Emerson, Thomas H., 398

employees of White House: Atkins
on, 343; Johnson {LB} tenure,
319; loyalty screening of, 299;
Nixon tenure, 346; pay schedule,
291; for tours, 348, 351; of
White House Liaison, 352. See
also staff

Endicott, William C., 149, 397

Engineering Commission of the
District of Columbia, 138

entrances. See gates

Ernst, Oswald H., 153-157

E Street: Bush {GHW) tenure, 379;
Clinton tenure, 380; Downing
plan and, 92; Eisenhower tenure,
287-289; Johnson (LB) tenure,
320-321; Kennedy tenure, 310;
Nixon tenure, 343-345;
Roosevelt (FD) tenure, 242, 248-
249, 261; Truman tenure, 284;
tunnel plan, 344

executive buildings, 38, 55; early,
28-32; War of 1812 and, 47. See
also Navy Department Building;
State Department Building; War
Department Building

Executive Mansion. See President’s
House, White House

executive offices. See West Wing

Executive Orders: 6166, 241, 405;
11145, 331, 407; 11593, 408

Executive Protective Service, 215,
234

Executive Support Facility, 374,
351, 373

Explus Company, 374

F

Falquiere, Alexandre, 412

Farrand, Beatrix, 165, 201

Faxon, William, 397

Federal Advisory Committee Act of
1973, 354, 408

Federal Highway Administration,
371

Federal Triangle Historic District,
326

Federal Works Agency, 262-263,
296; Public Buildings
Administration, 239, 253

fence(s}: Arthur tenure, 145;
Cleveland tenures, 148-149,
158; Eisenhower tenure, 305;
Fillmore tenure, 92, 94-95;
Grant tenure, 127-128; Harrison
(B) tenure, 152; Hayes tenure,
138; Jackson tenure, 65-66;
Jefferson tenure, 41; Johnson
{LB) tenure, 321, 334-335, 358;
McKinley tenure, 167; Monroe
tenure, 56, 58; Polk tenure, 82;
Roosevelt (FD) tenure, 250-251;
Taylor tenure, 88; Truman
tenure, 264; Van Buren tenure,
73

Fenwick, Bennett, 28

Ferguson, Maynard, 349

ferme ornée, 45, 103

Field Solicitor's Office, 297

Fifteenth Street Financial Historic
District, 325

Fillmore, Millard, 85-86, 88-95

Fillmore, Millard Powers, 88

Fine Arts Commission. See
Commission of Fine Arts

Finley, David E., 272, 280-281

Finnan, C. Marshall, 241, 241-254

fire alarms and prevention: Carter
tenure, 350; Coolidge tenure,
212; Grant tenure, 130;
Harrison (B) tenure, 157;
Johnson (LB) tenure, 318;
Kennedy tenure, 310; Pierce
tenure, 101; Roosevelt (FD}
tenure, 248; Roosevelt {T)
tenure, 181, 184, 189; Taft
tenure, 194; Taylor tenure, 88

fire engines, 57, 70

fires: Clinton tenure, 381-382;
Hoover tenure, 227-228;
Johnson (A) tenure, 122;
McKinley’s inaugural, 171;
Treasury Building, 62; War of
1812, 38,47


Harry T. Thompson — May
10, 1958, to February 25,
1961; T. Sutton Jett —
March 15, 1961, to January
14, 1968; L. J. Castro —
January 14, 1968, to
September 25, 1969; Rex W.
Scouten (Assistant Regional
Director) — February 24,
1968, to May 4, 1969

318

In 1965 the carpenter shops and media facilities at the White House
were assessed. The next year, additions were made to the shop areas
on the north side of the White House in underground service areas. It
was recommended that the paint and carpentry shops be removed to
other sites because of potential safety hazards; however, these
functions remained where they were. A new White House fire
detection system was installed in 1965 for $83,800. There were also
substantial costs for repairs to the south portico and a new lawn
sprinkler system.

In 1965 the White Mountain Apache Tribe of the Fort Apache Reser-
vation at Whiteriver; Arizona, donated the national Christmas tree.
The logistics for shipment were staggering. First, the 101-foot tree
had to be shortened to 85 feet. After the limbs had been bound, it was
hauled by truck to McNary, Arizona, for shipment by rail. The butt
end was packed in wet sawdust, and the tree was sprayed with
chemicals. The tree was then shipped to Holbrook, Arizona, and then
by the Santa Fe Railway to Chicago. The Baltimore and Ohio line
carried it to Washington, then a truck took it to the Ellipse, where it
was shortened to 70 feet. There were also 52 twelve-foot Scotch pine
trees for the 53 states and territories. What had begun as a D.C.
community celebration in the 1920s now encompassed a vast net-
work of arrangements and costs, many paid by the Christmas
Pageant of Peace, Inc. More significantly, the celebration’s imagery
was now national in scope and fused governmental and religious
symbols into a dazzling display that promoted utility companies and
other sponsors as readily as it did the Yuletide season.”

Parking had become so congested by 1965 that solutions were con-
sidered such as one-way traffic around the Ellipse and additional
striping of parking spaces. NPS personne] warned that any attempt
to expand parking on the Ellipse might draw an angry response from
the public. Roads in the White House precinct were repaved in 1966.
Plans for a new subway system in Washington were formulated in
the 1960s. Three observation welis were drilled in the northwest part
of the park in late summer 1966 to assess the substrata for con-

40. Charles E. Krueger (acting asst. dir} to reg. dir. (NCR), memorandums: ‘Fire
Protection” and ‘Additions to Shop Areas, Executive Mansion,” Aug. 22, 1966,
D3415/Construction and Maintenance/White House (1/1/66 to -} (1}, box 21, acc. 72A-
6215, ESE/WHL/NPS; | | to William Walton, Dec. 10, 1965, F2621/NCR (1/1/53-
1/1/65}, box 20, acc. 68A-3201, ESF/WHL/NPS; Castro to Watson, June 29, 1965,
D3415/White House Guard Booths (1/1/63 to -} (1 and 2}, box 21, acc. 72A-6215,
ESE/WHL/NPS.

41. Smith to Victoria Conley, Dec. 22, 1965, A8227/Christmas Pageant of Peace, box
18, ace. 68A-3201, WH&WPP files, ESF/WHL/NPS.

CHAPTER 7. THE NATION'S FRONTYARD: 1958-1983


celebrations in Lafayette Park over the Desert Storm operations gave
rise to the south barrier project, which consisted of specially designed
bollards to prevent fence-crashing by vehicles. The project was
initiated on October 22, 1990, and completed on April 20, 1993. The
work included the construction of permanent vehicle barriers from
State Place along the south grounds fence to Hamilton Place. Side~
walks were widened by four feet, and curbs and gutters were re-
placed; medians were realigned and pedestrian crosswalks were
reworked, Traffic lights, general lighting, and landscape elements also
received attention. The National Park Service prepared plans and
specifications; the general contract was with Jones and Wood of
Washington, D.C. This was one of several reimbursable projects
completed by the Park Service for the Department of Treasury and
the United States Secret Service during this period.”

By April 1989 various security measures were taken on streets adja~
cent to the White House. Jackson Place had been closed to traffic in
the Reagan administration; Madison Place was closed as part of the
Pennsylvania Avenue closure in 1995. A report on E Street, which
was completed by the government of the District of Columbia, the
Secret Service, the National Park Service, and the Federal Highway
Administration, recommended various improvements. The D.C.
government transferred to the National Park Service the jurisdiction
over various sidewalks, including those bordering Lafayette Park.**

Security concerns during this period affected the administration of
President's Park in ways never before experienced, with the exception
of wartime measures. On September 13, 1994, Frank E. Corder, a
student pilot, crashed a single-engine Cessna onto the south side of
the White House, killing himself, damaging the Jackson magnolia,
and piling debris under the windows of the State Dining Room. The
reasons for the attempted landing on the White House lawn remain
unclear, The event caused consternation within the security ranks.”

On October 29, 1994, Francisco Martin Duran of Colorado Springs,
Colorado, fired 20-30 rounds from a Chinese SKS assault rifle at the
White House from the Pennsylvania Avenue sidewalk, in the midst of
weekend tourists and travelers. He was wrestled to the ground by
two civilians; Uniformed Division officers of the U.S. Secret Service
then put the man in custody. Mrs. Clinton and Chelsea were not at

55. Records of White House Liaison, ESF/WHL/NPS.

56. [McDaniel] to ARD (Operations), memorandum, Apr. 28, 1989, pp. 1-2, ESF/WHL/
NPS.

57. Ruben Castaneda and Pierre Thomas, “Radar Detected Plane Before Crash,”
Washington Post, Sept. 13, 1994.

Manus J. Fish —— Continuing
to September 4, 1988; Ronald
N. Wrye — September 4,
1988, to December 18, 1988;
Robert G. Stanton —
December 18, 1988, to
January 3, 1997; James I.
MeDaniel (Associate Regional
Director) — December 31,
1983, to-

379

National Park Service — 1983 to 1997


Daniel Carroll, Thomas
Johnson, David Stuart,
Gustavus Scott, William
Thornton, Alexander White,
William Cranch, and
Tristram Dalton

34

(CHAPTER 7. BEGINNINGS: 1791-1802

fifteenth street west until it intersects the north side of
Canal Street; — thence westerly with the north side of
Canal Street until it intersects the east side of Seventeenth
Street west until it intersects the south side of an east and
west street ninety feet wide, from Square Number one
hundred sixty seven, thence east with the south side of said

_ Street until it intersects the east side of a North and South
street ninety feet wide, from the east side of square
numbered one hundred and sixty-seven aforesaid — thence
north with the east side of said street until it intersects the
south side of North H Street, thence east with the south side
of said Street to the beginning.”

The site of the presidential mansion was subsequently designated as
Reservation 1 (a designation it retains to this day). Lafayette Square
was subsequently designated-Reservation 10.

An act of May 1, 1802, abolished the office of the commissioners as
of June 1, 1802, and authorized the president to appoint a
superintendent of public buildings for the city of Washington.”

Site Security

The revolt of troops in Philadelphia in 1783, Shay’s Rebellion in
1787, and the Whiskey Rebellion in 1794 made security an impor-
tant consideration in any plan for a new capital. Given that military
men who had fought a successful revolution were involved in the
planning of the capital city, it is possible that the city design was
intended to provide for troops to be easily moved between the
dominating entities of the White House and the Capitol if a revolt or
an insurrection should take place. The city could also be evacuated
using the same spaces for quick access from the Capitol and the
executive residence to the Potomac.”

73. See "Register of Squares,” vol. 1, no. 9a, as cited in King and Elgar, “A Statement of
the Quantity of Land Appropriated to the use of the United States in the City of
Washington,” typed copies as included in “Legislative History of National Capital Parks
and Description of the Seventeen Original Reservations” (NPS, no date given), 1-6.

74, 2 Stat. 175.

75. Reps, Washington on View, 4; Lois Craig, The Federal Presence: Architecture, Politics and
Symbols in United States Government Buildings (Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 1978), 22-23:
Reps, Town Planning in Frontier America, 322; Frank Thone, “Mars, War God, The Great
City Planner,” The Sunday Star (Washington, DC), July 8, 1934, 3. Bryan, A History of the
National Capital, 1:141, f. 2, as noted in the McClure collection, ESF/WHL/NPS; State
Department, D.C. Papers and Potomac Flat Case Record, 7:2182, all as noted in the
McClure collection, ESF/WHL/NPS. Although a purely symbolic effort by an anonymous
artist, the illustration “Fantasia of the Wartime Capital City” (1861) shows troops


dispersed. Two policemen and two veterans died in the confrontation.
Congress paid the bonuses in 1936.TM°

Increasing air traffic over the site was a particular issue that caused
security concerns. In February 1933, Director Grant expressed con-
cern over photographs taken of the White House from an airplane.
“The airplane pictures are an evidence of what I believe to be a real
danger to the President,” wrote Grant, “and 1 am now looking into
the possibility of prohibiting flying over the White House, Treasury,
War Department, and center of the city.” Grant, also a politician, was
concerned about the public appearance of such measures, saying

If this can be done just before Mr. Hoover goes out of office, no
one can accuse the President of being afraid for his own
personal safety and it should be done for the protection not
only of him but of the Government at large. No one knows
who the aviators are or what one of them may do sometime.*”

Conclusion

The events of the first 30 years of the 20th century set more of a
precedent for the future management and development of the site
than any previous period. As a result of the City Beautiful move-
ment, the memorial nature of President’s Park expanded, with more
monuments placed in the park during this period than at any other
time. Recreational activities resulted in additional demands on the
site, particularly in the Ellipse area.

Also during this period, automobile traffic began to affect the site,
with roadways increasingly being used for parking. E Street, once a
park road, gradually began to be incorporated into the metropolitan
traffic system. Over the next two decades more and more traffic on
this road would increasingly separate the Ellipse from the rest of
President's Park, bisecting L'Enfant’s ceremonial vista with noisy and
dangerous traffic. Incursion of the urban scheme on the ceremonial
landscape had begun; it would continue unchecked into the second
half of the 20th century.

In 1925 the administration of the White House and President's Park
changed from the Office of Public Buildings and Grounds to the

246. Seale, The President's House, 902; Richard B. Morris, ed., Encyclopedia of American
History (New York: Harper and Row, 1976), 400, 418. Both Douglas MacArthur and
Dwight Eisenhower participated in the routing of the Bonus Army.

247. Grant to Frederic A. Delano, Feb. 27, 1933, 950-50/Planting (2), box 4, acc. 64A-
42, ESF/WHL/NPS.

U. S, Grant Il! — January 1,

1926, to April 5, 1933;
James A. Woodruff — April
5, 1933, to August 10, 1933

237

Conctusion



Spencer Cosby — March 15,
1909, to August 19, 1913

198

Site Security

Just before the departure of the Roosevelts, guards found a time
bomb inside the White House fence. The device was removed and
exploded. A note with the bomb read “From Your Friends of the
Twenty-Fifth Infantry.” Letters threatening the president’s life in-
creased. In their zeal, security officers often moved to arrest people
without checking their identity too closely. President Taft was
collared by a park watchman in front of the Agricultural Building on
the Mall for picking flowers. The watchman insisted that he must do
his duty and Taft agreed, only asking that his associates be let go as
they were only executing his wishes. The man became flustered, and
Taft and his companions left. Butt thought that watchmen and
police were sometimes overzealous and commented that ever since
President Grant had been arrested for fast driving, many policemen
dreamed of such fame. Roosevelt had fired watchmen who had
accosted him in this fashion, and Butt said he believed such arrests
were made only for a desire for “notoriety and a display of cheap
authority” on the parts of the officers."

Work for security forces remained heavy; fines amounted to $1,367
in 1910, Colonel Cosby’s requests for 1910 reflect a continually
expanding and ever-growing office. For example, the officer in charge
asked for additional bicycles and a speedometer so that speeding
motorists might be monitored and arrested. He also asked for $600
to repair bicycles and to purchase pistols and ammunition, plus
money for uniforms and steel fireproof cases for records.'"¥

By 1912 the Park Watchmen consisted of 2 sergeants and 40 privates
for all government reservations. The sergeants and 17 privates used
bicycles; the rest patrolled on foot. Shifts were 8 A.M. to 4 P.M. and 4
P.M, to midnight; in some cases patrols went on until 2 A.M. In 1911
one watchman began an all-night patrol of the grounds south of the
White House. The officer in charge again made a plea to confer
formal armed police status on Park Watchmen.

By this time detailed records were kept of violations, and auto”

collisions and violations of auto regulations were added. Also, walks
were planned around the Ellipse, with survey schedules for grade and

122, Butt, Taft and Roosevelt, 1:97-98, 291-92.

123. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1910, 2695-99. A total of 241 arrests were made,
in addition to 1,841 drunks and 780 “persons of objectionable character” ousted from the
parks.

124. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1912, 3483.

CHarTER 5. THE WHITE HOUSE, WASHINGTON, AND THE WoRLD: 1897-1933


Clarence O, Sherrill —
February 26, 1925, to
January 1, 1926

216

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Office of Public Buildings
and Public Parks of the National Capital — February 26,
1925, to June 10, 1933

On February 26, 1925, Congress ended the separate administrative
positions of officer in charge of public buildings and grounds and the
superintendent of the State, War, and Navy Building. These duties
were now combined under one authority — the Office of Public
Buildings and Public Parks of the National Capital, still under the U.S.
Army Corps of Engineers. The director was chosen by the president
from the ranks of the Corps of Engineers and reported to him,
making formal a relationship that had been going on for many
years. Although reorganized and renamed, the offices remained in the
Navy Building at 18th and B Streets NW."

This last restructuring by the Corps of Engineers presaged an admin-
istrative philosophy that would continue after the National Park
Service assumed responsibility for public parks in 1933; however, the
Park Service would not establish a separate entity for White House
concerns until the 1970s.

Clarence O. Sherrill — February 26, 1925, to January 1, 1926

General Administration

The Calvin Coolidge Administration, Under the new organization the
military assistants to the former officer in charge now. became
assistants to the director. On March 24, 1925, nine divisions were
established: Administration, Building Maintenance, Design and Con-
struction, Horticulture, Park Maintenance, Protection, Rock Creek
Park, Transportation and Supply, and White House Maintenance and
Welfare. The next year the divisions were reduced to seven, with Rock
Creek Park and White House Maintenance and Welfare being
eliminated.’*

In addition to maintaining the White House and policing and main-
taining the various parks, monuments, and gardens, the duties of the
Office of Public Buildings and Public Parks now also included
inspecting various buildings occupied by the executive departments

181. PL 68-478, Feb. 26, 1925 (43 Stat. 983, 984); NPS, Lafayette Park, 1; Annual Report,
Director of Public Buildings and Public Parks, 1933, 1; NPS, National Capital Region, Parks of
the National Capital (Washington, DC: U.S. GPO, 1963), 1; Annual Report, Chief of
Engineers, 1925, 1935; Dowd, Records of Public Buildings and Public Parks, 2-3, 38.

182. Dowd, Records of Public Buildings and Public Parks, 77.

(CHAPTER 5. THE WHITE HOUSE, WASHINGTON, AND THE WORLD: 1897-1933


454

ANDEX

Act of 1916, 302, 306; and office
space issues, 292; and Olmsted
plan, 244; Planning and Design
Branch, 242; Preservation Assis-
tance Division, 352; and pro-
tests, 356-357; Public Buildings
Branch, 239; records of, 266,
388; reorganization of, 279,
284-285, 373-374; role of, 361;
and Secret Service, 359; and
Sherman Park redesign, 348; and
Sherman statue, 275; and stone-
work conservation project, 352;
and traffic planning, 284; trans-
fer to, 165; and Truman renova-
tion, 270; and tunnel plans, 345;
White House visitor service
program, 351

National Peace Jubilee, 179-180

National Register of Historic Places,
289

National Resources Planning Board,
262

National Society of the Daughters
of the American Colonists, 252

National Symphony Orchestra,
339, 349

National Trust for Historic
Preservation, 272, 291, 328

Nation of Islam, 361

Native Americans, 13; White
Mountain Apache Tribe, 318

Navy Department Building, 69;
Civil War and, 110; Harding
tenure, 210; Hayes tenure, 136;
Monroe tenure, 54; Roosevelt
{FD) tenure, 252; Taylor tenure,
88

Navy mess, expansion of, 310

Navy Munitions Building, 286

Neri, Manuel, 377

Neubert, George W., 371

Nevelson, Louise, 371

Newberry, Truman H., 398

Newell, Gordon, 327, 416

New Executive Office Building:
construction of, 307; Johnson
{LB} tenure, 334

Nichols, J. C., 255

Nicolay, John George, 107, 109

Nixon, Pat, 339

Nixon, Richard M., 302, 328, 337-
346

Nixon, Tricia, 339

Noland, William, 51, 65-80

Nolan, John C., 255

Norcross Brothers, 172-173

north portico, Jackson (A) tenure,
60-61

NPS. See National Park Service

N, P. Severin Company, 223, 226,
247

NPS Organic Act of 1916, 302, 306

Nugin, Mrs., 141

oO

Octagon House, 47

Oehriein & Associates Architects,
369, 371

Office for Emergency Management,
262

Office of National Capital Parks,
282, 322. See also National
Capital Parks

Office of National Parks, Buildings,
and Reservations, 165, 239, 241.
See also National Park Service

Office of Public Buildings and
Grounds of the National Capital,
127, 136, 141, 150, 153, 160,
165-216; divisions of, 207;
location of, 176, 210; schedules
for, 212

Office of Public Buildings and
Public Parks of the National
Capital, 216-237; branching of,
239; divisions of, 216, 220, 226,
228-229; duties of, 216-217;
location of, 226; organization of,
228; records of, 387

Office of Superintendent, staff of,
42

Office of the Chief of Protocol, 234

Office of the Chief of the Engineers,
records of, 387-388

Office of the Naval Aide to the
President, 307

Office of the Surveyor of the City,
14

officer in charge of public buildings
and grounds, 119, 194-195,


x
FoREWwoRD

It is our very great pleasure to present this information as one more
step in the continuing articulation of the administrative saga of this
great residence and national icon. We hope it proves both useful and
informative to future administrators. We encourage further research
on this subject that conveys so much about American government
and its people. We are proud to be a part of the “progress of
scholarship” and of the continuing history of the White House.

— GARY WALTERS, CHIEF USHER, THE WHITE HOUSE

— JAMES I. MCDANIEL, DIRECTOR, WHITE HOUSE LIAISON,
NATIONAL PARK SERVICE


Monroe tenure, 55; Van Buren
tenure, 71

drives. See roads and drives

Drury, Newton B., 281, 303

Dubois, William, 157

Duncanson Brothers, 143

Dunn, Alonzo, 141, 147

Dunnington, Charles, 83

Duran, Francisco Martin, 379

Duron Paints, 347

Dutch elm disease, 267, 286, 288

Dwight D. Eisenhower Executive
Office Building. See Old Executive
Office Building

E

Easby, William, 86, 93, 93-98

Easter egg roll: Cleveland tenures,
157; Coolidge tenure, 221-222;
Eisenhower tenure, 240, 286;
establishment of, 117, 118, 138;
Hayes tenure 137-138; Hoover
tenure, 227; Kennedy tenure,
312; McKinley tenure, 167-169,
171-172; Roosevelt (FD) tenure,
257; Roosevelt (T) tenure, 184,
187

East Executive Avenue: Eisenhower
tenure, 289; establishment of,
95, 113; Grant tenure, 117;
Johnson (LB) tenure, 313, 315;
Reagan tenure, 365, 377, 379;
Roosevelt (FD) tenure, 261;
Truman tenure, 267; Wilson
tenure, 201

East Executive Park, 365

East Garden, Rose (Jacqueline
Kennedy Garden), 308

east portico, Reagan tenure, 359

East Room: Carter tenure, 351;
Grant tenure, 130; Harrison
(WH) funeral, 74; McKinley
tenure, 168, 173; Van Buren
tenure, 71

East Wing, Roosevelt (FD) tenure,
247, 259-260

Edgerton, Glenn E., 270, 271, 283,
296, 298

Eggers and Higgins, 329

Eisenhower, Dwight D., 240, 285-
292, 305, 346

Eisenhower, Dwight D., Executive
Office Building. See Old Executive
Office Building

Eisenhower, Milton, 286

Elder, William, 332

electrical systems: Carter tenure,
349; Harrison (B) tenure, 155-
156; Hoover tenure, 226, 231;
Johnson (LB) tenure, 327;
McKinley tenure, 167, 169;
Roosevelt (FD) tenure, 248, 255;
Roosevelt {T) tenure, 184-185;
Wilson tenure, 201

Electric Institute of Washington,
256

elevators: Arthur tenure, 144;
Coolidge tenure, 223; Harrison
{B) tenure, 151; McKinley
tenure, 167, 173; Truman
tenure, 266-267

Elgar, Joseph, Commissioner of
Public Buildings, 48, 51-52, 57-
65

Eliza, cook, 142

Elkins, Stephen B., 397

Ellicott, Andrew, 13, 18, 25

Elliot, William P., 66

Ellipse: Adams (JQ) tenure, 64;
Arthur tenure, 144; Cleveland
tenures, 148-150, 158-160;
Clinton tenure, 371; Coolidge
tenure, 222; Eisenhower tenure,
286-288, 291; Fillmore tenure,
85; Grant tenure, 127, 130-131;
Harrison (B) tenure, 152-154,
156; Hayes tenure, 117, 137-
139; Johnson (A) tenure, 102-
103, 113; Johnson (LB) tenure,
320-321, 326-328; McKinley
tenure, 169, 171; Nixon tenure,
338, 342, 344, 346; Roosevelt
(FD) tenure, 251; Roosevelt (T)
tenure, 175-176, 185; Taft
tenure, 191-194; Truman
tenure, 267, 284; Wilson tenure,
198, 202, 207. See also Christ-
mas tree lighting ceremony

Ellipse visitor pavilion (NPS), 371,
374

443
Index



U.S. Grant HI — January 1,
1926, to April 5, 1933;
James A. Woodruff — April
5, 1933, to August 10, 1933

230

hookups on the north lawn; such hookups continued to increase in
size and complexity as the years progressed.>*

Criticism of the White House greenhouse facilities by a former
employee in 1931 caused inquiries to be made concerning the

operation. Eleven greenhouses served the White House exclusively, ©

with five others used for both White House and city park purposes.
Salaries for greenhouse personnel amounted to $13,500 a year.
Officials insisted that the costs associated with the greenhouses were
much less than if plants were acquired by contract. Through the next
year various suggestions were made for the facility, including com-
bining it with the new National Botanica! Garden. Work continued at
the old site, with the repair of old structures and the construction of
new ones. By 1933 the entire operation at the Washington
Monument grounds consisted of 32 greenhouses, two potting sheds,
four heated pits, and seven cold frames covering 102,760 square feet.
Eighteen greenhouses served the White House exclusively, along with
two heated pits, one potting shed, and two cold frames, totaling
62,317 square feet. Five more served parks as well as the White
House, totaling 11,421 square feet.**

In 1931 landscape architect 1. W. Payne completely inventoried plant
materials (a similar inventory had been done by map in 1925) and
also made a study pursuant to the “re-adjustment of trees and
shrubs” on the presidential grounds. Grant informed First Lady Lou
Hoover that he had inspected the White House grounds with a
landscape architect and tagged various plants for removal, resiting,
or pruning. Because of the difficulty in getting an accurate map,
Grant had offered to personally stake those sites scheduled for new
plants and trees.**

224. PG. Burton (general plant mgr) to Grant, Sept. 15, 1930; FB. Butler (asst. dir.) to
Chesapeake & Potomac Telephone Co., Nov. 5, 1930; project maps: 9/13/30 and
9/29/30, all in 950-45/Permits and Excavations, box 4, acc. 64A-42, WH&WPP files,
ESE/WHL/NPS.

225. [ ] to the Hon. Walter H. Newton {sec. to the pres.}, Dec. 5, 1931; Grant to
Lawrence Richey, May 3, 1932; chief (Parks) to chief (Cost Sec.}, June 30, 1932, S. E.
Sanders (chief, Horticulture) to chief (Parks), Apr. 25, 1933; all in 920-50/Greenhouses,
box 1, acc. 64A-42, ESFAWHL/NPS.

226. Grant to Everett Saunders, Nov. 19, 1928; Annual Report, Director of Public Buildings
and Public Parks, 1929, 15; ibid., 1931, 39; Grant to Mrs. Ray Lyman Wilbur, Mar. 6,
1930; Grant to Mrs. Herbert Hoover, July 2, 1931; Grant to W. R. Coyle, Mar. 4, 1932;
Vincent Walsh (S.V.C.VR.) to Sen. Hamilton F Kean, Apr. 19, 1932; chief (Horticultural
Sec.) to chief (Parks Div.}, Mar. 2, 1932; Payne to asst. dir., “Executive Mansion Grounds:
Historic Trees,” June 6, 1931, n.p.; map: Executive Mansion Grounds, 7-27-25; “Plant
in file 950-50: Planting (2), box 4, acc. 64A-42,

CHAPTER 5. THE WHITE HousE, WASHINGTON, AND THE WoRLD: 1897-1933


Daniel Carroll, Thomas
Johnson, David Stuart,
Gustavus Scott, William
Thornton, Alexander White,
William Cranch, and
Tristram Dalton

28

CHAPTER 1. BEGINNINGS: 1791-1802

President's Park area for both executive buildings, indicating separate
administration of these lands. A light dotted line delineates what
seem to be the future boundaries for Lafayette Square and the streets
to the east and west of President's Park. Other than these few details,
no other landscaping details are extant. ,

The First Executive Office Buildings and the Growth of the Capital —
An attempt in 1798 by President John Adams to move. federal office
buildings closer to the Capitol met with Washington’s resistance. He
noted that the legislative sessions of Congress would meet only sea-
sonally, while the executive branch would function year-round. The
Treasury and War Buildings would remain on either side of the White
House. Thus, the plan for the new federal city would manifest the
structure of the new republic — the executive and the legislative
branches at each end of Pennsylvania Avenue would be balanced by
the judicial branch in between. A place between the Capitol and
President’s Park (later the site of the Patent Building and now the
Smithsonian Institution’s National Portrait Gallery) was initially
reserved for the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court, however,
convened in the Capitol and remained in that location until the
1930s, when it moved to a new structure east of the Capitol.**

Architect George Hadfield designed the two and one-half story brick
buildings for the Treasury and the War Departments in the popular
Georgian style. As had happened with the President’s House, work on
the structures started before formal drawings existed; at any rate,
James Hoban was still reporting to the commission in August 1799
regarding such renderings. On August 6, 1799, Joseph Dove dug
foundations and a cartway 14 feet wide for what would become the
Wer Office. Leonard Harbaugh contracted to construct the building
for $20,000. A drain for the Treasury was contracted to Bennett
Fenwick at one shilling per square yard in September. Dr. Thornton
wanted to hold up the project while price differences between brick

57. NPS, Lafayette Park, 8. The status of Pennsylvania Avenue during this time remains
unclear. Although the map does not indicate a road, one source states that Pennsylvania
Avenue was cut through between Lafayette Square and the White House in 1796 and
widened in 1803 during Jefferson's first term. As stated earlier, the exact sources for this
information remain unavailable. See Caemmaerer, Washington: The National Capital, 229.

58. Seale, The President's House, 72; Andrew Dolkart, The Old Executive Office Building, A
Victorian Masterpiece, ed. Mina Wright (Washington, DC: U.S. GPO, 1984), 3-4; George
Washington to Alexander White, Mar. 25, 1798, in Washington, “Writings,” as quoted
in John W. Reps, Town Planning in Frontier America (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University
Press, 1966), 50, also 324; Reps, Washington on View, 51, note 4. Reps points out that
L'Enfant’s plan did not locate a specific place for the “judiciary court,” only mentioning
the need for a site. However, as plans progressed, the Supreme Court was to be situated
between the Executive Residence and the Capitol.


In September 1964 the Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone Company
made a proposal that would eliminate the need to drape television
cables over the fence, as was the custom. In June 1965 J. L. Wilson,
director of engineering for the National Broadcasting Company, met
with NPS representatives concerning four broadcast termination
facilities at various spots on the White House grounds. The facilities
would be used by the major networks and would be paid for by

them. However, independent broadcasters would still need truck _

access. The White House telecommunications office and the Secret
Service voiced no particular concerns; however, it was suggested that
proposals be brought forward so that independent broadcasters could
use the facilities as well, which would help eliminate continual truck
traffic associated with press coverage. In later meetings, the director
of telecommunications management, the General Services Adminis-
tration, the Secret Service, and the Chesapeake and Potomac Tele-
phone Company agreed that sharing information about White House
projects would “result in economies and at the same time reduce the
extent of construction on an individual basis.” They suggested a
coordinator for projects. As an example they cited the pooling of
facilities by the major television networks for their exclusive use
while leaving independent broadcasters out of the discussions. Nash
Castro suggested a meeting to coordinate future projects. Efforts
such as this would contribute to the establishment of the office of
White House Liaison in the early 1970s.”

As part of the National Park Service’s lawn maintenance responsi-
bilities, new weed-killing processes were used. The Washington Post
reported in November 1965 that Alton Rabbitt had found a new way
of “sterilizing” soils by gassing the soil with tear gas and other un-
specified chemicals to retard weed growth. Rabbitt said the method
had been used on golf courses for some time; the new treatment was
experimented with on new flower beds and an acre of Lafayette Park,
and it seemed to be successful in retarding weeds and promoting
grass growth. Even though the use of tear gas was discussed, it is
unclear if such a treatment was considered as an attempt to
discourage large numbers of demonstrators from sitting or lying on
the grass during the early years of public protests in the park.”

38. Livingstone B Snell to Freeman, Sept. 15, 1964; Wilson to Castro, June 25, 1965;
Castro to Marvin Watson (spec. asst. to the president), July 12, 1965; D24/Grounds/
White House (1963-65), box 20, acc. 684-3201, ESF/WHL/NPS.

39. Robert N. Cook, G. A. Bean, and A. E. Rabbitt to reg. dir. through ARD, Sept. 30,
1965; [Horace V. Webster) plant pathologist to reg. dir. through chief (Plant Sciences),
chief (Maintenance), ARD (Operations), and ARD (Administration), Oct. 14, 1965,
Y22/Pesticides (1/1/66 to -) (1), box 26, acc. 72A-6215, ESF/WHL/NPS; Robert L. Asher,
“Weed-Killing Gases Used at White House,” Washington Post, Nov. 11, 1965.

Harry T. Thompson — May
10, 1958, to February 25,
1961; T. Sutton Jett —
March 15, 1961, to January
14, 1968; I. J. Castro —
January 14, 1968, to
September 25, 1969; Rex W.
Scouten (Assistant Regional
Director) —- February 24,
1968, to May 4, 1969

317

The National Park Service — 1958-1983


William S. Wood — May 31, 1861, to September 5, 1861;
Benjamin B. French — September 5, 1861, to March 2, 1867

William S. Wood served temporarily as commissioner of public
buildings and grounds for a little over three months in 1861, but he
fell into disfavor with Mrs. Lincoln. Wood was replaced by Benjamin
B. French, who was temporarily reappointed to the post in September
1861 and formally appointed the following January.”

General Administration

The Abraham Lincoln Administration. Benjamin Brown French soon
became indispensable to the president's secretary John George
Nicolay. Brown got himself appointed chief of the marshals of the
District of Columbia and involved himself in the arrangements for
Lincoln’s inaugural. White House social functions became even more
formal, with the secretary of state appointed as the final authority
on all procedures; Lincoln demanded that these be followed exactly.
Lincoln placed all arrangements, including seating plans and
invitations, not in his wife’s hands but in those of his private
secretaries."

French also took pains to ingratiate himself with the first family,
particularly Mrs. Lincoln, whom he helped run the household. He
managed to hide her budget overruns of house and furnishing bills in
other accounts. Gardener John Watt and the doorman (later steward)
Thomas Stackpole also formed close associations with Mrs. Lincoln
regarding White House accounts, which later proved to be
catastrophic.

After Fort Sumter was fired upon on April 12, 1861, the White
House and its grounds became an armed camp. As the Civil War
progressed, long lines of ambulances poured into the city. “The White
House is turned into a barrack,” wrote presidential secretary Nicolay.
Kansan Jim Lane stationed his troops in the East Room of the White
House. Elmer Ellsworth, who had been a clerk of Lincoln’s in
Springfield, [linois, and now lived with the family, paraded his
volunteer militia company of Zouaves on the south lawn. The
Capitol was made available to the U.S. Army, which used it from
August to October as a 1,200-bed hospital and also as a bakery, until

80. Seale, The President’s House, 381-83.
81. Seale, The President’s House, 363-64.
82. Seale, The President’s House, 389-91.

William S. Wood — May
31, 1861, to September 5,
1861; Benjamin B. French —
September 5, 1861, to
March 2, 1867

109

U.S. Department of the Interior, Commissioner of Public Buildings — March 5, 1849, to March 2, 1867



William W. Harts — August
19, 1913, to September 22,
1917

204

Many projects now required review by the Commission of Fine Arts,
as well as participation by the officer in charge. The duties of the Fine
Arts Commission more than doubled in 1915, according to the
officer in charge, who acted as secretary of the commission. Two
members had died and one had resigned. The total expenditures to
date amounted to $31,225.19. In 1916 the commission began
making its own annual report to the president."*'

The second inauguration of Woodrow Wilson in 1917 resulted in the
usual construction and demolition of stands in front of the White
House. The secretary of war now required certified checks from the
inaugural committee to cover possible damage. In June a Confederate
veterans’ reunion was allowed to erect a reviewing stand in the same
space as the earlier inaugural stand.'?

The National Park Service was created on August 25, 1916. Super-
visory, management, and governing powers were given to the secre-
tary of the interior and the director. Seventeen years later, in 1933,
the National Park Service would assume selected maintenance duties
at President's Park.”

On April 7, 1917, the White House was closed to the public for the
fifth time in 117 years as a result of the entry of the United States
into the war. The war effort took precedent over other activities at
the site.

Public Buildings Commission — In 1916 Congress created a Public
Buildings Commission that was composed of the chairman of the
Senate Committee on Appropriations, the chairman of the Senate
Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds, the chairmen of the
House Committee on Appropriations and the House Committee on
Public Buildings and Grounds, two other members of each of these
committees, the superintendent of the Capitol, the officer in charge of
public buildings and grounds, and the supervising architect of the
Treasury, for a total membership of 15. The group was charged with
making recommendations for needed public office space, with an eye
to future expansion for all federal offices in the District of Columbia.

141. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1915, 1683; ibid., 1916, 3604.
142. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1917, 3717-18.

143. 16 USC 1.

144. Chief of Engineers, Annual Report, 1918, 1935, 1949, 1952

(CHAPTER S. THE WHITE HOUSE, WASHINGTON, AND THE WoRLD: 1897-1933


Index

A

Adams, Abigail, 11, 26-27

Adams elm, 63, 66

Adams, John, 7-9, 11, 25-32

Adams, John Quincy, 11, 35, 38-
39, 53, 57, 59-60, 73

Adams National Historic Site, 330

Addison, John, 184

Adee, Alvey A., 158, 397

Advisory Committee on White
House Furnishing, 231

Advisory Council on Historic
Preservation, 346

African Americans: Colored
Community Centers of DC, 211;
Grant tenure, 123; Harrison (B)
tenure, 151; Hayes tenure, 135;
Johnson (A) tenure, 112. See also
free blacks; slaves

Agriculture, U.S. Department of,
251, 259

Aines, Andrew A., 338

air conditioning: Carter tenure,
349; Garfield tenure, 141;
Hoover tenure, 229; Roosevelt
(FD) tenure, 247; Taft tenure,
194

air traffic: Clinton tenure, 380;
Hoover tenure, 237

Albright, Horace M., 254, 265, 272

Alexander, John, 111

Alexandre, Charles, 63, 88

Alger, Russell A., 397

Allen v. Norton, 341

Alphand, Herve, 293

Alsop, Stewart, 281

American Architectural
Foundation, 347

American Association of Landscape
Architects, 244

American Association of Museums,
276, 376-377

American Christian Heritage
Association, 341

American Civil Liberties Union, 356

American Forestry Association,
211, 215, 256, 287

American-Hellenic AHEPA War
Bond Drive, 261-262

American Institute of Architects,
170, 266, 370; and Truman
renovation, 265, 269, 280

American Institute of Park
Executives, 232

American Peace Conference, 232

American Planning and Civic
Association, 248

American Red Cross, 195, 225

American Society of Civil
Engineers, 269, 354, 417

anchors, at Old Executive Office
Building, 415

Anderson, Clinton, 306

Andrei, Giovanni, 52, 55

Andrews, E. F., 139

Andrews, Robert W., 322

animals: Grant tenure, 131-132;
pets, 367

Antiquities Act of 1906, 189, 306,
403

Aquia Creek quarries, 8, 21

Archeological and Historic
Preservation Act of 1974, 408

archeological artifacts, from.
swimming pool excavation, 347-
348

Archeological Resources Protection
Act of 1974, 408

arches, 46. See gates

archival technician/archivist, 368,
377

Arlington National Cemetery, 12

arrest statistics: Hoover tenure,
234-235; Roosevelt (T) tenure,
181-182, 190-191; Taft tenure,
198-199; Wilson tenure, 205,
209

Arthur, Chester A., 118, 142-146

asbestos removal, 365

Asbjornsen, Sigvald, 415

Associated Artists, 143

Astor, Mrs. Vincent, 324

Atherton, Charles, Mr. and Mrs.,
341

Atherton, Harry M., Jr., 327, 416

Atkins, Elmer S., 335-336, 336,
344, 346, 364; goals for 1973,
342-345

Atwater Kent Company, 210

Atzerodt, George B., 115

437

Index



Commissioners for the District of Columbia —
January 22, 1791, to May 1, 1802

From January 22, 1791, to June 2, 1802, eight men were appointed
by the president to be commissioners for the District of Columbia.
The fact that they were political appointees is significant, and execu-
tive contro) and development of the city’s public properties would
become a concern as the city grew. All the original commissioners
were close to George Washington, and ali had in some way a special
interest in the development of a new capital. In 1784 George
Washington and Thomas Johnson had created the Patowmack
Company in order to improve navigation on the Potomac River, an
endeavor they had been interested in since the 1760s. Washington
served as the first president of the company. All the initial commis-
sioners were shareholders; Washington's stock had been given to him
by Virginia in appreciation for his support in the venture.

The initial commissioners answered to the president and wielded
broad powers concerning the general administration of the city. The
commission was abolished in 1802 and replaced by a superintendent
of public buildings under executive control.*

Daniel Carroll, Thomas Johnson, David Stuart, Gustavus Scott,
William Thornton, Alexander White, William Cranch, and
Tristram Daiten

The first three commissioners were Daniel Carroll of Rock Creek,
Maryland; Thomas Johnson of Frederick, Maryland; and David
Stuart of Alexandria, Virginia. Later commissioners inchided
Gustavus Scott (beginning August 23, 1794), William Thornton
(September 15, 1794), and Alexander White (May 18, 1795). These
commissioners were all appointed by George Washington. The final
two commissioners were appointed by John Adams — William
Cranch (beginning January 8, 1801), and Tristram Dalton (March 2,
1801). The commission retained a secretary; over the years, clerks
such as John M. Gantt served in the position, writing letters and
recording proceedings.*

5. See “District of Columbia: Act of Incorporation,” May 3, 1802 (2 Stat. 195), as
noted in Chief of Engineers, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Annual Report of the Chief of
Engineers for 1900 (Washington, DC: U.S. GPO, 1900), 5274-75.

6. Dowd, Records of Public Buildings and Public Parks, 13-14.

Daniel Carroll, Thomas
Johnson, David Stuart,
Gustavus Scott, William
Thornton, Alexander White,
William Cranch, and
Tristram Dalton

7

Commissioners for the District of Columbia — January 22, 1791, to May I, 1802



Russell E. Dickenson — Manus J. (Jack) Fish was born October 20, 1928. Fish served in the

September 26, 1969, to U.S. Army from 1946 to 1948 in Korea as a corporal in the 7th
Novernber 11, 1973; Manus Division. Upon returning to the United States, he studied from 1948
J. Fish — November 11, to 1952 at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.,

1973, to September 4, 1988;
Elmer 5, Atkins (Assistant

Regional Director) — May 4,
1969, to December 31, 1983

where he graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s of science in
civil engineering. After graduation he worked for the National Park
Service as a civil engineer in the Office of Design and Construction in
the National Capital Region. He was promoted to supervisory general
engineer and assistant chief, Branch of Engineering, Office of Design
and Construction, National Capital Parks in 1961; the following year
he became chief of that office. In 1966 he became a supervisory civil
-engineer, serving as chief of the Division of Development, Planning
and Project Control for the Washington Planning and Service Center.
In 1970 he became deputy director for National Capital Parks and
was promoted to regional director in 1973, a position he held until
his retirement in 1988. Under his directorship White House Liaison
fully emerged as a defined function."

Manus J. Gack) Fish Elmer S. Atkins was born in Florida; his father, who had emigrated
Courtesy: National Park

Service from Sweden, operated a plant nursery. After serving in the military,
Atkins received a degree in landscape architecture from the University
of Florida, and later a degree in urban planning from Columbia
University in New York City. Atkins worked as a landscape architect @
for New York City and later served as chief of site planning for the
Veterans Administration, Atkins was assistant to the mayor of
Washington, D.C., for Community Beautification during the Lyndon
B. Johnson administration and was active in Mrs. Johnson’s
beautification programs, serving as executive director of the Society
for a More Beautiful Capital. After Rex Scouten was appointed chief
usher at the White House in early 1969, Atkins (who had worked
under Scouten) assumed White House responsibilities for the
National Park Service. Atkins served as assistant regional director,
White House Liaison, until his retirement in 1983.7

Elmer S, Atkins
Courtesy: National Park

Service

81. “Biographical Background, Manus J. Fish Jr.,” Westgroup, McLean, Vir., 1997,

passim; Linda Wheeler, “Park Director Has Other Fish To Fry,” The Washington Post

(photocopy), n-d., n-p.

82. James 1. McDaniel, handwritten notes regarding the career of Elmer S. Atkins (June

11, 1997), Office of the Director, White House Liaison. ry
336

(CHAPTER 7, THE NATION’S FRONTYARD: 1958-1983.


INTRODUCTION

element not only for the White House, but also for the Dwight D.
Eisenhower Executive Office Building (renamed from the Old
Executive Office Building in 1999) and the main Treasury Building,
which are within its boundaries, and for those buildings facing the
park. Over the years President’s Park has served many purposes,
from bosque to bivouae, from a field for infantry drills to a place for
inaugural celebrations. The memorial nature of the park is evident in
structures dedicated to various causes and individuals. Seasonal
memorials and events, such as the National Christmas Tree lighting
ceremony and the Easter egg roll, traditionally occur on the Ellipse
and south lawn of the White House. .

The White House and its grounds are also used as a ceremonial area
for state functions, including the welcoming of visiting heads of
state. Because of this connection to the presidency, President’s Park is
also a public space — a place where the American people make
known their feelings on a variety of subjects and issues. Crowds have
assembled here to support and protest various wars and issues
tanging from atomic war to AIDS.

President’s Park is also a recreation area, for the president and the
first family within the White House fence, and for the American
public outside the fence. If the White House is the symbolic national
home for the first family, then President’s Park is also, in many
respects, the nation’s frontyard.

The administration of the White House as a private residence, an
executive office, a state edifice, a military installation, a museum, and
a national shrine has substantially affected the development of the
site. As might be expected, the administration of President's Park is
complex. Buildings, monuments, plantings, roadways, and walks of
many different types and dating from several historical periods
contribute to its overall personality. A German term refers to this
type of assemblage as Gesamtkunstwerk — the combining of various,
even disparate, elements to make one cohesive, unified entity. This
also describes the dynamic cultural phenomenon that is President's
Park.?

Both the White House and President’s Park have changed subtly yet
dramatically over time. The feeling imparted, however, is one of

3. See Allan Bloom, The Closing of the American Mind: How Higher Education Has Failed
Democracy and Impoverished the Souls of Today's Students (New York: Simon and Schuster,
1987), 54; Paul Phillipot, “Historic Preservation: Philosophy, Criteria, Guidelines,” in
Preservation and Conservation: Principles and Practices (Washington, DC: Smithsonian
Institution Press, 1976), 370.


National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior — August
10, 1933, to January 20, 1997

Superintendents, National Capital Parks — August 10, 1933, to
January 22, 1962

Frank T. Gartside (acting) August 10, 1933
C. Marshall Finnan October 9, 1933
Frank T. Gartside (acting) July 31, 1939
Edmund B. Rogers (acting) February 1, 1940
Francis F Gillen {acting) April 18, 1940
Irvin C. Root January 2, 1941
Edward J. Kelly July 28, 1950
Harry T. Thompson May 10, 1958
T. Sutton Jett March 15, 1961

Director, Region Six — January 22, 1962, te July 10, 1962
T Sutton Jett January 22, 1962

Director, National Capital Region — July 10, 1962, to May 23, 1965
T. Sutton Jett July 10, 1962

Directors, National Capital Parks — May 23, 1965, to October 21, 1976
(from December 5, 1969, to October 21, 1976, called Office of National

Capital Parks)
T. Sutton Jett May 23, 1965,
L J. (Nash) Castro January 14, 1968
Russell E. Dickenson September 26, 1969
Manus J. Fish November 11, 1973
Assistant Regional Directors

LJ. (Nash) Castro November 4, 1962
Rex Scouten February 24, 1968
Eimer S. Atkins

Assistant General Superintendent, May 4, 1969

White House Liaison
Assistant Director / Associate February 7, 1972

Regional Director

Directors, National Capital Region — October 21, 1976, to August 14,

1996
Manus J. Fish October 21, 1976
Ronald N. Wrye (acting) September 4, 1988
Robert G. Stanton December 18, 1988

Associate Regional Director, White House Liaison

Elmer S. Atkins October 21, 1976

James I. McDaniel
i December 31, 1983

Acting
Associate Director May 27, 1984

395
Appendix A. Administrators of the White House and President's Park


Plan No. 1: Executive Mansion Grounds, General Survey Sowing Existing Conditions
as of January 1, 1935 — 245
Plan No. 2: Executive Mansion Grounds, General Plan for Improvements, October 1935 — 246
Edmund B. Rogers — 254
White House Renovation Supervisors, 1949-52 — 271
Souvenir Material from the White House Renovation, 1949-52 — 272
Harry T. Thompson — 303
T. Sutton Jett — 303
Nash Castro — 304
Rex Scouten — 305
Lady Bird Johnson and Landscape Planners — 324
Historic Districts — 325
Russell Dickenson — 335
Manus J. (Jack) Fish — 336
Elmer S. Atkins — 336
The White House, North Elevation, 1988-1992 — 353
Robert G. Stanton — 363
James 1, McDaniel — 364

vii
Contents



General Administration Nathaniel Michler — March
13, 1867, to June 1, 1871

The Andrew Johnson Administration. After the Civil War, Michler was
given the task of putting the public properties of the city of
Washington, including the White House and President’s Park, back
on a peacetime footing. The White House grounds suffered from
neglect, and Tiber Creek was essentially an open sewer. Visionary
new planning was needed, and Michler provided much of that vision
and drive. Michler felt that the grounds south of the President’s
House afforded a “pleasant spot for recreation” and that these lands
needed intense development. In 1867 he requested $20,505 for
developing an underground sewer system for Tiber Creek and $3,000
for “grading and draining” the area.*

In January 1867, as requested by the Senate, Michler reported on
possible locations for a new presidential mansion. Although the
Senate had requested plans for a combination public park and
presidential mansion grounds, Michler thought that for security
reasons it would be best to separate the functions. He looked at
Meridian Hill north of the White House, which belonged to a Colonel
Mesmore; Metropolis View, the “home of the late Washington
Berry”; and Eckington, “home of the late Mr. Gales.” He also looked
at Harewood, W. W. Corcoran’s estate; the home of Moncure
Robinson; the estate of Mrs. R. S$. Wood; the U.S. Military Asylum
(also known as the Old Soldiers’ Home), and other smaller properties.
All sites were within 2 to 4 miles of the Capitol and the Executive
Mansion. Attached to Michler’s report was a letter from Dr. Arthur
Schott of Georgetown delineating the types of vegetation and soils in
the District of Columbia. As far as can be determined, this constituted
the first attempt to identify generally the District's soil types and
vegetation by genus and species. Schott’s report said that the original
fertile lands had been “thoroughly impoverished” in many instances
by deforestation and the lack of maintenance.”

In 1868 Michler began to make annual reports to the Committee on
Public Buildings and Grounds. In his first report he supported the
principles of the LEnfant plan. He said that the grounds south of the
President's House had been greatly improved and ‘offer to all a
pleasant spot for recreation.” He called for the connection of the Mall
and President’s Park by bridges across the Washington Canal. Michler
also recommended channel improvement in the Potomac and the

12. NPS, President's Park South, 11.

13. Communication of N. Michler, Major of Engineers to the Chairman of the Committee on
Public Buildings and Grounds, 39th Cong., 2nd sess., Senate misc. doc. 21 {IWashington):
February 13, 3867), 1-7.

121
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Office of Public Buildings and Grounds — March 2, 1867, to March 9, 1897


Harry T. Thompson — May
10, 1958, to February 25,
1961; T. Sutton Jett —
March 15, 1961, to January
14, 1968; 1. J. Castro —
January 14, 1968, to
September 25, 1969; Rex W.
Scouten (Assistant Regional
Director) — February 24,
1968, to May 4, 1969

Lady Bird Johnson and
Landscape Planners

Mrs. Johnson reviews urban
landscape plans with members of
her Committee for a More
Beautiful Capital. Architect
Nathaniel A. Owings, with the
pointer, stands on the right with
Secretary of the Interior

Stewart L. Udall.

Courtesy: The National
Geographic Society

324

It is unknown if Kent's letter encouraged Mrs. Johnson to pursue a
beautification program. Beginning with the planting of two azaleas
in Washington on March 15, 1965, the White House worked in con-
junction with the Committee for a More Beautiful Capital to foster
the idea. The effort to preserve and beautify public areas quickly
spread across the country. As part of her program, Mrs. Johnson
helped implement the Kennedy administration's plans for Lafayette
Park, and she pursued plans for the Ellipse area. A board of 27 people
assisted Mrs. Johnson in planning and implementing her programs,
among them Mrs. Vincent Astor, Mrs. Albert D. (Mary) Lasker, Mr.
Laurence Rockefeller, and Secretary of the Interior Stewart Udall.**

58. Rex Scouten, memorandum to the record, Feb. 10, 1969; reg. dir. (NPS) to acting
chief (Design and Construction, WSC), June 3, 1969; chief (Horticulture Maintenance) to
supt. (NCP Central}, Aug. 27, 1969; all in D24/Maintenance and Rehabilitation (1969),
box 31, acc. 79-80-000 2, ESF/WHL/NPS. A. G. Russell (president, OMNIGROUP) to
Mark Evans, Feb. 9, 1972, D18/Mall Plan, box 28, acc. 79-7524, ESF/WHL/NPS. Horne
(acting reg. dir., NPS) to Robert Ench, Feb. 2 and June 27, 1966; Castro to Russell Page,
July 9, 1968; all in D24/Beautification/White House (1/1/66 to—) (1), box 21, acc. 72A-
6215, ESF/WHL/NPS. Martha Cole, “Flowers are Legacy,” Washington Star, Nov. 16,
1964; “Mrs. Johnson Announces Kiosk by White House,” Washington Star, June 30,
1965; Robert J. Lewis, “New White House Projects Revealed,” Washington Star, Feb. 2,
1967; Marie Smith, “Millions to be Heirs to Souvenirs and Kiosk,” Washington Post, June
30, 1965, and “Zip’ to be Taken Out of White House Tour,” Aug. 27, 1965, Washington

_Post; Isabelle Shelton, “White House Quiz Show,” Washington Post, Aug. 3, 1965; Meryle

Secrest, “Beautification Gets a Boost,” Washington Post, Sept. 30, 1966, Beautification
news clippings, box 26, acc. 72A-6215, ESF/WHL/NPS. Mrs. Johnson to Jett, Mar. 2,
1965, Beautification of Washington, acc. 72A-6215, box 26, ESF/WHL/NPS. [Memorial
Copy] “In this Park Mrs. Lyndon B. Johnson Planted Two Azaleas to Inaugurate Her
Beautification Program for Our Nation’s Capital,” Mar. 15, 1965, A7217/1968 ARD
Pinks (3 of 4}, box 2, ESF/WHL/NPS. Judge, “Flowering Washington,” 503; Castro,
interview, June 21, 1995, 84-87.

CHAPTER 7. THE NATION'S FRONTYARD: 1958-1983



Edward J. Kelly — July 28,
1950, to May 10, 1958

284

bills to the White House; the National Park Service handled the
matter for the Executive Mansion.

Traffic continued to be of prime concern in and around Reservation 1,
as reflected in efforts such as the District of Columbia 1952
Comprehensive Plan, which used the plans of LEnfant and McMillan to
legitimize its recommendations. Because of the respect paid to those
previous plans, the National Park Service went on record in 1953 as
opposing a bridge connection to Roosevelt Island that would have
increased traffic on E Street and required it to be widened. The Park
Service indicated that widening would “adversely affect the central
design of the nation’s capital, and would, to a great extent, destroy
the planning efforts of generations.”””

Timed parking was established on the inside curb of the Ellipse in
1952, with ali-day parking continuing to be permitted on the outside
curb; in earlier years all-day parking had been permitted on both
curbs.”

Congress passed the National Capital Planning Act in 1952, which
defined. a national capital planning region and provided broad
guidance for the future development of the city. It would be referred
to in various planing contexts, as when the National Capital
Memorial Advisory Committee was formed in 1973. The committee
played an important role in planning for the neighborhoods adjacent
to President's Park and participated in the review of many design
plans affecting the property.”

In 1952 the National Park Service underwent another reorganization
that directly affected the White House and President's Park. Among
other things, the reorganization resulted in a Division of Interpreta-
tion under Freeman Tilden. The reorganization was substantially

106. Francis to Crim, memorandum, July 9, 1951; cross reference sheet, “Zuzolo, Mrs.
Vincens,” Sept. 15, 1951, OF 50/Misc. (White House Matters 1951), HSTL.

107. “White House Precinct Report, Part 1,” draft, June 2, 1980, p. 62, box 148; asst.
solicitor (NCP) to dir. {NCP}, Aug. 24 and Aug. 26, 1976; ail in reading file/A7217 (Aug.
1976-Dec. 1976}, AM-O10, ARD/WHL/NPS.

108, Kelly to Paul W. Hammack, Apr. 8, 1952, 1460/Grounds South (3), box 11, acc.
64A-42, ESF/WHL/NPS.

109. Act of July 19, 1952 (66 Stat. 781-91), “Charter: National Capital Memorial
Advisory Committee,” D66/First Infantry Div. (1/1/66-12/31/74), box 30, acc. 79-
770003, ARD/ESF/WHL/NPS.

‘CHAPTER 6. THE New Deal, WoRLD WAR II, AND PEACE: 1933-1958


mouth College. French studied law in Chester for five years and
entered the New Hampshire bar in 1825; like many people of his
time, he did not receive a formal university education. In 1827 he
moved to Newport, New Hampshire, and bought the New Hampshire
Spectator, which he ran as editor. He served in the state militia and
was known as “Major French.” From 1828 to 1830 he served as
assistant clerk in the New Hampshire Senate and as a member of the
state House of Representatives from 1831 to 1833, In 1833 he moved
to Washington, D.C., and worked as an assistant clerk in the U.S.
House of Representatives, where he was elected clerk in 1845. During
this period French invested heavily in the Magnetic Telegraph
Company, along with artist and inventor Samuel F. B. Morse, art
patron W. W. Corcoran, and democratic journalist Amos Kendall.
French served as president of the company from 1847 to 1850. The
company installed the first telegraph line in the nation, between New
York and Washington.“

French served on the D.C. common council and on the board of
aldermen, with terms as president in 1851 and 1852. He held various
civic offices and memberships, including directorships in both the
Freman’s Insurance Company and the First National Bank of
Washington, the Union Literary Debating Society, the U.S. Agri-
cultural Society, Masons (grand master), Jackson Democratic Associ-
ation, Republican Association of Washington, and Board of Trustees
of the Columbia Institution (a forerunner of Gallaudet College).
French presided at many official functions as a member of the
Masonic order, including ceremonies to lay the cornerstones at the
Smithsonian Institution (1847), the Washington Monument (1848),
and the extension to the Capitol (1851). He headed the special
arrangements committee for the unveiling of the Jackson equestrian
statue in Lafayette Square in 1853. French and his family built a
home at 37 East Capitol Street in 1842, where he lived until his death
in 1870; the Library of Congress now occupies the site.**

44. Betty C. Monkman, “Benjamin Brown French, Commissioner of Public Buildings
1853-1835; 1861-1867” (master’s thesis, George Washington University, 1980}, 11-15;
Lanman, Biographical Annals, 156. French was appointed because of his friendship with
Franklin Pierce. Benjamin's brother, Henry Flagg French, later served as assistant secretary
of the treasury in the 1880s and as interim secretary of the treasury in 1881. His nephew,
Danfel Chester French, became one of the best known U.S, sculptors, with commissions
including the figure of Lincoln at the Lincoln Memorial, and in President's Park the figure of
Victory atop the First Division Monument and the Butt-Millet memorial fountain. Notes,
Monkman (OC/WH), July 19, 2000.

45. Monkman, “Benjamin Brown French,” 11-15; Lanman, Biographical Annals, 156.

Benjamin B. French — June
14, 1853, to June 5, 1855

99

U.S. Department of the Interior, Commissioner of Public Buildings — March 5, 1849, to March 2, 1867



Joseph Elgar — May 8,
1822, to February 10, 1834

58

for all sorts of positions, including suggestions as who to hire for
painters, plumbers, clerks, superintendents, masons, and the like.*'

General Administration

The James Monroe Administration. Between 1819 and 1823 the
commissioner‘s office managed approximately $18,000 of construc-
tion work at President's Park, inchiding the laying of water pipes to
the executive offices and the President’s House and for “graduating
and improving the President’s Square.” The lawns were sown with
“orchard grass” and clover, fertilized with 71 loads of manure, and
then scythed. A small house was moved from President's Square, and
an additional sum of $8,552.91 was spent on the square in 1825.
The visit of General Lafayette in 1824 occasioned the first
landscaping in the commons in front of the White House; evidently
Charles Bulfinch planted it heavily with trees. According to one
source, a wooden fence was added in 1826. It is unclear whether
James Monroe or John Quincy Adams was responsible for naming
the area Lafayette Square; other historians claim that its designation
remained President’s Park until! 1834. Ninety-nine years later, its
designation would be changed to Lafayette Park.

The design for the south portico, which was finished in 1824 (with
the assistance of Hoban), evoked continental designs similar to the
porch of the Chateau de Rastignac near Perigord, France. While no
definite connection can be made between the two structures,
Monroe’s tenure as minister to France in the 1790s may have
influenced his and Hoban’s decisions in selecting the design.

An experiment with paving and road surfaces occurred in 1824, near
“the President’s Gate,” presumably the southeast gate off Penn-
sylvania Avenue. A mixture of tar, sand, and gravel was used over
gravel and sand to provide a road surface. The entry reads, “Put on
62 square yards of road making 32 cents per yard.” John Loudon
McAdam had published his system of road making in 1821, calling

61. Seale, The President's House, 170-74; “Journal, Commissioner of Public Buildings,”
1828, 7:18, RG 42; Lanman, Biographical Annals, 135,

62. Message from the President of the United States Transmitting an Account of the Dis-
bursement of the Sums Appropriated by the Acts of 30th April, and 3rd March, 1819, for
improving the President's Square, April 20, 1824 (Washington, DC: Gales and Seaton,
1824), 5-7; Message from the President of the United States transmitting the Annual State-
ment of the Commissioner of Public Buildings of the Expenditure on the same and of the Progress
of the said Buildings, December 8, 1826 (Washington, DC: Gales and Seaton, 1826}, 6.

63. Seale, The President’s House, 159-60, 162-63, 167; Seale, The White House, 74; NPS,
“The White House," 21. .

CHAPTER 2. THE GRowTH OF THE REPUBLIC: 1802-1849


Jurisdiction

Questions arose over the recording of District land sales and the
manner in which they were recorded. In 1899 Congress had passed
legislation allowing the secretary of war to correct land titles to show
unassigned lots that actually belonged to individuals. In 1908 the
Commission to Investigate the Title of the United States to Lands in
the District of Columbia (known also as the McMillan commission)
was established by the act of May 30, 1908 (35 Stat. 543). It
included the attorney general as chair plus the secretary of war, the
chairmen of the Committees on Public Buildings and Grounds of the
Senate and the House of Representatives, and the president of the
Board of Commissioners for the District of Columbia. The commis-
sion produced five reports; because of the nature of the work and
records involved, the officer in charge was intimately involved. The
final report, dated April 24, 1916, was written by Col. William W.
Harts, the officer in charge at that time."

121. Act of Oct. 22, 1913 (38 Stat. 223); Dowd, Records of Public Buildings and Public
Parks, 65.

Spencer Cosby — March 15,
1909, to August 19, 1913

Butt-Millet Memorial Fountain,
1913

Courtesy: Washingtoniana
Collection, Martin Luther King
Memorial Library

197

US. Army Corps of Engineers, Office of Public Buildings and Grounds — March 9, 1897, to February 26, 1925



Daniel Carroll, Thomas
Johnson, David Stuart,
Gustavus Scott, William
Thornton, Alexander White,
William Cranch, and
Tristram Dalton

12
CHAPTER 1. BEGINNINGS: 1797-1802

Tristram Dalton was appointed on March 2 and took his place
on the commission March 10, 1801. Dalton was a former
New England senator who was instrumental in the passage of
the Residence Act of 1790 and a business associate of Tobias
Lear, an intimate of Washington's and one of the president's
earlier choices for commissioner (Lear had declined to accept
the position). Dalton was born in Newberry (now
Newberryport), Massachusetts, in 1743 and graduated from.
Harvard at 17. Independently wealthy, he lived at his large
estate in West Newberry. He practiced law only “as an
accomplishment.” It is said that he entertained various distin-
guished guests, including Washington, Louis Philippe, and
Talleyrand. He was a warden of the Episcopal Church, and he
served as a representative, speaker of the house, and a senator
in the Massachusetts legislature. He also served as a US,
senator after the adoption of the United States Constitution. It
is said that Dalton speculated heavily in real estate in
Washington and fost the rest of his fortune when a ship
carrying his personal effects (including a large library) sank
en route from New York to Washington. Penniless, he was
offered several official positions, finally accepting the
surveyorship of the port of Boston. He died in Boston in June
1817.

General Administration

The George Washington Administration. When George Washington
selected the capital site, he had vested interests in the area, as did the

first three commissioners. He owned 1,200 acres on Four Mile Run
within the city’s proposed boundaries, and George Washington Park.
Custis, his ward, owned Arlington, the 950-acre farm that would
later be developed as Arlington National Cemetery. The fact that
Washington and all three commissioners held stock in the Patow~
mack Company was pointed out by opponents. The obvious conflicts
of interest between Washington and the commissioners evidently did
not concern the founders of the government, but other things did
bother various commissioners. David Stuart noted his concerns with
the new federal city when he provided one of the first descriptions of
what would be President’s Park, declaring that the area surrounding

16. Giacomantonio, “All the President's Men,” 74-75; H. T. Taggart, “The President's
Journey from the Old to the New Seat of Government,” Columbia Historical Society
3:196-97; Lanman, Biographical Annals, 107.


Russell E. Dickenson —
September 26, 1969, to
November 11, 1973; Manus
J. Fish — November 11,
1973, to September 4, 1988;
Elmer S, Atkins (Assistant
Regional Director) — May 4,
1969, to December 31, 1983

356 -

Executive Office Building, and 5.51 for the Treasury Department.
However, McClure did not explain how this figure nearly equaled the
original 83 acres, 1 rod, and 22 perches when he did not count the
approximately 6 acres in Lafayette Park, which was figured in the
original listing in the 1790s. This discrepancy has never béen
adequately explained.’*

The American Civil Liberties Union, representing the Committee on
American Arab Relations, requested a permit to demonstrate in
Lafayette Park on May 4, 1969. The permit was denied because of
construction, and the group demanded a permit to gather one week
after the formal opening of the park. The government tried to limit
the number of demonstrators to 500 at any one time. The courts
ruled in March 1969 that the numbers of demonstrators in Lafayette
Park could not be limited.’

Conflicts became so pronounced between the National Park Service
and protesting organizations and the American Civil Liberties Union
that appeals were finally made to the appellate court and the U.S.
Supreme Court in 1969. A lower court had found attempts to restrict
the size of groups and other issues unconstitutional. However, Chief
Justice Earl Warren held such restrictions in place until the U.S.
Court of Appeals could rule. The appellate court in its final deter-
mination ruled that the Department of the Interior had jurisdiction
over Lafayette Park and the sidewalk in front of the White House
under the authority of the act of 1898, which placed the District’s
federal park system under the supervision of the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers; this responsibility was subsequently assigned to the
Department of the Interior. The court stated that numbers could not
be limited but suggested that, as its only absolute requirement, the
National Park Service require protesters to notify the agency 15 days
in advance of any proposed demonstration. Later Supreme Court
rulings on demonstrations in front of the White House relied on the
site’s carrying capacity and other criteria based on public safety

issues."

142. NPS, “Brief Statement on the History and Use of the 17 Original Reservations,” by
Stanley W. McClure [1971], p. 1, H26/History of National Capital Parks, box WHL-AM-

* 005, ESF/WHL/NPS.

143. Ralph J. Temple (atty. for applicant) to Castro, Mar. 17 and Mar. 27, 1969,
A8219/General Demonstrations (1/1/69-3/1/69), box 27, acc. 79-7525, ESE/WHL/NPS.

144. Women Strike for Peace v. Walter J. Hickel, Secretary of the Interior, Complaint for
Declaratory Judgment and Injunctive Review, n.d.; Failor to Edward R. Carr, Oct. 25, 1968;
Failor to Nash Castro, Nov. 4, 1968, and Jan. 21, 1969; "Court Voids Rules on White
House Protest,” Washington Post, Apr. 28, 1969; “Curbs on White House Pickets Re-
imposed,” Washington Post, May 7, 1969; U.S. District Court Summons to Secretary of

CHapTeR 7. THE NATION'S FRONTYARD: 1958-1983


Orville E. Babcock — June 1,
1871, to March 3, 1877

132

during tours to prevent damage from the heavy traffic. In summer
the grounds were planted with tropical and semitropical plants.
Although improvements were made to please an ever-growing tour-
ing public, visitor services as currently defined would not begin to
develop until the middle of the 20th century.”

In 1877 Babcock continued to add fill to the White Lot, and tem-
porary wooden drains were installed, with tile drains contemplated
for the future; also, 37 trees were planted. The Army’s chief of
ordnance replaced the decayed cannon gun carriages around the
Jackson statue. The area south of the Treasury Building (later Sher-
man Park) was graded and sown with bluegrass. The Corps refused
to appropriate money to feed Babcock’s growing menagerie of
animals at the various parks, so he fed them on his own.”

The State, War, and Navy Building — To address the lack of office
space, a commission had been appointed by Congress in December
1869 to find an appropriate site for a new State Department building
and to-solicit designs and bids for construction. However, the com-
mission’s suggestions were rejected, and Congress appointed a com-
mittee to oversee the work. Secretary of State Hamilton Fish escorted
members of the congressional delegation to various sites, while Gen.
William T. Sherman, secretary of war, lobbied for a combined build-
ing for the State, War, and Navy Departments. Congress decided on
the site west of the White House, agreed on a combined structure,
and authorized Alfred Mullett, supervising architect of the Treasury,
to submit designs. Congress authorized the building on March 3,
1871, with an allocation of $500,000, and construction began on
June 21, 1871. By the time the structure was finished on January
31, 1888, it cost $10,124,500."

To make room for the building, the White House stables were moved
closer to 17th Street, in the vicinity of the present E Street. The part
of the greenhouse used for forcing plants was also relocated at this
time."

48. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1877, 6-10.
49. Annual Report, Chif of Engineers, 1877, 6-10.
50. Dolkart, The Old Executive Office Building, 7.

Sl. Dolkart, The Old Executive Office Building, 1, 7-8, 21. The State Department wing
was finished in December 1875. Ground was broken for the Navy wing on July 14,
1872, and was completed on April 16, 1879. The old War Department on the north was
demolished, and construction of the north wing began June 17, 1879, and was com-
pleted in February 1883. The west and center wings were begun in March 1884 and
completed in January 1888. The building was subsequently named the Old Executive
Office Building and then the Dwight D. Eisenhower Executive Office Building.

CHAPTER 4. THE UNITED STATES ON THE THRESHOLD OF WORLD POWER: 1867-1897


the Supply Division replaced the Transportation and Supply
Division.”

In June 1930 Hoover had the Rose Brothers Company make plans
and specifications for new roofing on the east terrace for $6,625. A
design for servants’ summer sleeping quarters on the roof was
executed in frame by the Office of Public Buildings and Public Parks.
Carrier-York air conditioning window units were installed in the
White House in 1932.7"

By this time changes in the physical structure of the White House
had become common. In the west colonnade the florist’s room and
the laundry room were renovated for offices in 1931. New floors,
ceilings, and lights were installed, and new stairs to the president's
walkway were built from the former florist’s room, where one dou-
ble doorway and one single doorway were cut. By 1932 the former
fiorist’s room housed two offices for administrative assistants to the
president. The steward’s office and storeroom were remodeled,
providing a servants’ dining room and a maids’ restroom on the
south side of the ground floor. The former refrigerator space became
an entrance; storage space and an office for the steward were located.
in the west end of the main corridor; a refrigerator was installed in
the old staff dining room.?”

Outside the White House the District government cooperated with
the Office of Public Buildings and Public Parks in repairing curbs and
patching drives into the White House grounds. Costs were absorbed
by the office.”

Technology also made demands at the White House and President’s
Park. In 1930 a conduit line for the Chesapeake and Potomac
Telephone Company was extended from West Executive Avenue
along the interior of the Pennsylvania Avenue fence to facilitate
media and telephone connections for reviewing stands along
Pennsylvania Avenue. This constituted the first of the modern media

220. Annual Report, Director of Public Buildings and Public Parks, 1930, 40-41; ibid. 1931,
iii, 69-70; Dowd, Records of Public Buildings and Public Parks, 77.

221. [Smith], “History of Changes,” 9; “Historical Information on the White House and
Its Furnishings,” 10-11, HSTL.

222. [Smith}, “History of Changes,” 10; Annual Report, Director of Public Buildings and
Public Parks, 1931, 23; ibid., 1932, 18.

223. Annual Report, Director of Public Buildings and Public Parks, 1929, 15; ibid., 1932, 39.

U. S, Grant I! — January 1,
1926, to April 5, 1933;
James A. Woodruff — April
5, 1933, to August 10, 1933

229

US. Army Corps of Engineers, Office of Public Buildings and Public Parks of the National Capital — February 26, 1925, to June 10, 1933



White, George M., FAIA. Architect of the Capitol. Report to the Congress of the
United States on the Environmental Impact Evaluation of the Master Plan for
future Development of the Capitol Grounds and Related Areas. Washington,
DC, 1981.

White, Richard. It’s Your Misfortune and None of My Own: A New History of
the American West. Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press, 1991.

Whitman, Walt. The Portable Walt Whitman. Edited by Mark Van Doren.
New York: Viking Press. 1973.

Wilson, J. Ormond. “Public Schools of Washington 1805-1855.” Records of
the Columbia Historical Society (Washington, DC) 1:22.

Wolf, Alissa. “Wake-Up Call: Fire at the US Treasury Building.” NFPA
Journal, November/December 1996: 53-57.

Wolff, Perry Sidney. A Tour of the White House with Mrs, John F Kennedy.
Garden City, NY: Doubleday and Company, 1962.

Newspapers

The Evening Star, 1936.

Kansas City Star, April 2, 1989.

Washington Post, 1973-94.

New York Times, 1951-1968.

The Sunday Star [Washington, DC], 1907-34.

435
Bibliography



Chapter 8. Epilogue: 1983-1997

Overview of the Period

he period from 1983 to 1997 saw an increase in the role of

the National Park Service at the White House and President’s

Park. More direct interaction occurred between NPS

representatives and White House staff in the East and West
Wings. The number of major construction projects at the White
House and President’s Park increased, with management by the
National Park Service and its Denver Service Center (the principal NPS
planning, design, and construction management office). Work
included converting East Executive Avenue to a pedestrian mall,
updating the White House heating, ventilating, and air conditioning
system, and replacing the roof.

As a result of the assassination attempt on President Reagan in 1981
and concern over international terrorism (beginning with the
bombing of the Marine barracks in Beirut, Lebanon, in 1983), greater
security measures were taken.

The anti-war demonstrations of the 1960s and 1970s were sup-
planted by civil rights gatherings centered on sex and gender issues.
In the 1990s anti-abortion “Right to Life” rallies took place on the
Ellipse, as did a gay and lesbian civil rights march in the spring of
1993, attended by nearly 250,000 participants. Louis Farrakhan and
the Nation of Islam sponsored the “Million Man March” in the fall of
1995, and although the rally did not directly involve President’s Park,
the assembly on the Mall affected tourist numbers and general traffic
in and around the White House.’

Technological advances in communications focused continual scru-
tiny on the White House and the role of the president in international
events. As in former times of national emergency, White House
security was increased during Operation Desert Shield (August 7,
1990, to January 16, 1991) and subsequently during Operation

i. Richard G. Robbins (asst. solicitor, NCP) to Robert Langstrom (chief, U.S. Park
Police) and Stanton, re Picciotto v. United States, Civil Case No. 94-1935 (DDC), Sept. 14,
1994, ESF/ARD/WHL/NPS.

361

Overview of the Period



Manus J. Fish — Continuing
to September 4, 1988; Ronald
N. Wrye — September 4,
1988, to December 18, 1988;
Robert G. Stanton —
December 18, 1988, to
January 3, 1997; James 1.
McDaniel (Associate Regional
Director) — December 31,
1983, to -

James I. McDaniel

Courtesy: National Park
Service

364
CHAPTER 8. EPILOGUE: 1983-1997

later he left to become superintendent of Virgin Islands National Park.
In 1974 he was appointed deputy regional director of the Southeast
Region in Atlanta, Georgia. Beginning in 1976, he served as assistant
director for park operations in Washington, and in 1978 he became
deputy regional director for the National Capital Region. In 1987 he
became associate regional director for operations, and the following
year he became regional director. In 1995, under the National Park
Service reorganization, his title was changed to field director for the
National Capital Area. Stanton retired from the National Park Service
in 1997, but was later appointed director of the Park Service.’

James 1. McDaniel was born in Watertown, Massachusetts, in 1946.
In 1969 he received a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts, with a major in
modern languages from Northeastern University in Boston,
Massachusetts. While attending Noftheastern, he worked as a
seasonal park ranger at Minuteman National Historical Park in
Lexington, Massachusetts. From 1969 to 1970 he was assigned to
Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona. He volunteered for an
assignment in Washington, D.C., in 1970 to work with innovative
urban recreation and education programs, then accepted a super-
visory park ranger position in National Capital Parks. After graduat-
ing from the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center, McDaniei
transferred to White House Liaison under Elmer Atkins in 1972. The
remainder of his career has been in this office except for a brief acting
assignment as chief of urban programs for the. National Capital
Region. McDaniel became acting associate regional director for White
House Liaison on December 31, 1983. He assumed the permanent
position of associate regional director on May 27, 1984; the title of
this position was changed to director, White House Liaison, on
August 14, 1996.°

General Administration

The Ronald Reagan Administration. The White House Historical
Association continued to play an important role in support of
President’s Park and the White House. In 1984 James McDaniel

7. "Biography, Robert G. Stanton.”

8. Field dir. (NCA) to supts. and area directorate (NCA}, Aug. 14, 1995, Files of the
Director, WHL, NPS; McDaniel, interview, July 5, 1995, 1-4, 6~44, passim; “Biography,
James McDaniel, Director, White House Liaison, National Capital Region, National Park

ington, D.C.," Office of White House Liaison, National Park Service,

Service, Washington,
Washington D.C. {June 1997).


xiv
PREFACE

Memorials — Memorials in President’s Park, and their care
and maintenance, are recorded.

Collection Management — Important additions to the White
House collections, and how the collections have been
managed and cared for, are described.

Jurisdiction —- Jurisdictional issues arising during each period
are discussed in terms of federal laws, court decisions, and
administrative agreements.

Site Security — Security issues for the president and his
family, and how those functions affected the administra-
tion of the site, are described.

The final chapter presents recommendations for future research.

The text includes photographs of individual administrators when
they could be located.


Orville E. Babcock — June 1,
1871, to March 3, 1877

130

In 1873, as part of Mrs. Grant's second redecoration, the East Room
was redone in the style of the time known as “New Grecian,” an
American adaptation of the then popular néo-greque French style.
The central support beam was found to be cracked, so Babcock had it
replaced with an iron girder.”

Also in 1873 Babcock had the greenhouse at the Executive Mansion
repaired, replacing the wooden deck with a brick floor and the sup-
ports with arches and cast-iron rolled beams capped with concrete
and cement. Decayed framing and piping were also replaced. A hoist-
ing armature was installed to move plants within the greenhouse.
Stone steps replaced the wooden ones from the upper to the lower
greenhouse. The wooden frame of the greenhouse would need to be
replaced in a couple of years, noted Babcock; he intended to replace it
in iron and already had $10,000 from Congress to start the work.”

Babcock instituted the first systematic inventory of plantings at
Lafayette Square and the grounds of the Executive Mansion. In 1874
he had maps prepared of these areas as well as other public reserva-
tions, annotated with both common and botanical names of plants.
He established this system for systematically replacing trees and
plants as they died so that the integrity of the landscape would be
ensured and so that specific plants and their longevity might be
observed over time.

In 1874 Babcock installed new plumbing in the White House. The
pipes were encased in zinc to help prevent rodent migration to the
upper floors through the pipe chases. Babcock’s plans for a new
greenhouse were thwarted when estimates ran toward $50,000. The
upper south fountain was repaired, along with the fencing in front
of the Executive Mansion. Trees were equipped with tree markers and
whitewashed tree boxes. New fire hydrants were installed on the
grounds, and 25 settees were added to Lafayette Square. At the White
House a 2,184-gallon gravity water tank was installed in the attic.”

In 1874 electricians installed telegraph lines between the Capitol and
the executive offices. The lines at the Capitol were placed under-
ground for aesthetic reasons; no record exists as to whether this was
also done at President's Park. Babcock continued filling the Ellipse

40. Seale, The President's House, 456-59, 462, 470-72, 515; |Smith], “History of
Changes," n.p.; Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1873, 11.

41. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1873, 9.
42. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1874, 11.
43. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1874, 13-15.

(CHAPTER 4. THE LINITED STATES ON THE THRESHOLD OF WoRLD PowER: 1867-1897


Russell E. Dickenson —
September 26, 1969, to
November 11, 1973; Manus
J. Fish — November 11,
1973, to September 4, 1988;
Elmer S. Atkins (Assistant

Regional Director) — May 4,

1969, to December 31, 1983

350

included tree maintenance, turf renovation and maintenance, floral
displays and flower beds, care of indoor plants, and Christmas
decorations by request.'*

The University of the District of Columbia began a cooperative proj-
ect in 1978 called the “Living White House Precinct Study,” with
Howard University, the University of Pennsylvania, and the National
Park Service. Billed as a master plan for central Washington, the
study was to center on transportation, design elements, and “activity
linkages.” The report, funded in part by a grant from the National
Endowment for the Arts, only partially met its objectives.’

While the National Park Service continued to update various land-
scape reports for the property through the office staff of the National
Capital Region, there was no easily accessible formal document to
record those changes as part of the public record. An updated
“Gardens and Grounds” book for the immediate grounds (1976-
1980) was published in 1980 by the White House, with the National
Park Service responsible for funding and design. The publication
would continue to be updated every four years, documenting
changes to the memorial and ancillary plantings on the grounds as
they occurred during each administration."

Important events during the Carter administration included the sign-
ing of the Mideast peace accords on the north Jawn of the White
House on March 26, 1979, and the visit of Pope John Paul II in
October 1979. These events required detailed iayout and designs; the
construction of stages, podiums, tents, and other facilities; and the
provision of technical electrical and mechanical assistance.”

During the Carter administration visitors averaged about 1.3 million
per year. With this volume of visitor use, the need for adequate
tourist facilities became obvious, as well as some way to handle the
crowds that lined up daily to tour the President’s House. In December
1979, Rex Scouten asked the National Park Service to consider if

124. Tom Peyton (acting park manager, President's Park), communication with O'Brien,
Sept. 1997.

325. John Fondersmith (chief, Downtown Sec.) to reviewers of “Draft White House
Precinct Report (UDC),” June 2, 1980; D.C. Office of Planning and Development,
UDC/Howard Univ. /University of Pennsylvania Student Project, “Work Program, Living
White House Precinct Study,” White House Precinct, part 7, passim, part 2, passim, box
148, ARD/ESF/WHLNPS.

126. (NPSI, The White House Grounds and Gardens 1988-1992 (Washington, DC: WS.
GPO, 1992), preface.

127. NPS, ‘Architectural Drawing Inventory: The White House,” comp. Krause,
ESE/WHL/NPS, 1992.

CHAPTER 7. THE NATION'S FRONTYARD: 1958-1983


Memorials

An addition to the Second Division Memorial proposed by the Second
Division Memorial Committee in 1956 and approved by Congress the
following year was finally dedicated at 2 P.M. on July 20, 1962. The
addition, by architects Eggers and Higgins of New York, consisted of
two 15-foot wing walls with flagpoles on the east and west sides of
the original monument to commemorate veterans of World War II
and the Korean War.®

A new Boy Scout memorial was finally placed on the east side of
President’s Park South after controversy prevented its placement on
the Mall. As with most memorials of its type, the legislation
authorizing the memorial placed the responsibility for its location on
public grounds in the District of Columbia with the Department of
the Interior, the Commission of Fine Arts, and the National Capital
Planning Commission. The Commission of Fine Arts did not initially
concur with the decision to place the memorial in President's Park;
however, the commission finally agreed, and the secretary of the
interior confirmed the final decision. The memorial was dedicated on
November 7, 1964.**

Collection Management

Interest in the White House historical collection grew during the
Kennedy administration. Loan programs with other public institu-
tions were again considered. First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy requested
a collection of books from the assistant chief park historian, Stanley
W. McClure, for background on the White House interior and its

65. “The Second (Indian Head) Division Monument: Pertinent Data,” 1430/Second
Division Memorial, ESF/WHL/NPS. Gartside to Mary Clark, Feb. 9, 1937; Linton R.
Wilson to Ralph-Lundgren, Mar. 26, 1956; Lundgren to Jett, June 9, 1962; all in box 17,
acc, 66A-1097, ESF/WHL/NPS. PL 131, 85th Cong., H.J. 345 (Aug. 14, 1957).

66. Minutes, NCPC, 80th meeting, June 16, 1960, 7; ibid., 81st meeting, Aug. 4, 1960,
5; ibid., 85th meeting, Dec. 8, 1960, 12; ibid., 86th meeting, Jan. 5, 1961, 5; ibid., 89th
meeting, Apr. 6, 1961, 13; minutes, NCPC (temporary). Chief (NCDC) to dir. (NPS), Feb.
7, 1961; “Boy Scout Shrine,” attachment 3, n.d.; “Motion,” signed by A. C. Robinson,
attachment 8, n. “National Capital Planning Commission,” attachment 9, n.d.;
“Commission Meeting: Open Session,” signed by Robert C. Horne (chief, NCDC), n.d., pp.
3-5; “Memorial to Scouts Held Bad Precedent,” Washington Post, Aug. 5, 1960; all in
1132-48-5/NCPC (3), box 16, acc. 65A-1108, ESF/WHL/NPS. Jett to files, Nov. 25,
1958; Finley to Woodruff, Jan. 27, 1961; Finley to Horne, Sept. 13, 1961; (Udall} to
Brunton, July 25, 1961; Horne to Finley, Sept. 13, 1961; Wirth to [Udall|, memoran-
dum, Aug. 2, 1961; Heine to Master Lanneau Lide, Aug. 28, 1962; all in 1430/Boy Scout
Memorial, box 16, acc. 66A-1097, ESF/WHL/NPS. Dir. (NPS) to Legislative Counsel
(Office of the Solicitor}, Sept. 1, 1961, 920-40/Executive Office, box 21, acc. 65A-1108,
ESF/WHL/ NPS; NPS, The President's Park South, 37, plate 15; PL 111, 86th Cong. S. 62
Guly 28, 1959).

Harry T. Thompson — May
10, 1958, to February 25,
1961; T. Sutton Jett —
March 15, 1961, to January
14, 1968; 1. J. Castro—
January 14, 1968, to
September 25, 1969; Rex W.
Scouten (Assistant Regional
Director) — February 24,
1968, to May 4, 1969

329
‘The National Park Service — 1958-1983



Harry T. Thompson — May
10, 1958, to February 25,
1961; T. Sutton Jett —
March 15, 1961, to January
14, 1968; I. J. Castro —
January 14, 1968, to
September 25, 1969; Rex W.
Scouten (Assistant Regional
Director} — February 24,
1968, to May 4, 1969

328

The Richard Nixon Administration. Preparations for the Nixon inau-
guration involved measures to minimize damage to Lafayette Park
resources. Image remained of paramount importance at the White
House, and on April 4, 1969, Milton A. Pilcher, chief of the Division
of the Budget, informed the National Park Service that President
Nixon wanted the White House referred to as the Executive Residence
rather than the Executive Mansion, and that in the future all such
references should reflect the new term.*

Beginning in February 1969 Lafayette Park underwent a restoration.
To screen the work, an 8-foot fence was temporarily installed around
the park. Students from D.C. schools decorated the fence with scenes
depicting the neighborhood in the 19th century. Both the National
Trust for Historic Preservation and the National Park Service sup-
ported the project. Work was expected to be finished in August, but
the park was not reopened to the public until November 1969. The
use of the park ranged from protesters to performers from the
Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus. The lodge and restroom
facilities at the north end of the park continued to be an item of con-
troversy. However, by 1974 it had become clear that no one wanted
to tackle the $300,000 price for the underground facilities that had
been suggested since the 1930s. The lodge, and the controversy,
remained.©

Parking for White House staff expanded to the Ellipse area during the
Nixon administration.

62. Failor (supt., NCP Central} to J. A Blaser, Nov. 7, 1968, A8377/Presidential
Inaugurations (1/1/68), box 21, acc. 724-6215, ESF/ARD/WHL/NPA; Chester O. Harris
(acting ARD, Operations} to NCR supts., Apr. 4, 1969, D3415/White House (1/1/69},
box 28, acc. 79-7524, ESF/WHL/NPS.

63. Joseph Prendergast (exec. dir, National Trust for Historic Preservation) to Failor,
May 7, 1969, A8227/Special Events ~ Other (Park) 1969, box 3, acc. 79-770005,
ESE/WHL/NPS; chief (Urban and Environmental Activities) to supt. (NCP Central}, Mar.
16, 1972, A8227/Christmas Pageant of Peace (1/1/72-12/31/72) (1), box 29, ace. 79-
770003, ESF/WHL/NPS; Failor to chief (Contract Administration and Construction),
memorandum, Feb. 12, 1969, D52/14-10-7:991-198/Lafayette Square Improvements
(1/1/68}, box 28, acc. 79-7524, ESF/WHL/NPS. Nathaniel PR Reed (asst. sec., Fish,
Wildlife, and Parks) to Fish, through dep. dir. (NPS), Oct. 22, 1974; Fish to asst. sec.,
through dep. dir. (NPS), Oct. 31, 1974; both in D24/West (7/10/72-12/31/74), box 30,
act. 79-770003, ESF/WHL/NPS; Dickenson to Beddall Jr., Jan. 19, 1970, D24/Lafayette
Park, box WHL-AM-018, ESF/WHL/NPS; Department of the Interior news release,
“Lafayette Park Restoration Begins,” Feb. 7, 1969, box 20, ESE/ARD/WHL/NPS.

64. Failor to reg. dir. (NCP), memorandum, Jan. 31, 1969; reg. dir. (NCP} to Thomas E
Airis, Mar. 24, 1969; both in D24/Ellipse (1/1/69), box 28, acc. 79-7524,
ESF/ARD/WHL/NPS.

(CHAPTER 7. THE NATION'S FRONTYARD: 1958-1983


Russell E. Dickenson —
September 26, 1969, to
November 11, 1973; Manus
J. Fish — November 11, -
1973, to September 4, 1988;
Elmer S. Atkins (Assistant
Regional Director) — May 4,
1969, to December 31, 1983

340

Decatur House, and St. John’s Church. In addition, the Old Executive
Office Building was listed as a national historic landmark in 1971.

The National Bureau of Standards, U.S. Department of Commerce,
completed visual structural assessments of the White House in 1971.
Slight cracking was observed on the southern, northern, and eastern
exterior stone walls, the north and south porticoes, and some base-~
ment walls. Most of the cracks proved to be hairline fractures, except
for those under the south portico, which were more substantial.
While the engineer in charge saw no reason for alarm, he did
recommend that (1) readings be taken of all the benchmarks in the
walls to determine when settlement took place, (2) movement meters
be installed on the cracks, and (3) the location of cracks be recorded
to assess any movement. Rex Scouten located the 1949-50 U.S. Coast
and Geodetic Survey information and requested that a new survey be
made to see if any settlement had occurred since the Truman
renovation.”

In the early 1970s the Christmas Pageant of Peace continued to be
heavily attended and also became controversial. Various citizens
wrote to the president and the Pageant of Peace organizers, saying
that the celebration needed to reflect a larger diversity of cultures and
religions. Others said the government should not be directly spon-
soring religious events, and some took the question to court, includ-
ing the Women Strike for Peace. Although the United States District
Court initially ruled in favor of the celebration, the question of
appropriateness and constitutionality continued to affect the pageant
and its supporters.”

94.° Ernest Allen Connally (chief, Archeology and Historic Preservation), to reg. dir.
(NCR), memorandum, Apr. 3, 1969; Dickenson to chief (Archeology and Historic
Preservation), memorandum, Mar. 7, 1969; Dickenson to Walter E. Washington (D.C.
mayor-commissioner), memorandum, July 23, 1971; Dickenson to dir. (NPS),
memorandum, Sept. 25, 1970; Dickenson to Washington, memorandum, Nov, 12, 1970;
Hartzog to Washington, memorandum, Nov, 12, 1970; Washington to Hartzog,
memorandum, Nov. 1970; “Eight Areas Designated for National Landmark Status,” news
release, Sept. 6, 1970; all in AH34/Lafayette Square Historic Landmark (1/1/69-
1/1/70), box 28, ace. 79-7524, ESF/WHL/NPS.

95. Dickenson to chief (Environmental Planning and Design, Eastern Service Center),
Dec. 11, 1970; Felix Y. Yokel and Norman F. Somes to Atkins, Nov, 1, 1971; Atkins to
Yokel and Somes, Nov. 8, 1971; all in D3415/White House (1/1/69), box 28, acc. 79-
7524, ESF/ARD/ WHL/NPS.

96. Art Lamb to all concerned, Dec. 27, 1972; Lamb to supt. (NCP Central), Jan. 20,
1972; Neal to Lamb, Jan. 19, 1972; Wendy Ross (no addressee, n.d.); all in A8227
Pageant of Peace SE-72-72, box 31, acc, 79-80-0002, ESF/ARD/WHL/NPS. Dickenson to
Naomi J. Morse, Jan, 28, 1971; chief (Urban and Environmental Activities, NCP Central)
to supt. (NCP Central), Feb. 9, 1971, A8227/Specia} Events/Other Parks, box 31, acc. 79-
770005, ESF/ARD/WHL/NPS; dir. (NCP) to [ |, Dec. 12, 1974, A8227/Pageant of Peace
(supplement), box 29, acc. 79-770003, ESF/ARD/WHL/NPS; ULS. District Court for the

CHAPTER 7. THE NATION'S FRONTYARD: 1958-1983


Theodore A. Bingham —
March 9, 1897, to April 30,
1903

174

that he was the great-grandson of Peter Lennox, who superintended
the building from 1793 to 1830 (according to Brown).*

A tennis court was established in conjunction with the new Executive
Office Building (West Wing) during the Roosevelt administration in
1902-3 for daughter Alice Roosevelt.

Administrative Changes — With the renovation of the White House
in 1902 came a reworking of its administrative staff. George
Cortelyou now became a major force in revamping the executive
administrative functions. He had formerly served as a social secretary
to Mrs. Frances Cleveland in 1895, assistant to presidential secretary
J. Addison Porter, and secretary to the president as of 1899. in 1902
the executive office employed 27 secretaries and clerks, 5 doorkeepers,
and 7 messengers. Cortelyou’s penchant for management resulted in
a more formal organization of the Executive Office and its functions.
Books of rules and regulations for everyone from doorkeepers to
secretaries were printed and distributed. New letterhead and calling
cards were also designed. Wireless communication with Europe was
installed. The office of the president now had a look and organization
that complemented the renovation of the house itself.*

The White House staff had for some time been organized under a
head steward (a bonded federal employee), who managed the house
and supervised the valuables. He had to be a person of complete
discretion and the utmost political astuteness. The house staff of
maids, cooks, butlers, stablemen, and other workers answered to
him. In turn, the steward answered to the officer in charge, although
the authority remained indirect. By the 1880s the position of steward
had been compromised under weaker managers. In the Cleveland
administration the doorkeepers had begun to fill the administrative
position formerly held by the steward. These men generally came
from the ranks of the Metropolitan Police; thus, a link was
established between the security and administrative functions.” By
the time of the Roosevelts, the chief usher became the undisputed
head of household administration. In 1903 Thomas E. Stone was

34. “Immediate Release,” Jan. 6, 1950, PSE file 2, box 301, HSTL. The following cards
were also later found in the box: Thomas E. Stone, chief usher of the White House;
Charles D. A. Loeffler, doorkeeper to.the president; Henry Gilbert, doorkeeper, Executive
Mansion; Stephen A. Connell, and W. P. Walsh, U.S. Secret Service.

35. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1903, 2525; EDAW et al. “President's Park Cultural
Landscape Report,” 5-15 through 5-17, figure 5-7.

36. Seale, The President's House, 622, 628, 686, 689.
37. Seale, The President's House, 692, 693.

(CHAPTER S. THE WHITE HOUSE, WASHINGTON, AND THE WoRLD: 1897-1933


Harry T. Thompson — May
10, 1958, to February 25,
1961; T. Sutton Jett —
March 15, 1961, to January
14, 1968; 1. J. Castro —
January 14, 1968, to
September 25, 1969; Rex W.
Scouten (Assistant Regional
Director) — February 24,
1968, to May 4, 1969

320

Administration, saying that major building systems would be
handled by the Executive Residence and the National Park Service,
with long-range planning to be handled cooperatively. Initially, the
National Park Service had authority throughout President's Park. For
example, the General Services Administration requested permission
from the National Park Service to make driveway repairs to the
secretary's entrance to the Treasury Building in December 1966.
Closer cooperation between the two agencies was becoming the rule
rather than the exception. By 1970 the National Park Service and the
General Services Administration were sharing expenditures for the
heating and air conditioning system at the White House.*

Projected costs for fiscal years 1968 and 1969 were $175,000 for fire
protection measures for the White House and $3,500,000 for
updating heating, ventilation, and electrical systems (scheduled to
take place between 1968 and 1973). Security systems had been
updated in 1967 with the assistance of Rex Scouten, then NPS deputy
assistant regional director, and Roger Champion, supervisory civil
engineer, both of the National Capital Region.**

With regard to vehicular traffic conflicts, the junction of E Street and
the northern end of the Ellipse was of particular concern. On June
23, 1967, Judge Joseph Ryan Jr. of the District of Columbia
suggested to Secretary of the Interior Stewart Udall that pedestrian
ramps be placed over E Street. Udall replied that he agreed with Ryan
that E Street should not carry large traffic loads for “both safety and
aesthetic reasons.” He said that plans for the site called for placing
most of the traffic in a tunnel under the property, with local traffic
remaining abovegrade. He also said that the closing of E Street during

45. NPS), “The National Park Service: Legislative History,” pp. 4-5, 33, A22, box WHL-
AM-028, ARD/WHL/NPS. William J. Hopkins to GSA, memorandum: “The White House
Operation and Maintenance Agreement between the White House, National Park Service,
and the General Services Administration,” Sept. 20, 1966, D3415/Construction and
Maintenance (1/1/66 to -) box 21, acc. 72A-6215; Castro to West, June 17, 1966, WH
(1/1/66 ~ (1), box 21, acc. 72-6215, ESF/WHL/NPS; William D. Failor (supt.) to GSA,
Dec. ? 1966, 130/Central Special Use Permits (1/1/66), box 26, acc. 72A-6215,
ESF/WHUANPS; Roy S. Eckert (reg. dir., Public Buildings Service [hereafter abbreviated as
PBSI, GSA) to Russell E. Dickenson (supt.), Aug. 31, 1970; Dickenson to Eckert, Sept. 9,
1970, D5023/Heating and Cooling System (1/1/69), box 28, acc. 79-7524,
ESE/WHL/NPS.

46. [  } to Walton (chairman, CFA), Nov. 2, 1966, NCR/President’s Park (10/9/67);
ARD (NCDC) to reg. dir. (NCR), n.d., 1969 Fiscal Year Program; Small Parks and Reserva-
‘dons, D22/Construction Program (9/1/68) (2), box 21, acc. 72A-6215, ESF/ARD/WHL/
NPS; Rowley to Jett, May 17, 1967, D3415/Construction and Maintenance/White House
(1/1/66 to -} (1), box 21, ace. 72A-6215, ESF/ARD/WHL/NPS.

CHAPTER 7. THE NATION’S FRONTYARD: 1958-1983


House Liaison was now responsible for all procurement, personnel,
budget, financial, and property matters, plus planning, design, and
construction management services. White House Liaison assumed
these responsibilities with no additional resources for positions or
funds, causing overexpenditures and severe cuts in the operations
program.”

By 1997 three divisions made up the office of White House Liaison —
the White House Division, the President‘s Park Division, and the
Executive Support Facility — plus the administrative office function,
all supported by the work of over 100 employees. The operation
consisted of the following offices:

The director’s immediate office, which in addition to the director,
included planning and design, administration, and security, with
16 employees. The office maintained a relationship with the
Office of the Chief Usher, cooperated with the Committee for the
Preservation of the White House, worked in concert with the
White House Historical Association on various projects, managed
all planning, design, and construction projects at the site for the
National Park Service, coordinated special events on the property,
administered a security function, and maintained oversight of
three field divisions, plus the White House Visitors Office, which
included six employees.

The White House Division, with responsibilities inside the White
House fence, employed an array of horticulturists, gardeners,
electricians, and maintenance workers, totaling 30 employees.

The President’s Park Division, working outside the White House
fence, was responsible for maintenance, interpretation, and
visitor services, with 31 employees; the White House visitor
center had 7 positions.

The Executive Support Facility, with responsibilities for the
storage and curation of portions of the White House collection,
plus the transportation of supplies and materials, had 13 staff
members.”

37. Director’s Office, Records of President's Park, ESF/WHL/NPS; McDaniel, notes to
O’Brien, Aug. 4, 1999, ESF/WHL/NPS.

38. McDaniel to iBrad Patterson), re: “Follow Up Questions, 9/18/97," and brochure
“white House Liaison,” (no datel, WHL/NPS. The White House Visitors Office works
with congressional tours and special events; members serve at the pleasure of the
president, and salaries are administratively determined. This particular White House
function was given to the National Park Service under the Carter administration.

Manus J. Fish — Continuing
to September 4, 1988; Ronald
N. Wrye — September 4,
1988, to December 18, 1988;
Robert G. Stanton —
December 18, 1988, to
January 3, 1997; James 1.
McDaniel (Associate Regional
Director) — December 31,
1983, to-

373

National Park Service — 1983 to 1997


450

House, 54; residences of, 22, 29;
unrest among, 70-71

Lachaise, Gaston, 371

Lafayette, marquis de: bicentennial
celebrations, 293; visit to DC, 58

Lafayette Park, 409-413; acreage
of, 75, 106, 148, 233; Adams
(JQ) tenure, 59; Arthur tenure,
146; Buchanan tenure, 105-106;
Bush (GHW) tenure, 379, 380;
Cleveland tenures, 158; Coolidge
tenure, 224; Eisenhower tenure,
290-291; Fillmore tenure, 94-
95; future boundaries, 28; Grant
tenure, 127-128, 130-131;
Harrison (B) tenure, 152, 155;
Hayes tenure, 136-138; Hoover
tenure, 228; Jackson tenure, 68;
Johnson (A) tenure, 122; John-
son (LB) tenure, 315-316, 322-
326, 328, 356-358; Kennedy
tenure, 307, 312; McKinley
tenure, 167, 169, 171; Nixon
tenure, 337, 345; Pierce tenure,
100; proposed Lafayette statue
location, 155-156; Roosevelt
(FD) tenure, 242-243, 247, 256,
261; Roosevelt (T) tenure, 175,
178, 180; site of, 34, 37; Taylor
tenure, 87-88; Truman tenure,
276; Wilson tenure, 203

Lafayette Square. See Lafayette Park

Lafayette Square National Historic
District, 323, 325, 339-340

Lafayette statue, 412; Eisenhower
tenure, 293; pedestal for, 155;
Truman tenure, 275

Laird, John, 21

Lamb, Francis, 107

Lamont, Daniel S., 142-143, 147,
184, 397

landscaping: Adams (JQ) tenure,
61; Bulfinch plan for, 56;
Downing and, 85, 90-92, 91,
93-94, 101-102, 117, 136;
Eisenhower tenure, 286; Hoover
tenure, 228; Jackson tenure, 66;
Jefferson plan for, 43-45, 44;
Kennedy tenure, 309; Mullett
and, 113; Olmsted Brothers plan
for, 239, 244, 245-246, 333;

Roosevelt (FD) tenure, 262;
Truman tenure, 281-282; Van
Buren tenure, 73. See also
gardens; grounds; President's
Park

Lane, Harriet, 86, 103

Lane, Jim, 109

Lane, Samuel, Commissioner of
Public Buildings, 37-38, 51-57

Lansing, Robert, 397

Lasker, Mary (Mrs. Albert D.), 324,
327, 416

Latrobe, Benjamin Henry, 41-43,
45-46, 48-50, 52

Lauter, Carl J., 232

lawns: Eisenhower tenure, 288;
Grant tenure, 131; Hayes tenure,
137; Johnson (LB) tenure, 317-
318; Kennedy tenure, 309-311.
See also south lawn

Lawrence, Richard, 11

Leahy, admiral, 260

Lear, Tobias, 11-12

Leckie, Robert, 62

Lee, Henry, 32.

Lee Highway Association, 213-214,
417

Lee House Marker, 412

Lee, Richard Bland, 48

Lee, Ronald F., 272

Lee, Thomas Jefferson, 96

Lee, Thomas Sim, 11

Lee, William, 52, 56

Legislative, Executive and Judicial
Act of 1882, 152-153, 402

legislative history of White House
and President’s Park, 399-408

Lemaire, Etienne, 42

L’Enfant, Pierre Charles, 5-6, 16-
20, 25

U’Enfant plan, 16-20, 29; on
Pennsylvania Avenue, 312; on
Zero Milestone, 213

Lennox, Peter, 170

Levin, Norma, 315

Lewis, William B., 60, 63

Liaison Office for Personnel
Management, 262

Liberty Bell replica, 292, 413-414

lighting: Buchanan tenure, 105;
Cleveland tenures, 158; Ford


THE PRESIDENT’S HOUSE will stand upon a rising ground,
not far from the banks of the Potomac, possessing a
delightful water prospect, with a commanding view of the
CAPITOL and some other [illegible] parts of the city.

Due south from the PRESIDENT’S HOUSE and due west of
the CAPITOL run two great pleasure parks or malls which
intersect and terminate upon the banks of the Potomac and
are to be ornamented at the sides with a variety of elegant
buildings and houses for foreign Ministers &c.

Upon the small eminence, where a line due west of the
CAPITOL and due south of the PRESIDENT’S HOUSE would
intersect is to be erected an equestrian statue of GENERAL
WASHINGTON, now PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED
STATES.

Not only did ’Enfant’s plans accurately portray federal ambitions in
the early years of the nation, they also set the tone for President’s

Park as an environment to complement a formal state residence and a _

park to frame the home of the chief executive.* In addition,
LEnfant’s plans showed a large complex of buildings accompanying
the Executive Mansion. The area of the future Lafayette Square
appeared as part of the compound. The size of the whole site was
given as 83 acres, 1 rod, and 22 perches.”

In developing his designs for the new capital, LEnfant acted the
autocrat with people with whom he should have been more politic,
particularly the newly appointed commissioners. For example, he
refused to provide speculative maps of the city for lot sale. Puzzled
by VEnfant’s refusal, Washington noted that he did not know
whether Enfant had a good reason for this refusal or if he was just
lazy. “I did not expect to have met with such perverseness in Major
LEnfant as his late conduct exhibited,” noted Washington.*

25. George Walker, A Description of the Situation and Plan of the City of Washington Now
Building for the Metropolis of America and Established as the Permanent Residence of Congress
After the Year 1800, broadside (London, 1793), as reprinted in Bowling, Creating the
Federal City, 52; Seale, The President’s House, ius. 3.

26. NPS, Lafayette Park, by George J. Olszewski (Washington, DC: ULS. GPO, 1964) 15;
NPS, The President's Park South, Washington, D.C., by George J. Olszewski (Washington,
DC: U.S. GPO 1970}, 7.

27. Stale, The President's House, 4, 9, 13, 18.

28. Seale, The President's House, 9, 16; Bowling, Creating the Federal City, 88, 92, 100;
Washington to David Stuart, Nov. 20, 1791, included in Fitzpatrick, Writings of
Washington, 31:419, as noted in the McClure collection, ESF/WHL/NPS.

Daniel Carroll, Thomas
Johnson, David Stuart,
Gustavus Scott, William
Thornton, Alexander White,
William Cranch, and
Tristram Dalton

17

Commissioners for the District of Columbia — January 22, 1791, to May 1, 1802


sylvania Avenue. The “wide roadway” south of the State, War, and Oswald H. Ernst —
Navy Building (State Place) was regraveled, and the adjacent grounds September 7, 1889, to

were planted and landscaped. Fountains on the north and south

March 31, 1893

lawns were repaired, and repairs were made to water and gas lines.”

Electricity was introduced into the White House, and the work was
nearly completed by July 1, 1891, with power being provided by a
dynamo located in the State, War, and Navy Building. Records
indicate that the electrical installation was supervised by “Passed [sic]
Assistant Engineer G. W. Baird” of the U.S. Navy. Meters to record
the amount of electricity used were installed, and new electric call bell

systems were installed.

An addition between the wagon shed and the presidential stable was
completed in 1892. By this time the greenhouses included a camellia
house, a rose house, and a grapery. So that the spring flower beds
would be in bloom at the earliest possible moment, 17,575 bulbs
were purchased for winter forcing; 43,000 hyacinth, tulip, and
crocus bulbs were also planted. These were later removed and re~
placed with 35,000 bedding plants for summer decoration.*

The national encampment of the Grand Army of the Republic was
held on the south grounds in September 1892. Preparations involved,
among other things, a grandstand, a flagpole, a full-size model of the
battleship Kearsage, five wooden platforms, 654 tents, and 21 utility
poles. The White House was decorated for the encampment. State
mourning for former President Hayes, with the White House draped
in crepe, lasted from January 19 to February 17, 1893.

Memorials

On November 20, 1890, Secretary of War Redfield Proctor informed
Ernst that the statue commission had selected the southeast corner of
Lafayette Square as the site for the proposed statue of General
Lafayette. By April 1891 the pedestal had been erected and the statue

130. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1891, 3907, 3913-15; ibid., 1892, iii, 3385-86,

3390-91, 3393, 3396-98.

131. “Historical Information on the White House and Its Furnishings,” HSTL; Annual
Report, Chief of Engineers, 1891, 3917-18; ibid., 1892, iii, 3385-86, 3390-91, 3393, 3396-
98.

132. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1892, 3398-99,
133. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1893, iii, iv, 4315~16, 4326-31, 4336.

155
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Office of Public Buildings and Grounds — March 2, 1867, to March 9, 1897



Frank T. Gartside — July 31,
1939, to February 1, 1940;
Edmund B. Rogers —
February 1, 1940, to April
18, 1940; Francis F. Gillen
— April 18, 1940, to
January 2, 1941; Irvin €.
Root — January 2, 1941, to
July 28, 1950

264

accomplished by John W. Johnsons, Inc. The fence would not receive
another coat of paint until 1954.*

Executive Office Space — Even after the construction of the Pentagon
(1941-43) and the removal of the War Department offices from the
State, War, and Navy Building, executive office space continued to be
a problem. Truman indicated that he would be in favor of leveling the
block across the street from the old Department of State, with the
exception of Blair House and possibly Decatur House, to provide
more office space for a new Department of State. The old building
would then be devoted to executive office space. The situation was
not resolved immediately, however, and office crowding and traffic
problems continued.”

After the war Truman also contemplated enlarging the executive
offices in the West Wing of the White House. The “temporary
quarters” established there by President Theodore Roosevelt (and
added to by Taft, Hoover, and Franklin Roosevelt) did not accom-
modate the 225 workers Truman found when he took office, and
although he increased staff slowly, there still was not enough room.
White House architect Lorenzo S. Winslow reported to the president’s
assistant press secretary Eben Ayers on January 28, 1946, that there
was 546 square feet of floor space for standing room in the
president's office; allowing 2 square feet per person, this would
accommodate approximately 273 people in close quarters.

Truman arranged for Winslow to make preliminary plans for an
office area of 15,000 square feet, including a 375-seat press audi-
torium and, at the suggestion of Mrs. Truman’s secretary, Edith
Helm, a staff cafeteria. The addition would be 145 feet long and 50
feet wide; the auditorium south and east of the addition would be 51
by 54 feet. A museum was also proposed for the East Wing, an

56. PL 79-49, May 5, 1945 (59 Stat. 106); H. G. Crim to {Truman}, May 28, 1945;
{cleaning and repair schedule} Sept. 10, 1946; both in PSF no. 1, box 301, HSTL. Dept. of
the Navy, “Safety Survey of the White House, Washington, D.C., June 1946,” pp. 45-51,
OF 50, box 306, HSTL; Robert C. Horne (chief eng.) to asst. supt., Mar. 31, 1954, 950-
13/Fences and Gates, box 4, acc. 64A-42, ESF/WHL/NPS.

57. “Executive Office Building... June 15, 1945 (HS)” [“Confidential” handwritten
notation}, n.p.; “Smith Diaries,” n.p.; “Executive Office Space,” n.p.; all in Ayers
presidential files (White House Executive Offices), box 21, HSTL.

58. Winslow to Ayers, memorandum. Jan. 28, 1946, Ayers presidential files (White
House Executive Offices), box 21, HSTL.

CHAPTER 6. THE NEW DEAL, WoRED Wan II, AND PEACE: 1933-1958.


Theodore A. Bingham ~
March 9, 1897, to April 30,
1903

176

structures. A watchman’s lodge was moved to the southeast grounds
near the east gate. A small frame structure used as the gardener’s
office was moved to the Smithsonian for use as a lodge.”

In the new Executive Office Building toilets were relocated and the
sewage system reworked so that sewage was moved to an interim
cesspool equipped with a back pressure valve. The stairway from the
anteroom outside the cabinet room to the basement was removed and
sealed. A large window was installed in the basement wall
underneath the cabinet room for basement ventilation.“

In 1903 the Office of Public Buildings and Grounds was moved to the
Lemon Building, 1729 New York Avenue NW, with the records of the
office housed in fireproof steel cases; the building was not of
fireproof construction.

Demands for active recreation also grew each year at President’s ‘Park.
Although on March 2, 1895, Congress had authorized the use of part
of the Ellipse for a children’s playground (28 Stat. 943), older people
continually tried to play baseball and football on the property and on
the grounds of the Washington Monument. Bingham continued to
oppose such actions.**

The area around the White House continued to draw huge numbers
of visitors. Many visitors had made the Washington Monument a
point of destination ever since its opening in October 1888. By June
1903 a total of 2,278,972 people had visited the monument. Such
crowds had an impact on the neighborhood of the White House and
President's Park.

Traffic was a growing problem in the vicinity of President’s Park.
After the Civil War, the creation of additional north-south roads
between Treasury and the Executive Office Building and the develop-
ment of an east-west road bisecting the south grounds increased
carriage and horse traffic. With the Roosevelts’ habit of extended
entertaining, traffic and parking problems mounted. Formal parking
areas were scarce, and both rented and private carriages now parked
on the grounds south of the White House after dropping off guests

42. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1903, 2523.

43. Anmual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1903, 2523.

44. Dowd, Records of Public Buildings and Public Parks, 38.

45. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1901, 3703.

46, Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1903, 2529, 2533-34, 2537~38.

‘CHAPTER 5. THE WHITE HOUSE, WASHINGTON, AND THE WORLD: 1897-1933


During the Nixon administration, visitation on White House tours
fluctuated between 1.3 million and 1.4 million people. John Davies,
special assistant to the president, was put in charge of tours in April
1969. He asked the National Park Service not to initiate its proposed
visitor traffic system until he could assess the. patterns. He also
requested that NPS guides not be posted at the east and north
entrances, as had been done.*

On December 5, 1969, the name of the National Park Service's
National Capital Region was changed to National Capital Parks.”

NPS staff successfully argued against plans to revive a helicopter
landing area on the south lawn in spring 1970 before permanent
damage could be done to the ceremonial vista and other resources.”

In June 1970 a “White House Expo” was planned to give First Lady
Pat Nixon and 1,000 children from Washington a preview of the
“Summer in the Parks” program. The exposition included kite-
making classes, demonstrations with farm animals, environmental
displays, music, games, ballet, sculpture, magic acts, and similar
displays. In July the Harkness Ballet Company performed on the
White House grounds for Tricia Nixon and 1,000 children. The
following year, as part of the “Parks for All Seasons — Summer in
the Parks” program, the Department of the Interior and the White
House sponsored a program for 1,000 inner-city children, including
entertainment by the Jackson Five, vocalist Roberta Flack, and the
National Symphony Orchestra. Such events increased traffic and
placed additional stress on resources.”

In September 1970 the National Park Service found the Lafayette
Square National Historic District worthy of listing as a national his-
toric landmark, expanding and upgrading the 1966 historic district
designation. The district now included the Treasury Building, the Old
Executive Office Building, the Blair—Lee House, the Renwick Gallery,

90. Castro to Tom McCaskey, Apr. 17, 1969; McClure to asst. gen. supt. (WHL); both in
A8219/White House Visitors (1/1/69), box 27, acc, 79-7524, ESF/ARD/WHL/NPS.

91. National Park Service, Historic Listing of National Park Service Offictals (Washington,
DC: 1991), 15-16.

92. 1} to Tom Steed (chairman, Committee on Appropriations), May 8, 1970,
D24/White House (1/1/69), box 28, acc. 79-7524, ARD/WHL/NPS.

93. “White House Expo,” June 18, [19701; coordinator (Parks for All Seasons} to NCP
supts., program specialists, and park managers, memorandum, n.d.; both in AB227/
Parks for All Seasons (1970}, box 31, acc. 79-770005, ESF/ARD/WHL/NPS. Alfonso Dale
to Johnnie Lam, May 24, 1971; Dickenson to Michael Roshkind, May 24, 1971; both in
A8227/Parks for All Seasons (1/1/71-9/1/71) (4), box 27, acc. 79-7524, ESF/ARD/
‘WHL/NPS.

Russell E. Dickenson —
September 26, 1969, to
November 11, 1973; Manus
J. Fish — November 11,
1973, to September 4, 1988;
Elmer S. Atkins (Assistant
Regional Director) — May 4,
1969, to December 31, 1983

339

‘The National Park Service — 1958-1983


Frank T. Gartside — July 31,
1939, to February 1, 1940;
Edmund B. Rogers —
February 1, 1940, to April
18, 1940; Francis F. Gillen
— April 18, 1940, to
January 2, 1941; Irvin C.
Root — January 2, 1941, to
July 28, 1950

260

offices, storerooms, and separate utilities and communications sys-
tems were installed. The $760,000 East Wing contract was awarded
to the Charles H. Tompkins Company of Washington on March 20,
1942; the work was completed by September 9. The East Wing was
occupied by the White House architect's staff and Admiral Leahy on
Labor Day, 1942. In a private ceremony, President Roosevelt laid the
cornerstone on November 5, 1942. The wing provided 18,000 square
feet of additional floor space for offices. Although the office space
was much needed for the war effort, President Roosevelt had written
a letter dated September 9, 1942, to Gilmore D. Clarke, chairman of
the Commission of Fine Arts, delineating his ideas for the East Wing
space as a museum dedicated to White House history. Roosevelt said
that the Fine Arts Commission should review the items donated to
such a facility; Clarke replied that commission members would be
happy to do so. However, because of the war, the president's ideas
were never carried out. In addition, a cloak-checking roorm known to
White House staff as “the old hatbox” was changed into a motion
picture theater. At receptions, coats were now checked in the foyer
and the East Wing hall.

On June 2, 1942, the National Park Service authorized a permit to
construct a temporary building for the military south of the First
Division Monument; it was finished by June 11, 1943, Known as the
White House barracks, the two-story frame structure was built with
a central east-west section and three north-south wings. Housing
troops that protected the White House, the structure filled the space
between 17th Street, E Street, and State Place. It replaced barracks
that had been housed in the Treasury Building since December 1941.
The Army declared the building surplus on December 31, 1946, and
it was transferred to the Public Buildings Administration in 1947, It
was not removed from the site until June 1954.”

The landscaped mounds on the south grounds were regraded in 1942
to hide the gun emplacements installed at the request of the chief
usher. The work, which cost $600, consisted mostly of sod replace-

46. “East Wing,” Dec. 1952, post-presidential files (White House data), box 91, HSTL;
(Smith], “History of Changes,” 12; “Historical Information on the White House and Its
Furnishings,” 12-13, HSTL.

47. Map: “First Division (A.E.E) Memorial Monument and Adjacent Building, Scale
1:100, June 11, 1943," 1430/First Division and First Infantry, box 16, acc. 66A-1097,
ESE WHL/NPS. D. R. Fitzsimmons (gen. asst.) to Public Buildings Administration, Jan. 3,
1947; Edward [ _] to Root, June 23, 1947; Henry Morgenthau (sec. of the treasury) to
Gen. Cox, Apr. 1, 1942; Charles R. France to Eisenhower, Feb. 21, 1954; Harry T.
Thompson to the files, Feb. 24, 1954; Thompson to John L. Nagle, July 9, 1954; Charles
A. Peters to Thompson, July 14, 1954; all in 1460/Grounds South (2), box 11, acc. 64A-
42, ESE/WHL/NPS.

(CHAPTER 6, THE New DEAL, WORLD WAR Ii, AND PEACE: 1933-1958


Act of February 26, 1925 — Created the independent Office of Public
Buildings and Public Parks of the National Capital; gave to this office
the authority formerly assigned to the chief of engineers regarding
President's Park; director reported to the president (43 Stat. 983, 984).

Act of February 28, 1925 — Established a committee to advise on donations
to the White House of furniture and other items (43 Stat. 1091).

Act of April 30, 1926 — Changed the name of the National Capital Park
Commission to the National Capital Park and Planning Commission;
expanded its duties, including the creation of a comprehensive plan for
the national capital (44 Stat. 374).

Act of December 22, 1928 — Authorized the Nationa} Capital Park and Plan-
ning Commission to acquire fee title to Jands subject to limited rights;
also authorized the director of public buildings and public parks of the
national capital to acquire leases for park purposes, subject to the ap-
proval of the National Capital Park and Planning Commission (45 Stat.
1070).

Act of May 14, 1930 — Transferred White House police duties from the
Office of Public Buildings and Public Parks to the U.S. Secret Service (46
Stat. 328).

Act of May 16, 1930 — Extended the duties of the Fine Arts Commission
through legislation entitled “An Act to Regulate the Height, Exterior
Design and Construction of Public and Semi-Public Buildings in Certain
Areas of the National Capital.” The act instructs the Fine Arts Commis-
sion to work with the National Capital Park and Planning Commission
in making such recommendations (46 Stat. 366).

Joint Resolution of Congress, March 3, 1932 — Recommended changing the
date of the inauguration of the president from March 3 to January 20,
effective 1937 (48 Stat. 745). Ratified as 20th Amendment to the
Constitution (Jan. 23, 1933}.

Act of May 20, 1932 — Allowed the transfer of jurisdiction over properties
among the federal and district authorities administering property in the
District of Columbia, with the approval of the Nationa] Capital Park
and Planning Commission, as mutually agreed upon. All such transfers
must be reported to Congress. Did not repeal existing laws, which
remained in full force (47 Stat. 161, 162).

Act of March 3, 1933 — Section 16 reorganized the administration of park
property in the District of Columbia and elsewhere (47 Stat. 1517).

Executive Order 6166, June 10, 1933 — Returned the jurisdiction of national
capital parks, including President's Park, to the Department of the
Interior under the Office of National Parks, Buildings, and Reservations,
as provided for in the act of March 3, 1933. Effective date was August
10, 1933.

Act of March 2, 1934 — Redesignated the Office of National Parks, Build-
ings, and Reservations as the National Park Service; established as a
separate branch under the National Park Service a portion of the old

405
Appendix C. Annotated Legislative History



The year 1941 marked a change in the National Park Service’s annual
Teports. After this date, the National Capital Parks and the White
House were not specifically mentioned; the custom of using these
categories had been common to all annual reports sincé the original
reports of the commissioners in 1791. The omission may have been
the result of wartime economy measures; however, such reports
were not resumed after World War II.*

Egg rolling on the White House lawn was stopped after Easter 1941
and was not revived until 1953.”

Access to the White House and its grounds was restricted during the
war. On May 13, 1941, at her Tuesday press conference, Mrs.
Roosevelt discussed limiting White House tours to uniformed mili-
tary personnel and their guests. She said that the press would be
notified and added, “We can refer to this ruling if any of the Senators
become enraged. This arrangement is for the benefit of those who
may be with men in uniform, and no one excepting those who may
be with the men in uniform will be admitted.” On June 9, 1941, the
White House was closed to general public tours; military personnel
and their guests were admitted from 10 A.M. to noon on Saturdays.
The White House remained closed until November 14, 1946.”

On December 19, 1941, because of the war, the NPS directorate
moved to Chicago’s Merchandise Mart along with the Fish and
Wildlife Service and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. A small liaison
group under Arthur E. Demaray was left in Washington to manage
the National Capital Parks operations, including the White House and
President’s Park. Demaray’s group was also to coordinate with the
National Capital Park and Planning Commission and the District of
Columbia. Such arrangements gave a certain autonomy to the
National Capital Parks offices in general, and to the NPS personnel

38. Annual Report, Secretary of the Interior, 1941, 303-4, 318; ibid., 1942 through 1950,
passim.

39. William D. Hassett to Sharon Mann, Mar. 16, 1948; Hassett to Mrs. Edwin
Patterson, Mar. 27, 1949; Hassett to James McKee, Jan. 29, 1951; Eben to C. E. Kaeuper,
Feb. 28, 1949; Ayers to Robert B. Hart, Mar. 17, 1949; Charles G. Ross to Louis Forster,
24 Mar. 24, 1949; Ross to Mrs. Walter White, Feb. 16, 1950; Irving Perlmeter to Louis
Forster, telegram, 22 Mar. 1952; Daryl Tucker to Perlmeter, Sept. 8, 1952; all in OF
50/Misc. (egg rolling folder), box 311, HSTL.

40. Press notice, from Edith Helm, May 13, [1941]; H. G. Crim, memorandum {White
House Access}, (n.d.); Gartside to Miss D. Felten, July 13, 1946; assoc. dir. to the dir.,
memorandum, June 5, 1947, 99614/Visitors, box 9, acc. 64A-42, WH&WPP files,
ESF/WHL/NPS.

Frank T. Gartside — July 31,
1939, to February 1, 1940;
Edmund B, Rogers —
February 1, 1940, to April
18, 1940; Francis F. Gillen

— April 18, 1940, to
January 2, 1941; Irvin C.
Root — January 2, 1941, to
July 28, 1950

257

Office of National Parks, Buildings, and Rescrvations — August 10, 1933, to March 2, 1934; National Park Service — March 2, 1934, to May 10, 1958



U.S. Department of the Interior, Commissioner of Public
Buildings — March 5, 1849, to March 2, 1867

Ignatius Mudd — April 7, 1849, to March 12, 1851

Ignatius Mudd began his tenure as commissioner of public buildings
with a temporary appointment on April 7, 1849, and was formally
commissioned July 23, 1850. Little is known about Mudd; only
peripheral references are found concerning his life and career. He died
on March 12, 1851.8

General Administration

The Zachary Taylor Administration. At the end of 1849 Ignatius
Ruppert replaced Henry Bowman as steward. The 30-year-old

Ruppert, a German by birth, hired Swedish and Irish household
maids, a typical practice of the time. A butler, Charles Beale, served at
the White House; most of the rest of the house help were slaves of
Taylor's, who were added to the staff to save the expense of
employed servants. Free blacks, once employed at the President’s
House, appeared less and less. According to Seale, the use of fewer
black servants in the years preceding the Civil War was due to
politica! controversy. Ruppert and the president’s son-in-law, Colonel
Bliss, managed the house and its functions. Bliss also acted as the
president's secretary.°

Commissioner Mudd, in summarizing work that had been accom-
plished in 1849, described President’s Park as comprising about 33
acres bounded by H Street on the north, 15th Street on the east, 17th
Street on the west, and the Washington Canal on the south. The
grounds containing the Executive Mansion, executive offices, and
Lafayette Square he estimated at about 18 acres and “highly
improved.” The grounds south of the wall he thought to be about 49
acres. Some of the parcel had been graded; however, “a portion
presents an irregular, uneven surface.”

Mudd stated that $9,493.15 had been spent on repairs to the Presi-
dent’s House since April 15, 1849. Grading the south grounds had
cost $4,390.86; laying gas pipes from the main at the Capitol to the

8. Ignatius Mudd qualified as commissioner, Apt. 7, 1849, “Journal, Commissioner of
Public Buildings,” 7:33, RG 42; Dowd, Records of Public Buildings and Public Parks, 30,

9. Seale, The President's House, 281-82, 284.
10. Annual Report, Commissioner of Public Buildings, 1850, 6, 10, 11, 17.

Ignatius Mudd — April 7,
1849, to March 12, 1851

87

U.S. Department of the Interior, Commissioner of Public Buildings — March 5, 1849, to March 2, 1867



Orville E, Babcock — June 1,
1871, to March 3, 1877

Lafayette Square Urn

New elements, such as the
twa large Florentine-
inspired ums, underscored
the confusion between
democratic and imperial
visions for President's Park
in the latter part of the
19th century.

Courtesy: National Park
Service

was replaced in 1872 by a new building that was closer to 17th
Street and had a mansard roof and steam heat."

Babcock introduced new programs and ways of doing things. For
example, he requested funds to introduce German sparrows into the
park to cut down on insect pests that damaged plant materials. In
1873 Babcock reported that 425 sparrow boxes had been constructed
and secured to various trees on the public grounds. The birds accli-
mated themselves and “increased very rapidly.” The officer in charge
said that park personne] fed the sparrows every morning in winter.
Their efficacy in insect control was not reported.”

38. “Historical Information on the White House and Its Furnishings,” 6, HSTL; Seale,
The President's House, 458, 483; Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1873, 2-4, 6-7.

39. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1872, 9; ibid., 1873, 8-9.

129
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Office of Public Buildings and Grounds — March 2, 1867, to March 9, 1897



In November 1950 NPS Director Newton B. Drury suggested that a
committee be formed to assist in the selection of furnishings for the
White House. On June 25, 1948, Congress had authorized the
director {under the reenactment of the act of February 28, 1925) to
accept donations of furnishings for the White House. The director
had been further authorized to appoint a temporary furnishings
committee. A committee was subsequently appointed to assist the
Commission on Renovation of the Executive Mansion, but it was not
appointed by the Nationa] Park Service. Previously, an informal
group had guided acquisitions, consisting of David Finley, William
Adams Delano, Mrs. Haroid I. Pratt, Mrs. Francis Crowninshield, and
Luke Vincent Lockwood. Delano, Pratt, and Lockwood were ap-
pointed to the original advisory cominittee established in 1925."

According to William D. Hassett, secretary to the president, furnish-
ings for the refurbished mansion would be handled “entirely by the
Department of the Interior, which has sole jurisdiction in such
matters.” However, in the end Truman consulted on matters of
interior decoration with both the Commission on Renovation of the
Executive Mansion and the Commission of Fine Arts, with work
being accomplished by B. Altman and Company of New York.’”

The Restoration of the Grounds — The Executive Mansion grounds
were used as a construction yard during the renovation and suffered
as a result. Work proceeded so quickly on the building renovation

Years later Stewart Alsop asked why a different approach was not taken regarding
interior restoration of the White House. The reply was characteristic, “There was no
question but that the interior was in danger of imminent collapse, and it was not possible
to consider an archeological restoration.” Truman, for his part, kept his own council and
noted to Finley, also director of the National Gailery of Art, “That botch job of Theodore
Roosevelt and Stanford White on the White House in 1902 was something to ‘yap’ about
— I never heard of the Fine Arts Commission going into that situation.” Finley probably
did not remind ‘Truman that the Fine Arts Commission was not established until 1910.
See Rose Conway to Stewart Alsop, Nov. 3, 1965, in reply to Alsop’s letter of Oct. 21,
1965, Post-Presidential Files (White House data), box 91, HSTL; Truman to Finley, June
26, and Finley to Truman, June 16, 1950, PSE file 2, box 301, HSTL.

100. Annual Report, Secretary of the Interior, National Park Service, 1950, 333; ibid., 1951,
345; “Advisory Committee on Furnishing the White House,” Jan. 24, 1946; Gartside to
Crim, Jan. 13, 1950; Lawrence M. C. Smith to Drury, Nov. 21, 1950; Lawrence Grant
white to Drury, Nov. 9, 1950; Drury to Joel Wolfsohn, Nov. 3, 1950; Drury to
Wolfsohn, Nov. 6, 1950; Drury to Hobart Nichols, Nov. 6, 1950; Oscar L. Chapman (sec.
of the int.) to Truman, Aug. 24, 1950; Kelly to dir. (NPS), Aug. 1, 1950; all in. 945-20-
25/Committee, box 3, acc. 64A-42, WH&WPP files, ESF/WHL/NPS; notes, Moukman
(OC/WH), July 19, 2000.

101. William D. Hassett to Mrs. Houghton Metcalf, May 5, 1951, OF 50/White House
Matters 1953, box 309, HSTL; “Confidential: Plans for Interior Decoration of the White
House,” news release, Oct. 20, 1951, OF 50/Misc. Commission on Renovation (2), box
312, HSTL; Seale, The President’s House, 1040-41.

Edward J. Kelly — July 28,
1950, to May 10, 1958

281

Office of National Parks, Buildings, and Reservations — August 10, 1933, to March 2, 1934; National Park Service — March 2, 1934, to May 10, 1958


Andrew Beaumont —
November 5, 1846, to March
3, 1847; Charles Douglas —
March 3, 1847, to April 7,
1849

80

might be a bomb; the package turned out to be harmless. In 1842
Tyler asked Congress for a permanent detail of guards for the White
House. Although some members of Congress objected, calling such a
detail the beginnings of a “Praetorian guard,” the bill was passed,
supplying a captain and three others to guard the White House. On
July 1, 1842, the first permanent White House security guard was
established. The guards, called “doormen,” had a brusque manner
and retained rights to arrest and investigate. This constituted not
only the start of White House security, but also the beginning of the
Washington Metropolitan police force.

Andrew Beaumont — November 5, 1846, to March 3, 1847;
Charles Douglas — March 3, 1847, to April 7, 1849

Two individuals served as commissioner of public buildings after the
death of William Noland in 1846. Andrew Beaumont was born in
Pennsylvania; he served as a representative to Congress from Penn-
sylvania from 1833 to 1837, and he died at Wilkes-Barre, Pennsyl-
vania, September 30, 1853."°

Only peripheral references have been found about the life and career
of Charles Douglas."*°

General Administration

The James Polk Administration. Many needs formerly accomplished
onsite by the staff were increasingly contracted out. Henry Bowman
arranged for Auguste Julien (son of Jefferson’s chef Honoré Julien)
to be available for special occasions. Baking was contracted to George
S. Krafft; confections were supplied by John Miller. Other contract
work was set up as well. Thus, Bowman became the White House's
agent, making social arrangements and purchases and guiding the
daily functions at the mansion. Even though the chief steward and
the commissioner of public buildings used various contractors to
reduce costs, payrolls expanded. In December 1848 pay for personnel
attached to the commissioner’s office amounted to $7,376.52."

128. Seale, The President’s House, 239~41.
129, Lanman, Biographical Annals, 27, 305.

130. Charles Douglas qualified as commissioner, Mar. 15, 1847, “Journal, Commissioner
of Public Buildings,” 7:33, RG 42.

131. Seale, The President’s House, 258-59; payroll deposited with Mr. Ragsdale, “Journal,
Commissioner of Public Buildings,” Dec. 1848, 7:42, RG 42.

CHAPTER 2. THE GROWTH OF THE REPUBLIC: 1802-1849


Harry T. Thompson — May
10, 1958, to February 25,
1961; T. Sutton Jett —
March 15, 1962, to January
14, 1968; 1. J. Castro —
January 14, 1968, to
September 25, 1969; Rex W.
Scouten (Assistant Regional
Director) — February 24,
1968, to May 4, 1969

306

The John F. Kennedy Administration. An era of resource assessment
and conservation at the White House and President‘s Park began with
the inauguration of John F. Kennedy in 1961. Early in the Kennedy
administration an attempt to publish a guidebook for the White
House caused NPS personnel to look for ways to fund the
publication. It was suggested that a private association be formed
under the Administrative Procedures Act. Clark Clifford (an aide in
the Truman administration and an advisor to the Kennedys) and his
business partner Carson Glass took the matter under advisement. It
was found that legislation did not specifically call out the White
House as a unit of the national park system, making the formation
of a cooperating association impossible under the Administrative
Procedures Act.”

Initially, Clifford suggested that the president make the White House
a national monument by executive order under the 1906 Antiquities
Act, and Secretary of the Interior Stewart Udall sent a draft of such a
proclamation to the president. President Kennedy, however, disliked
the idea of living in a monument. A law was finally drafted stating,
“The White House shall continue to be known as the White House
and shall be administered pursuant to the Act of August 25, 1916,”
referring to the Organic Act for the National Park Service. According
to at least one person’s recollection, Clifford and the White House
counsel hammered out the details of this brief but important legis-
lation. Senator Clinton Anderson of New Mexico saw the bill through
Congress. The bill was passed, and subsequently the White House
Historical Association was incorporated. Mrs. Kennedy, along with
Bob Breeden, Donald Crump, and staff of the National Geographic
Society, took an active role in the publication of the guidebook,
reviewing proofs and offering suggestions. The book went on sale
July 4, 1962. A quarter of a million copies were printed and sold in
three months, requiring the book to be reprinted. White House tour
numbers increased during the Kennedy administration, rising to
1,321,600 in 1961, to 1,500,000 in 1962, and to 1,520,200 in
1963.2

11. Castro, interview, June 21, 1995, 4-6, 12-13.

12. Castro, interview, June 21, 1995, 4-6, 12-13. Breeden was later a board member of
the White House Historical Association and also served as president. A total of 4.4 million
copies of the guidebook had been sold as of 1998; altogether sales of publications by the
historical association totaled 8.4 million copies by 1998. See Annual Report, White House
Historical Association, 1998, sec. A (Washington, DC). Annual Report, Secretary of the
Interior, National Park Service, 1962, 114; ibid., 1963, 121; “White House Visitation by
Tourists,” Oct. 20, 1981, box 69, Reorganization, © WHHA/CPWH/WPE,
ESE/ARD/WHLNPS.

CHAPTER 7. THE NATION'S FRONTYARD: 1958-1983


vacated as a result of the new sidewalk. The 3-foot right-of-way for
the sidewalk, which had been abandoned, was accepted by the Corps
of Engineers and added to the park under authority given by an act
of Congress approved July 1, 1898."

Site Security

The 1917 report of the officer in charge of public buildings and
grounds reflected standards that ultimately would result in the
establishment of the United States Park Police in 1919 and would lead
to the role of the National Park Service on the property starting in
1933. Ridley reported that the personnel standard for watchmen
remained “very high,” with

a strong physique, excellent character, a high degree of
personal responsibility, and absolute efficiency being the
prime requisites.... This high standard is maintained
through careful selection of men applying for original ap-
pointment and by a system of constant and rigorous
inspection. The existence of a pride of organization among
the men themselves tends to stimulate the members of the
force at all times and to put forth their best efforts to serve
the public and to protect the great number of lawns, trees
and flowers intrusted [sic] to their guardianship.”

Arrests continued to be made, but also included were violations of the
National Defense Act, defacing government property, unlawful
assembly, and disorderly conduct, all of which reflected the tenor of
the nation as it entered World War I."

As in other wartime situations, White House security was handled
by the military. Protests concerning the war effort by suffragettes in
front of the White House resulted in arrests. By 1918 there were 47
watchmen, with an annual budget of $43,422.43. Security issues
connected with the war effort finally caused the force to be
reorganized. An act of Congress on December 5, 1919, changed the
name from Park Watchmen to United States Park Police."

159. Louis Brownlow (president, Board of Commissioners, District of Columbia) to Maj.
Gen, William Black (chief of eng.), Mar. 15, 1918, and Black to Brownlow, Apr. 26, 1918,
1460/Grounds South (res. 1), box 11, acc. 644-42, ESF/WHL/NPS.

160. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1917, 3710.
161. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1917, 3711-17.

162. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1918, 1935, 1949, 1952; ibid., 1925, 1949; Seale,
The President's House, 808-9, 815, 816-17, 839.

Clarence S. Ridley —
September 22, 1917, to
March 21, 1921

209

ULS. Army Corps of Engineers, Office of Public Buildings and Grounds — March 9, 1897, to February 26, 1925



Thomas W. Symons — April 30, 1903, to April 26, 1904;
Charles S. Bromwell — April 26, 1904, to March 15, 1909

Thomas William Symons replaced Bingham as officer in charge of
public buildings and grounds on Apri] 30, 1903. Less than a year
later, Symons was replaced by Charles S. Bromwell.”°

Thomas W. Symons was born in New York and appointed to West
Point from Michigan, entering on September 1, 1870. On graduation
he was given a commission in the Corps of Engineers as a second
lieutenant. He served at Willet’s Point, New York, and also as an
assistant engineer on explorations west of the 100th meridian from
August 16, 1876, to June 27, 1879. He was promoted to a first
lieutenant in the Corps of Engineers on May 2, 1878. He selected sites
for new posts, campaigned against the Sauk and Shagit Indians,
served on the Mississippi River Commission, and from June 18 to
December 13, 1883, served as part of the Mexican boundary recon-
naissance. He was assistant engineer of the Washington aqueduct
from December 15, 1883, to June 5, 1886; the representative of the
secretary of the interior at Hot Springs, Arkansas, March 8-30, 1885;
and the assistant to the District of Columbia engineering
commissioner beginning June 5, 1886. He was promoted to captain
in the Corps of Engineers on June 2, 1884, and to colonel on April
30, 1903. There is no information about the rest of his life.”

Charles Summers Bromwell was born in Kentucky and appointed to
West Point from Ohio. He entered the military academy on July 1,
1886, graduating fourth in his class and commissioned as an addi~
tional second lieutenant in the Corps of Engineers. He was promoted
to second lieutenant in the Corps on May 18, 1893, and to first
lieutenant on October 12, 1895. He achieved the rank of captain on
February 2, 1901, and was promoted to colonel upon his appoint-
ment as officer in charge. Bromwell died at Honolulu, Hawaii,
December 10, 1915.77

70. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1903, 2519, ibid., 1904, n.p.

71. Cullum, Biographical Register, U.S. Military Academy, 3:222-23; Heitman, Historical
Register, United States Army, 1:942.

72. Cullum, Biographical Register, U.S. Military Academy, 3:431; Heitman, Historical
Register, United States Army, 1:247; U.S. War Office, “Casualties, 1978,” in U.S. Army
Register, 3:1120.

Thomas W. Symons — April
30, 1903, to April 26, 1904;
Charles S. Bromwell — April
26, 1904, to March 15, 1909

Thomas W, Symons

Courtesy: Library of
Congress

Charles S. Bromwell

Courtesy: Library of
Congress

183

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Office of Public Buildings and Grounds — March 9, 1897, to February 26, 1925



should be maintained, along with high-quality experiences for
visitors. He also called for a study to assess the feasibility of
“recreating” the original President's Park by tunneling E Street and
Pennsylvania Avenue, closing East Executive Avenue, and incorporat-
ing the Ellipse into the general scheme."

Atkins wanted to complete what he called the “White House and
Environs Development Concept.” Research was to be expanded to
include the treatment of roadways and the history of the landscape
so that the grounds would not only look better but might be better
interpreted to the public. He called for a new warehouse with modern
curatorial programs and facilities for the White House collection,
whose value and significance were to be reassessed. New maintenance
facilities were also needed to replace “the unsightly shack” then in use
on the White House grounds. New greenhouse facilities were to be
studied and formulated. Employee relations were also to be improved,
and equal opportunity was to play a much larger role in the hiring
of personnel.?

Actions at President’s Park that had taken place since the 1930s
pointed toward the need for a comprehensive plan that would guide
future development in a unified and logical manner. Atkins proposed
to the director of National Capital Parks on June 25, 1973, that an
“overal] master plan” for President's Park be formulated. Aesthetics
would be coordinated to bring about a sense of unity for the site.
Atkins also called for the coordination of landscape plans, safety
considerations, pollution concerns, visitation issues, traffic problems,
and parking needs. Rex Scouten and members of the White House
staff agreed that such a plan was needed. Atkins did not believe the
National Park Service had the capability to develop a comprehensive
plan; he suggested that a contract be arranged with Design Center,
Inc., of Washington to provide a script and a slide presentation to sell
the concept to other agencies. He projected that formulating such a
plan would take about a year and would cost between $500,000 and
$600,000.

The White House continued to be a premier symbol of American
democracy and an international stage. For example, Premier Leonid
Brezhnev of the Soviet Union made an official visit on Monday, June

102. Atkins to dir, (NCP), memorandum with “Goals, 1973 Calendar Year,” Jan. 5, 1973,
A6423/Administration Goals and Progress Reports, box 29, acc, 79-770003,
ARD/ESF/WHL/NPS,

103. Atkins to dir. (NCP), “Goals, 1973 Calendar Year."

104. Atkins to Julie Rose (admin. asst.), through dir. (NPS), June 25, 1973, D24/White
House (1/1/72-12/31/74), box 30, acc. 79-770003, ESF/ARD/WHL/ NPS.

Russell E. Dickenson —
September 26, 1969, to
November 11, 1973; Manus

J. Fish — Novernber 11,

1973, to September 4, 1988;
Elmer S, Atkins (Assistant
Regional Director) — May 4,
"1969, to December 31, 1983

343
The National Park Service — 1958-1983



Acknowledgments

work chronicling the administration of the White House

and President's Park could not have taken place without

the support and cooperation of many people. Specific

thanks go to those administrators who, in the tradition of
their predecessors, found ways to make the impossible possible. The
staffs of the Reagan, Bush, and Clinton administrations provided
consistent and valuable support. Chief Usher Gary Walters made the
Executive Residence and grounds of the White House available as
necessary in the midst of busy international agendas and schedules.
Former White House curator Rex Scouten and curator Betty
Monkman cordially. provided both time for interviews and various
materials that would not have been available elsewhere.

James I. McDaniel, National Park Service director for White House
Liaison, and Jerome Greene, historian with the Denver Service Center,
initially formulated the idea for the project. Members of Mr.
McDaniel’s staff, inchiding Rick Napoli and David Krause, never failed
to respond to requests for information, even when those requests
proved inconvenient in the extreme.

Various other historians and archivists assisted in the project. Barry
Mackintosh of the NPS Office of the Chief Historian provided helpful
information and suggestions. Gary Scott of the National Capital
Region also provided materials and comment. Historians Sarah Amy
Leach and Elizabeth Barthold (formerly of the Historic American
Buildings Survey and the Historic American Engineering Record)
provided various studies and materials from their offices. Research
assistant Elizabeth Safely of the Truman Library and Museum in
Independence, Missouri, guided the search of renovation records in
that facility. Archivist Dennis Bilger also provided assistance in the
location of records. The staffs of the Historical Society of Washing-
ton, DC, and the Martin Luther King Library in Washington also
provided valuable assistance. In addition, David Nathansen and
Nancy L. Flanagan of the National Park Service's Harpers Ferry
Center and Louise Arnold-Friend of the historical reference branch of
the United States Military History Institute at Carlisle Barracks,
Pennsylvania, were helpful in locating biographical information on
various administrators. Shelly McKenzie spent long hours tracking
down historical photographs of the administrators; her efforts have
added immeasurably to the work.

xv
Acknowledgments



86

Millard Fillmore made few changes to White House proper, save for
enlarging the heating system and undertaking minor interior
decoration. Security was an ever-growing concern at this time
because of sectional crisis and the feelings that resulted from the
Compromise of 1850 and the impending discussions that ultimately
ended in the Kansas~Nebraska Act of 1854.

Franklin Pierce tightened control of the bureaucratic system, de-
manding that operations be standardized. He had guidebooks and
circulars printed that instructed the various executive departments to
comply with his new rules. Commissioner William Easby, who had
replaced Mudd, soon quit after being questioned by Secretary of the
Interior Robert McClelland about his handling of finances.

Shortly after James Buchanan became president his niece, Harriet
Lane, redecorated the White House, spending most of the $23,000
appropriated by Congress to buy everything from additional gaso-
liers to drapes and Louis Quinze furniture. Many pieces were sold,
including Monroe's furniture by Pierre-Antoine Bellangé of Paris.
Interiors were redecorated in the latest Victorian styles, with little
attention paid to the original architecture of the interior.’

With the inauguration of Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War, the
administration at the White House and President’s Park changed
drastically, and the White House and its grounds resembled an armed
camp. On April 9, 1865, news of Lee’s surrender at Appomattox
caused large crowds to assemble in front of the White House. Against
the advice of the Metropolitan Police, Lincoln ordered the White
House gates opened, and that evening and the next he addressed
thousands of people from the window over the main door of the
White House. Four days later he was assassinated by John Wilkes
Booth, and Andrew Johnson became president.*

The military mentality continued in Washington after the war ended,
and it was nowhere more evident than when administrative duties at
the White House and President's Park were transferred from the
Department of the Interior to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The
military had been in de facto control of the property since 1861, and
the Corps of Engineers would remain in charge until 1933.7

Seale, The President's House, 303-4.

Seale, The President's House, 341-43.

Seale, The President's House, 416-17.

Dowd, Records of Public Buildings and Public Parks, 49-50.

News

(CHAPTER 3: THE ANTEBELLUM, CiViL WAR, AND RECONSTRUCTION YEARS: 1849-1867


In the early 1970s the Department of the Interior looked into revising
the regulations governing demonstrations in the capital. The Secret
Service wanted legislation to limit demonstrations north of the White
House and in Lafayette Park to 100-500 persons.’*

On January 24, 1975, the U.S. Court of Appeals overturned the
3,000-person limit in Lafayette Park, requiring the National Park
Service to remain flexible. The court maintained, however, the 750-
person limit on the sidewalk in front of the White House."

Between 1972 and 1974 the National Park Service formalized the
jurisdiction of White House Liaison in President’s Park and Lafayette
Park, transferring authorities from the superintendent, National
Capital Parks—West, to the assistant director, White House Liaison.
Lafayette Park was transferred in September 1972. Jurisdiction over
the rest of the lands in the area managed by the National Park Service
was transferred from National Capital Parks-West to White House
Liaison on November 1, 1974.7

Site Security

Vietnam War demonstrations beginning in the late 1960s created
multiple security problems. The presidential security forces grew
increasingly uneasy about assassination attempts. Government
officials suggested strengthening the fence in front of the White
House; some even suggested electrifying the fence. Problems with
demonstrations on the north side of the White House were tempo-

the interior Walter J. Hickel, Regional Director Nash Castro, and Superintendent William
Failor, June 2, 1969; “Ruling Bars Limiting White House Pickets,” Washington Post, n.d.;
USS. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, no. 22,983, A Quaker Action Group ¥.
Walter J. Hickel, et al, Appellants, Decided june 24, 1969; all in A8219/Demonstrations
(4/1/69) (2), box 27, acc. 79-7524, ESF/ARD/WHL/NPS. U.S. Court of Appeals for the
District of Columbia, no. 23,268, Women Strike for Peace, Appellant, v. Walter i. Hickel,
Secretary of the Interior, Appellees, on Appellant's Motion for Summary Reversal, or for
Injunction Pending Appeal, Decided August 1, 1969, A8219/Demonstrations (7/1/69-
12/31/69) (3}, box 27, acc. 79-7524, ESF/ARD/WHL/NPS. Act of July 1, 1898 (30 Stat.
570).

145. James J. Rowley (dir, U.S. Secret Service) fo Dickenson, June 25, 1970,
W3415/White House (1/1/69), box 28, acc. 79-7524, ESF/ARD/WHL/NPS.

146. Dir. (NCP} to dep. dir. (NPS), memorandum, Feb. 12, 1975, Fi4/Status of Survey,
box 31, acc. 79-80-0002, ESF/ARD/WHL/NPS.

147. Asst. dir. (WHL) to staff (Offices of WHL), Sept. 19, 1972; Atkins to Ken Beck, Oct.
2, 1972; Dickenson to all offices (NCP), Jan. 19, 1973; all in D24/Lafayette Park, box
WHL-SE-001, ESF/WHL/NPS. McDaniel to Jack Curran (Permits and Inspections}, Nov.
4, 1974, Special Use Permits, Records of President's Park, ESE/WHL/NPS.

Russell E. Dickenson —
September 26, 1969, to
November 11, 1973; Manus
J. Fish — November 11,
1973, to September 4, 1988;
Elmer S. Atkins (Assistant
Regional Director} — May 4,
1969, to December 31, 1983

357
‘The National Park Service — 1958-1983



at the new east entrance. Coachmen were summoned to the east gate
by an electric number system.”

Bingham had not agreed with the decision to renovate the White
House as proposed by McKim, Mead & White; he felt it should be
substantially added to instead. His correspondence with Speaker of
the House of Representatives Joe Cannon concerning the budget for
the renovated structure, which stated that the renovation had
increased maintenance costs, led to his dismissal in 1903.

Memorials

For 1897 Bingham reported about maintenance actions for 17 out-
door statues in the city, 2 of which were in President's Park. Repairs
were required on the bases and on the pieces themselves. The officer
in charge asked for an annual appropriation of $150 to clean and
repair the monuments. By 1900 the inventory of statues on public
reservations had grown to 19, with three under construction.
Bingham and his employees continued to clean and repair statuary as
necessary.”

Cn March 18, 1898, President McKinley planted a red oak on the
north grounds of the White House between the west terrace walk
and the drive.”

Carl Rohl-Smith was chosen as sculptor for the statue of General
Sherman. He erected a temporary wooden studio south of the
Treasury Building, with a permit issued by the War Department on
August 24, 1898, and under authority of a joint resolution of
Congress (Public Resolution 18) approved July 15, 1897. Rohl-Smith
died August 20, 1900, during a visit to his home in Denmark. A
resolution passed by the Sherman Statue Commission on December
8, 1900, allowed his wife, with additional assistance, to finish the
project. A new contract was executed on April 8, 1901. The

47, Seale, The President's House, 701. To avoid incidents, the Metropolitan Police politely
handled drivers who had become intoxicated and unruly, arresting them at their homes
the following morning.

48. Seale, The President’s House, 703.
49, Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1897, 4055-57, 4060-61; ibid., 1899, 5243.

50. Files at the Truman Library stated that McKinley's tree was a pin oak; however,
Bingham refers to a red oak in his yearly report. See “White House Trees,” Dec. 2, 1952,
1, Post Presidential Files (White House History), box 91, HSTL; Annual Report, Chief of
Engineers, 1898, 3722-23, 3726-27.

‘Theodore A. Bingham —
March 9, 1897, to April 30,
1903

177

US. Army Corps of Engineers, Office of Public Buildings and Grounds — March 9, 1897, to February 26, 1925



Detail of a Landscaping Plan for
the National Mall and the White
House Grounds by Andrew
Jackson Downing, ca. 1851

Downing’s romantic vision
overlaid L’Enfant's earlier
| classical design.

Courtesy: National Archives

91

U.S. Department of the Interior, Commissioner of Public Buildings — March 5, 1849, to March 2, 1867



INDEX

Wilson tenure, 165, 201. See also
landscaping

Garfield, James, 118, 140-141

Garfield, Lucretia, 141

Garrison, Lindley M., 397

Gartside, Frank T., 241, 254, 282,
296-297

gas supply: Cleveland tenures, 148;
Harrison (B) tenure, 155; Polk
tenure, 81

gates: Buchanan tenure, 104;
Coolidge tenure, 224-225; Grant
tenure, 127; Hoover tenure, 231;
Jackson tenure, 65-66; Jefferson
tenure, 45; Johnson (LB) tenure,
314, 321, 334-335; Pierce
tenure, 100; Roosevelt (FD)
tenure, 248; Truman tenure,
265-266. See also Bulfinch
gatchouses

Gautier, Charles, 106

General Services Administration,
342, 365; and building mainte-
nance, 319-320; jurisdiction of,
changes in, 297-298; liaison
with other agencies 342; and
maintenance, 239, 253; and
office space issues, 291; and Old
Executive Office Building, 290;
and Reagan tenure improve-
ments, 351; and television
broadcast facilities, 317; and
Truman renovation, 270; and
White House Liaison, 377-378

Georgetown Garden Club, 222

Georg, Phyllis B., 292-293

Gettysburg Battlefield Association,
151

gifts to White House: Coolidge
tenure, 217-218; Kennedy and
Johnson tenures, 332

Gilbane/Jackson, 368

Gilbert, Cass, 196, 214, 415

Gilbert, Cass, Jr., 293

Gillen, Francis F., 254

Gillette, Douglas H., 232, 271

Gilmer, Thomas W., 76

Girl Scouts of America, 256

Giscard d’Estaing, Valery, 349

Giusta, Antoine Michel, and. wife,
59-60, 63

Glass, Carson, 306

Goldberg, Arthur J., 312

Goldsmith, Samuel, 65

Goodchild, Richard, 104, 106

Goose Creek, 13, 32. See also
canals; Tiber Creek

Government Services, Inc., 273°

Graber, Ted, 351

Grand Army of the Republic, 155-
156, 171

Grandstand Committee, 250. See
also presidential inaugurations

Grant, Julia, 123, 126, 130

Grant, Lewis A., 397

Grant, Ulysses $., 117, 123-134,
148

Grant, Ulysses S. Ill, 165, 219,
219-237, 244, 265, 272, 398

Great Depression, 235-236

greenhouses: Arthur tenure, 144;
Buchanan tenure, 104-105;
Cleveland tenures, 159; Coolidge
tenure, 212, 217, 223; Grant
tenure, 130, 132; Harrison {B)
tenure, 155; Hayes tenure, 137,
139; Hoover tenure, 230;
Johnson (A) tenure, 112;
McKinley tenure, 169; Nixon
tenure, 343; Pierce tenure, 96,
102-103; Roosevelt (FD) tenure,
250-251, 258-259; Roosevelt (T}
tenure, 185-186; Truman
tenure, 285; Wilson tenure, 201-
202, 208. See also orangeries

Greening of the White House
project, 370

Greenleaf, James, 11, 24

Green, M. K., 252, 276

Green Room: Carter tenure, 351;
McKinley tenure, 173

Greshman, Walter Q,, 397

Griffith, Michael, 106

grounds. See gardens; landscaping;
Tawns; President's Park

guardhouses: Eisenhower tenure,
286; Fillmore tenure, 93;
Jefferson tenure, 50; Johnson
(LB) tenure, 321; Kennedy
tenure, 334. See also sentry box

Gugler, Eric, 244

Guiteau, Charles Julius, 118


used for the large 1923 Shriner’s Convention and Parade; it was
removed between January 28 and February 12, 1924.'"

National Capital Park Commission — On June 6, 1924, Congress
established the National Capital Park Commission under Public Law
202. The commission was composed of the chief of engineers, U.S.
Army; the director of the National Park Service; the chief of the
Forest Service; the engineer commissioner of the District of Colum-
bia; the officer in charge of public buildings and grounds; and the
chairmen of the Committees on the District of Columbia from the
Senate and the House of Representatives. The officer in charge of
public buildings and grounds acted as secretary. The legislation called
for the development of a park system for the nation’s capital, with
an appropriation of 1 cent per capita (as determined by the latest
census) to fund the project.'?

Memorials

The Zero Milestone at the north end of the Ellipse was dedicated June
4, 1923, with President Harding in attendance. Having been
authorized by Congress three years earlier, the milestone was based
on Pierre L’Enfant’s concept of a center point marked by a column 1
mile east of the Capitol, from which all distances would be measured,
not unlike the classic Roman mille stones. The survey point had never
been established, however, and by the time the Lee Highway
Association picked up the idea more than 100 years later, it was more
symbolic than actual. Horace Peaslee, a Washington architect,
designed the monument, which also memorialized the motor con-
voys over the Bankhead and Lincoln Highways in 1919 and 1920.
The U.S. Army Motor Transport Corps insignia became part of the
design, with the inscription “Point for measurement of distances
from Washington on highways of the United States.” The monu-
ment’s convenient design, however, soon led to its being used as a
speaking podium. At a rally on November 18 Capt. Godfrey
Rodriques stood on top of it to address a crowd on the health
advantages of hiking. (The rally resulted in the establishment of the

171, Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1924, 2018-19, 2027.

172. 43 Stat., 463; Annual. Report, Chief of Engineers, 1924, 2045. The National Capital
Park Commission was succeeded by the National Capital Park and Planning Commission,
established by an act of Apr. 30, 1926 (44 Stat. 374). Functions were transferred to the
National Capital Planning Commission by an act of July 19, 1952 (66 Stat. 781). U.S.
National Archives and Records Administration, United States Government Manual
(Washington, DC: U.S. GPO, 2000), 607.

Clarence O. Sherrill — March
21, 1921, to February 26,
1925

213

ULS. Army Corps of Engineers, Office of Public Buildings and Grounds — March 9, 1897, to February 26, 1925



Chapter 7. The Nation's Frontyard: 1958-
1983

An Overview of the Period

fter World War II the United States and its allies engaged in

a teetering balance of power with the Soviet Union, China,

and their allies. The balance of power was redefined in

terms of nuclear power that could not possibly have been

foreseen 170 years earlier. Events such as the Cuban missile crisis and

the Vietnam War focused international attention on the White

House, whether as a result of diplomatic crises or students protesting

U.S. involvement in Southeast Asia. It was also a time of incredible

technology — from the first Soviet Sputnik to men walking on the

moon within 12 years. Rapid advancement in various technologies

also caused security concerns to intensify in and around the White

House. By 1967 the annual operating budget of the Executive

Mansion was $714,000, an increase of $448,00, or 168 percent,

since 1951. The administration of the growing budget required that

new means of cooperation be developed among the agencies at the

“site and that creative ways be found to accommodate increasing
costs."

With the inauguration of John F Kennedy, President’s Park entered a
new administrative era for resource assessment and conservation. On
September 22, 1961, legislation was enacted that provided for the
White House to be administered by the National Park Service. On
November 3, 1961, the White House Historical Association was in-
corporated as a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the preser-
vation and interpretation of White House history.

President and Mrs. Johnson were committed to cultural preservation
and efforts to beautify the national capital. To oversee the White
House collection, in 1964 President Johnson established the position
of White House curator and a Committee for the Preservation of the
White House. Congress passed the National Historic Preservation Act

3. Supt. (NCP) to West, Mar. 26, 1958; Gartside to Treasury Department, Aug. 7,
1951, 915/Appropriations, ESF/WHL/NPS; ARD (Administration) to West, Nov. 22,
1965, F3815/Budget (WH), box 20, acc. 65A-1108, WH&WP? files, ESF/WHL/NPS.
Additional extraordinary expenditures in the amounts of $50,000 had been appropriated
as needed, in 1926, 1929, 1935, 1937, 1941, and 1946.

301

An Overview of the Period


Edward J. Kelly — July 28,
1950, to May 10, 1958

290

General Services Administration said that the building would “stand
indefinitely.”

The west garden was redesigned in 1957 to better accommodate
presidential receptions and to increase the central grass panel by a
third. Steps were reworked and walks were widened; new plantings
were also installed. The National Park Service also prepared estimates
to: recondition the grounds, at an estimated cost of $13,875.50;
earlier estimates in 1952 had been about $17,400."

By 1958 the renovated White House was already in need of repair
and refurbishing. Faulty painting of the exterior in 1952 had led to a
need for repainting in 1956. In addition, it was proposed that ele-
ments be added, such as an iron fence, a gate, and piers across West
Executive Avenue, at a cost of between $3,000 and $5,000. The
amnual appropriation was not sufficient to cover all expenditures.
Acting NPS Superintendent Harry T. Thompson recommended that
an additional $100,000 be made available for maintenance costs at
the White House.”

In the fall of 1957 the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey received per-
mission from the National Park Service to place permanent survey
markers on Reservation 1 lands adjacent to 15th Street between
Constitution Avenue and E Street for the purpose of field testing new
electronic measuring equipment.”

After the White House was reopened to the public tours, monthly
visitation figures grew from 133,659 in May 1952 to 140,333 in
May 1957, with a slight drop in intervening years. The National

127. Dolkart, The Old Executive Office Building, 22-23; Annual Report, Secretary of the
Interior, National Park Service, 2957, 349-51; “Executive Office of the President: Suggested
Program of Presentation,” D.W.O 2/22/56, OF (Space Survey for the Presidency), 72-A~
23, Dwight D, Eisenhower Library, Abilene, KS (hereafter cited as DDEL); “Presidential
Office Space: Report of the President's Advisory Commission on Presidential Office Space,
May 31, 1957," passim, box 310, DDEL; “Space Requirements of the Executive Office of
the President: Schematic Diagrams for a Proposed Press Conference Room, exhibit 10,”
Staff Secretary, box 6, DDEL.

126. Harding to asst. supt., May 10, 1956; Harding to Crim, Feb. 14, 1956; Harding to
Gartside, Sept. 11, 1952; Gartside to chief usher, Nov. 19, 1957; all in 950-50/Plantings
(2), box 4, acc. 64A-42, ESF/WHL/NPS.

129. Supt. (NCP) to West, Mar. 26, 1958, 915/Appropriations, box 74, acc. 65A-1108,
WH&WT?P files, ESF/WHL/NPS. Horne (chief, Design and Construction) to Warren Elliot,
Feb, 28, 1958; Rudolph R. Bartel (chief, Operations) to chief (Architecture), through chief
of maintenance, Nov. 20 and Nov. 29, 1957; all in White House Correspondence, box 13,
acc, 644-901, ESF/WHL/NPS.

130. Rear Adm. Arnold H. Karo to Kelly, Aug. 22, 1957; Jett to Karo, Sept. 6, 1957; both
in box 11, 1460/Grounds South (3), acc. 64A-42, ESF/WHL/NPS.

ChapTeR 6. THE NEw DEAL, WoRLD WaR II, AND PEACE: 1933-1958


———. Report of the Commitiee on the Public Buildings, &c. Accompanied with a
Bill to Provide for Erecting Additional Buildings for the Accommodation of the
Several Executive Departments, January 26, 1818 |Washington: n. p.]

~ Report of the Committee on So Much of the President's Message as Relates
to the Public Buildings, Jan. 6, 1820. {Washington, DC: n. p.]

~——.. Report of the Committee on Public Buildings, Accompanied with a Bill
Fixing the Compensation of the Commissioner of the Public Buildings, Apr. 8,
1822 (photostatic copy, n. p.).

——. Report of the Committee on Public Buildings, Accompanying a Bill
Making Appropriations for the Public Buildings, February 14, 1823,
(Washington, DC: n. p.]”

. Report of the Joint Committee Appointed To Consider what further
measures ought to be taken for the Accommodation of the President of the
United States; And to whom was referred the message from the President of
the United States concerning the disposition of the property of the United
States, in his possession. Feb. 27, 1801. (Washington, DC: n. p.]

-. Report of Mr, McKean of the Committee of the Contingent Expenses of the
Senate, June 21, 1836, (Washington, DC: n. p.]

. Report of the Secretary of the Interior on Expenditures in the District of
Columbia, 35th Cong., 2nd sess. Ex. Doc. 5 [Washington, DC: n.d.]

. “Report [to Accompany Bill $. 151] The Committee on the District
of Columbia Instructing Them to Inquire Into and Report What
Jurisdiction the Congress of the United States has Over the Avenues of
the City, ete.” 34th Cong., Ist sess., 16 Apr. 1856, S. Doc. 136.

U.S. Department of the Interior, Secretary of the Interior. Annual Report of
the Commissioner of Public Buildings. Washington, DC: U.S. Government
Printing Office, 1854-1867.

U.S. Department of the Interior. Annual Report, Secretary of the Interior.
Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1933-50.

U.S. Department of the Treasury, Environmental Assessment: Implementation
of White House Security Review Vehicular Traffic Restriction Recommenda-
tions. Washington, DC: 1997.

United States Military Academy. Register of Graduates and Former Cadets of
the United States Military Academy. Cullum memorial edition. West Point:
Association of Graduates, 1980.

U.S. War Office, United State Army Register. Vol. 3: Retired Lists, 1 January
1968. Department of the Army, US Army Military History Institute,
Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania.

White House Historical Association. Annual Report, 1998. Washington, DC.

427
Bibliography



for its own police function, asking for more contro! and tightening
restrictions. An increase in threats to the first family provided a
partial-cause for concern.

Spencer Cosby — March 15, 1909, to August 19, 1913

Spencer Cosby took over the duties of officer in charge from Charles _

S. Bromwell on March 15, 1909. Cosby, born in Baltimore, Mary-
land, on October 2, 1867, was the son of Admiral Frank C. Cosby. He
attended French public school for three years and entered West Point
June 16, 1887. Upon graduation he was commissioned as an addi-
tional second lieutenant in the Volunteer Engineers. He was promoted
to second lieutenant on April-12, 1894, to first lieutenant on October
13, 1895, and to a major in the Volunteer Engineers on June 13,
1898. He served as chief engineer of the U.S. Volunteers and helped
place submarine mines during the Spanish-American War. He also
served in Puerto Rico as a member of the staff of Maj. Gen. J. R.
Brooks. He received an honorable discharge from the Volunteer
Engineers on December 31, 1898, and was promoted to a captain in
the Corps of Engineers on February 2, 1901. He received various
other promotions before being appointed as officer in charge. He was
a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers. Information
about the rest of his life has not been located.’*

General Administration

The William Howard Taft Administration. For the inauguration of

William Howard Taft in March 1909, a reviewing stand was again
constructed in front of the White House, and fireworks were dis-
played on the Ellipse. Capt. Archie Butt (later promoted to major)

101. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1908, 2377-81, 2390, 2392, 2404-5, 2409, 2412.
A total of 277 arrests were made in D.C. parks, with 2,647 drunken people ejected and
1,399 persons “of objectionable character” removed from the parks as well. The usual
chart of arrests was now expanded into a matrix with an expanded list of offenses,
including profanity, suspicious characters, delivering short weight of ice, and assaults on
officers.

102. John MeD. Thompson, Who's Who in the Regular Army: Containing the Biographies of
All Regular Army Officers (By the author: San Antonio Printing Co., 1925), 72; Heitman,
Historical Register, United States Army, 1:329; U.S. War Office, “Corps of Engineers, 1923”
in U.S. Army Register, 3:250; United States Military Academy, Association of Graduates,
Register of Graduates and Former Cadets of the United States Military Academy, Cullum
memorial ed. (West Point, 1980), 508-9.

Spencer Cosby — March 15,
1909, to August 19, 1913

Spencer Cosby

Courtesy: History Office,
US. Army Corps of
Engineers

191

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Office of Public Buildings and Grounds ~ March 9, 1897, to February 26, 1925



located at Baldrige Hall in the Commerce Building at 15th and
Pennsylvania Avenue NW. The National Park Service's Harpers Ferry
Center completed a feasibility study in December 1990, and the
following February the Denver Service Center retained Oehrlein &
Associates Architects under an indefinite quantities contract to
prepare project specifications. Schematics were developed, and final
construction documents were approved in September 1992.7

In preparation fer work on the White House visitor center, the
General Services Administration held meetings about the restoration
of the ornamental plaster ceilings in Baldrige Hall, and a contract was
awarded to Conrad Schmitt Studios in December 1992 for
$308,620.%

The Comprehensive Design Plan for the White House and President's
Park — NPS landscape architect Merrick Smith, who had been
involved in the redesign of East Executive Avenue, called attention in
1988 to the need for a long-range plan to guide the development of
President’s Park. ‘As custodians and interpreters of these national
treasures,” he noted, “we must anticipate and meet the demands of
growth before they overtake us.” Based on Smith’s recommen-
dations, as well as earlier observations of NPS officials such as Rex
Scouten and Elmer Atkins, the National Park Service began a compre-
hensive design plan for the White House in 1992.

The purpose of the plan, the first comprehensive plan for the prop-
erty since its initial platting in 1791, was to take a thorough look at
the White House and President’s Park and to consider ways to
cooperatively manage it into the 21st century, while ensuring the
preservation of its significant historic features. Twelve agencies
formed an executive committee — the Executive Office of the
President, the Executive Residence at the White House, the White
House Military Office, the U.S. Department of the Treasury, the U.S.
Secret Service, the General Services Administration, the National Park
Service, the District of Columbia, the Commission of Fine Arts, the
National Capital Planning Commission, the Advisory Council on
Historic Preservation, and the Pennsylvania Avenue Development
Corporation (until April 1996). The plan, approved in the spring of
2000, is expected to guide the management and development of
President's Park for the next 20 years.*

23, Summerlin to O'Brien, Nov. 29, 1999.
24. Summerlin to O'Brien, Nov. 29, 1999.

25. NPS, Comprehensive Design Plan and Draft Environmental Impact Statement, The White
House and President's Park, Washington, D.C. (Denver Service Center, 1998}.

Manus J. Fish — Continuing
to September 4, 1988; Ronald
N, Wrye — September 4,
1988, to December 18, 1988;
Robert G. Stanton —
December 18, 1988, to
January 3, 1997; James 1.
McDaniel (Associate Regional
Director} — December 31,
1983, to -

369

National Park Service — 1983 to 1997


Theodore A. Bingham —
March 9, 1897, to April 30,
1903

182

manner that medical assistance was provided for the Metropolitan
Police.”

For 1902 Bingham continued to include in his yearly reports the
numbers of arrests in parks and types of offenses, but no specific
listing was given for incidents in President’s Park. Four watchmen
were assigned to the site — one day watchman in Lafayette Square,
plus two day watchmen and one night watchman on the Ellipse.
Bingham stated that the pay of $60 per month for each watchman
was inadequate; he recommended an increase in both pay and
benefits commensurate with those of the Metropolitan Police.”

Increasing visitation caused additional traffic, trash, and security
problems. For 1903 Bingham reported that the Park Watchmen
should be designated as policemen to help in their duties as official
supervisors of the parks. An additional sergeant and 11 more watch-
men were requested; one more night watchman was scheduled for
Lafayette Square.*

67. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1902, 2724, 2729-30, 2742, 2749; Seale, The
President's House, 696.

68. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1902, 2724, 2729-30, 2742, 2749, The report
states park police arrested 601 persons in federal parks. Offenses included violation of bi-
cycle Tegulations, fast driving of carriages, disorderly conduct, trespassing, drunken
behavior, throwing of “missiles,” vagrancy, fast automobiles, and assaults. Also included
were indecent exposures, disorderly assemblies, arrests of the insane, cruelty to animals,
soliciting fares, discharging of firearms, larceny, concealed weapons, and similar viola~
tions. Bingham reported fines collected, drunks released, bail forfeited: the numbers sent
to workhouses, reform school, and mental hospitals; and the mumber of dismissed
charges.

69. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1903, 2529, 2533-34, 2537-38. Bingham’s
categories of offenses, arrests, and fines was expanded in this annual report to include
violations of hack (taxi) laws, arrests of deserters from the military, indecent assault,
peddling, and carrying of concealed weapons.

CHAPTER 5. THE WHITE HOUSE, WASHINGTON, AND THE WoRLD: 1897-1933


the second-floor office was the bedroom of the president’s private
secretary.”

The Abraham Lincoln Administration. During the first months of the
Lincoln administration White House staff from the Buchanan
administration remained. Among these were a butler, a number of
waiters, and the, White House doormen, including Thomas Stackpole
and Edward McManus. John George Nicolay and John M. Hay
became the new president’s private secretaries. John Watt still
superintended the White House gardens.”

Collection Management

Presidential portraits were commissioned by the Joint Committee of
the Library for display in the Executive Mansion in 1857. The artist
engaged to execute the paintings was George P A. Healy. They were
sent to the President's House and stored in the attic until frames
could be constructed and gilded by Francis Lamb of Washington. The
pictures were finally hung in the White House in the late 1860s.”

Jurisdiction

Questions concerning jurisdiction at President’s Park again became an
issue in 1856, as they had in 1806 when Attorney General John C.
Breckinridge had determined that the executive branch was in charge
of the city’s plan. In April 1856 a report was made in the Senate
concerning the streets and their control, noting that Congress had
jurisdiction over all streets and byways and could not turn over the
streets to the city. The Senate might “convey privileges” or
“temporary exclusive use” to entities, “but no grant can be made of
jurisdictional right, or authority to any party which Congress may
not at any moment set aside.””* Congress never had attempted to cede
the streets to any entity, including the corporation of the District of
Columbia. Congress had given the corporation authority to keep

72. Seale, The President's House, 338-40.
73. Seale, The President's House, 363-64.

74, “Historical Information on the White House and Its Furnishings,” 13-14, HSTL;
Dolkart, The Old Executive Office Building, 6; NPS, President’s Park South, 9; Seale, The
President's House, 434.

75. Senate Doc. 136, 34th Cong., Ist sess., Apr. 16, 1856, “Report [to Accompany Bill
S. 151] of The Committee on the District of Columbia Instructing Them to ‘Inquire into
and Report What Jurisdiction the Congress of the United States has Over the Avenues of
the City, ete.,"" 2.

John B, Blake — June 5,
1855, to May 31, 1861

107

U.S. Department of the Interior, Commissioner of Public Buildings —~- March 5, 1849, to March 2, 1867



Samuel Lane — March 3,
1817, to May 8, 1822

54

presented a plan for the construction of two additional office
buildings, one for the War Department and the other for the Navy.
A news article on May 5, 1818, noted that digging was under way
for the foundations of a new executive office building. “The site is
due north of the Treasury,” stated the report. Laborers were needed
for work at the President's House, and those interested were
instructed to report to Shadrack Davis at the construction site.

By 1820 costs to reconstruct the President’s House totaled $246,490,
with $8,862 for walls and railings {it was noted that more money
would be needed for this last item). The porticoes were postponed for
the time being. New offices for the executive branch were in progress
at a cost of $15,137.

The two new executive office buildings, approximately 200 yards on
either side of the White House, were similar in design to the other
structures, with porticoes on their north facades. The State Depart-
ment was in the new building on the east (north of the Treasury),
and the War Department in the new building on the west, with the
Navy Department occupying the original War Office to the south.
Measuring 160 feet by 55 feet, the buildings had pediments
supported by six lonic columns. The columns and pediments of the
north buildings faced north; the two on the south faced south,
creating a campus effect. Dormers graced the roof lines of the
buildings, and a belt course in stone separated the first and second
stories. An 1820 watercolor sketch by the Baroness Hyde de Newville
shows the positions of the buildings and fencing. The area north of
the White House was graded; piers were installed at the gates; and
cut stone walkways with post and chain fencing were installed.»

51. Report of the Committee on the Public Buildings, &c. Accompanied with a bill to Provide
for Erecting Additional Buildings for the Accommodation of the Several Executive Departments,
January 26, 1818 [Washington, DC: n.p.} 3-5, 6, 7.

52. Seale, The President's House, 140-41, 149-52; Florence P. Spofford, “New Years
Customs in Washington,” 1890): 24, as noted in the McClure collection, ESF/WHL/NPS:
Washington Gazette, May 4-5, 1818, 3; NPS, “The White House,” 19; Proceedings of the
Commissioners, 1-11, passim; Dolkart, The Old Executive Office Building, 4-5.

53. Report of the Commissioner of Public Buildings December 23, 1819 {Washington, DC:
n.p.l, 6-7; Report of the Committee on So Much of the President's Message as Relates to the
Public Buildings, Jan. 6, 1820 (n.p.), 1-3.

54. Jonathan Elliot, Historical Sketches of the Ten Square Miles Forming the District of
Columbia; with a Picture of Washington. . . ., (Washington, DC: J. Eliot Jr., 1830), 164-65,
as cited in Reps, Washington on View, 70; "Washington City, 1821,” by Baroness Hyde de
Neuville from a sketch executed in 1820 and “The Department of State, Washington,” by
Cfharles| Burton, 1831, as printed in Reps, Washington on View, 70-71; NPS, “The White
House,” 20; Dolkart, The Old Executive Office Building, 6; Report of the Commissioner of
Public Buildings, December 23, 1819, 6-7; Report of the Committee on So Much of the

CHAPTER 2. THE GROWTH OF THE REPUBLIC: 1802-1849


U. S. Grant HI — January 1,
1926, to April 5, 1933;

James A. Woodruff — April
5, 1933, to August 10, 1933

232

end, and 8 feet at its deepest on the diving end. The contractor, James
Baird Company of Washington, tiled the walls with terra-cotta in
blue and green. Major D. H. Gillette served as resident engineer, with
Grant supervising the project. A national campaign, led by Captain
Patterson and the New York Daily News and ultimately involving 43
other newspapers, raised $21,000 to build the pool. The final cost
amounted to $24,005. It was estimated that the pool would cost
approximately $3,000 a year to operate. Regular biweekly testing of
the water for bacteria was accomplished by Carl J. Lauter, chief
chemist with the U.S. Engineer District Office as a part of his duties
to collect city water samples.?”

Chief usher Ike Hoover died September 14, 1933, ending more than
40 years of service at the White House in varying capacities. He was
succeeded by Raymond Douglas Muir, who served in that position
until 1938.27

Memorials

Commemorative trees were planted not only on the White House
grounds but also in Lafayette Square, as in the case of the red oak
planted there on April 25, 1929, in honor of Mrs. Calvin Coolidge.**

In February 1932 the American Institute of Park Executives planted
an American elm, a descendant of the Washington Cambridge elm, in
Lafayette Square in honor of the bicentennial of the birth of George
Washington. A plaque commemorating the event was placed with
the tree. An additional tree was planted the ‘same year by the
American Peace Conference to commemorate international justice.

231. E. H. Brandt Jr, "President Roosevelt's White House Swimming Pool Meets Demand
for Constant Water Temperature and Complete Purification,” Domestic Engineering, Sept.
1933, 43-45, and “The White House Pool,” Domestic Engineering, Oct. 1933, 43-45;
“Historical Information on the White House and Its Furnishings,” 10-11, HSTL; E. J.
Kelly, “White House Pool,” memorandum for file, July 22, 1940; “Mechanical Details of
the White House Swimming Exercise Tank,” 1-5; Nellie M. Miller to Grant, May 12,
1933; D. H. Gillette (asst. dir.) to Stephen Early, May 6, 1933; receipt, third and final
payment from the Roosevelt Swimming Fool Fund, $4,000, News Syndicate Co., Inc.,
New York, NY, for deposit with U.S. Treasury on Dep. #4-Ex., May 3, 1933; special
deposit, account of G. C. Gist, Symbol 91020; J. J. Murphy to Grant, May 2, 1933,
“White House: Estimate of Cost of Swimming Pool Operations, Apr. 20, 1933”; all in file
950-60-75/Swimming Pool/Bacteriological Reports, box 5, acc. 64-42, WH&WPP files,
ESF/WHL/NPS.

232. Seale, The President's House, 932, 970.
233. Annual Report, Director of Public Buildings and Public Parks, 1929, 42, 43.

234. Coville to Grant, Jan. 20, 1930, 10, 1460/Lafayette Park, box 11, acc. 64A-42,
ESF/WHL/NPS; Jett to Harrison A, Williams Jr., Feb. 28, 1964, D18/Lafayette Park

CHAPTER 5. THE WHITE HOUSE, WASHINGTON, AND THE WORLD: 1897-1933


Joseph Elgar — May 8,
1822, to February 10, 1834

60

- $3,434.90 for capping the wall, iron gates and piers, 533 yards of

gutter paving, and the planting of trees.”

The Andrew Jackson Administration. Upon Andrew Jackson’s election
officials asked Charles Bulfinch to give an appraisal of the President's
House before the new president's arrival. The report, received in
January 1829, was disconcerting. Horse stalls to be used by treasury
clerks had been built along the east fence of the White House
grounds. The location of the west wing stable below the windows of
the state dining room was, as Seale notes, “unfortunate.” Milk cows
grazed outside the south fence and were housed in the eight-stall
stable. A new stable plan by Hoban was suggested, but it was deemed
too large for the site, so the stables were moved offsite.

The White House under the Jackson administration was managed on
a daily basis by Jackson's long-time friend Maj. William B. Lewis,
Andrew Jackson Donelson (Rachel Jackson's nephew), and Donel-
son’s wife, Emily. However, Antoine Giusta and his wife remained as
steward and housekeeper to manage daily schedules. Giusta in fact
was responsible for averting a near catastrophe during the inaugural
festivities by moving large containers of punch to the White House
lawn in an effort to draw out some of the crowds that jammed the
house on Jackson’s inauguration day.”

According to the commissioner’s report for 1829, $22,510.88 was
spent at the President's House that year. Both piped water and gas-
lights were considered for the President's House, but the plans were
dropped as Jackson's inauguration approached. The commissioner’s
report also noted the need to paint the Executive Mansion. In 1829
Elgar asked James Hoban for the original White House plans in an-
ticipation of completing the north portico, which would be the last
major addition to the President’s House for the next 73 years. The
drawings were copied by Capitol architect Charles Bulfinch; Hoban
supervised the construction. A contract was let with the Italian stone
carver Jardella for eight capitals costing $110 each. Jardella was to
finish the capitals by August 15, 1830. By the time of Hoban’s death

67. J. Elgar to Stephen Van Rensselaer (chairman, Committee on Public Buildings), Feb.
1, 1828, as included in the Report of Mr. McKean of the Committee of the Contingent Expenses
of the Senate, June 21, 1836, 24th Cong., Ist sess. (n-p.), 45.

68. Seale, The President’s House, 170-74.
69. Seale, The President's House, 166-69, 177-79; NPS, Lafayette Park, 7, 19-20.

CHAPTER 2. THE GrowTH OF THE REPUBLIC: 1802-1849


Thomas W. Symons — April
30, 1903, to April 26, 1904;
Charles S. Bromwell — April
26, 1904, to March 15, 1909

190

11 buttons was installed; it worked in the same manner as the police
patrol register system. Now security personnel could be monitored as
they made their security rounds.”

Archibald Butt mentioned the habits of security guards from the
Secret Service, who often hid themselves in the shrubbery because
Roosevelt hated the idea having security around him all the time.
Many of the military aides attached to the White House went about
unarmed; however, Butt instructed them to carry weapons in case of
an attack on the president.”

Also in 1904 additional watchmen were asked for in the budget.
Arrests the previous year had totaled 356, with fines amounting to
$2,183. The officer in charge proposed that these funds be held for
use by the Park Watchmen in much the same manner as fines were
used for the support of the city’s Metropolitan Police.”

The following year security continued to be a prime consideration at
the site. New lead-covered wiring was run to the light standards on
the east terrace in June 1905, and rewiring of the west wing was
begun. Lafayette Square now had six electric lights, as did the
mansion grounds; the Ellipse area had nine. The officer in charge still
asked for additional police protection in the parks. Crimes of all types
remained a problem.”

In 1906 Congress passed legislation authorizing the Secret Service to
provide protection for the president."

By 1908, 20 electric lights in President’s Park and Lafayette Square
provided a measure of security. The officer in charge continued to
lobby for the Park Watchmen to be commissioned as policemen.
Clearly the Office of Public Buildings and Grounds was making a bid

96. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1904, 3907-10.
97. Butt, Letters, 37, 45, 84, 133, 135, 256.

98. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1904, 3907-10. The violations occurring in the
federal parks, which included both Lafayette Square and the Ellipse, provide an interesting
profile of life in the public spaces of the nation’s capitol at the turn of the century.
Categories for arrests had been expanded, Fast vehicles and disorderly conduct remained
fairly common. Drunken behavior and vagrancy also remained; 1,367 drunks were
thrown out of public parks in that year. There were incidents of indecent assault (9),
indecent exposure (23), and ejection of objectionable characters (440); robbery (3)
decreased. Incidents of insane persons in the parks increased (4), and for the first time two
people were listed as having died in the parks; an additional death was termed as a
suicide.

99, Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1905, 2624, 2635, 2659.
100. 16 USC 431-33; McCarthy and Smith, Protecting the President, 99.

CHAPTER 5. THE WHITE HOUSE, WASHINGTON, AND THE WORLD: 1897-1933


themselves once the material was returned for use in the White
House."

NPS historian Stanley W. McClure continued to make studies of the
White House furnishings and also worked closely with those
conducting the annual inventories. McClure reported that the last

. auction of White House material had occurred during the Theodore

Roosevelt administration. As of the 1953 inventory, 26,977 separate
items were listed in the collection. Of 269 articles stored at Fort
Washington, 223 were found to be of no particular significance; they
were destroyed by the property clerk (with the approval of the chief
usher) on February 4, 1953. Eighty-six additional items were
transferred from the White House to storage at Fort Washington.
After further additions and more study, McClure recommended that
274 of the 355 articles stored at Fort Washington be destroyed, with
a total of 81 objects retained. In his research, McClure found that the
collection contained earlier pieces than had been previously thought.
The possibility of establishing loan programs with presidential
libraries was also considered; the field solicitor considered the
proposal and found nothing that would prohibit such programs {also
see “Jurisdiction” below). McClure’s work with the White House
collection provided the foundation for the historical work in the
Kennedy administration 10 years later.“

In September 1953 McClure produced a report detailing the work
that had been accomplished by his office. That work included num-
bering all furnishings and creating a card catalogue; writing various
historical research papers; making corrections and improvements to
the annual inventory; photographing furnishings; creating object
folders; collecting historic photographs of the White House;
establishing a historical index card file organized by administration

143. McClure to Gartside, July 18, 1950, {  ] Reynolds to asst. supt., Apr. 12, 1951;
McClure to acting supt., Sept. 19, 1952; Gartside to David H. Stowe (admin. asst. to the
president), Sept. 29, 1952; McClure to Gartside, memorandum, Nov. 30, 1953; J. R.
Veindeffer (supply and property officer} to Gartside, through Lorin A. Davis, Dec. 30,
1953; Know {field solicitor) to Gartside, Mar. 19, 1956; McClure to Gartside, memo-
randum, Mar. 1, 1956; all in 990-50/Inventories, box 7, acc. 64-42, WH&WPP files,
ESF/WHUANPS. Asst. solicitor {NCP} to dir. (NCP), memorandums, Aug. 24 and Aug. 26,
1976; both in reading file/A7217 (Aug. 1976-Dec 1976), WHL-AM-010,
ARD/WHLANPS.

144, McClure to Gartside, July 18, 1950, [| Reynolds to asst. supt., Apr. 12, 1951;
McClure to acting supt., Sept. 19, 1952; Gartside to Stowe, Sept. 29, 1952; McClure to
Gartside, memorandum, Nov. 30, 1953; Veindeffer to Gartside, Dec. 30, 1953; Know to
Gartside, Mar. 19, 1956; McChure to Gartside, memorandum, Mar. 1, 1956; all in 990-
50/Anventories, box 7, acc. 644-42, WH&WPP files, ESF/WHL/NPS. Asst. solicitor (NCP)
to dir. (NCP}, memorandums, Aug. 24 and Aug. 26, 1976; both in reading file/A7217
(Aug. 1976-Dec 1976), WHL-AM-O10, ARD/WHL/NPS.

Edward J. Kelly — July 28,
1950, to May 10, 1958

295

Office of National Parks, Buildings, and Reservations — August 10, 1933, to March 2, 1934; National Park Service — March 2, 1934, to May 10, 1958



Chapter 10. Recommendations for Future
Research

his report represents the first attempt to chronicle the

history of the federal administration of the White House and

President’s Park. As such, it establishes a baseline for an

administrative history that will continue to grow. Both the
primary and secondary data sources for the White House and
President's Park are large and varied. Due to the size of these
collections, source consultation was selective, and only those sources
that were most readily available were used. The following are
suggestions for additional research and analysis that have the
potential to expand our knowledge of the White House and
President’s Park.

Primary Sources
National Archives

Records of the Office of Public Buildings and Public Parks of the
National Capital (RG 42)

These records, which include those of the commissioners of the
District of Columbia and the commissioner of public buildings, are
the base for the history of administration of the White House and
President’s Park from 1791 to 1933. While these records were
selectively consulted for this study, an exhaustive inspection and
analysis still needs to be done. The survey work done by Mary-Jane
Dowd of the National Archives for these records proved of
inestimable value in clarifying the provenance of administrators and
events. Because of its extrerne importance and relatively small size,
this collection needs to be transcribed, further annotated, and further
indexed before its maximum potential can be realized.

Records of the Office of the Chief of Engineers (RG 77)

Due to the survey nature of this study, only the annual reports
(1866-1933) of the chief of engineers were consulted in assembling
pertinent information. Letters and other materials were only used
when specific issues needed clarification. Additional materials may
exist in correspondence and project files within this record group; a

387

Recommendations for Future Research



Harry T. Thompson — May
10, 1958, to February 25,
1961; T. Sutton Jett —
March 15, 1961, to January
14, 1968; I. J. Castro —
January 14, 1968, to
September 25, 1969; Rex W.
Scouten (Assistant Regional
Director) — February 24,
1968, to May 4, 1969

322

In December 1968 President and Mrs. Johnson established an area
known as the “Children’s Garden” in a secluded spot on the south
grounds of the White House once used by the Kennedy children for a
trampoline. President Johnson dedicated the Children’s Garden on the
day before he left office. Formal garden plans were proposed by
Edward Durell Stone Jr., who provided sketches for the garden. The
private area became a place where the bronzed hand and footprints of ~
presidential grandchildren have been placed.

Access to the White House precinct became more and more restricted
during this period, even for NPS personnel. As assistant regional
director, Scouten requested in 1968 a White House pass for his
assistant, Elmer Atkins. ‘At the present time, I am the only one
available in the Park Service that has free access to the White House
and that can approve clearance and initiate work projects,” Scouten
wrote to Jim Jones of President Johnson's staff. The request for
additional personnel to be cleared underscored how the developing
position of NPS White House liaison was taking on further
importance at President’s Park.*

In 1968 the official in charge of National Capital Parks was given the
title of. general superintendent. The office name was changed to the
Office of National Capital Parks on December 8, 1969.

Historic Preservation and Lafayette Square — An increase in public
events and protests had caused the degradation of D.C. parks. Broken
statuary, trash, turf deterioration, traffic congestion, and similar
occurrences became more commonplace. As a result, solutions were
put forward concerning the protection and preservation of parks,
resulting in various proposals and programs. Of particular concern
was Lafayette Park. With the support of President and Mrs. Kennedy,
Robert W. Andrews of the National Park Service had discussed with
the General Services Administration the possibility of contracting
with the architectural firm of John Carl Warnecke and Associates of
San Francisco to plan for the “rehabilitation” of the park. Warnecke
had drafted preliminary plans by June 1963. The Commission of Fine
Arts approved the plans, with some alterations, in June 1964. The
National Park Service generally approved the plans but did not

52. [NPS], The White House Grounds and Gardens 1988-1992 (Washington, DC: U.S.
GPO, 1992), 48.

53. Scouten to Jim Jones, July 1, 1968, A7217/1968 ARD Pinks (3 of 4), box WHL-
Am-020, ESF/ARD/WHL/NPS.

54. NPS, “The Park Service in Washington,” by Stanley W. McClure, (1971), 2-3,
H26/Mistory of National Capital Parks, box WHL~AM-005, ESF/WHL/NPS.

CHAPTER 7. THE NATION'S FRONTYARD: 1958-1983


George Washington, Esq.,
President of the United
States of America, from the
Original Portrait Painted at
the request of the
Corporation of the
University of Cambridge in
Massachusetts

President Washington
holds in his hands an
early map of the capital
city.

Courtesy: Library of
Congress



Ficisen Face.

Founsin

Yih Street

WOO UAUAwWHE

Tah Seeer

11

12
13

15
16
17
18
19
20

pt 2000

.) (868 + 2ONB0A + DSC + Se

Memorials / Monuments

14

Memorial / Monument

Von Steuben Statue

Bernard Baruch Bench of Inspiration
Kosciuszko Statue

Jackson Statue

Jackson Cannon (4)

Rochambeau Statue

Memorial Urns (2}

Old Dominion Foundation Marker
Lafayette Statue

Lee House Marker, Reserve Officers
Association, Blair House Markers (3),
Leslie Coffelt Marker, and Entrance
Gardens Marker

Markers: State, War & Navy Building,
War Cannon, and National Register (3)
Spanish-American War Cannon (2)
Gallatin Statue

Anchors (2)

Presidential Rose Garden

Time Capsule

Jacqueline Kennedy Garden

Jackson Milk Trough

Liberty Bell Replica
Webster-Ashburton Treaty Marker
Jefferson Mounds (2)

Hamilton Statue

First Division Monument

Children’s Garden

5 Sherman Monument

Bulfinch Gatehouses {2}
Butt-Millet Memorial Fountain
Zero Milestone

Civil Engineering Marker
National Christmas Tree
District Patentees Memorial
Boy Scout Memorial

Second Division Monument
Haupt Fountains (2)

White House

United States Department

of

the interior /

National

Park Service

4li

Appendix D. Memorials in President's Park



Manus J. Fish — Continuing
to September 4, 1988; Ronald
N. Wrye — September 4,
1988, to December 18, 1988;
Robert G. Stanton —
December 18, 1988, to
January 3, 1997; James I.
McDaniel (Associate Regional
Director) — December 31,
1983, to -

380

CHAPTER 8. EPILOGUE: 1983-1997

home; President Clinton was on the second floor watching a football
game on television. The reasons for the assault are unclear. *

On December 20, 1994, at about 9:00 A.M., a U.S, Park Policeman.
shot 33-year-old Marcelino Corniel, a homeless man, on the sidewalk
in front of the White House as he brandished a knife. Shot in the
chest and leg, Corniel died the next day at George Washington
University Hospital. Incidents leading up to the shooting remained
unclear, although Corniel ‘had taped a large hunting knife to his
hand. Bystanders stated that Corniel had become angry with U.S.
Park Police for removing personal articles and that security had been
stepped up in Lafayette Park since the Duran shooting. The witnesses
declined to be identified. In 1997 family members initiated a suit
against the U.S. Park Police. Officers were described as having
harassed the Lafayette Park homeless, including Corniel. Although
law enforcement officials supported the actions of U.S. Park Police,
the agency drew strong criticism from across the nation.”

The Corniel shooting occurred in the midst of a series of similar
occurrences in the vicinity of the White House. The Saturday
previous to Corniel’s shooting, at least four bullets had reached the
White House “from a great distance,” according to authorities. Three
more incidents occurred soon after the Corniel incident; in one a man

58. Stephen C. Fehr, “Gunman Trains Rifle Fire on White House,” and “White House
Attack Cited As Evidence of Need to Close Pennsylvania Avenue,” Washington Post, Oct.
30, 1994; Martin Weil, “Someone Had To Stop Him,” Washington Post, Oct. 31, 1994;
William Claiborne, John F Harris, and Jeffrey Smith, “In Colorado Town, Gunman Was
Just Another Quiet Guy,” Washington Post, Oct. 31, 1994; Ruben Castaneda, John’ F.
Harris, Toni Locy, and Pierre Thomas, “Note Reveals Suspect Was Ready To Die,” Washing-
ton Post, Oct. 31, 1994.

59. Paul Duggan, “Homeless Man Shot in Front of White House,” and Debbie Wilgoren,
“After Shooting, a Curious Mix in Lafayette Square,” Washington Post, Dec. 21, 1994:
DeNeen L. Brown and Wendy Melillo, “Two Worlds Collide Near White House," and
Ruben Castanada, “White House Shooting is Fatal,” Washington Post, Dec. 22, 1994;
“Officer Who Fired Shots Seen Only Briefly on Tape,” Washington Post, Dec. 23, 1994;
“Death on a White House Sidewalk,” editorial, ibid.; John N. Converse, “Up Against a
Knife,” letter to the editor, Washington Post, Jan. 10, 1995; “Family of Man Shot in
Lafayette Square Sues Park Police,” Washington Post, June 6, 1997. Stories indicating
national reaction to the incident included Kristan Metzler, “Protester Asks Ban on 3
Cops,” Washington Times, Dec. 23, 1994; Charles Memminger, “Park Police Really Fired
up for Holidays,” Honolulu Star-Bulletin, Dec. 24, 1994; Cindy Loose, "Weird Streak
Continues Near White House,” Washington Post, no date; Don Colburn, “Gunshot: the
Story of Marcelino Corniel, Who Was Shot in Front of the White House,” no date or
paper recorded. Corniel’s medical expenses amounted to $70,169. Information and copies
of articles made available to O'Brien Nov. 16, 1999, by James L. Novak (Security
Specialist, WHL}, Security Reading File.


crepe were put up and taken down during the year. The Bulfinch
gatehouses at the southeast and southwest corners of the park were
repaired in 1887, and the southeast structure received a new roof and
floor.”°

in 1886 the officer in charge stated that there were approximately
32,000 plant specimens (mostly of deciduous and evergreen trees and
shrubs) in public spaces of Washington, including President’s Park.
George H. Brown, public gardener, prepared a catalogue of plantings
at President’s Park and Lafayette Square in June 1886. Brown
counted both numbers and varieties; for example, in President's Park
there were 290 elm trees, representing four varieties. Plants were
listed by common and Latin names.

While making repairs to the roof with painted steel plates, workers
noticed that there were 59 separate telegraph wires strung across the
White House roof. All but seven of these were removed; these seven
were then carried by two cables hidden by the balustrade. By 1888
telephone wires from the Executive Mansion ran to the State, War,
and Navy Building, the Treasury, the National Museum, the Senate,
the House of Representatives, the Office of the Attorney General; the
Department of the Interior, the Post Office Department, the Pension
Office, and the Government Printing Office, for a total of 24 wires."*

In May 1887 Secretary of War William C. Endicott decided to
partition 17 acres of the newly landscaped Ellipse grounds for the use
by the National Drill Committee to promote interest in the state
militia. The chairman of the event posted a $2,500 bond. A fence and
grandstand were erected, but the grass was badly trampled. The fence
was removed in June, and by the end of the fiscal year everything
had been repaired. Wilson thought that the event was not proper for
the Ellipse area, and that only regular troops should be allowed to
parade there. No camps or exercises should be held there, he said, and
no structures should be erected on the Ellipse.”

New walks were constructed in the Ellipse area in 1887, particularly
from 17th and D Streets to the main road around the Ellipse. Of the
1,637 settees or benches maintained by the department, 106 were
located on the grounds of the Executive Mansion, 172 in Lafayette

110. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1886, 2089-90, 2099-2101; ibid., 1887, 2570.
111. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1886, 2089-90, 2099-2101; ibid., 1887, 2570.
112. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1886, 2075-76, 2085-86; ibid., 1888, 2798-99.

113, Dowd, Records of Public Buildings and Public Parks, 1-3; Annual Report, Chief of
Engineers, 1887, 2570.

John M. Wilson — June 1,
1885, to September 7, 1889

149

ULS. Army Corps of Engineers, Office of Public Buildings and Grounds — March 2, 1867, to March 9, 1897



U.S. Grant Hl — January 1,
1926, to April 5, 1933;
James A. Woodruff — April
5, 1933, to August 10, 1933

222

Columbia Heights celebration was canceled because of weather. The
other three celebrations were attended by 3,200 people.'””

General recreational programs continued to pose demands on Presi-
dent's Park. The two hockey fields on the Ellipse, combined with
another in Rock Creek Park, hosted 3,038 players and 23,550 specta-
tors in 1926. The fields were open from April though December. The
Boy Scouts held a field meet on the Ellipse on May 1, with 4,000
participants and 1,200 spectators. The four clay tennis courts at the
southeast corner of the Ellipse hosted 14,480 players. The volleyball
courts at President's Park and Rock Creek Park were used by 2,594
players, with 6,750 spectators. In all, 1,529 recreation permits were
issued for President’s Park, with tennis leading the list of requests at
1,243. The tourist camp in nearby East Potomac Park was used by
70,905, with 21,613 cars parked on the site during this period.'*

Along with recreation, concessions licensed by the office also ex-
panded at an unprecedented rate. Golf courses, teahouses, lunch
stands, tennis courts, tourist camps, six cafeterias (one in the State,
War, and Navy Building), lunch counters, newsstands, guide services,
and bus transportation to East and West Potomac Parks were also
regulated. By 1927 even cab stands (including those near President’s
Park) and bootblack stands were permitted as concessions.'”

In 1927 the Easter egg roll continued to draw large crowds; however,
attendance at the White House tours dropped to 30,023, while
attendance at the Washington Monument increased to 10,000 and at
Rock Creek Park to 6,500. ‘The national Christmas tree lighting at
Sherman Plaza continued to be augmented by a community tree in
Montrose Park provided by the Georgetown Garden Club.

Recreational interests also grew. Marathon races were held, with the
Ellipse as part of the course. A roller-skating race sponsored by
Carlin’s Amusement Park of Baltimore took place on May 28, 1927,
starting from the Zero Milestone. The arrival of Charles A. Lindbergh
on June 11 drew 100,000-200,000 people to the area.”

By 1927 the annual budget for President's Park was $570,900. The
Second Deficiency Act of fiscal year 1926 had included an appropri-

197, Annual Report, Director of Public Buildings and Public Parks, 1926, 28.

198. Annual Report, Director of Public Buildings and Public Parks, 1926, 28-31, 48.
199. Annual Report, Director of Public Buildings and Public Parks, 1926, 9, 49.

200. Annual Report, Director of Public Buildings and Public Parks, 1927, 32, 39, 40, 43.
201. Annual Report, Director of Public Buildings and Public Parks, 1927, 40-43,

‘CHAPTER 5. THE WHITE HOUSE, WASHINGTON, AND THE WORLD: 1897-1933


Russell E. Dickenson —
September 26, 1969, to
November 11, 1973; Manus
J. Fish — November 11,
1973, to September 4, 1988;
Elmer S, Atkins (Assistant
Regional Director) — May 4,
1969, to December 31, 1983

338

including Senator Robert Packwood, competed with other politicians
to supply the national tree from their home state, and the event cost.
$244,322.50, with most of the funds donated. The impact on the site
was considerable, and the idea of placing a permanent brick drive on
the Ellipse to accommodate the event was discussed; however, the
plan was never put into effect.%

In December 1969 a survey team from the National Park Service's
Eastern Service Center began inventorying the White House grounds.
The survey, like those in the past, included topography, plant materi-
als, and utilities.”

In February 1970 a comprehensive turf management team reported
to the superintendent of National Capital Parks about natural and
cultural resources and equipment for all parks in the region, includ-
ing President's Park. The report suggested updating equipment and
made specific recommendations to enhance lawns.*

Suggestions that a “Lunar Circle Drive” be created on the Ellipse to
commemorate the Apollo 11 flight came from people such as Andrew
A. Aines of the Office of Science and Technology. This led in part to a
new lighting plan for the area in 1969. The lighting was increased to
136 streetlights. Plans by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill were amended
for the sixth time to include plans for Ellipse fountains (provided by
the Zalles family) on the northeast and northwest quadrants and to
the west of the Ellipse. The firm had 33 sheets of working drawings
to date, dealing with improvements for the area. However, the
fountains were not built.”

86. Smith (chief, Special Events) to ARD (Operations), memorandum, Nov. 24, 1969;
“The 1969 Pageant of Peace, December 16, 1969,” A8227/Special Events/Other {Parks}
(1969), box 31, acc. 79-770005, ESF/ARD/WHL/NPS. “1973 Non-Programmed
Construction Projects”; coordinator to chief (Maintenance, NCP West), Sept. 5, 1973;
acting supt. (NCP West) to chief (Finance, NCP), Jan. 16, 1974; Pau} C. Miller, (dir.,
Ceremonies and Special Events) to Fish, Mar. 8, 1974; all in F1423 (FY 1972), box 31,
acc. 79-80-0002, ESF/ARD/WHL/NPS. Smith to Sen. Robert Packwood, Mar. 22, 1972,
A8227/Pageant of Peace SE-72-73, box 31, acc, 79-80-0002, ESF/ARD/WHL/NPS. J.
Allen Overton (pres., American Mining Congress) to Hartzog, July 19, 1972, box 31, acc.
79-80-0002, ESF/ARD/WHL/NPS.

87. Atkins to reg. coordinator (NCR, Eastern Service Center}, Dec. 12, 1969, A7217
{1969}, box 2, ARD/ESF/WHL/NPS.

88. Turf Management Program Analysis Team to supt. (NCP Central), memorandum:
“Turf Management Program Analysis,” Feb. 27, 1970, D24/General Maintenance
(1/1/89), box 28, acc. 79-7524, ESF/ARD/WHL/NPS.

89. Andrew A. Aines to [Nixon], June 12, 1969; supt. (NCP-Central), Jan. 31, 1969;
{ } to reg. dir. (NCP), n.d; amendment 6 to contract with Skidmore, Owings, and
Merrill, Mar. 4, 1969; reg. dir. to Thomas F. Airis, Mar. 24, 1969; all in D24/Ellipse
(1/1/69), box 28, acc. 79-7524, ESF/WHL/NPS. Reg. dir. to Aines, July 10, 1969, A7217
(1969), box 2, ARD/ESF/WHL/NPS.

(CHAPTER 7. THE NATION’S FRONTYARD: 1958-1983


Ignatius Mudd — April 7,

1849, to March 12, 1851

88

President’s House amounted to $7,654.44; the salaries of four
assistants were $3,589.37; and various expenses relating to gas
lighting and other matters of administration totaled $142,251.77."

Mudd also reported that while the new Treasury Building was
deemed fireproof, the State, War, and Navy Buildings were not,
except in the basement stories. He again recorded the lack of office
and storage space. Fencing for all the executive offices had deteri-
orated, and he recommended replacement in iron rather than in
wood. He reported that the gas lighting for the President’s House and
Pennsylvania Avenue had been completed and had been operating
since June 1849. Mudd thought that the Washington Gas Light
Company, a private concern, charged the government an excessive
amount, and he promised to discharge his duties as a public servant
to ensure reasonable rates to the government. Similar reports were
made on the waterworks. Water now flowed in iron pipes from its
source to the Capitol and from there along Pennsylvania Avenue to
the President's House and the executive offices. The White House still
received most of its water from the spring at Franklin Square, which
had been purchased by the government some 20 years earlier.’*

The Millard Fillmore Administration. After the death of Zachary
Taylor, Millard Fillmore was sworn in as president, with William
Cranch (the former commissioner of the District of Columbia)
providing the oath of office. President Fillmore’s secretarial needs
were served by R. G. Campbell and later by the president's son,
Millard Powers Fillmore. Ignatius Ruppert continued to manage the
house staff. Charles Alexandre, upholsterer to President Monroe, still
served as house decorator.”

Robert Mills and the commissioner's office disagreed on various mat-
ters, and in his 1850 report Ignatius Mudd stated that he could not
recommend the reestablishment of the office of architect, although he
still needed the services of a contract architect and clerk. J. T. Mudd
replaced J. B. Rooker as clerk in January 1851.'*

11. Annual Report, Commissioner of Public Buildings, 1850, 2.
12. Annual Report, Commissioner of Public Buildings, 1850, 13-15; ibid., 1851, 11.
13. Seale, The President's House, 302-3.

14. “The Presidents of the United States, The inauguration of Millard Fillmore,”
available on the internet at <http://www?2.whitehouse.gov/WH/glimpse/presidents/
html/mfinau.html>; Annual Report, Commissioner of Public Buildings, 1850, 19, RG 42;
Seale, The President's House, 293; appointment of J. T. Mudd to replace J. B. Rooker, Jan.
8, 1851, “Journal, Commissioner of Public Buildings,” 7:33, RG 42. Although Seale states
that Mills was not let go until 1851, it is apparent that the office was eliminated in 1849.

(CHAPTER 3: THE ANTEBELLUM, CIVIL WAR, AND RECONSTRUCTION YEARS: 1849-1867


such as Lee, Jefferson, and himself, there would have been no
Revolution. He died in 1819."

Dr. David Stuart (married to Martha Washington’s widowed.
daughter-in-law, Eleanor Calvert Custis) represented Wash-
ington’s views on the commission and regularly corresponded
with him about city development, more so than any other
commissioner. Born in 1753 in Stafford County, Virginia, he
attended William and Mary and studied medicine in
Edinburgh and Paris. He practiced medicine in Alexandria and
served in the Virginia Assembly. He invested in the Patow-
mack Company and also served as a member of a committee
made up of Georgetown and Alexandria merchants who
lobbied for the location of the capital city in their vicinity. As
master. of Alexandria’s Masonic Lodge, he officiated at the
mandatory Masonic “point of beginning” rite on April 15,
1791, to establish the four boundary lines of the district.”

By 1794 Johnson and Stuart had resigned from commission.
Thomas Jefferson was concerned as to public perception of the
resignations, and Washington was not completely satisfied with the
replacements. “I wish there were a greater quantity of Men for the
choice who could and would do better,” he stated."

By 1795 the three appointed commissioners had been replaced by
three paid commissioners. The new members of the commission were
Gustavus Scott, a stockholder in the Patowmack Company; Dr.
William Thornton, the designer of the United States Capitol; and
Alexander White, congressman from Virginia. Washington thought
that it was now time to move the offices of the commission from
Georgetown to the District of Columbia and for the commissioners to
live in town and to take an active role in the supervision of planning
for the city.”

Gustavus Scott, the first member of the second board of com-
missioners, was born in Maryland on the eastern shore in
1753. An attorney, Scott had studied law in Aberdeen,
Scotland, and at Middle Temple in London. He attended the
first state constitutional convention in 1776 and represented

8. Giacomantonio, “All the President's Men,” 61-62; Lanman, Biographical Annals,
230.

9. Giacomantonio, “All the President's Men,” 61-62.
10. Giacomantonio, “All the President's Men,” 64-65.
11. Seale, The President's House, 62-66.

Daniel Carroll, Thomas
Johnson, David Stuart,
Gustavus Scott, William
Thornton, Alexander White,
William Cranch, and
Tristram Dalton

9

Commissioners for the District of Columbia — January 22, 1791, to May 1, 1802


began on a large scale under his administration and has remained a
major consideration at the Executive Mansion ever since.*

By the 1820s the term “White House,” was in common use. While
the structure had been so nicknamed as early as the Jefferson
administration, and newspapers in 1808-9 had used the name, it
was not formally referred to as “The White House” until the 20th
century.”

During the Andrew Jackson administration additional changes were
forthcoming in the administration of the President’s House and
grounds. Jackson continued substantial funding for the White House
gardens, thus setting the foundation for today’s elegant grounds.
But one of the most substantial changes to President’s Park during
this period was the construction of a new Treasury Building, after
fire destroyed the former building in 1833. Jackson, according to
tradition, selected the site east of the White House. The new building,
designed by Robert Mills and constructed in stages between 1836 and
1869, was criticized for blocking LEnfant’s vista from the White
House down Pennsylvania Avenue to the Capitol.*

In 1838 President Martin Van Buren appointed three cabinet
secretaries to a commission to supervise the erection of public
buildings in Washington, D.C., and to direct the commissioner of
public buildings; two additional secretaries were appointed the
following year. This represented the first executive decision to share
power in decisions relating to President’s Park with the executive
bureaucracy. It restricted the substantial power of the commissioner
of public buildings. The board only lasted for about a year and a half.
Then, once again, the commissioner of public buildings answered
directly to the president.’

William Henry Harrison lived in the White House for just one
month. His death on April 4, 1841, was the first of a sitting presi-
dent. The state funeral was based to some extent on European state
funerals and set the precedent for presidential funerals in the United
States to the present day."*

6. NPS, Lafayette Park, 7, 19-20; Seale, The Presiderit’s House, 166-69.
7. Seale, The President's House, 163; notes, Betty Monkman (OC/WH), July 19, 2000.

8. Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds, Bill 193: “The Winder Building,” 33rd
Cong., 1st sess. (June 13, 1854), 3.

9. “Records of the Commissioners,” iii, RG 42; dissolution of the Board of Commis-
sioners, Dec. 8, 1840, ibid., 25; [journal entry], Jan. 5, 1841, ibid., 26.

10. Seale, The President's House, 230-38.

39

An Overview of the Period


84

Conclusion

The presidential administrations from Jefferson to Polk established
the basic framework of President's Park as we know it today, both
physically and administratively. Its character as a large, open area
serving both service and recreational needs related to the residence of
the president was firmly established during this period. Following the
precedent of Washington's administration, executive offices remained
near the White House. Security became an increasing problem, and a
relationship between White House staff and the federal bureaucracy
established itself as necessary for the efficient functioning of the
property. During the next period these concepts would be expanded
and formalized, as the administration and management of President's
Park reflected national events.

(CHAPTER 2, THE GROWTH OF THE REPUBLIC: 1802-1849


410

Memorial Urns

In 1872 Secretary of the Navy George M. Robeson ordered two memorial
urns to be cast at the Washington Naval Yard brass foundry. Weighing
about 1,300 pounds each and 7’ in height, they were installed on
granite pedestals in Lafayette Park. In 1879 they were fitted with
galvanized iron pans and used for ornamental plantings. They have
been moved from their original locations a number of times, most
notably in 1936 and 1969.> -

Bernard Baruch Bench of Inspiration

This bench and plaque, at the northwest corner of the walk around the
Jackson statue in Lafayette Park, was dedicated to the memory of
financier and politician Bernard Baruch in 1960 by the Boy Scouts of
America. Baruch spent many days in Lafayette Park enjoying the site
and working out many of his important plans.*

Lodge

Architect: Horace Peaslee

Landscape Architect: George Burnap

The first lodge for Lafayette Park was built in 1872 on the north side, in-
cluding restrooms, a toolshed, and a watchman’s booth. Various
changes were made until 1913 when Congress appropriated $3,500 for
a replacement. As contractors began construction, neighborhood pro-
tests caused the secretary of war to suspend construction. On
November 14, 1913, a notice was published for a public hearing on
November 18 in the offices of the assistant secretary of war. After the
hearing, the secretary decided to resume construction. The contractor
restarted on December 12, 1913, and finished on May 15, 1914. The
structure is about 12’ high and, except for trellises, appears much as it
did upon completion. The structure has a tool room, a room for the
park watchman, and two restrooms (now closed).*

John Walker, Feb. 14. 1969, D24/lafayette Park (1/1/69), box 28, acc. 79-7524,
ESF/WHL/NPS; Michael Painter to Jett, Aug. 30, 1966, D18/Lafayette Park (1963-67),
box 21, ace 72A-6215, ESE/WHL/NPS; “List of Nonferrous Cannon, National Capital
Parks Areas, Washington DC,” 1430/Tablets, Markers, Etc., box 17, acc 66A-1097,
ESE/WHL/NPS.

An article by ex-Senator Hiram Bingham in the August 23, 1942, Washington Post
gave more detailed information concerning the cannon. Bingham evidently was instru-
mental in saving the cannon from a wartime scrap drive. See [article by ex-Senator
Bingham, Washington Post, 8/23/42), pp. 1-2, 1460/Lafayette Park (2), box 17, acc.
66A-1097, ESF/WHL/NPS.

3. NPS, Lafayette Park, 19.

4. Smith (chief, Public Use, NCR} to files, May 10, 1960, 1460/Lafayette Park (2}, box
17, ace. 664-1097, WH&WPP files, ARD/WHL/NPS.

S. NPS, Lafayette Park, 19.


U. S. Grant Hi — January 1,
1926, to April 5, 1933;
James A. Woodruff — April
5, 1933, to August 10, 1933

228

1929. In January 1930 a contract was awarded to Charles H.
Tompkins of Washington. The work was completed in April for
$106,499.68, and Hoover’s three secretaries and staff of 38
employees finally had room in which to work.”

By 1930 the director of the Office of Public Buildings and Public
Parks oversaw a seven-division operation with a budget of
$9,305,863.82, and 2,493 persons on staff, who oversaw a
staggering assortment of buildings, warehouses, greenhouses, equip-
ment, and personnel. The director was also a member, disbursing
officer, or executive officer of 14 related commissions. Mail handled
by the department increased by 25% between 1924 and 1930.
Director Grant was cognizant of the importance of his position and
his history. In 1931 the Office of Public Buildings and Public Parks
took steps to preserve its records from 1791 to the present. Citing in
the annual report the succession of administrators of public property,
including President’s Park, from January 22, 1791, to 1930, the
director wrote that the records and papers were being summarized
into a history of the planning and development of the buildings and
public grounds of the capital city. The history was scheduled to be
completed by the end of June 1931.7"

In 1930 botanist Frederick Coville inventoried the plant material in
Lafayette Square, marking their types and locations. The inventory
presaged a resumption of the work originally begun by Grant in the
1920s for the redesign of Lafayette Square, which would begin again
in the next few years.?”

Also in 1930 a landscape architect was added to the staff and pre-
pared a number planting designs for the Executive Mansion and
other park properties. By the next year the former Horticultural
Division had been eliminated, with duties being taken over by
sections in the Park Division. In 1928 the Engineering Division took
over responsibilities of the Design and Construction Division, and in
1930 the Park Division replaced the Park Maintenance Division, and

217. [Smith], "History of Changes,” 6-7, 9; “Historical Information on the White House
and Its Furnishings,” 10, HSTL; Annual Report, Director of Public Buildings and Public Parks,
1929, 15; Seale, The President's House, 893-99

218. Annual Report, Director of Public Buildings and Public Parks, 1930, 1-4, 7. The next
year it was reported that the history would be written only up to 1854. No mention is
made of any compiled histories in subsequent reports. See ibid., 1932, 3; ibid., 1932,
passim.

219. Coville to Grant, Jan, 20, 1930, 1460/Lafayette Park, box 11, acc. 64A-42,
ESF/WHL/NPS; T. Sutton Jett (reg. dir} to Harrison A. Williams Jr, Feb. 28, 1964,
D18/Lafayette Park (1963-67), box 21, acc. 72A-6215, ESF/WHL/NPS; “Tree Markers,
con’t.,” 1430/Tablets, Markers, etc., box 17, acc. 66A-1097, ESF/WHL/NPS.

(CRAPTER S. THE WHITE HOUSE, WASHINGTON, AND THE WORLD: 1897-1933


By March 1792 work had already slowly begun on the site of the
Executive Mansion. Workers had cut trees, and the acreage
immediately south of the proposed building had been made into a
sort of construction yard and staging area. Stone from the Aquia
Creek quarry — 99,000 cubic feet of it — had been stockpiled in the
vicinity of Goose Creek for foundation material.*

After the selection of Hoban’s design in July, work began in earnest.
Washington added stone detailing to the exterior and advised that
wood shingles for the house be replaced by slate or tile. The commis-
sioners lost no time engaging Hoban as supervisor of construction at
300 guineas a month. The contract also may have included the
grounds surrounding the Executive Mansion, since it noted that
Hoban‘s work, as guided by the commission, might “be confined to
the Palace or extended to other objects as they may chuse {sic].” On
July 19, 1792, the commissioners met with Hoban to stake out the
new residence. Local Masons set a brass plaque in the cornerstone of
the President’s House on October 13, 1792, according to Masonic
ritual. Washington was not able to be present, being in Philadelphia
at the time of the ceremony.”

From the beginning, the commissioners recognized that a great num-
ber of skilled laborers, including stonecutters, would be needed for
the project, and on July 5, 1792, even before the final design was
chosen, they passed a resolution authorizing the recruitment of up to
100 Scottish “mechanics and laborers.” Passage to the United States
would be paid by the commission. The commissioners promised
workers £12 sterling a month, 26 working days to a month, with
salaries to be paid in clothing allowance or in cash. Provisions would
be supplied by the commission. Only single men were eligible to
apply. The commission sent two copies of the resolution to a John
Laird, with a copy to the secretary of state, presumably for recruit-
ment purposes. A 65-year-old master stonemason, Collen William-
son of Dyke, Scotland, represented the type of skilled workman
needed by the commission; he worked on the project until 1795.8

36. Seale, The President's House, 23-24.

37. Selection and confirmation of James Hoban, July 17, 18, 1792, “Records of the
Commissioners,” 123-25, RG 42; laying of cornerstone for President's House, Oct. 13,
1792, ibid., 145A; Seale, The President's House, 31-33, 36; Fitzpatrick, The Writings of
George Washington, 31:427, as noted in the McClure collection, ESF/WHL/NPS; W. E.
Woodward, “George Washington, the Image and the Man,” as quoted by Mable Fern
Faling in China Used by the Presidents, 5, as noted in the McClure collection, ESF/WHL/NPS.

38. Minutes of meeting, Apr. 14, 1792, “Records of the Commissioners,” 98-100, RG
42; agreement with William Hill, May 3, 1792, ibid., 100-1; agreement with Anthony
Hoke, May 3, 1792, ibid., 101-2; resolution regarding Scot laborers, July 5, 1792, ibid.,
120.

Daniel Carroll, Thomas
Johnson, David Stuart,
Gustavus Scott, William
Thornton, Alexander White,
William Cranch, and
Tristram Dalton

21

Commissioners for the District of Columbia — January 22, 1791, to May 1, 1802


John M. Wilson — March 31, 1893, to February 16, 1897;
John S. Sewell — February 16, 1897, to March 9, 1897

With the return of Grover Cleveland to the White House in March
1893, John M. Wilson also returned as officer in charge. Wilson
served at the site until February 16, 1897, at which time John S.
Sewell temporarily assumed the post until March 9, 1897.

John S. Sewell’s brief assignment does not show up in his official
record. Born in Kentucky, Sewell entered West Point on June 16,
1887, and graduated second in his class. Beginning his career as a
second lieutenant in the Corps of Engineers on June 12, 1891, he was
promoted to first lieutenant on October 25, 1895, at which rank he
served at the White House. His comparatively low rank indicates that
his appointment was seen as temporary. After his brief assignment,
Sewell was promoted to major in the Ist U.S. Volunteer Engineers on
May 31, 1898. During this service he was promoted to lieutenant
colonel on January 21, 1899. He was honorably discharged from the
volunteer engineers on January 24, 1899; he then served as a captain
in the Corps of Engineers until February 2, 1901.

General Administration

The Second Grover Cleveland Administration. In the second Cleveland
administration, steward William Sinclair (who returned with the
Clevelands} relied more and more on a position referred to as “chief
usher.” William Dubois, first employed by Cleveland, was the first to
assume that title, which did not become official until 1897. All
personnel continued to work closely with the superintendent of
public buildings and grounds,"

In 1893 the officer in charge oversaw events such as President
Cleveland's inaugural parade and the Easter egg roll. There were also
unusual challenges. For example, because of an outbreak of scarlet
fever in the house, the District of Columbia health officer saw that
the two northwest bedrooms were stripped, walls scraped, and
furnishings destroyed.*

140. Heitman, Historical Register, United States Army, 1:875.
141. Seale, The President's House, 611, 612.

142. [Smith], "History of Changes"; See Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1893, ii, iv,
4315-16, 4326-31, 4336, 4340; Utica [New York] Saturday Globe, Nov. 25, 1893, as
quoted by George H. Town to Jonathan Daniels, Feb. 18, 1950, OF 50, file 4, box 309,
HSTL.

John M. Wilson — March
31, 1893, to February 16,
1897; John S. Sewell —
February 16, 1897, to
March 9, 1897

John Sewell

Courtesy: History Office,
U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers

157

U.S. Army Comps of Engineers, Office of Public Buildings and Grounds — March 2, 1867, to March 9, 1897



Russell E. Dickenson —
Sepiember 26, 1969, to
November 11, 1973; Manus
J. Fish — November 11,
1973, to September 4, 1988;
Elmer S. Atkins (Assistant
Regional Director) — May 4,
1969, to December 31, 1983

348

park staff coordinated events and provided services for activities
connected with the Bicentennial of the American Revolution.”*

A 20-year project to make much-needed repairs in Sherman Park and
to conserve resources was started in 1976. Besides repairs to statuary
and mosaics, walkways and lighting were redesigned with the assis-
tance of the National Capital Planning Commission and the National
Park Service. Archeological artifacts were added to the President's
Park artifact collection."

The Bicentennial Celebration — In conjunction with the Bicentennial
celebration, the White House visitor program, consisting of a ticket-
ing system for White House tours, officially started April 14, 1976,
with attendance by Mrs. Ford; the program was scheduled to run
from March to October each year thereafter. Attending the opening
were 12,150 people; later as many as 13,000 people were accom-
modated in four hours, but the average daily attendance was 3,500
per three-hour period, with a total of 1.5 million visitors for the year.
The initial program consisted of ticket distribution for timed tours,
continuous entertainment for visitors, and covered bleacher seating
on the Ellipse. To operate the program, 33 rangers and 10
maintenance employees, all temporary employees, were required. The
program continues teday, but at reduced levels.°

State visits during the Bicentennial included those by King Hussein of
Jordan, President Valery Giscard d’Estaing of France, King Juan
Carlos I of Spain, and Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip of Great
Britain. Wreath-laying ceremonies, a special July 4th celebration,
events for foreign exchange students, garden tours, and similar
events marked the National Park Service’s observance of the Bicen-
tennial year. Concerts in President's Park included performances by
Woody Herman, Billy Taylor, Maynard Ferguson, Dizzy Gillespie,

118. Park manager (President's Park), to assoc. dir. (WHL), Aug. 6, 1976; deputy dir. to
all superintendents {NCP}, Aug. 16, 1976; NPS, “Role and Function Statement,” Aug. 16,
1976; Bob Marshall (curator) to Edmond Pirlot, Sept. 1, 1976; mgmt. asst. (WHL) to
chief (Maintenance), Sept. 30, 1976; mgmt. asst. (WHL) to assoc. dir. (Administration),
Oct. 4, 1976; Vikki McGraw to division chiefs, memorandum, Oct. 5, 1976; Atkins to
Castro, Oct. 19, 1976; all in A7217/Reading File (Aug. 1976-Dec 1976), WHL-AM-010,
ESE/WHL/NPS.

119. “Gen. William T. Sherman,” n.d.; “Report on Sherman Statue,” nd.; Luther C.
Burnett (supt.) to dir. (NPS), Feb. 4, 1974; all in D66/Sherman Statue, box 31, acc. 79-
80-0002, WH&WPP files, ESE/AWHL/NPS.

120, [William F Rubacki (park mgr, President's Park), “Report of National Park Service
Bicentennial Activities,“ Aug. 6, 1976, A7217/reading file (Aug. 1976—Dec 1976) (1 of 2},
WHL-AM-O10, Records of White House Liaison, ESF/ARD/WHL/NPS; notes, Krause
{ESF/WHL/NPS)}, July 13, 2000.

‘CHAPTER 7. THE NATION'S FRONTYARD: 1958-1983.


Appendix C. Annotated Legislative History

United States Code, Title 3 — The President

White House; Administration; Preservation of Museum Character;
Articles of Historic or Artistic Interest

Pub. L. 87-286, Sept. 22, 1961, 75 Stat. 586, provided: “That ail of that
portion of reservation numbered 1 in the city of Washington, District of
Columbia, which is within the President’s park enclosure, comprising
eighteen and seven one-hundredths acres, shall continue to be known as the
White House and shal] be administered pursuant to the Act of August 25,
1916 (39 Stat. 535; 16 U.S.C. 1-3), and Acts supplementary thereto and
amendatory thereof. In carrying out this Act primary attention shall be
given to the preservation and interpretation of the museum character of the
principal corridor on the ground floor and the principal public rooms on the
first floor of the White House, but nothing done under this Act shall
conflict with the administration of the Executive offices of the President or
with the use and occupancy of the buildings and grounds as the home of
the President and his family and for his official purposes.

“Src. 2. Articles of furniture, fixtures, and decorative objects of the
White House, when declared by the President to be of historic or artistic
interest, together with such similar articles, fixtures, and objects as are
acquired by the White House in the future when similarly so declared, shall
thereafter be considered to be inalienable and the property of the White
House. Any such article, fixture, or object when not in use or on display in
the White House shall be transferred by direction of the President as a loan
to the Smithsonian Institution for its care, study, and storage or exhibition
and such articles, fixtures, and objects shall be returned to the White House
from the Smithsonian Institution on notice by the President.

“Sec. 3. Nothing in this Act shall alter any privileges, powers, or duties
vested in the White House Police and the United States Secret Service,
Treasury Department, by section 202 of title 3, United States Code, and
section 3056 of title 18, United States Code.”

Pertinent Laws and Executive Orders Related to the White House and
President's Park

Constitution of the United States, 1789 — Provided Congress with legislative
control over a district not exceeding 10 miles square as the permanent
seat of government. The property was purchased for £25 (or $67) per
acre. The purchase of 540 acres cost the new government approxi-
mately $36,000. All questions of jurisdiction and authority in the
District of Columbia rest on this document.

399
Appendix C, Annotated Legislative History



Nathaniel Michler — March
13, 1867, to June 1, 1871

122

reclamation of lands in the vicinity of the Washington Monument.
He further advocated the tunneling of streets that crossed the Mall so
that the tracts might operate as one continuous pedestrian park.

Michler also reported for 1868 that, since the Treasury Building was
nearly finished, a comprehensive plan was needed for the adjacent
properties and President’s Park. He reported that after consultation
with the late commissioner of public buildings, the secretary of the
treasury and the supervising architect of the treasury, a new avenue
would be opened for east-west travel between 15th and 17th Streets
in the vicinity of today’s Hamilton and State Places. He also asked for
$67,000 to fence the entire reservation. Michler stated that Lafayette
Square had been much improved, but that there still were drainage
problems.” :

Michler, who was aware of municipal improvement programs tak-
ing place in Europe’s great cities, presented comparisons of various
park systems, and suggested improvements such as fountains, orna-
mental lakes, and similar elaborations. He suggested that Washing-
ton Canal and Tiber Creek be either improved or closed because of
poor maintenance and their functions as open sewers. Michler also
reported that the presidential mansion had been repainted, papered,
and carpeted and that the conservatory had been rebuilt after a fire in
1867. Requests for annual maintenance costs jumped noticeably in
the years after the war. improvements to Lafayette Square increased
to $10,000, according to the annual report for 1868. The annual
repair appropriation for the White House increased from $3,000 to
$10,000. Even manure costs increased to $3,000 a year."

The work completed in 1868 included continued improvement of the
south grounds and work on a portion of the new east-west roadway
across President's Park. Michler complained that only two men with
one cart were assigned to cleaning the 3-mile stretch of Pennsylvania
Avenue, which included the President’s House. In addition, a streetcar
line was established on Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the Executive
Mansion.”

A reduced budget and a drought in 1868 limited the extent of main-
tenance. Michler suggested that fountains be established in the land-

14. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1868, 6, 10.
15. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1868, 10-11, 26-27; ibid., 1869, 496-97.

16. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1868, 12, 17-18, 26-27; Communication of N.
Michler, 1-7.

17. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1869, 496-97.

CHAPTER 4. THE UNITED STATES ON THE THRESHOLD OF WORLD POWER: 1867-1897


Chapter 1. Beginnings: 1791-1802

An Overview of the Period

uestions about the location of the nation’s seat of

government had plagued officials since 1774, when the

Virginia legislature called for a colonial congress “to meet

at such place annually as shall be thought to be most
convenient.”* More than 30 sites were suggested between 1782 and
1790. During the American Revolution, French troops under the
Comte de Rochambeau had camped in the vicinity of Alexandria and
Georgetown, not far from the future site of the national capital.
French designer and engineer Maj. Pierre Charles UEnfant, a Revolu-
tionary War veteran, noted to George Washington in 1789 that the
new nation had an unprecedented opportunity to select and build a
city specifically tailored to its function as the seat of national gov-
ernment. LEnfant had been talking of such a project since 1784, and
he was appointed by Washington as the city’s planner in 1789 on his
own request.?

Everyone had a different, idea concerning what the capital city should
be. Some felt that the new city should be a great commercial center
as well as a seat of government. Others believed it should be a
cultural center for the nation. Still others questioned the propriety of
the new republic’s capital being located in any region that condoned
human slavery. There were also those who feared the influence of
such a municipal entity and thought it smacked too much of Euro-
pean monarchical traditions. The new federal government also needed
a secure and permanent location, one that would be as free as
possible from the intrigues and complications of state and’ local

1 Kenneth R. Bowling, Creating the Federal City, 1774-1800: Potomac Fever
(Washington, DC: American Institute of Architects Press, 1988), 12.

2. William Seale, The President's House, 2 vols. (Washington, DC: White House Histor-
ical Association, with the cooperation of the National Geographic Society, 1986), 2-3, 19;
“Campsites at Georgetown and Alexandria occupied by the Comte de Rochambeau’s
troops on their march northward from Yorktown, prior to the founding of Washington,
D.., in 1791,” in America Campagne, 1782. Plans des Different Camps . .. 15, 16, as noted
in Andrew J. Cosentino and Richard W. Stephenson, comps., City of Magnificent Distances:
The Nation's Capital — A Checklist (Washington, DC: Library of Congress, 1991), 2;
Bowling, Creating the Federal City, 12, 23.

3
An Overview of the Period



completed by 1953. As a result, interpretation and tourist-related Edward J. Kelly — July 28,
services became increasingly important at President’s Park.”” 1950, to May 10, 1958

The National Park Service reestablished greenhouse facilities for the
White House by 1952, though on a smaller scale than before. The
building being used was recommended for expansion, with con-
struction costs estimated at $5,000 and plant materials at $2,500."

Even after the White House was renovated, people continued to sug-
gest that the president abandon the building and move to another
site. One who made this suggestion was Leslie Moore of the Evening
Gazette in Worcester, Massachusetts. However, President Truman did
not seriously entertain any such proposals.'*

The Dwight D. Eisenhower Administration. For the inauguration of
Dwight D. Eisenhower on January 20, 1953, a competition for
designs for the presidential reviewing stand was won by architect
Robert A. Hepner. Fifty thousand seats were projected for the stands,
with 10,000 scheduled for the court of honor section in and around
the presidential reviewing stand. In general, however, the seating
design followed that of the 1948 inauguration. In addition, Congress
passed legislation for the 1953 inauguration, enabling the National
Park Service and various other governmental agencies to provide
much-needed services to make the ceremony a success. Construction
of the grandstands cost $100,000."

Americans were fascinated by anything related to the White House.
In 1953 Mrs. Elmer Popkin of Sleepy Eye, Minnesota, requested soil
from the White House grounds. The National Park Service sent her a
box of earth and sand from the Ellipse; she was informed that it was
impossible to take the material from inside the fence."

110. Annual Report, Secretary of the Interior, National Park Service, 1953, 314; ibid., 1954,

334-35, 359; ibid., 1955, 332.

111. Harding to asst. supt., Jan. 10, 1952, 920-50/Greenhouses, box 1, acc. 64A-42,
ESF/WHL/NPS.

112. Truman to Leslie Moore, Jan. 28, 1956, post-presidential files (White House data),
box 91, HSTL.

113. Special asst. to the supt. (NCP), Nov. 19, 1952; Col. Jack D. Dale Jr. (USAF), to
Kelly, Jan. 5, 1953; Gartside to Chesapeake & Potomac Telephone Co., Jan. 15, 1953;
Kelly to Maury Nee (chairman, Concessions Committee), Jan. 16, 1953; James R. Skinner
to Kelly, Feb. 11, 1953; Kelly to Archie G. Hutson (chairman, Subcommittee on Con-
struction of Grandstands), Feb. 17, 1953; all in 1115-45/inauguration, box 10, acc.
64A-42, WH&WPP files, ESF/WHL/NPS.

114. Thompson to Mrs, Elmer Popkin, July 9, 1953, 960/Information (3), box 6, acc.
64A-42, WHAWP? files, ESE/WHL/NPS.

285
Office of National Parks, Buildings, and Reservations — August 10, 1933, to March 2, 1934; National Park Service — March 2, 1934, to May 10, 1958


406

APPENDIXES

Office of Public Buildings and Public Parks, which had formerly oper-
ated the park system of the national capital and environs (48 Stat. 389).

Historic Sites Act, August 21, 1935 — Established a national policy for the
preservation of public resources by giving the secretary of the interior
the power to establish historic surveys and to evaluate, document,
acquire, and preserve archeological and historic sites nationwide. Estab-
lished the Historic Sites Survey, the Historic American Buildings Survey,
the Historic American Engineering Survey, and the national landmarks
program, all within the National Park Service (49 Stat. 666).

Act of August 27, 1935 — Required federal administrators to refer buildings
scheduled for demolition to the secretary of the interior so that a deter-
mination could be made (within 90 days) as to whether or not the
structures are historic buildings of national significance within the
meanings contained in the Historic Sites Act (54 Stat. 764}.

Joint Resolution of Congress, June 22, 1936 — Dealt with administration of
inaugurations and jurisdictions of various entities (49 Stat. 1824-26).

Act of June 20, 1938 —- Established a zoning law for the District of Colum-
bia, but not applicable to federal buildings; specified that location,
height, bulk, number of stories, and size of federal buildings should be
approved by the National Capital Park and Planning Commission (52
Stat. 797).

Act of April 3, 1939 — Transferred the administration of public buildings to
the Public Buildings Administration of the Federal Works Agency; left
the administration of the park system of the District of Columbia under
NPS jurisdiction (53 Stat. 1426-27).

Plan 1 on Government Reorganization, April 25, 1939 — Issued by President
Franklin Roosevelt, pursuant to the act of Congress approved April 3,
1939 (House document 262, 76th Cong.).

Act of July 31, 1939 — Extended the jurisdiction of the act of May 16,
1930, to include the environs abutting Lafayette Park (53 Stat. 561).

Act of April 22, 1940 — Amended act of September 14, 1922, to authorize
an increase in the White House Police force, with members to be
appointed from the Metropolitan Police and the United States Park
Police. (54 Stat. 841).

Act of December 20, 1944 —~ PL 513 allowed public spaces to be used for
1945 inaugural activities, provided there would be no serious or
permanent injuries inflicted on reservations, public spaces, or statuary;
required prompt restoration (58 Stat. 832-34).

Act of May 5, 1945, PL 79-49 — Authorized $150,000 “for the care,
maintenance, repair and alteration, furnishings, improvements, heating
and lighting” of the Executive Mansion and grounds (59 Stat. 106).

Act of Dec. 28, 1945, PL 79-269 — Authorized $1,650,000 for an addition
to the Executive Mansion, including “alterations, improvements, and
furnishings, and for improvement of grounds” 59 Stat 634.


Thomas Munroe — May 1,
1802, to March 3, 1817

50

streets, squares, parcels and lots, as the President shall deem
proper for the use of the United States.°*

Breckinridge further stated that the president had the sole power to
control the city plan and that any such act was “a complete exercise
of his power and is irrevocable by himself and binding on his
successors, . .. He has determined the plan. .. . He had the exclusive
power to do so; he has completely expended that power, and it is
unalterable, not only by his successors, but by Congress itself.”*”
Such concepts found less than perfect applications, however.

Site Security

Security remained a concern during the first years of the 19th
century. Jefferson made notes concerning a guardhouse to control
public access to President's Park and the White House and to increase
privacy.” Nevertheless, under Jefferson the President’s House,
grounds, and other public buildings remained open to visitors,
although individuals such as architect Benjamin Latrobe urged their
closing due to alleged pilfering.*°

‘Prior to the British invasion of Washington and its: abandonment by

the U.S. government, about 100 American troops were billeted in the
“commons” (later Lafayette Square) across from the White House.
Cannon were positioned at the main gates.”

36, Senate doc, 136, 34th Cong., 1st sess., Apr. 16, 1856, “Report {to Accompany Bill S.
151 to} The Committee on the District of Columbia Instructing Them to Inquire into and
Report What Jurisdiction the Congress of the United States Has over the Avenues of the
City, ete.,” 2.

37... Senate doc. 136, 34th Cong., Apr. 16, 1856, 2.

38. Seale, The President's House, 114.

39, Seale, The President’s House, 120, 124.

40. Seale, The President's House, 132-37; Dolkart, The Old Executive Office Building, 4.

(CHAPTER 2, THE GROWTH OF THE REPUBLIC: 1802-1849


General Administration

The Woodrow Wilson Administration. In 1917 permits were granted
for military drills and training on the Ellipse. Most groups
Tepresented various government agencies; one group was made up of
women. As a result of World War I, personnel and foot traffic
increased, causing a great many dirt paths to develop throughout the
site, particularly on the west side. The officer in charge asked that
regular sidewalk systems be introduced."

Recreation expanded dramatically at President’s Park in. 1918. Base-
ball diamonds on the Ellipse were reserved for uniformed players,
two of the diamonds being occupied by the Navy League and the
Departmental League. Myriad other duties continued to occupy the
time of the officer in charge, from replacing 14 arc lights on the
south grounds with new incandescent lamps to resurfacing the mac-
adam drives in the north part of the park with a substance known as
Glutrin. By 1918 the Office of Public Buildings and Grounds was
divided into five administrative divisions: Northwest, Southwest,
East, Potomac Park, and Rock Creek; the office had responsibility for
439 parks and 1,227 acres, including President’s Park."

War priorities limited construction at the site. After the war a new
circular spray was added to the south fountain, and the sewer lines
on West Executive Avenue were reworked in 1919. Three grass tennis
courts were laid out at 15th and B Streets, and a volleyball court was
established on the Ellipse. The officer in charge complained that there
was no place in President's Park South to store tools or trash. Such a
facility was built in the area of the present-day Second Division
Monument sometime after 1919.%

By 1920 the demand for recreational facilities in the city was “ex-
ceedingly heavy,” with 84,143 tennis players and 34,350 baseball
players on 134 baseball teams. Clay tennis courts and croquet courts
were established at the corner of 15th and Constitution by 1919, and
the bridle path still wound through the trees of the Ellipse. Band con-
certs continued on the south grounds in summer from 5 to 6:30
P.M., with an average of 887 people attending each concert.”

150. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1917, 3711-17; ibid., 1918, 1935, 1949, 1952;
ibid., 1925, 1949; Seale, The President's House, 808-9, 815, 816-17, 839.

151. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1918, 3775-77, 3792, 2036.
152. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1919, 2067, 3822.

153. Annual Report, Chief of Engineers, 1920, 4130, 4131; NPS, President's Park South, plate
xx.

Clarence S. Ridley —
September 22, 1917, to
March 21, 1921

207

US. Army Corps of Engincers, Office of Public Buildings and Grounds — March 9, 1897, to February 26, 1925


U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Office of Public Buildings
and Grounds — March 2, 1867, to March 9, 1897

On March 2, 1867, Congress abolished the position of commissioner
of public buildings under the U.S. Department of the Interior and
transferred the office’s records and authority to the U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers. The military official at the White House and President's
Park was called the officer in charge of public buildings and grounds.
As commander in chief, the president could exercise direct control
over appointments and dismissals of the officer in charge.*

The administrative office consisted of a clerk, the public gardener, and
various foremen of the public grounds section. This arrangement
continued until 1901, although titles sometimes changed, with the
clerk being restyled as the overseer and then the chief clerk, and the
gardener being renamed the landscape gardener. The officer in charge
cooperated with the domestic staff and remained closely aligned with
the president, serving as both chief military aide to the president and
often as a social and protocol officer, officiating at receptions and
formal affairs as the preceding commissioner had.°

From the start of the Corps of Engineers’ tenure at the White House,
@ the position of White House steward was overshadowed by the
military. The assassination of President Garfield only strengthened
this way of doing business. Until the formal establishment of the
position of chief usher in the 1890s and the exit of the Corps of
Engineers from the property in 1933, the military would dominate
administration of both the White House and President’s Park.

8. 14 Stat. 466. The position title would officially remain as officer in charge; how-
ever, the titles of commissioner and superintendent were also used. For the purposes of
this study, and to avoid confusion with other superintendencies at the site, the position is
referred to as the officer in charge until the Corps’ administrative reorganization at the
site in 1925. This period of administration also includes the commission to select the site
for the State, War, and Navy Building, Dec. 14, 1869, to Mar. 3, 1871; and the
Commission for the State, War, and Navy Building, Mar. 3, 1883, to Feb. 26, 1925.

9, Dowd, Records of Public Buildings and Public Parks, 49-50.

119
US, Army Comps of Engineers, Office of Public Buildings and Grounds — March 2, 1867, to March 9, 1897


supplied President’s Park water. Water also was obtained from the
river.*

Blake's report for 1856 covered a variety of subjects. It indicated that
heavy snows had damaged the roof of the President’s House and that
“extensive repairs” had been made; also, paving had been done on the
north and at Lafayette Square. The original market house in the
immediate vicinity of the White House had been removed and the lot
it occupied was planted and fenced as a park, thus removing the nui-
sance. However, the additional center market house continued to be a
nuisance, and Blake called for its removal as well. He also reported
that Congress was in controversy as to whether or not the Capitol
grounds should be extended westward and whether or not this
extension would “destroy the beautiful vista between the Capitol and
the President's House.”*? :

In February 1857 the superintendent of the Treasury Building con-
struction reported that both the greenhouse and the stables of the
Executive Mansion would need to be removed and that provisions be
made for their replacement. Blake suggested that the greenhouse be
moved to the west terrace and that the vegetable garden be moved
offsite. Thus Jefferson's ferme ornée concept left the landscape of the
White House. The recommendation for the garden included not only
an offsite location but also the construction of a gardener’s building.
The price for a new stable location south of the grounds in the Ellipse
area was projected at $20,000. The Ellipse area was suggested “as the
grounds are now being encroached upon... and. . . greatly
diminished.”

Blake also suggested that, because of the unhealthy situation at the
house, another residence be considered for summer and fall use by
the president.”

The James Buchanan Administration. During the Buchanan adminis-
tration the household was initially managed by the president’s niece,
Harriet Lane, and his nephew, Buck Henry, who also served as
private secretary to the president. They were assisted by Buchanan’s
Wheatland housemaid, Esther Parker (“Miss Hetty”). After a conflict

58. Annual Report, Commissioner of Public Buildings, 1855, 597.
59. Annual Report, Commissioner of Public Buildings, 1856, 852-55, 859-60.

60. “Letter from the Secretary of the Interior Transmitting Correspondence in Regard to
the Necessary Removal of Certain Buildings about the Presidential Mansion, &c., &c.,”
34th Cong., 3rd sess. Misc. Doc. 64 (Washington], n.d.), 1-3.

61. Anmual Report, Commissioner of Public Buildings, 1857, 718, 720, 721.

John B, Blake —- June 5,
1855, to May 31, 1861

103

US. Department of the interior, Commissioner of Fublic Buildings — March 5, 1849, to March 2, 1867


Frank T. Gartside — August
10, 1933, to October 9,
1933; C. Marshall Finnan ~
October 9, 1933, to July 31,
1939

250

In 1932 Congress passed a joint resolution to change the date of
inauguration from March 3 to January 20. Ratified as the 20th
Amendment to the Constitution, it was effective in 1937 for Franklin
D. Roosevelt’s second inauguration. The legislation allowed the
Inaugural Committee to erect stands, public toilets, and other
necessary facilities on park property from 3rd to 17th Streets
without the National Park Service or the Secret Service being liable
for injury or any other claim in conjunction with the use of the
stands and other facilities. Superintendent Finnan was asked to serve
on the Grandstand Committee, and planning for the event began a
year in advance. The National Capital Parks office was asked to
decorate the court of honor, which consisted of a replica of Andrew
Jackson's Tennessee home, the Hermitage. However, the office had no
control over seating, which was handled exclusively by the Inaugural
Committee. More special police were used to protect park resources.
The Inaugural Committee's contractors removed the stands on
February 15, 1937."

As the years progressed, project-by-project work continued at the
White House. Ground floor rooms under the south portico were
enclosed with glazed doors in 1937. The fence surrounding the White
House, its gates, and its posterns were extensively reworked between
1937 and 1940 at a cost of $35,700. The old fence was supposedly
sent to Fort Stevens Park in the northwest section of the District of
Columbia. However, a memorandum written in 1942 indicated that
the fence had been given to the World War II scrap metal drive by
Secretary of the Interior Harold Ickes. In 1939 estimates were
prepared for a new, higher fence in front of the East Wing on East
Executive Avenue, with estimates of $14,850.

By 1937, in preparation for the construction of the Jefferson
Memorial, the propagating gardens and the White House green-

21. Joint Resohution, Mar. 3, 1932 (48 Stat. 745), ratified as 20th Amendment on Jan. 23,
1933; Finnan to Demaray, memorandum, Jan. 12, 1936; “Special Police Detail for
Inauguration Day, January 20, 1937, 9 A.m. to 5 P.M.”; Daniel L. Sultan (chairman,
Grandstand Committee) to Finnan, Dec. 23, 1936; Gartside to Stanford E. Abel, Feb. 18,
1937, all in 1115-45/inauguration, box 10, acc. 64A-42, WH&WPP files,
ESF/WHL/NPS. Finnan’s memorandum dated Jan. 12, 1936, specifically mentions the
second inauguration of President Roosevelt — 12 months before the event. Either the year
was a typographical error or Finnan was extrethely confident of Roosevelt's reelection.

22. “Historical Information on the White House and Its Furnishings,” 12, HSTL; Paul
Hodge, “White House Gates to Be Replaced,” Washington Post, Feb. 26, 1976. Margaret B.
Stratton (chief, Records and Graphics Sec.) to McClure, memorandum, June 18 1956;
Gillen to Pvt. Earle L. Ross, memorandum, Oct. 22, 1942; Gillen to Gist, memorandum,
Oct. 17, 1939; “Estimate of Cost — New Fence and Steps at East Entrance to Executive
Mansion, Oct. 18, 1938”; Oliver G. Taylor (chief engineer) to Gartside, memorandum,
Feb. 23, 1938; all in 950-13/Fences and Gates, box 4, acc. 64A-42, ESF/WHL/NPS.

(CHAPTER 6. THE NEW DEAL, WORLD WAR HI, AND PEACE: 1933-1958


Russell E. Dickenson —
September 26, 1969, to
November 11, 1973; Manus
J. Fish — November 11,
1973, to September 4, 1988;
Elmer S, Atkins (Assistant
Regional Director} — May 4,
1969, to December 31, 1983

342

decision against religious symbols remained in force. The National
Park Service still allowed independent groups to erect nativity scenes
on the Ellipse adjacent to the Pageant of Peace but refused to sponsor
such events. Requirements included the participation of a licensed
veterinarian of the Washington Humane Society to ensure the proper
treatment of animals at the créche.”

Improvements to the White House and the Ellipse for fiscal year 1973
were projected to cost $1,200,000; this amount included two
fountains and planning for outer circle walks on the Ellipse, with
$580,000 for unspecified improvements to the White House itself.*

Local contractors and planners attempted to revive Skidmore, Owings
& Merrill‘s plans for an underground parking garage in the Ellipse
area in 1973. Promotion of the plans had lost momentum during the
1968 election. New plans projected parking space for more than
4,000 cars and buses, with a construction cost of $8,195 per space.
Planning for the Ellipse sidewalk program and improvements to the
north lawn and Pennsylvania Avenue continued in 1973, with
funding projected at $20,000. Plans were also made for the cleaning
and repair of statuary in the park."

Elmer Atkins listed his goals for 1973 in a memorandum. He noted
the need for a program that would ensure improvements to the
property as well as the comfort, safety, and well-being of the first
family. To achieve that goal, Atkins wanted to “develop a stronger,
broader liaison” with the Chief Usher’s Office, the U.S. Secret Service,
and the General Services Administration. He called for regular
meetings with these entities and the coordination of projects and
proposed budgets. Atkins said the museum quality of the first floor

99. Shari J. Krieger to Nixon, Nov. 24, 1974; Harriet Miller fo Nixon, Nov. 22, 1972;
John Howard Hollander to Nixon, n.d.; Scott J. Cunningham to Nixon, Nov. 16, 1972;
all mn A8227/Christmas Pageant of Peace (1/1/72-12/31/72) (1), box 29, acc. 79-
770003, ESE/WHL/NPS. Fish to Mrs. Michael A. Levin, Jan. 30, 1974; Fish to Krieger,
Oct. 23, 1974; chief (Special Events) to dir. (NCP), Oct. 21, 1974; Dickenson to Cindy
Lily, Dec. 27, 1972; all in A8227/Christmas Pageant of Peace (1/1/74) (4), box 30, ace.
79-770003, ESF/ARD/WHL/NPS. Chief (Special Events) to assoc. dir. (Professional
Services}, memorandum, July 22, 1974; assoc. dir. (Cooperative Activities) to chief
(Special Events}, memorandum, Aug. 6, 1974; both in D66/General Memorials (6/1/74)
{2}, box 31, acc. 79-77000-3, ESF/ARD/WHL/NPS. The original tree died and was later
replaced.

100. Edward $. Peetz to dir. (NCP), memorandum: “Construction Program, 1973 Fiscal
Year,” Apr. 7, 1972, D22/FY Construction Programs/NCR Areas (1/1/72), box 30, acc.
79-770003, ESF/ARD/WHL/NPS.

101. “1973 Construction Projects,” July 13, 1972; “1973 Non-Programmed Construc-
tion Projects,” July 13, 1972; coordinator to chief (Maintenance, NCP-West}, Sept. 5,
1973; all in F1423 (FY 1972), box 31, acc. 79-80-0002, ARD/ESE/WHL/NPS. Russell to
Evans, Feb. 9, 1971, D18/Mall Plan, box 28, acc. 79-7524, ARD/ESF/WHL/NPS.

CHAPTER 7. THE NATION'S FRONTYARD: 1958-1983


Truman thought the exterior walls of the White House could be
saved and a new modern steel and concrete structure built on the
inside that would duplicate the original treatments. The precision
leveling of the structure was handled by the U.S. Coast and Geodetic
Survey, and Mahmood K. Taher, who was hired by Spencer, White
and Prentis, figured out how to incorporate permanent steel columns
with the temporary shoring and contributed the most to the overall
shoring design for the outer walls. Taher, a naturalized citizen born
in Persia (Iran), made possible the preservation of the symbol of the
White House, thus adding his name to the diverse list of American
citizens who, over the years, have contributed to both the construc-
tion and the history of the White House.”

Patrick O’Brien, Mary Yeater Rathbun, and Patrick O'Bannon, ed. Christine Whitacre
(Denver Service Center, 1992), 161-62.

73. Seale, The President's House, 1028-30; Truman to Leslie Moore, Jan. 28, 1956, post-
presidential files (White House Data), box 91, HSTL; Truman to Clarence Cannon, May 3,
1948, PSF file 1, box 301, HSTL; “Second Report of the Commission on the Renovation of
the Executive Mansion,” Aug. 1, 1950, p. 1, PSE, file 2, box 301, HSTL; “Move the
President Out of the White House?” The Evening Gazette (Worcester, MA], Jan. 14, 1956;
Richard E, Dougherty, ASCE, “The White House Made Safe,” Civil Engineering, July 1952,
483-88. For the reference to Taher, see Winslow to Truman, memorandum, June 23,
1950, and Robert E. White to Winslow, memorandum, June 20, 1950, PSF, file 2, box
301, HSTL; Howard S. Rappleye, “Precision Leveling at the White House,” Transactions:
American Geophysical Union 33 (Feb. 1952): 1-7, D3415/White House (1/1/69), box 28,
ace. 79-7524, ESF/WHL/NPS.

Frank T. Gartside — July 31,
1939, to February 1, 1940;
Edmund B. Rogers —
February 1, 1940, to April
18, 1940; Francis F. Gillen
— April 18, 1940, to
January 2, 1941; Irvin C.
Root — January 2, 1941, to
July 28, 1950

White House Renovation
Supervisors, 1949-52

Left to right: Col. Douglas H.

Gillette,

Gen. Glenn E.

Edgerton, Lorenzo S. Winslow,
Harbin S. Chandler Jr., and
Bert Smice.

Courtesy: National Park

Service

271

Office of National Parks, Buildings, and Reservations — August 10, 1933, to March 2, 1934; National Park Service — March 2, 1934, to May 10, 1958


The conservatory, built of wood and glass, cost $4,000. Gardener John B. Blake — June 5,
John Watt purchased terra-cotta pots; hydrants were installed; and 1855, to May 31, 1861
heating was stubbed off the house heating plant, making the oil

stoves previously used in the former orangery unnecessary. Exotic

plants from Admiral Perry's Pacific adventures were installed, along

with other ferns and flowers intriguing to Victorian tastes.

The sidewalk south of Lafayette Square was replaced, underdrained,
and relaid. Gas lamps were installed on the remaining three sides of
the square. The commissioner recorded the popularity of Lafayette
Square with the public: “It is only necessary to direct attention to the
crowds that visit it on every fair evening.””

The flagged footways crossing Pennsylvania Avenue were repaired;
the commissioner noted that this repair was often necessary because
of the cobblestone street and the tendency for stones to move as a
result of heavy traffic. Congress appropriated $5,000 for “Belgian
pavement” for Pennsylvania Avenue at 7th Street, consisting of small
cobbles laid in sand, and 1,000 yards at $5 per yard were so paved as
an experiment. This intersection was the heaviest traveled, the com-
missioner reported. The paving was installed in June 1857 and wore
with great success. The commissioner recorded his investigations into
other types of paving, such as Russ pavement, which was laid in
concrete bottoms. However, it was so slippery in rain that horses lost
their footing; Russ pavement also did not drain, causing the pooling
of stagnant water, and it was hard to repair. Iron pavements were so
hard they injured horses’ hooves and were dusty in dry weather and
dirty in wet because of the earth used to fill between the “prongs,”
which, as the commissioner understood, had to be filed frequently.”

In 1858 the south end of President’s Park remained marshy, and
ducks continued to nest in the area. In that year Blake noted that the
south lawn had become crowded with the extension of the Treasury
Building and that the presidential grounds needed enlargement. Blake
again called for the removal of the south wall on the White House
grounds so that the grounds could be extended to the river. He
recorded that the “street immediately south of the wall [is] occupied
by the work shops and materials of the Treasury Building,” estab-
lishing the existence of an east-west roadway across the property.
Repairs to the house, as well as staffing and security levels, remained
the same as they had been for the last five years or so. Blake also

66. Annual Report, Commissioner of Public Buildings, 1857, 718, 720, 721.
67. Annual Report, Commissioner of Public Buildings, 1857, 718, 720, 721.
68. Annual Report, Commissioner of Public Buildings, 1857, 718, 720, 721.

105
U.S. Department of the interior, Commissioner of Public Buildings — March 5, 1849, to March 2, 1867


stables: Adams (J) tenure, 26; :
Adams (JQ) tenure, 63;
Buchanan tenure, 104; Cleveland
tenures, 148; Fillmore tenure,
89; Grant tenure, 128-129, 132;
Harrison (B) tenure, 155; Hayes
tenure, 138; Jackson tenure, 60,
66; Lincoln tenure, 110, 111;
McKinley tenure, 166, 169;
Monroe tenure, 53; Pierce
tenure, 102-103; Roosevelt (T)
tenure, 176, 185; Taft tenure,
193

Stackpole, Thomas, 104, 107, 109,
112

staff: Arthur tenure, 142;
Buchanan tenure, 103-104;
cafeteria, 264; Cleveland tenures,
147, 150-151, 157; dining
room, 229, 248; Fillmore tenure,
88; Garfield tenure, 141; Grant
tenure, 123-124; Harrison (B)
tenure, 151; Hayes tenure, 135-
136; Jefferson tenure, 42;
Johnson (A) tenure, 112, 119;
Lincoln tenure, 107, 109;
Madison tenure, 46; Pierce
tenure, 96-97; Polk tenure, 76,
81; quarters, 173, 201, 229;
Roosevelt (T) tenure, 174-175;
Taft tenure, 192, 196; Taylor
tenure, 87; Van Buren tenure,
68; Washington tenure, 20

Stagecraft, inc., 308

staircases: Buchanan tenure, 106;
Cleveland tenures, 149;
McKinley tenure, 173

stands: for Christmas tree
ceremonies, 256. See also
presidential inaugurations

Stanley, Thomas, 96

Stanton, Glenn, 280

Stanton, Robert G., 363, 363-382

starlings, Kennedy tenure, 309-310

State, U.S. Department of, 53

State Department Building:
Diplomatic Reception Rooms,
354; Monroe tenure, 54; Old,
removal of, 102; Roosevelt (FD)
tenure, 247; Taylor tenure, 88

State Dining Room: Carter tenure,
351; Cleveland tenures, 159;
Coolidge tenure, 223; Madison
tenure, 48; McKinley tenure,
173; Roosevelt (T) tenure, 185-
186, 189

State Place, 151, 249; Kennedy
tenure, 310; World War II and,
261

state rooms, Truman renovation
and, 279

State, War and Navy Building. See
Old Executive Office Building

State, War and Navy Building
Commission, 145, 397-398

Stevenson, Clotworthy, 29

steward: chief, responsibilities of,
76; cooperation with commis-
sioner, 81; head, Roosevelt (T)
tenure, 174; and military, 119-
120; responsibilities of, 97

Stewart, John, 127, 160

Stimson, Henry L., 397

Stone, Edward Durell, Jr., 322

Stone, James, 106

Stone, Thomas E., 174

stonework: banker’s marks, 23;
conservation and restoration,
352, 353, 372

storage facilities: Coolidge tenure,
218, 223; Harding tenure, 215;
Hoover tenure, 226, 231;
Johnson (LB} tenure, 332-333;
McKinley tenure, 168-169;
Nixon tenure, 354-355;
Roosevelt (FD) tenure, 253;
Roosevelt (T) tenure, 186;
Truman tenure, 265; Wilson
tenure, 207. See also warehouses,
collection management

Story, Joseph, 64

streets. See jurisdiction issues

structural surveys: Carter tenure,
350; Nixon tenure, 340; Oval
Office, 351; Reagan tenure, 352;
Truman tenure, 263-264

Stuart, David, 7, 9, 12

Stuart, Gilbert, portrait of
Washington, 32, 48-49

Sukey, slave, 46

461
Index



addition that he wrote poems concerning the event and sent them to
Truman.”

Report on the Condition of the White House — In January 1948 W. E.
Reynolds, the commissioner of public buildings; reported on the
structural condition of the White House. Reynolds found the second
floor to be in a weakened state and suggested a maximum load of 15
people for the president's office at any one time. Reynolds later said,
“The White House wouldn't pass the safety standards of any city in
the country.” In February Truman appointed a committee consisting
of Reynolds, Lorenzo 5. Winslow, Richard E. Dougherty (president of
the American Society of Civil Engineers), and Douglas W. Orr
(president of the American Institute of Architects). The committee
quickly saw that the house needed a thorough assessment. They
inspected the structure from May to June, while Bess Truman was in
Missouri. Congress appropriated $50,000 for the assessment and for
plans to modernize and fireproof the building. The report was dis-
couraging, indicating the building was in poor repair. On October 26
maintenance men found a large amount of plaster on the floor of the
East Room. After inspection, the chief usher recommended that the
building be closed to visitors. On November 8, 1948, Maj. Gen. Philip
B. Fleming said he believed the White House was unsafe and sug-
gested that the Trumans immediately take up temporary quarters at
Blair House. Truman wrote from Key West on November 17 that he
agreed, and by Thanksgiving the president and his family were at
home at Blair House.”

68. “Truman Decides to Have a Porch at White House to Cost $15,000,” New York Times,
Jan. 3, 1948; “Operation Balcony: More Readers Speak up Concerning President Truman's
South Portico Project," New York Herald Tribune, Jan. 27, 1948; Edward T. Folliasd, “Why
Mr. Truman Built the Balcony,” Washington Post, May 25, 1965; Ted Lewis, “Truman's
Backporch Row, Old Story of Tenant and Landlord Battle,” Saint Louis Globe-Democrat,
Feb. 22, 1948; ‘About the Truman Balcony” and “The White House Balcony”; all in
vertical file, HSTL. George Rothwell Brown to Truman, Jan. 17, 1948; Fisk Kimball to
Truman, Feb. 26, 1948; Wiliams Adams Delano to Truman, May 3, 1948, May 27,
1948, Nov. 22, 1948; all in PSE file 1, box 301, HSTL. W. Jay Robb, Winona, MN, to
Truman, Oct. 9, 1948, OF 50, White House Balcony, box 311, HSTL. Thomas Fortune
Ryan 0 to Truman, telegram, Feb. 5, 1948; John B. Dumont Jr. to Truman, Feb. 20,
1948; Rose Standish Nichols to Truman, May 24, 1948; James F MacGuire to Truman,
May 25, 1948; Mrs, Thomas A. McHugh to Truman, May 25, 1848; all in OF 50,
miscellaneous file 4, box 312, HSTL.

69. Seale, The President's House, 1025, 1026, 1028-29; Milton Lehman, “The White
House Shudders,” Collier's 122 (Nov. 13, 1948): 13; R. Alton Lee, “Rebuilding the White
House,” American History Mlustrated 12 (Feb. 1978): 13, 12-19. Reynolds to Crim, Jan.
13, 1948; Reynolds to Truman, memorandum, Jan. 29, 1948; Crim to Truman
memorandum, Oct. 29, 1948; all in PSE, file 1, box 301, HSTL. Gen. Philip B. Fleming to
Truman, Nov. 8, 1948; Truman to Fleming, Nov. 17, 1948; both in OF 50, file 4, box
312, HSTL.

Frank T. Gartside — July 31,
1939, to February 1, 1940;
Edmund B. Rogers —
February 1, 1940, to April
18, 1940; Francis F. Gillen

— April 18, 1940, to
January 2, 1941; Irvin C.
Root — January 2, 1941, to
July 28, 1950

269

Office of National Parks, Buildings, and Reservations — August 10, 1933, to March 2, 1934; National Park Service — March 2, 1934, to May 10, 1958


238

newly created Office of Public Buildings and Public Parks of the
National Capital. Since 1800 the president had been directly involved
with the administration of the house and property, although tech-
nically the officer in charge was responsible to the chief of engineers
and the secretary of war. The reorganization of the office in 1925
removed these layers of command and made the director of public
buildings and public parks directly responsible to the president. In
1933 administrative responsibilities were transferred to the Office of
National Parks, Buildings, and Reservations in the U.S. Department
of the Interior (the bureau name was changed back to National Park
Service in 1934}. Removing the property from the administration
from the U.S, Army may have been related to that organization's ex-
panded duties during World War I. But the change may also have
been, as others have noted, a result of internal politicking within the
Corps of Engineers. The administrative changes — from military to
civilian administration — reflected a change in management philoso-
phies and the sensibilities of the new Roosevelt administration.

CHAPTER 5. THE WHITE HOUSE, WASHINGTON, AND THE WORLD: 1897-1933


to directly administer the property and its collections in cooperation
with the Office of the Chief Usher.”

Jurisdiction became a question again in 1953 when NPS engineers
wrote that “the record is not clear as to just what is the boundary of
ULS. Reservation No, 1 under the jurisdiction of this office.” Surveys
of President’s Park were requested and a “transfer of jurisdiction” plat
was to be prepared. “The manner of handling the blocks occupied by
the Treasury Building and the State, War, and Navy Building is yet
undetermined,” stated Robert C. Horne, chief of the NPS Engineering
Division. The question of any one agency having ultimate
administrative authority in President’s Park remained unresolved.“*

An additional jurisdictional question arose in 1953 when historian
Stanley McClure suggested that materials from the White House
collection be put on loan to various presidential museums and sites.
For example, he noted several barrels of china in storage in the
Treasury vaults, Wilson's wheelchair, FDR’s desk from his fireside
chats, and other such memorabilia. McClure also suggested that a
museum devoted to former presidents might be established. Three
years later assistant superintendent Frank T. Gartside inquired of the
Field Solicitor’s Office if materials carried on the White House
inventory could be donated to presidential libraries. The Solicitor’s
Office found that while legislation would not allow for the outright
donation of such pieces, they might be put on loan to those institu-
tions, with annotations being listed in the annual inventory as to
their whereabouts and disposition. The inquiry was undoubtedly
prompted by the preparations being made for the museum collection
at President Truman’s new presidential library in Independence,
Missouri, which opened the following year.”

The Chief Usher’s Office supervised the White House, the East and
West Wings, and the presidential garage until 1957, when various
other agencies such as the General Services Administration took roles
in those duties as well. However, the chief usher remained as the
president’s agent in charge of general White House supervision.”

147. Supt. (NCP) to dir, (NPS), memorandum, Nov. 10, 1952, 950/Grounds (White
House), box 4, ace. 644-42, ESF/WHL/NPS.

148. Horne to Hayward, June 8, 1953, 1460/Grounds South (3), box 11, acc. 64A-42,
ESF/WHL/NPS.

149, McClure to Gartside, memorandum, Sept. 25, 1953; A. J. Knox (field solicitor, NCP)
to Gartside, memorandum, Mar. 19, 1956; both in 990-55/ssue or Loan, box 7, acc.
64A-42, WH&WPP? files, ESF/WHL/NPS.

150. Ann Bowman Smith, source attributed to Rex Scouten, conversation with O'Brien,
Mar. 24 1994.

Edward J. Kelly — July 28,
1950, to May 10, 1958

297

Office of National Parks, Buildings, and Reservations — August 10, 1933, to March 2, 1934; National Park Service — March 2, 1934, to May 10, 1958


Carne, William F “Life and Times of William Cranch, Judge of the District
Circuit Court, 1801, 1855.” Records of the Columbia Historical Society
(Washington, DC) 5:294-310.

Caroli, Betty Boyd. Inside the White House: America’s Most Famous Home, The
First 200 Years. Garden City, NY: Doubleday Book and Music Clubs.

Chaffin, Lillie D. America’s First Ladies. Minneapolis: Lerner Publications,
1969.

Chapman, Rose Marie: “Lafayette Square's Visionary.” Washington Post,
June 11, 1994.

Clephane, W. C. “Local Aspects of Slavery in the District of Columbia.”
Records of the Columbia Historical Society (Washington, DC) 3:243.

Cosentino, Andrew J., and Richard W. Stephenson, comps. City of
Magnificent Distances: The Nation's Capital — A Checklist. Washington:
Library of Congress, 1991.

Cowdrey, Albert E. A City for the Nation: The Army Corps of Engineers and the
Building of Washington, D.C. 1790-1967. Washington, DC: US.
Government Printing Office, 1979.

Cox, Walter S$. “Efforts to Obtain a Code of Laws for the District of
Columbia.” Records of the Columbia Historical Society (Washington, DC}
3:116-17.

Craig, Lois A. The Federal Presence: Architecture, Politics and Symbols in United
States Government Buildings. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 1978.

Crosby, Alfred W. The Columbian Exchange: Biological and Cultural
Consequences of 1492. Westport, CTE. Greenwood Publishing Company,
1972.

Cross, Wilbur. White House Weddings, New York: McKay, 1967.

Dolkart, Andrew. The Old Executive Office Building: A Victorian Masterpiece.
Edited by Mina Wright. Prepared for the Executive Office of the President,
Office of Administration. Washington: GPO, 1984.

Dorland’s Medical Dictionary. Philadelphia: n. p., 1904.

Duryee, Sacket Z. A Historical Summary of the Work of the Army Corps of
Engineers in Washington, 1852-1952. N. p., 1952.

EDAW, Inc., Land and Community Associates, Cynthia Zaitzevsky & Asso-
ciates, John Milner Associates. “President’s Park Cultural Landscape
Report; Site History, Existing Conditions, Analysis, and Evaluation.”
Draft report prepared for the National Park Service. Washington, DC,
1995. On file at the Denver Service Center.

Ehrenburg, Ralph. “Mapping the Nation‘s Capital: The Surveyor‘s Office
1791-1818.” The Quarterly Journal of the Library of Congress 36 (Summer
1979): 279-319.

Evans, James Matthew. The Landscape Architecture of Washington, D.C.
Washington: Landscape Architecture Foundation, 1981.

429
Bibliography





Andrew Beaumont —
November 5, 1846, to March
3, 1847; Charles Douglas —
March 3, 1847, to April 7,
1849

82

Douglas began to improve the south lawn, grading the area into a
series of terraces, a design possibly inspired by LEnfant’s original
plan for the property. Congress appropriated $3,628 for the grading.
Although it seems that most of the work was aimed at appearance,
drainage of the area and environmental improvement also played a
large part in the decision. A superintendent named Prather supervised
the work for $2 a day, 27 laborers worked for $1 a day, and 19 carts
were rented for $1.50 a day. Thomas McLaughlin whitewashed the
fence at Tiber Creek for $4. The work continued through the early
part of March 1849.%5

Landscape work and maintenance at the President’s House involved
specialized equipment. In 1849 an inventory of equipment being used
on the property was completed. Because there are relatively few
items, this equipment may have belonged to a private contractor, or
it may indicate a one-person gardening operation. A similar list for
the Capitol is more extensive.”*

In 1849 M. P Coons replaced defective iron fence parts in front of the
President's House, with the old fence parts put in storage. The
grounds did not present a complete panorama, as noted by Seale,
rather a composite of “vignettes” — small stage settings here and
there that complemented the landscape. The southwest area of the
south lawn still operated as a kitchen garden. The former kitchen
gardener, William Whalen, is not recorded after 1844; it is assumed
that Ousley took over this responsibility.”

135. Seale, The President's House, 278-79; “Records of the Commissioners,” iii-vi, RG 42;
number of hands, carts &c. employed on the public works south of President's House,
Nov. 1848, “Journal, Commissioner of Public Buildings,” 7:39, RG 42.

136. Tools in the possession of Mr. Maher, Apr. 13, 1849, “Journal, Commissioner of
Public Buildings,” 7:57, 58, RG 42; tools with Mr, Walls at the President's House, Apr.(?},
ibid., 7:62-63. The inventory inchided four spades, three short-handled shovels, hoes,
four snow shovels, three saws, five grass hooks, three scythes, three rakes, two clipping
shears, various watering pots, two corn brooms, one edging knife, an ax, and a planting
trowel. Other “public property” listed for the carpenter's shop included a “hosting
machine,” ladders, pipes, a pot for melting lead, gutters for cleaning the waterworks
pools, paint rollers, old fencing, scaffolding, lumber, a watering cart, a small truck or
cart, lime hoes, and tree stakes -~ all needed for gardening and maintenance,

137. Seale, The President's House, 269-72; Lewis and Kurtz, “On a/c Replairs) of ,
Gardener’s House, M. P Coons on a/c Iron Fence at President’s House,” (no month) 1848,
“Journal, Commissioner of Public Buildings,” 7:40, RG 42; M. R Coons to furnish iron
fence parts and notation for Prince’s Descriptive Catalogue of Fruit and Ornamental Trees,
Jan. 1849, ibid., 7:50; tree contracts, Apr. 5, 6, 10, 1849, ibid, 7:52; articles at the
President’s House, Apr. (?), ibid., 7:61.

CHAPTER 2. THE GROWTH OF THE REPUBLIC: 1802-1849


Daniel Carroll, Thomas
Johnson, David Stuart,
Gustavus Scott, William
Thornton, Alexander White,
William Cranch, and
Tristram Dalton

26
CHAPTER 1. BEGINNINGS: 1791-1802

room. By August 11 workmen had substantially finished the presi-
dential stables two blocks east of President's Park on a city lot. This
caused a public outcry from neighbors, and during hearings con-
cerning the matter, Commissioner Alexander White voted against
establishing the facility at that location. However, he was voted
down by his fellow commissioners. *

On November 1, 1800, when the commissioners toured the residence
to make sure everything was as finished as it could be for the
Adamses, only half the rooms were plastered, few were papered, and
fireplaces had to be kept going day and night to promote the curing,
or drying, of the plastered walls. President Adams had been
concerned that there was no vegetable garden at President’s Park.
Capitol architect Dr. William Thornton established one on the north-
east side of the house, possibly in the old stoneyard area. Otherwise,
the grounds had not been landscaped or planted; brick pits, holes,
and other construction debris still littered the site, along with stone
that had been stockpiled for future use. Many temporary buildings
had been removed; others around President’s Square and elsewhere in
the city stood empty, awaiting sale.”

Upon occupying the house, Abigail Adams was particularly taken
with the view south, across the sloping field to the river, so a drive
was established from Pennsylvania Avenue on the southeast. Hoban
added a stair to the temporary balcony in December 1800, and the
Oval Room became an entrance hall. During the Adamses’ brief
residence the daily administration of the house was left to John and
Esther Briesler, who had worked for the family for 20 years.

The area north of the President's House was noted by some as an
ideal place for a public botanical or pleasure garden on the European

52. Proposals to pave the basement of the President’s House, Jan. 20, 1800, “Records of
the Commissioners,” 290, RG 42; proposals for plastering and stuccoing, Jan. 22, 1800,
ibid., 293; order for plaster hods, Apr. 4, 1800, ibid., 325; order for architraves and
chimney pieces, Apr. 18, 1800, ibid., 326; William Lovell, president's stable, Aug. 11,
1800, ibid., 411.

53. Seale, The President's House, 79-81; Proceedings of the Commissioners of Public Buildings
and Grounds, 1797-1800, 5:340-42, as noted in the McClure collection, ESF/WHL/NPS.
Interestingly, the first tenant was actually Chief Justice John Marshall, who had been
unsuccessful in finding rooms elsewhere in the overcrowded city; Seale, The President's
House, 79

54. Seale, The President's House, 81, 83; Berryman, “A Shopping Route with the First
Lady of the Land,” as noted in the McClure collection, ESF/WHL/NPS. Maj. Joseph C.
Mehaffey quoted an 1802 source that indicated the south side of the building was to have
been the main entrance, “Neither of the porticoes has been built . . . stone steps lead down
from the main (south) entrance.” See Maj. Joseph C. Mehaffey, “Early History of the
White House,” Military Engineer 20 (June 1928): 203. Seale, The President's House, 83.


420

BIBLIOGRAPHY

. Annual Reports of the Commissioner of Public Buildings, 1818-1866.
[Washington, DC: N. p.]

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(Washington, DC: N, p.]

. Report of the Commissioner of the Public Buildings, Dec. 13, 1832,
[Washington, DC: N. p.]

. Report of the Commissioner of Public Buildings, Made in Compliance
with a Resolution of the Senate, Showing the Lots and Squares in the City of
Washington, Conveyed to the United States by the Original Owners, Those
Sold, the Amount of Sales, and the Estimated Value of Those Granted to
Public Institutions, March 1844. [Washington:] n. p.

. Report of the Commissioner of Public Buildings in Compliance with a
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Avenues and Public Squares in the City of Washington; the Amount Received
from the Sale of Lots, and the Value of Lots Granted by Congress to Literary
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Records of the Office of Management and Budget. Record Group 51.
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files, Cartographic Division.

- Plan for Ellipse and White Lot: Baseball Field Layout (1884)
finitialed J.S.}. National Capital Region files, Cartographic Division.

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(1952). National Capital Region files, Cartographic Division.

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(1953). National Capital Region files, Cartographic Division.

Records of the Public Buildings Service. Record Group 121.


Manus J. Fish — Continuing
to September 4, 1988; Ronald
N. Wrye — September 4,
1988, to December 18, 1988;
Robert G. Stanton —
December 18, 1988, to
January 3, 1997; James 1.
McDaniel (Associate Regional
Director) — December 31,
1983, to-

378

‘CHAPTER 8. EPILOGUE: 1983-1997

updated as of 1997. Both agencies continued to inform each other of
major projects on the site, particularly when cooperation could result
in the saving of money and ‘time. Both agencies were also members
of the Joint Agency Steering Committee and attended quarterly
interagency briefing sessions. Similarly, the District of Columbia
continued to be involved in the administration of the streets
surrounding the White House, the administration of zoning for
adjacent neighborhoods, the historic preservation of neighboring
resources, and fire protection for both the White House and the
surrounding area. The National Park Service continued to work
closely with the District of Columbia, particularly the Metropolitan
Police and the D.C. planning department. An example of continued
cooperation was the participation of both the General Services Ad-
ministration and the District of Columbia in the comprehensive
design plan for the White House and President’s Park.

Site Security

Various traditional facilities were redesigned in the 1980s for security
reasons. After the death of 240 U.S. Marines and 58 French troops in
Beirut, Lebanon, on October 23, 1983 (as a result of a terrorist attack
on two military bases), temporary concrete barriers were installed
around all four sides of the White House grounds. Subsequently,
bollards were installed the length of the White House grounds on
Pennsylvania Avenue as a deterrent to possible terrorist assaults on
the Executive Residence by trucks or similar vehicles. Because of
continuing security problems both at home and abroad, NPS
administrators revived the earlier plan to close East Executive Avenue
and replace it with a pedestrian mall. Through cooperation between
the Treasury and the National Park Service, security gates were
designed that still allowed for pedestrian movement but limited
vehicular traffic.

In addition, the National Park Service and the Department of Trea-
sury continued to cooperate on various security designs, including
the expansion of the bollard system and similar items. Protests and

53, Ann Bowman Smith (asst. dir. for Project Development, WHL, NCA); file A44, “GSA
Agreement White House Support,” box WHL-AM-028, Records of White House Liaison,
ESF/WHL/NPS; McDaniel, notes to O'Brien, Aug. 4, 1999, ESF/AWHL/NPS.

54. Rogers to Fish, Apr. 29, 1987; Fish to Rogers, June 4, 1987; ARD (Professional
Services) to {McDaniel], memorandum, Nov. 3, 1987; all in PRJ-7001/East Executive
Pedestrian Mall, 86-003, USSS 1986, Blanket Account, Plant Pathologist. Reg. IPM
coordinator to supt. (White House Div.), Aug. 5, 1987, box 120, ESF/ARD/WHL/NPS;
solicitor to reg. dir. (NCR), July 22, 1986, A8031/Administration/Parking Space (1972~
73), box 31, acc. 79-80-0002, ESF/ARD/WHL/NPS.


promoted to major in the Corps of Engineers and placed in charge of
various projects, including harbor improvements from the Great
Lakes to California. During his service as officer in charge he
supervised improvements at Thomas Jefferson's gravesite and George
Washington's birthplace. He was also involved in the memorializa-
tion of the battlefield at Gettysburg. Upon leaving Washington, he
served as superintendent of West Point from August 17, 1889, to
March 30, 1893. He also received a law degree from Columbian
University, Washington, D.C., in 1890."

Wilson again served as officer in charge of public buildings and
grounds with the rank of colonel during Cleveland’s second term,
from March 31, 1893, to February 16, 1897, the only member of the
United States military to do so. He was given the additional rank of
colonel, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1895. He became brigadier
general and chief of engineers on February 1, 1897. He was awarded
the Medal of Honor for his actions at the Civil War battle of Malvern
Hill, Virginia, while seriously ill; the award was made July 3, 1897.
He retired April 30 1901. He died in Washington February 1, 1919.

General Administration

The _First_Grover Cleveland Administration. During the Cleveland
administration, Col. William H. Crook remained as chief disburse-
ment officer, having worked his way up from messenger and door-
man over some 20 years. Tommy Pendel and Alonzo Dunn remained
as doorkeepers, and Jerry Smith continued as footman, having
started as a stable boy in the Grant administration. Albert Hawkins
remained as coachman. A new steward, William T. Sinclair, replaced
Howard Williams. Sinclair had close ties to the Clevelands; he and his
family had been in service with the family for many years, and
Sinclair himself had worked for Cleveland while he was governor of
New York. Chef Cupplinger was replaced by a cook known only as
Eliza, from Cleveland’s governor days in New York. Chef G. FE Segar
was hired exclusively for four months out of the year for large
gatherings during the social season. Henry Pfister remained head
gardener. Col. Daniel S$. Lamont served as Cleveland’s private
secretary. The president’s sister, Rose Elizabeth Cleveland, acted as
hostess for 15 months until the president’s marriage."

104. Seale, The President's House, 580; Heitman, Historical Register, United States Army
1:1047; Cullum, Biographical Register, U.S. Military Academy, 2:746-48.

105. U.S. War Office, “Casualties, 1920” in U.S. Army Register, 3:1091.
106. Seale, The President’s House, 552-53, 556-58.

John M. Wilson — June 1,
1885, to September 7, 1889

147

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Office of Public Buildings and Grounds — March 2, 1867, to March 9, 1897



William S. Wood — May
31, 1861, to September 5,
1861; Benjamin B. French —
September 5, 1861, to
March 2, 1867

114

Jurisdiction

Jurisdictional questions remained in the midst of the Civil War. The
federal government and the city continued to cooperate in matters of
rights-of-way. The war increased traffic into Washington, and road
damage from wheel lockings and other events were noted. The
commissioner thought the federal government should incur part of
the expense to improve roadways. By an act of May 5, 1864, “An Act
to Incorporate the Inhabitants of the City of Washington,” the
commissioner was instructed to pay “the just proportion of the
expenses incurred in improving such avenues, streets and alleys.”
According to the commissioner, however, the fee-simple title to all
rights-of-way rested with Congress and the federal government.*

An act of June 30, 1864, authorized the secretary of the interior to
prevent the improper appropriation or occupation of any of the pub-
lic streets, avenues, squares, or reservations in the city of Wash-
ington belonging to the United States and to reclaim the same.”

An act of March 2, 1867, ended the position of commissioner of
public buildings and removed jurisdiction from the Department of
the Interior and reassigned duties to the Office of the Chief Engineer,
United States Army. It also created the Capitol Police, from which
Park Watchmen and United States Park Police later evolved.”

Site Security

From the beginning of his administration, Lincoln received letters
threatening his life, and security at the White House tightened no-
ticeably. Allan Pinkerton of the Chicago-based firm managed per-
sonal security for the president-elect. At his inauguration Lincoln
rode to and from the Capitol with a cavalry escort eight deep, with
sabers drawn, and there were sharpshooters on every corner of the
route. Southern sympathizers and Union Army deserters made the
area unsafe. Security was primarily handled by the U.S. Army and
Washington's Metropolitan Police.’”

Before the war, public access to the White House and its grounds had
been relatively open. After the war began, additional plainclothes

98. 13 Stat. 68.
99. 13 Stat. 412.
100. 14 Stat. 466.

101. Seale, The President's House, 362, 370, 376, 377; Whitman, ‘Abraham Lincoln” and
“The Inauguration,” in The Portable Walt Whitman, 434, 450, 455, 461.

CHAPTER 3: THE ANTEBELLUM, CIVIL WAR, AND RECONSTRUCTION YEARS: 1849-1867


Frank T, Gartside — July 31,
1939, to February 1, 1940;
Edmund B. Rogers —
February 1, 1940, to April
18, 1940; Francis F. Gillen
— April 18, 1940, to
January 2, 1941; Irvin C.
Root — January 2, 1941, to
July 28, 1950

_ Souvenir Material from
the White House
Renovation, 1949-52
Courtesy: National
Park Service

272

7 SOUVENIR MATERIAL

N°2-CANE

Interestingly, after his renovation team was in place, Truman signed
legislation creating the National Trust for Historic Preservation. This
group, modeled on the British trust, is the only federally chartered
private, not-for-profit organization in the United States dedicated to
the preservation of significant American buildings. After its creation
in October 1949, the trust’s organizing meeting took piace on May
1, 1950, with David E. Finley of the National Gallery of Art acting as
the first director. Other officers included U.S. Grant II] as vice chair-
man and NPS chief historian Ronald F. Lee as secretary. Also included
on the first board of directors were former President Herbert Hoover,
Horace M. Albright, and General George Marshall, among others.”

Part of the White House renovation centered on a public relations
project that involved the distribution of historic surplus materials. A
four-page “Pian for the Disposition of Surpius Material from the
White House” was adopted by the Commission on Renovation on
January 6, 1950, and approved by the president on Feb. 17, 1950. By

74. Act of Oct. 26, 1949 (63 Stat. 927}; Seale, The White House, 274-75; Annual Report,
Director, National Park Service, to the Secretary of the Interior (reprinted from the Annual
Report, Secretary of the Interior, Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 1950) (Washington, DC: 1950},
314-15.

(CHAPTER 6. THE New DEAL, WorLD Wak II, AND PEACE: 1933-1958


Mudd had little money to improve the property. He planted some
trees, but the need for further grading prevented extensive plantings.
Mudd also called for extending the sewerlines to the Washington
Canal. At that time the sewer lines from the Executive Mansion and
offices opened on grade in the area of the Ellipse and were allowed “to
stagnate upon the surface or render marshy ‘the grounds lying
south of the President’s House.” Mudd requested $4,500 for 1850 to
gravel the walks at the “President’s Square” {i.e., the immediate
White House grounds), pay the gardener and laborers, make repairs
to the house proper, maintain the gardens, repair Lafayette Square
and President’s Square, and install fencing. The sewer extension and
further improvements would cost $25,000 to extend 4,700 feet to
Tiber Creek. Other projects included repairing the Executive Mansion
roof, painting the interior and exterior (except the basement), repair-
ing the furnace system, improving the stable (including painting),
painting fences, and making extensive repairs on the iron gates at the
east entrance. Gutters, walks, pumps, the hothouse, water pipes, and
pavements were also maintained. The basement apartments were in
poor condition due to deteriorating stonework and the lack of drains,
pavement, and sewerlines, and Mudd requested money for repairs.

The lands south of the President’s House still concerned officials.
Experts thought the “miasma” (vapors supposedly arising from the
low, swampy land) promoted disease, particularly cholera. While
miasma did not cause cholera, poor sewage systems did. Cholera,
spread by the virus Vilero cholerae, was transmitted only through
human fecal matter, hastened by the poor sanitary systems and
practices of the period. The disease struck quickly, often killing in 24
hours. The sewage drains from the White House and its executive
offices indeed made the lands south of the President’s House an
unhealthful environment.’*

Mills may have been kept on private contract until 1851 and his final conflict with
Commissioner Easby (see page 93). As Mills had worked for both Latrobe and Hoban, he
represented the professional and corporate memory for the site; although he was
contentious, his removal undoubtedly represented a great loss.

15. Annual Report, Commissioner of Public Buildings, 1850, 6, 10, 11, 17, RG 42; ibid.,
1851, 10. In the 1850 annual report Mudd also recorded that Lafayette Square had been
prepared for the installation of Clark Mills’s statue of Andrew Jackson; the statue was
installed three years later.

16. Alfred W. Crosby, The Columbian Exchange: Biological and Cultural Consequences of
1492 (Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishing Co., 1972), 208; Blakiston’s New Gould
Medical Dictionary (New York: McGraw-Hill, 1956), 243; Dorland’s Medical Dictionary
(Philadelphia: 1904), 244; Stedman's Medical Dictionary (Baltimore: The Williams and
Wilkins Co., 1972) 307-8.

Ignatius Mudd — April 7,
1849, to March 12, 1851

89

U.S. Department of the Interior, Commissioner of Public Buildings — March 5, 1849, to March 2, 1867



and stone and round and square drains were assessed; his motion
was rejected and the project moved forward: a brick drain, as
suggested by Allen Wyley, was adopted. All did not progress
smoothly; White House architect James Hoban was required to
supervise the removal of faulty work on the War Office structure in
Novernber 1799.”

in May 1800 Samuel Wilson contracted to pave Pennsylvania Avenue
to a width of 6 feet from Rock Creek to the Capitol in four months,
using a bed of fine river sand and hammered and jointed stonework;
the rest of the road was Jater graveled. In addition to this work, a
footpath was established from President’s Square to Rock Creek. It is
unknown if this inchided the portion of Pennsylvania Avenue
between the White House and Lafayette Square.”

Because of housing shortages in the new capital, the commissioners
began selling the temporary housing near President’s Park, the
structures being moved to other sites in the city. Even Hoban bought
10 of the houses, moving them to various lots he owned. The
craftsmen occupying the structures protested, noting that it would
be impossible for them to find housing elsewhere. The commission
slowed the eviction process, not wanting to jose skilled workmen.”

By June 14, 1800, major carpentry work at the President’s House
was evidently in such a state of completion as to warrant the
commissioners selling shingles and roof sheathing produced by the
President's House carpentry shop to Clotworthy Stevenson. Shops
belonging to workmen formerly attached to the President's House
were rented by the commissioners to private entrepreneurs, as in the
case of the carver's shop on President’s Square and its rental by Allen
Wilson and George Jacobs. Shopkeepers arrived to open stores, and
130 federal employees arrived with papers, boxes, and files to fill the
34-room Treasury Building and its twin War Building in anticipation

59. Contract with Harbaugh, Aug. 6, 1799, “Records of the Commissioners,” 175-77,
RG 42; regarding Joseph Middleton, June 4, 1799, ibid., 144; drain at executive office,
Aug. 19, 1799, ibid., 192-92, 193; Sept. 26-27, 1799, ibi 18, 228, 232; work at the
War Office, Oct. 28, 1799, ibid., 247; Nov. 28, 1799, ibid., 268; Dolkart, The Old
Executive Office Building, 4.

60. Paving specifications for Pennsylvania Avenue, May 27, 1800, “Records of the
Commissioners," 352-54, RG 42; Joseph and Thomas Dove to gravel road on
Pennsylvania Avenue, June 20, 1800, ibid., 377; stationing of troops, Aug. 18, 1800, RC,
417; King to lay off footway, Aug. 26, 1800, ibid., 423.

61. House of Representatives, Mar. 11, 1796, American State Papers, 1:143. Letters from
the Commissioners of Public Buildings, 1798-1800, 5:254, 306; Letters from the Commis-
sioners of Public Buildings and Grounds, 1800~1802, 6:27-28; both as noted in the McClure
collection, ESF/WHL/NPS.

Daniel Carroll, Thomas
Johnson, David Stuart,
Gustavus Scott, William
Thornton, Alexander White,
William Cranch, and
Tristram Dalton

29

Commissioners for the District of Columbia — January 22, 1791, to May 1, 1802


414
BIBLIOGRAPHY

Revere Copper and Brass, Inc. The base is of wood. The Ford Motor
Company donated transportation services.”

Webster-Ashburton Treaty Marker

Commemorates the treaty between the United States and Great Britain
signed in the old State Department building on August 9, 1842, and
that established the northeastern boundary between the United States
and Canada. Erected by the Kiwanis Club of Washington on April 30,
1929.

White House Grounds

Time Capsule

October 13, 1992

Commemorates the 200th anniversary of the laying of the White House
cornerstone.

Jackson Milk Trough

Stone Carver: Robert Brown

Originally installed in an underground room under the north portico either
in 1817, when the foundations were laid, or in 1829, when the portico
was built. One of a pair of troughs that would have been used for
cooling buckets of milk. The area under the north portico would have
been close to the original kitchen. As of 1881 the cooling room was
converted to a bathroom. After 1902 the space was used for coal
storage. When a new kitchen and underground storage space were
installed in 1935, this trough and another broken one were discovered.
The trough was placed on the northeast edge of the south lawn in
1935. William Seale states that the trough was carved for President
Andrew Jackson by Robert Brown, one of the original Edinburgh White
House stone carvers, in 1834.7

Eisenhower Executive Office Building

Cannon

Two 5” brass trophy guns captured by the United States Navy on May 1,
1898, from the Spanish Arsenal at Cavete in the Philippine Islands
following the defeat of the Spanish Naval Squadron in Manila Bay.
Admiral Dewey had the guns sent to the National Museum (now the
Smithsonian institution), and they are now on loan from the Smith-
sonian’s Division of Armed Forces History. The guns were cast in

10. Status Survey ino date}; program: “Dedicatory Ceremonies: Replica Liberty Bell,
December 1, 1950 — 12:00 Noon”; Paula Mohr (Dept. of the Treasury, Office of the
Curator), to O’Brien, facsimile, Nov. 11, 1994.

11. Seale, The White House, 94; Office of the Curator, White House, “Water Trough on
South Grounds,” June 5, 1991.