The Detroit tribune. (Detroit, Mich.) 1935-1966, 1943-05-29
Blair House
Scene OF Famous
Meeting OF State
Priceless Antiques
Preserved In
Enlarged Edihce

Preserved In
Enlarged Edihce
Blair House, where His Excel
lcncy, Edwin Barclay, president
OF Liberia. will stay after spend
ing a night at the White House.
Is one Of Americas historic man
sions. Highranking foreign guests
az the President and the Secre-
tary OF State are entertained
there while In Washington.
Comfortable. roomy and superb
ly furnished without being elab-
crate, Il Is a storehouse Of price,
less antiques and Americana
among them rare prints. civil
War cartoons. silver and china
collected through four genera
tons. historical plaques and doc
uments. The distinguished visitor
can almost read, In the mansions
! ecords, fui 1iture, paintings and
art objects the history OF the
United States for a hundred
years.
Cabinet Met There
In the pleasant libraries and
studies OF Blair House the des-
tiny and policies OF the Republic
have been discussed and shaped
1t was there that General Robert
f. Lee received-before the Civil
War got under way-the offer
from President Lincoln 10 lead
the Union Armies against his ma
tive South. Here met the social
ed Kitchen cabinet OF President
Andrew Jackson; here William
r. Sherman was married, and
here plans were laid for the for
nation OF the Department OF the
Interior.
Many secret meeting Of state
has been held IN It's spacious
rooms. sometimes with the con-
ferees later stealing out OF se-
cret door TO avoid attracting at
tention. The location OF Blair
House. at 1851 Pennsylvania ave-
nue.. NV. directly across the street
from the Department az State
building. and within almost a
stones throw OF the white House.
makes It easily accessible to
American offIcialdom. It's bright
appearance. OF yellow stucco trim
med with white, contrasts favor
ably 9th the duh. red-brIck
buildings that hem It In.
Home OF Kings
In this official Guest House. :"
recently purchased by the Federal
Government. are accommodated
kings. princes, premiers and for
eign ministers. In the four-pos-
ter. canopied beds slept King
George OF Greece and King Peter
OF YugosIavia Russias Foreign
Minister Molotoff stayed here for
ten DAYS. being registered for a
week as "Mr Brown" and thus
remaining IncognIto. Ministers
from Poland and New Zealand
came 10 Blair House. and from
South America and the Caribbean
came presidents and high officials
OF Peru. Colombia Ecuador,
Venezuela and Cuba. Every Wis
ltor. SAYS Mrs. Victoria Ceaney.
who has been custodian Of Blair
House for more than twenty-five
Years. has felt AZ home here and
has been loath 70 leave.
The land on which Blair House
stands was once owned by Steph-
en- Decatur. the Naval Commander
( who FIRST carried the Stars and
Stripes 10 the shores OF Tripoli.
Built between 1914 and 1927 by
Surgeon General Joseph Lowell.
II was the suggestion OF Presi-
ident Jackson 10 found The Wash
ington Globe. which became the
Administration organ. A close
friend OF Old Hickory and mem
her OF his Kitchen cabinet
Francis Blair was the friend and
adviser OF his successor. Martin
Van Buren,.
When Francis Blair retired. In
1853. to his country estate at
silver Springs, Md. he gave the
house TO his son. Montgomery
Blair. Postmaster General under
President Lincoln. At various
tines Il was leased 10 John Y.
Mason. President Tyler's Secre-
tary OF the Navy; TO George Ban
croft historian. when he was
Secretary OF war under President
Folk. and 10 Thomas Corwin
President Filmore's Secretary Of
state.
Structure Changed
Through many administration
Blair House was a meetlng-plac'