THE WHITE HOUSE PAST AND PRESENT

[Music] in our capital city of washington dc perhaps no building is more familiar than the white house the home and office of the president of the united states the white house is one of the most famous residences in all the world generations of americans have cherished this stately mansion with its memories of presidents and great events in the history of the united states reminders of presidents who served in the past are all about the white house this weeping birch tree for example was planted by the wife of calvin coolidge and these magnolia trees by president andrew jackson these famous views of the white house today both the south entrance and the north entrance are quite different from the white house of the past the history of the white house began in 1790 when congress accepted this plan by james hoban for a president's palace construction was begun on october 13 1792 first to move into the palace in 1800 were president john adams and his wife abigail by the time thomas jefferson was president the young nation had grown stronger and there were funds available for improvements on the president's palace jefferson an amateur architect together with a friend named latrobe designed certain additions to the building an east wing and a west wing were commissioned by congress and the president's mansion took on the general shape by which we know it today but the president's home like the young united states was not safe from attack during the war of 1812 british forces set fire to the president's home at that time president james madison and his wife dolly were living in the president's home when she fled approaching british forces mrs madison saved important state papers as well as this famous portrait of george washington which still hangs in the white house [Music] the flaming torches british soldiers set to the president's home marked the first and only time this building was attacked by an enemy after the siege only the outer walls remained of the president's home yet it still stood and so did the american nation during the administration of james monroe the building was painted white to hide ugly smoke stains perhaps this is how the name white house came about president monroe however called his home the executive mansion [Music] during the sad days of the civil war the executive mansion was the home and office of abraham lincoln this room still in use in the white house today was once lincoln's study here is his specially made bed over eight feet long lincoln spent endless hours in this room pondering the problems of the nation at war though lincoln did not live to see the peace the nation grew strong again [Music] by the time benjamin harrison was sworn in as president the prosperity of the period was evident in the ornate furnishings that filled the rooms however the elegance of the executive mansion was simplified by theodore roosevelt in 1902 he restored the rooms of the 110 year old building to their original simple beauty president roosevelt felt that simple furnishings more truly represented the democratic ideals of the american people besides renovating the executive mansion he gave it a new official name the white house roosevelt believed that the white house should be the center of the president's family life so new executive offices were constructed in an enlarged west wing working in the new offices theodore roosevelt guided the nation through a great period of growth but gray days lay ahead for the occupants of the white house especially for president woodrow wilson this president was burdened with a greatly increased workload for during the days of world war one the white house became a center for the greatest war effort the nation had yet seen for the men in the white house the 20th century brought new problems and advances president calvin coolidge led the nation through some of the prosperous years of the nineteen twenties during the following administration that of herbert hoover direct communication with the people became a part of presidential life millions of american citizens heard president hoover by means of radio during franklin d roosevelt's administration radio communication was installed inside the white house [Music] later beginning with president truman activities in the white house have been televised to the people press conferences are another means of communication president eisenhower made extensive use of conferences with reporters to acquaint the people with news from the white house in 1949 the white house itself made news at the request of president truman renovation of the white house was ordered by the congress the restoration took two and a half years and was completed in 1952 in some ways it is a far different building from the one john adams moved into in 1800 for example the greatly expanded west wing would probably have surprised and impressed earlier presidents inside the west wing of the white house is the room where the president confers with the members of his cabinet flanked by the american flag and the flag with the seal of his office is the chair of the president this is the president's own private office where he may meet with his many advisors here at the president's desk are made many of the day-by-day decisions that shape the work of the executive branch of our government the main entrance to the white house proper is the impressive north entrance distinguished visitors entering from the north are ushered into this spacious lobby once inside we see set into the marble floor of the lobby four dates important in the history of the white house 1792 construction 1817 repair after war damage 1902 first remodeling 1952 latest remodeling above these doors at the far end of the lobby is the great seal of the president of the united states the doors open into the famous blue room noted for its oval shape much of the official social life of the president takes place in the blue room here the president and the first lady meet guests at state receptions and greet foreign diplomats leading from either side of the blue room are other rooms for social functions on one side is the green room on the other side is the red room [Music] the red room and the green room which are similar are also used for formal occasions [Music] the red room another reception room is used by the president and his family for state functions only from the red room guests may be taken into the huge state dining room formal and diplomatic dinners are held here this great dining hall can comfortably seat more than a hundred people here too are memories of great presidents for example these magnificent gold candelabras which decorate the great table were used by james monroe the huge chandelier dating from the administration of theodore roosevelt is solid silver representative pieces of dinnerware once used on this table by former presidents are preserved in the china room here are reminders of the presidents and their families who previously lived in the white house this plate and terrine were part of a set used by john adams this service was used by james polk while this place setting was used by the family of abraham lincoln and this by dwight d eisenhower also in the china room is a portrait of mrs calvin coolidge one of the most gracious hostesses ever to live in the white house other portraits of the wives of the presidents decorate the oval room also called the diplomatic reception room yes throughout all the rooms of the white house there are memories of the people who lived here the presidents who guided our nation through its proud history in the green room we are reminded not only of many historic evenings during which the president is host but also of the official responsibilities of the president as symbolized by the great seal woven into the rug of the green room [Music] but perhaps the room most crowded with the memories of presidents lies at the end of this beautiful corridor the east room in this magnificent room president lincoln's body lay in state alice roosevelt's wedding reception was held and many inaugural parties took place the room is dominated by symbols of the american nation the famous portrait of george washington which was saved by dolly madison in 1814 and a companion portrait of martha washington the grand piano first used during the administration of franklin delano roosevelt is decorated with scenes of american folk dances reminders of the american heritage can be found in all the rooms in the white house as president theodore roosevelt once said it is good to preserve such buildings as historic monuments which keep alive our sense of continuity with the nation's past [Music] and the words of another president john adams are in the state dining room i pray heaven to bestow the best of blessings on this house and on all that shall hereafter inhabit it may none but honest and wise men ever rule under this roof to that prayer for the presidents and their home we the citizens of the united states of america will fervently add our home [Music] you