The White House—Still Exquisite After All These Years

Fifty-six years ago, Jacqueline Kennedy invited 80 million viewers into her home to see the restoration of the White House. Just 32 years old, she graciously conveyed its grandeur and beauty. I recall watching it on black and white TV (imagine a world without color television) and being in awe. Many viewers have not seen it since. But I did, when I enjoyed the privilege of a private tour and experienced firsthand the vivid colors, antique artifacts, original paintings, and elegant architectural details in each room.

Rep. John Faso, Mary Frances Faso, Christopher Gines, Merry Sheils 

A benefit of maintaining my primary residence in upstate New York is being on a first-name basis with my Congressman, John Faso, who represents the 19^thCongressional District. His wife, Mary Frances, gives private tours to constituents nearly every week, and I was delighted to score one on a recent getaway to Washington, DC with my son.

The White House has the distinction of being “the people’s house,” rather than a museum, so admission is free. But even in this period of unparalleled political discord, people line up at dawn for tours. We arrived at 15^thStreet and Hamilton at 7:45 a.m. to greet Mary Frances, and enjoyed the perk of being whisked through security to the East entrance, ahead of the throngs that had lined up even earlier. We couldn’t help but observe how many people appeared not to have gotten the memo on how to dress to show respect for this hallowed place.

View of the Ellipse and Washington Monument

The 12-acre fenced area (the fence was fabricated in Westchester County) is flush with flowers and trees that have been there for centuries—one, a gnarled magnolia, was planted by Andrew Jackson. James Hoban, the designer, prevailed over other bids by leading architects. Two of those competing bids included a throne, both quickly rejected by President George Washington, reminding the people that we had just obtained independence from a country ruled by a king, so a throne would not be part of the deal. Construction began in 1792, and eight years later, President and Mrs. John Adams moved into the unfinished structure in 1800.

The entry is flanked by the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden, each shrub, bush, and flower maintained in perfect order, just as she designed it, and past the South Lawn, where Marine One lands. A portrait of President Chester Arthur, who once taught school in Cohoes, New York, adorns the marble entry hall, which leads past a collection of china used by various administrations for formal dinners.

The Library

The Library, accented in rose hues, houses a chandelier owned by James Fenimore Cooper’s family, another upstate New York connection. The books are all written by American authors.

The East Room is the locus of large state dinners, entertainment, and other ceremonial occasions, with glowing chandeliers that survived the 1902 renovation commissioned by President Theodore Roosevelt. Most impressive are tall, heavy, carved doors with satin inlays that appear in most rooms throughout the White House.

View through doors to East Room

Gorgeous bouquets of fresh flowers are in every room, refreshed every three days by the White House’s flower staff. It wasn’t always so. We can thank President Franklin Pierce, our fourteenth president, elected in 1852, for this touch of beauty. He and his wife lost all three of their sons before they reached adulthood, and as an antidote to the deep depression that he experienced, his physician recommended fresh flowers. And there they stand today.

The Green Room, furnished with Duncan Phyfe pieces (many originals which also were crafted in New York), is where President Thomas Jefferson dined, reminding us of President John Kennedy’s quip when honoring Nobel prize winners, “I think this is the most extraordinary collection of talent, of human knowledge, that has ever been gathered together at the White House, with the possible exception of when Thomas Jefferson dined alone.”

The Blue Room

The oval-shaped Blue Room, with cream-colored walls, serves as a waiting area for guests visiting the President. When Mrs. Kennedy restored the White House, she acquired original furniture (and in some cases replicas) of period pieces, many of which remain. Striking is the trompe l’oeil wallpaper crowning the room, identical to the heavy blue and gold draperies. Views of The Ellipse (also known as The President’s Park South) and the Washington Monument on the National Mall are stunning.

The portrait of President Martin Van Buren (originally from Kinderhook, New York) adorns the Red Room, which resembles an intimate parlor, and now is used for small receptions. Also in this room hangs a portrait of his daughter, Mrs. Singleton, who often functioned as First Lady, as Mrs. Van Buren had passed away before President Van Buren took office. Paintings by artists of the Hudson River School are also featured here, famous for their foremost focus on the majesty of landscape, with humans in a lesser role.

The State Dining Room

The State Dining Room, in pale yellow hues, with a long, rectangle table that seats 20, is graced by a portrait of a contemplative President Abraham Lincoln. It is the only portrait ever to hang in that room. The view from this room extends all the way to the East Room, where President George Washington’s portrait hangs, courtesy of Dolley Madison, who presciently grabbed it an hour before the British set fire to the White House in 1814.

Finally, the Entrance Hall, another vision in pale yellow, showcases a concert grand Steinway piano gifted to the White House in 1938. It is here that official receptions are held, and the Marine Band plays “Hail to the Chief” when the president and first lady, on formal occasions, descend the red-and-gold-carpeted staircase from the private living quarters above. It’s also where John Travolta once danced with Princess Diana, circa 1985, at President Ronald Reagan’s White House Gala. Will George Clooney and the new Duchess of Sussex soon follow suit?

Entrance Hall with Steinway Piano

The last stop on the tour is the North Portico. Up one story is the window from which President Lincoln gave his final speech. Carvings of sandstone from the Potomac River extend in both directions. President Jimmy Carter commissioned a 20-year restoration of the delicate carvings, which now are washed with a white, period-perfect paint. Steps lead to the driveway where the president greets visiting dignitaries, and beyond that, a graceful fountain that matches the one on the South Lawn.

Descending the marble steps at the end of our tour, exiting onto Pennsylvania Avenue, we were struck by the beauty of the White House and its stately elegance. It is a fitting testament to the history of our great country, which has survived wars and political unrest, yet remains a beacon of freedom throughout the world. The White House is a reminder of the enduring spirt of America—truly the “people’s house.”

Photo credits: Christopher Gines