Existing comment:
The People's House:
The White House is a symbolic building belonging to the entire nation. Although some earlier presidents suggested moving or rebuilding the official residence. President Theodore Roosevelt (1901-09) firmly established the White House as the president's permanent home in 1902. First families may bring their own furnishings and redecorate the living quarters, but the Committee for the Preservation of the White House advises the families regarding changes to the public parts of the Executive Residence. Moreover, first families have to adapt to a steady stream of visitors coming into what is also their home.
During the 1800s, most first families decorated the public and private White House rooms according to their own personal tastes. In 1874, President Ulysses S. Grant (1869-77) refurbished the East Room for his daughter Nellie's wedding. The glittering decorations featured gilded woodwork and three new chandeliers. |