On January 20, 1969, Richard Nixon was inaugurated as the thirty-seventh president of the United States. During his time in the White House (1969–74), President Nixon sought to unite a divided nation after the social, political, and cultural turbulence of the 1960s. Before becoming president, Nixon served in the U.S. Navy, the U.S. House of Representatives, the U.S. Senate, and as Vice President under President Dwight D. Eisenhower. In the Nixon White House, First Lady Pat Nixon was defined by her dedication to community service, accessibility, historic preservation, and diplomacy, as well as the beloved holiday gingerbread tradition she began.