The President's Neighborhood
Since the White House was first occupied by President John Adams in 1800, influential people and organizations—or those who hoped to have influence—have bought property and built homes and offices along the streets surrounding the White House. For more than two centuries, this neighborhood has been the setting for political decision-making and diplomacy, social gatherings and protests, wartime expediencies and peacetime hospitality. In this collection, we invite you to learn more about these landmarks in the President’s Neighborhood and their historic significance.
Good Neighbors: FDR, Major Gist, and Blair House
The History of Lafayette Park
Monuments to the American Revolution
The President's Park
The Evolution of Lafayette Park and the Ellipse
Making Religion Fashionable
Benjamin Henry Latrobe and St. John's Church
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Podcast White House Builder James Hoban’s Irish Roots
Over 200 years ago, James Hoban left Ireland for America to pursue his dream of becoming an architect. Selected by President...
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Podcast Dinner with the President
From hot dogs to haute cuisine, U.S. Presidents have communicated important messages through food. Stewart McLaurin, President of the...
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Podcast 250 Years of American Political Leadership
The American experiment has long held the curiosity of people around the world, especially for Iain Dale, an award-winning British...
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Podcast A Coronation Preview with the British Ambassador to the U.S.
Britain and the U.S. have long had what Prime Minister Winston Churchill called a “special relationship.” From adversaries to alli...
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Podcast Incomparable Grace: JFK in the Presidency
Mark K. Updegrove shares new historical perspectives on the Kennedy presidency from his recent book, Incomparable Grace: JFK in the...
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Collection The Ford White House 1974 - 1977
Gerald Rudolph Ford Jr., the nation’s only unelected president and vice president, served thirteen terms in Congress before rising to...
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Podcast Becoming FDR: The Personal Crisis That Made a President
In 1933, Franklin Delano Roosevelt was sworn in for the first of his four terms as president of the United States....
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Podcast Jacqueline Kennedy: Art in Cultural Diplomacy
First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy was the driving force behind a brilliant act of cultural diplomacy: bringing Leonardo Da Vinci’s ma...
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Podcast Voices from a Night at the Met
Since November 3, 1961, the White House Historical Association has served as the private partner to the White House to enrich, enhance,...
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Collection The Decatur House Slave Quarters
In 1821-1822, Susan Decatur requested the construction of a service wing. The first floor featured a large kitchen, dining room,...
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Podcast Jacqueline Kennedy: Restoring the White House
When First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy took on the herculean task of restoring the interior of the White House, she appointed...
