History of White House interiors, furnishings and customs

159 HERBERT-HOOVER LOU HENRY HOOVER 1929-1933 The Hoover period furniture for the first time in White With these refugees to house, Mrs. Hoover went to her House history drew on other sources of origin than purchase or femiliar work of making a background for hor femily's activities, gift. They were appropriate sources, since all were from Presi- which included, as always, its hospitalities. This time, however, dential establishments of various purposes and dates, and neces- she had an historic stage for her work and a sensitively felt re- sary sources since disaster or disintegration had destroyed their sponsibility toward the properties already there. The White House normal place in life, and cast their furnishings on the tide like interior she created showed a delicately planned perception of life refugees. The Hoover regime, characteristically, salvaged them past and life present and the honors due both. Few White House and set them back in usefulness. ladies can have understood the essential White House as she has,- its architectural reality - its period, and adaptability to its one source was the Executive Offices. A fire on Christ- glorious duty of the present. Her arrangement of its furniture mas Eve, 1929, damaged or destroyed most of their furnishing, only shows a deep respect for what is here and is old,- a tactful sense a few pictures and clocks being saved. These found a White House of appreciation of what is right and new. home. So did a few overflow pieces from the resulting re-furnish- ing, found unnecessary after a few days' use in the new office. But the White House, appreciated though its treasures left us might be, was not, in 1929, up to the standards of comfort Another source was from the cottage of the Old Soldiers' of a careful host and hostess. Mrs. Hoover's standards of comfort, Home, where President Lincoln had spent hi war summers. Its main of courtesy to guests, of historic and esthetic harmony were reached furnishing had vanished long ego, but a few treasures found their in characteristic touches, in themselves such small and lovely way to the Public Buildings & Grounds storeroom, and were quickly touches as any women in a home attempts The most frequent are her brought up to a place of White House honor when Mrs. Hoover dis- chairs. Quite unconsciously every room of importance and use (dis- covered them. regarding always the unchanged State apartments) had its addition of comfortable and appropriate Hoover chairs. Mrs. Hoover's living The third source was from the Mayflower, the Presidential rooms have always said "Do sit down and let's talk.' Even after she yacht decommissioned in 1929. She had been the President's vaca- has left them they sey "do sit down and let's read!" - Her formal tion home since President Roosevelt, and served nobly as single rooms say "Do let's walk up and down and look at something." The source of distraction and relaxation, for thirty years. But time White House in her charge sai d that. had seriously minimized her usefulness, increasing her expense and decreasing her comfort. She was, of course, not used in the win- Architecturally and hospitably the White House has three ter months, and she was limited in her cruising to the waters of zones The ground zone is for the public. During the days its the Potomac, through modern pressure of business; she was unable long corridor and series of south rooms are open to any public to accommodate in comfort the number of guests a modern President needs to consult over his week-ends. She was also no longer the only possible avenue of private escape from Washington, after motors, excellent roads, and camps came to a Chief Executive's *Footnote: (cont'd) sent their peace envoys to the United States source. She was therefore decommissioned and offered for sale in to make the treaty. The delegates first met on board the MAYFLOWER 1929. Her furniture, however, turned over to other governmental as President Roosevelt's luncheon guests, and the Russians travelled use, was brought into the ken of the White House occupants. Much on her to Portsmouth, New Hampshire. of it was found extremely useful in a house given mainly to con- sidering stately appearance rather than comfort. "She continued as a Presidential Yacht except for a short period during the Vera Cruz trouble, when she was placed in commis *Footnote: The following life-history of the U. S. S. MAYFLOWER sion as a gun-boat, painted grey, re-gunned, and sent to Mexican waters. was obtained from Captain Joel T. Boone, U. S. N., physician to President Hoover and attached to the Administrations of Presidents "President Harding made a trip to Long Ialand Sound and Harding and Coolidge: West Point aboard her, and was met at Lewis, Delaware, for a return sea-trip. She was re-conditioned at Norfolk in 1923, preparatory to "The Mayflower was built in Glasgow in 1896 or 1897, for her possible use in Alaska for President Harding, but was found in- Mr. Ogden Goelet. He made one voyage upon her in the Mediterranean, adequate for the number of people necessary for the trip. where he died and was brought back to America on her. In 1898, she was purchased for nearly $500,00 by the Government and used as a "President Coolidge used her at Marblehead, Massachusetts, gun-boat in the Spanish American War, and in the blockading of during the summer of 1925. In 1927 and 1928 she made sea-voyages to Cuba. Some time after the War she was fitted out as a Presidential Boston for annual overhauls. In 1929, she was de-commissioned and Yacht for President Roosevelt, her guns and battle-craft material docked at the Philadelphia Navy Yard. She was offered for sale but dismanteled. when the Russo-Japanese War was over, both countries no acceptable bidder responded. In 1931, she burned and sank at her dock.