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localId
170104151
label
Press Release, White House Mementos
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doc
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document
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1
Source metadata
id
170104151
contentType
document
title
Press Release, White House Mementos
citationUrl
collections
President's Secretary's Files (Truman Administration)
White House Files
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1
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170104151
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item
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day
13
logicalDate
1951-01-13
month
1
year
1951
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nara-archive
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1
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photo
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94ef6bb6864c7f6c
ocrText
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JANUARY 13, 1951
WHITE HOUSE MEMENTOS
The Commission on Renovation of the Executive Mansion
announced today that a plan for the disposition of surplus memento
material from the White House has been approved. The plan will permit
the distribution of items such as bricks, pieces of stone, wood, or
metal, and the like, to organizations and individuals who may desire
to have and preserve them as mementos of the historic building.
The distribution of mementos is to be financially self-
supporting and while no charge will be made for the material, it will
be necessary to request the applicants to pay in advance the propor-
tionate costs, as closely as they can be estimated, of care, handling,
authentication, and administration pertaining to the articles of each
kind. These costs will range from about 25 cents for a piece of old
hand-split lath, or $1.00 for a brick, to $100 for enough brick or
rough stone to face a fireplace of ordinary size.
Shipment will be made f.o.b. Washington, D. C. with postage
or freight collect. Each item will be accompanied by an authentication
showing that it is genuine material removed from the White House.
Most of the articles will be issued in the condition in which
they came out of the building, except that some may be cut into smaller
pieces and some may have to be cleaned before they are issued.
Some items for issue will be set up in the form of two or
more pieces called a "kit" from which the recipient can if he chooses
make attractive assemblies. For example: two pieces of old pine of
suitable size and shape could be made into a gavel; an old square nail
and a piece of stone could be mounted on a piece of wood or encased
in plastic to make an ornament or a paperweight; and a long piece of
wood could be turned to make a cane. Application forms will contain
information that will aid in choosing the item desired.
Persons who have already written to the Commission asking
for a memento will be sent copies of the application form, without
the necessity of further request or inquiry. Others should write
direct for a blank. Address: Commission on Renovation of the
Executive Mansion, Fort Myer, Virginia. Do not send requests for
applications to the White House.
The Commission pointed out that its administrative force
will be small and consequently if applications are received in large
numbers, a delay of several weeks may be incurred before shipment
can be made. Applications will be numbered serially as received and,
where practicable, shipments will be made in this same order.
TRUEAR
ARCHIVES AND
"NATIONAL RECORDS SERVICE"
s