White House Gardens Bring American History to Life in New Smithsonian Traveling Exhibition

03-21-2008

 

Thursday, March 20, 2008

White House Gardens Bring American History to Life in New Smithsonian Traveling Exhibition

Washington, DC- The stately grounds of the White House have served as an impressive stage for everything from eloquent weddings and royal receptions to Easter egg hunts and President Eisenhower's personal putting green. Today, after more than 200 years as the site of those events, that backdrop of history comes to the fore with "The White House Garden," a new exhibition developed and supported by the White House Historical Association and organized for travel by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES).

"The White House Garden" debuts at the U.S. Botanic Garden in Washington, D.C., May 17 through July 13 and then continues on an eight-city, national tour through 2011. Americans from across the country will be introduced to this fascinating historic landscape through an outstanding collection of photos, drawings, maps and even family and business correspondence.

Since the 1790s, presidents, first families, renowned landscape architects and countless other Americans have contributed to the development of the formal gardens and parkland surrounding the "people's house," shaping the land into an extraordinary, one-of-a-kind national touchstone and treasure and the oldest continuously landscaped garden in the U.S.

"The White House Garden" captures the magic and beauty of more than two centuries in the life of a living garden," said Neil W. Horstman, president of the White House Historical Association. "Just as the White House serves as home, official residence, office and museum, so too has the garden been the scene of both historical events and informal gatherings. If trees could talk we would have one more chapter in American history books."

"The White House gardens are more than just a staging ground for history- they are a truly unique looking glass of American life, culture and politics throughout our nation's history," said Anna Cohn, director of SITES. "We are honored to work with the White House Historical Association to bring to life the White House gardens in cities across the country for the very first time."

 "The White House Garden" paints a botanical and historical portrait through a series of thematic sections that highlight three gardens in particular: the Rose Garden, the East Garden (the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden) and the Children's Garden.  Key to the development, design and evolution of the gardens are some of the biggest figures in American landscape design, including Andrew Jackson Downing, Beatrix Farrand and Frederick Law Olmsted Jr. They built upon a canvas first envisioned by famed city planner Pierre L'Enfant, who set aside 82 acres for a President's Park in 1792, when the nation's capital was little more than a collection of farms and marshes.

Visitors to the exhibit will learn about the daunting challenges posed by this indigenous landscape, see the innovative changes and renovations that occurred as the grounds were rebuilt after the War of 1812 and be drawn into the decisions and deliberations of the 20th- and 21st-century presidents who added their own contemporary touches. The exhibit features Thomas Jefferson, designer of the area's first landscape plans; John Quincy Adams, who worked in the garden alongside White House gardener John Ousley; Theodore Roosevelt, who reluctantly allowed his architects to demolish his cherished conservatory; John F. Kennedy, who made the private Rose Garden near the Oval Office into an outdoor meeting place that accommodates a 1,000 spectators; and Harry S. Truman and George H.W. Bush, both of whom enjoyed a lively game of horseshoes.

The exhibit illustrates the various roles the White House gardens have played in the international and domestic affairs of each administration: Presidents Tyler and Lincoln held receptions for the public; Civil War soldiers carried out drills on the South Lawn; Jacqueline Kennedy hosted ballet performances and concerts; and Lady Bird and Lyndon Baines Johnson held dinners and barbecues within view of the sweeping lawns and the grounds' carefully tended flower beds.

More than 500 trees planted on the grounds also are highlighted in the exhibit. Initially documented by first daughter Amy Carter as part of a school project, many of the trees were planted for ceremonial purposes. Among the most renowned are the ancient magnolia planted by Andrew Jackson in memory of his late wife Rachel and the dogwood planted by Bill and Hillary Clinton in 1995, dedicated to the children killed in the Oklahoma City bombing.              

The White House Historical Association, established in 1961, is a nonprofit organization whose goal is to enhance the understanding, appreciation, and enjoyment of the White House. All proceeds from the association's trusts, publications and other items are used to fund acquisitions of historic furnishings and artwork for the permanent collection, assist in the preservation of the public rooms, and further its educational mission.   For more information visit www.whitehousehistory.org.

SITES has been sharing the wealth of Smithsonian collections and research programs with millions of people outside Washington, D.C., for more than 50 years. SITES connects Americans to their shared cultural heritage through a wide range of exhibitions about art, science and history, which are shown wherever people live, work and play. Exhibition descriptions and tour schedules are available at www.sites.si.edu.

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