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101. The People’s House: A White House Experience

The White House 1600 Sessions

Release Date: 12/09/2024

114. Making the Official White House Christmas Ornament (VIDEO) show art 114. Making the Official White House Christmas Ornament (VIDEO)

The White House 1600 Sessions

For over forty years, the White House Historical Association has partnered with Beacon Design,  a division of the ChemArt Company, to create the Official White House Christmas Ornament. The program was started in 1981 during the first term of the Reagan presidency when First Lady Nancy Reagan threw her support behind the idea. A new design has debuted annually with each ornament honoring a president’s time in the White House, an anniversary, or historical event. Stewart McLaurin, President of the White House Historical Association visited ChemArt to get a first-hand look at how the...

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114. Making the Official White House Christmas Ornament show art 114. Making the Official White House Christmas Ornament

The White House 1600 Sessions

For over forty years, the White House Historical Association has partnered with Beacon Design,  a division of the ChemArt Company, to create the Official White House Christmas Ornament. The program was started in 1981 during the first term of the Reagan presidency when First Lady Nancy Reagan threw her support behind the idea. A new design has debuted annually with each ornament honoring a president’s time in the White House, an anniversary, or historical event. Stewart McLaurin, President of the White House Historical Association visited ChemArt to get a first-hand look at how the...

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113. White House History and the Waldorf Astoria New York (VIDEO) show art 113. White House History and the Waldorf Astoria New York (VIDEO)

The White House 1600 Sessions

There are few places outside of the White House that are as deeply connected to the American Presidency as the Waldorf Astoria New York. For almost a century, this luxury hotel has welcomed every U.S. President since Herbert Hoover through its elegant Art Deco doors on Park Avenue. After leaving office, President Hoover even lived in the Waldorf Astoria Residence for more than three decades before his passing at the age of 90. White House Historical Association president Stewart McLaurin was joined in the newly renovated Waldorf Astoria Residences New York by guests David Freeland, author of...

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113. White House History and the Waldorf Astoria New York show art 113. White House History and the Waldorf Astoria New York

The White House 1600 Sessions

There are few places outside of the White House that are as deeply connected to the American Presidency as the Waldorf Astoria New York. For almost a century, this luxury hotel has welcomed every U.S. President since Herbert Hoover through its elegant Art Deco doors on Park Avenue. After leaving office, President Hoover even lived in the Waldorf Astoria Residence for more than three decades before his passing at the age of 90. White House Historical Association president Stewart McLaurin was joined in the newly renovated Waldorf Astoria Residences New York by guests David Freeland, author of...

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112. The White House Chief Usher show art 112. The White House Chief Usher

The White House 1600 Sessions

Gary J. Walters was an integral part of White House history during a 37 year career in which he served seven presidents and their families. Stewart McLaurin, president of the White House HIstorical Association, sat down with Gary to recount some of the moments he witnessed which are also captured in the new book White House Memories 1970 - 2017: Recollections of the Longest Serving Chief Usher. Gary started his tenure at the White House during the Nixon presidency as an Executive Protective Service officer. In 1976 he became an assistant usher under President Gerald Ford. When Gary was named...

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112. The White House Chief Usher (VIDEO) show art 112. The White House Chief Usher (VIDEO)

The White House 1600 Sessions

Gary J. Walters was an integral part of White House history during a 37 year career in which he served seven presidents and their families. Stewart McLaurin, president of the White House HIstorical Association, sat down with Gary to recount some of the moments he witnessed which are also captured in the new book White House Memories 1970 - 2017: Recollections of the Longest Serving Chief Usher. Gary started his tenure at the White House during the Nixon presidency as an Executive Protective Service officer. In 1976 he became an assistant usher under President Gerald Ford. When Gary was named...

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111. Recreating the White House: Netflix and Shondaland’s The Residence (VIDEO) show art 111. Recreating the White House: Netflix and Shondaland’s The Residence (VIDEO)

The White House 1600 Sessions

U.S. Presidents and the White House have been depicted on film, television, and now on streaming platforms, for over a century. The White House facade and reproductions of the Oval Office are instantly recognizable and often help in the telling of a story. Sometimes, the White House even becomes a main character like in The Residence, a Netflix and Shondaland series released in 2025. The comedic murder mystery set in the White House during a fictional presidency features a unique look at the Executive Mansion and at the hardworking residence staff who operate behind the scenes. But when you...

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111. Recreating the White House: Netflix and Shondaland’s The Residence show art 111. Recreating the White House: Netflix and Shondaland’s The Residence

The White House 1600 Sessions

U.S. Presidents and the White House have been depicted on film, television, and now on streaming platforms, for over a century. The White House facade and reproductions of the Oval Office are instantly recognizable and often help in the telling of a story. Sometimes, the White House even becomes a main character like in The Residence, a Netflix and Shondaland series released in 2025. The comedic murder mystery set in the White House during a fictional presidency features a unique look at the Executive Mansion and at the hardworking residence staff who operate behind the scenes. But when you...

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110. Presidential Pets show art 110. Presidential Pets

The White House 1600 Sessions

The White House has been home to a menagerie of pets, from working animals such as horses and sheep, to companions of the Scottish Terrier and Siamese cat varieties - with the odd raccoon, cow, or badger thrown in, as well. Like the almost 90 million American households who have a pet, many First Families have brought animals home even when the address was 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. White House Historical Association president Stewart McLaurin meets Alan Price, director of the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, and takes a tour of their new exhibit, Presidential Pets. Museum...

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110. Presidential Pets (VIDEO) show art 110. Presidential Pets (VIDEO)

The White House 1600 Sessions

The White House has been home to a menagerie of pets, from working animals such as horses and sheep, to companions of the Scottish Terrier and Siamese cat varieties - with the odd raccoon, cow, or badger thrown in, as well. Like the almost 90 million American households who have a pet, many First Families have brought animals home even when the address was 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. White House Historical Association president Stewart McLaurin meets Alan Price, director of the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, and takes a tour of their new exhibit, Presidential Pets. Museum...

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More Episodes

First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy founded the White House Historical Association over 60 years ago, famously saying “The White House belongs to the American people.” The Association’s mission has been clear since day one: preserving, protecting, and providing public access to White House History. That mission continues through The People’s House: A White House Experience at 1700 Pennsylvania Avenue - a block away from the White House - in Washington, D.C.

In this episode, Stewart McLaurin, President of the White House Historical Association, describes how The People’s House evolved from concept to concrete slabs to cutting-edge technology. He shares what visitors can expect when they arrive: immersive galleries and exhibits where history comes alive with the flick of a hand; a full-scale replica of the Oval Office where you can sit behind the iconic Resolute Desk; become a guest at a State Dinner and listen to a Cabinet meeting, and so much more.

The White House Historical Association is a nonprofit and nonpartisan organization, and no taxpayer dollars were used to build The People’s House, it was funded completely through generous private donations. So please listen and watch to learn more about The People’s House: A White House Experience, and then reserve your free pass to see it yourself next time you’re in the nation’s capital. Plan your visit today at: http://thepeopleshouse.org   

Find all our podcasts at: https://www.whitehousehistory.org/the-white-house-1600-sessions