A house divided...
After adding the new pics to the Oval Office page, I noticed that it now has 40 photos. Other important rooms have only about 30. I'm concerned that, with all the photos, the pages won't load fast enough for casual viewers. I'm wondering about dividing the OO page out into:
- Today
- Earlier
- Today
- Reagan to Clinton
- Johnson to Carter
- FDR to Kennedy
- pre-FDR
UPDATE: For the time being, I've broken the page out into Oval Office and Oval Office History. You can compare it to the previous version.
Labels: West Wing
posted by Derek @ 3:21 PM
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19 Comments:
I like the idea of dividing the Oval Offices by era.
Me too. The eras you suggested sounds pretty logical.
Hmmmmmm. Wasn't the ribbon trim (gimp?) on the curtains a red color when Boudin finished the Kennedy office redecoration? Looks like they changed it to green for LBJ - to match the "Kennedy" rug he reinstalled - and Nixon kept it 'till they redecorated for him. Or did Nixon do this when he first moved in?
I have looked at several editions of the WH guidebook. The last edition that shows Johnson's Oval Office has the red ribbon trim. The 9th edition shows Nixon's Oval Office with the green trim. Also, I check out pics of Johnson's reproduction Oval Office at the LBJ Presidential Library and the trim on the curtains is red. Wonder why Nixon did this if he was only going to keep it less than a year--by the end of 1969 he had changed over to the blue and gold.
I don't have the 9th edition, apparently. I have the last Nixon edition with the original "Kennedy" format - (before they revamped the guidebook in 1973, I believe). Mine must be the 10th edition - and it shows the Blue and Gold "Imperial" Nixon office. I hadn't ever seen the transitional "blue ribbon" (green ribbon?) Nixon office until last night. See how much you learn on the White House Museum website?
OK, what's really scary is that I'm dealing with people here who have numerous editions of the White House Guidebook, over many administrations...um... just like I do... :)
I like the idea of dividing it by era as well. Also, I'd love to see, if you're ever able to dig some up, more photos of the Oval Office during FDR's time. Usually, I see only pictures of the desk area during his time. I'd love to see what the rest of the room looked like in his era, especially with some computer-enhanced color added in to show the color scheme. You truly have an excellent site. I visit often.
You know, it's really nice to know there are other White House enthusists out there--I'm not alone! It really does a person good to come here and chat about the WH.
Hi people. I'm back. I was in Chicago for a week. Nice to see goings-on here.
Welcome back, wingnut! Wondered where you'd gone.
Here's a challenge for everyone - getting hold of current photos of the Master Bedroom. I haven't seen anything newer than Ted Graber's design for Nancy Reagan!
Yes, the '68 Guide shows the red trim, and the '69 photo shows--it looks to me--blue trim.
I'm on the lookout for more photos from every era--especially FDR and Ike--so I'll have to split them out eventually.
I have all editions of the guidebook and I noticed the trim color change too...Mimlog makes an excellent point; why would RN make the change if the gold drapes/blue rug were in the works already? Hmmm...
I like the idea of grouping the Oval Office page by era; but I also like the way Derek has chose to do it. This site just gets better and better! It IS nice to come home, relax, and chat about the WH! Maybe we could all meet in a chat room sometime...
Scott, that's a great idea for all of us to meet in a chat room. I'm sure we could all get some great discussions going. A couple of years ago I participated in a group chat sponsored by the White House Historical Association (some of you may have been a part of that as well) and it was great. The only thing as we would get to discussing our likes and dislikes, the moderator would have to "pull" us back on task. It was really a fun experience. One that I would definitly like to repeat!
er....I have the guidebooks too.
Does anyone get the rolling eyes of family and friends over their WH obsession, I mean interest? Mine is good natured ribbing, but recently when someone asked me what would be my dream job, I answered with no hesitation: CHIEF USHER at the WHITE HOUSE!
Hmmmmm. I was asked the same question and gave the same answer: "Chief Usher"! The closest I'll ever get is the fact that the new Chief Usher is from my town - wish I could say I knew him - but I don't!
Rolling eyes of family and friends over W.H. "interest"? That sounds familiar!
Worse yet - I'm waiting - even as we speak - for the UPS guy to bring my birthday present to myself - a die-cast scale model of the Truman/Eisenhower 1950 Lincoln bubbletop limousine - to go with my other presidential limo models. If you're interested, go to (www.diecastmuscle.com) and click on "cars" - then click on "Lincoln" (Eisenhower/Kennedy/Johnson/Nixon cars) or "Cadillac (FDR/Eisenhower/Reagan Bush2). I may be forgetting some, but check it out. They are very well done.
Oh,and a chat room would be great - Good idea!
Oh man! I am toast now! I've got to have some of these. I collect these cars anyway, but I haven't seen some of these! We actually had the 62 Black Lincoln slabside with the suicide doors! Ours was a sedan though. I've got to have that! You're an enabler!
about the curtains: looks like they simply changed the trim. Not a big deal. Perhaps he didn't like "red". I personally never knew Pat Nixon has such prounounced likes and dislikes about the WH until I read J.B. West's book.
Guys, do you know what my wife will do to me if I tell her about these cars. She keeps insisting I find a cheaper hobby. Yes, I too get the rolling eyes--of course I can always blame the fact that I'm a history teacher!!!!
Uh-oh. I don't want to get on anybody's wife's bad side! I'm a good person! Really!
Actually - the 1950 Truman/ Eisenhower Lincoln came today - and it is beautiful! Even the jump seats work! It looks massive, even in 1/24th scale! Flawless!
Wish I could say the same for the windshield/vent windows on the '57 Oldsmobile...
Halcyondays - If you look at that site, you see that they offer models of both the Kennedy Lincoln and the same car as it was rebuilt after Dallas. The "grab bar" chrome roll bar (with the little window) on the Kennedy Lincoln is actually a slight bit too upright, but it's still very good. The "Johnson" Lincoln is pretty much flawless. They even have little American/Presidential flags (I "ruffled them up" a little so they would look like they were flapping in the breeze). You had a '62 Lincoln when you were a kid? Lucky kid! One of the most beautiful cars ever built! Glad I could be of...enablance?
My dream job would be assistant to the Chief Usher or assitant to the Curator. Hey, it would be more fun and not as much responsibility!
John, yes, we had the 62 Continental. Am I sick that I don't have it now? Pretty much! It had real walnut on the dash and once, at the zoo I nearly found out why they call them suicide doors. But I loved that car. We traded for a black 67 and I didn't like it nearly as well.
A side note: There are some really excellent photos of Air Force One on Flickr. Every time I see that plane with United States of America on it, I really get weak in the knees. It gets me all choked up with pride. That's ONE thing we did right. Raymond Loewy's Livery still looks great.
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