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171-612: Prior to 1902, the area of the present-day Oval Office, Cabinet Room, and Rose Garden contained extensive stables housing horses and coaches. There was also a conservatory rose house in the area. During the 1902 Roosevelt renovation of the White House, First Lady Edith Roosevelt established a "proper colonial garden" in place of the conservatory. The White House Rose Garden was established in 1913 by Ellen Louise Axson Wilson , wife of Woodrow Wilson . In 1935, President Franklin D. Roosevelt commissioned Frederick Law Olmsted Jr. to redesign

342-597: A hypochondriac . For much of her childhood, the family was forced to move in with various relatives. She was unhappy with her childhood, and she rarely spoke of her parents throughout her adult life. The Carows were close friends with their neighbors, the Roosevelt family . Edith's early schooling took place at the Roosevelt home, as well as the Dodsworth School where she received etiquette instruction. Corinne Roosevelt

513-622: A "third alternative" between "unrestrained capitalism" and socialism , which was becoming increasingly popular in Europe. Hoover sought to foster a balance among labor, capital, and the government, and for this, he has been variously labeled a corporatist or an associationalist . A high priority was economic diplomacy, including promoting the growth of exports, as well as protection against monopolistic practices of foreign governments, especially regarding rubber and coffee. Hoover demanded, and received, authority to coordinate economic affairs throughout

684-497: A London-based independent mining consultant and financier. Though he had risen to prominence as a geologist and mine operator, Hoover focused much of his attention on raising money, restructuring corporate organizations, and financing new ventures. He specialized in rejuvenating troubled mining operations, taking a share of the profits in exchange for his technical and financial expertise. Hoover thought of himself and his associates as "engineering doctors to sick concerns", and he earned

855-425: A candidate in the 1908 presidential election . This was complicated by the attempts of Taft's wife, Helen Herron Taft , to exert her own influence on the White House. Edith and Helen had developed a rivalry over the years, both distrusting each other and the other's husband. This contributed to a similar animosity between Theodore and William in the following years. The tone of the White House became melancholy when

1026-501: A ceremony in the Rose Garden before an audience of top Washington officials, other dignitaries, and family members. Following the event, several attendees tested positive for COVID-19 , including Trump himself. The phrase "Rose Garden strategy" (such as a re-election strategy) refers to staying inside or on the grounds of the White House, as opposed to traveling throughout the country. For example, Jimmy Carter 's initial efforts to end

1197-433: A classmate named Lou Henry , though his financial situation precluded marriage at that time. The daughter of a banker from Monterey, California , Lou Henry decided to study geology at Stanford after attending a lecture delivered by John C. Branner . Immediately after earning a promotion in 1898, Hoover cabled Lou Henry, asking her to marry him. After she cabled back her acceptance of the proposal, Hoover briefly returned to

1368-584: A contender in the 1920 presidential election. Hoover's wartime push for higher taxes, criticism of Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer 's actions during the First Red Scare , and his advocacy for measures such as the minimum wage , forty-eight-hour workweek, and elimination of child labor made him appealing to progressives of both parties. Despite his service in the Democratic administration of Woodrow Wilson, Hoover had never been closely affiliated with either

1539-478: A cool note of white coloration to the landscaping. Seasonal flowers are further interspersed to add nearly year-round color and variety to the garden. Some of the Spring blooming bulbs planted in the Rose Garden include jonquil, daffodil, fritillaria, grape hyacinth, tulips, chionodoxa and squill. Summer blooming annuals are changed on a near yearly basis. In the fall, chrysanthemum and flowering kale bring color leading all

1710-416: A critical article about the first lady's fashion consisting of "three hundred dollars a year", Edith cut it from the newspaper and placed it in her scrapbook. The first published caricature of a first lady depicted Edith during her husband's dinner at the White House with Booker T. Washington . Edith was skeptical when Theodore selected the secretary of war William Howard Taft as his successor to run as

1881-524: A critical food situation; Hoover estimated that as many as 400 million people faced the possibility of starvation. The United States Food Administration became the American Relief Administration (ARA), and Hoover was charged with providing food to Central and Eastern Europe. In addition to providing relief, the ARA rebuilt infrastructure in an effort to rejuvenate the economy of Europe. Throughout

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2052-454: A diary, deciding that her insights as the wife of a public figure were worth preserving. Edith attended Theodore's inauguration as vice president in Washington on March 4, 1901. Edith and the children subsequently had lunch with President William McKinley , watched the inaugural parade, and returned to Sagamore Hill. Theodore joined the rest of the family soon after, as the vice president

2223-568: A dinner in the couple's honor and attended their wedding. She maintained a close relationship with the Roosevelts over the following years, though she was cold toward Alice. Edith's father died from alcohol-related illness in 1883. Theodore's wife and his mother Martha Bulloch Roosevelt both died in February 1884, so he moved west to distance himself from his life in New York. Edith did not see him for

2394-425: A divorce. Theodore wished to keep her ex-husband, former senator Edward O. Wolcott , from returning to the senate. This was in part because of political alliances, but Edith had a negative opinion of him for neglecting Frances that may have also played a role. The Roosevelts were successful in keeping Edward from being elected, but he never reunited with Frances. The Roosevelts later got Frances's son, Lyman M. Bass ,

2565-449: A future presidential bid throughout the 1920s, but he carefully avoided alienating Coolidge, who possibly could have run for another term in the 1928 presidential election . Along with the rest of the nation, he was surprised when Coolidge announced in August 1927 that he would not seek another term. With the impending retirement of Coolidge, Hoover immediately emerged as the front-runner for

2736-609: A governess gave her a degree of freedom from her previous responsibilities. She renovated the New York State Executive Mansion in Albany after moving in so that it was a suitable home for her children, and she redecorated it with new artwork. Edith grew comfortable with her life in Albany, as it brought financial security and her role as first lady allowed her to spend more time with her husband. She pursued new hobbies in

2907-533: A healthy weight. Other projects included changes to the public areas and a redesign of the garden. The renovations were generally received positively. The Roosevelts moved back into the White House on November 4, 1902, as renovations finished over the following month. After the State Dining Room was expanded to seat over one hundred guests, Edith purchased more china for the White House. Unable to find American-made china, she had Wedgwood china imported to

3078-575: A huge crowd that he would continue the policies of the Harding and Coolidge administrations. The Democrats nominated New York governor Al Smith , who became the first Catholic major party nominee for president. Hoover submitted his resignation as Commerce Secretary on July 7, but Coolidge kept him on until August 21 to wind up pending business. Hoover centered his campaign around the Republican record of peace and prosperity, as well as his own reputation as

3249-533: A large property on the remote north coast of Santa Cruz County. The Theodore J. Hoover Natural Preserve is now part of Big Basin State Park . World War I broke out in August 1914, pitting Germany and its allies against France and its allies. The German Schlieffen plan was to achieve a quick victory by marching through neutral Belgium to envelop the French Army east of Paris. The maneuver failed to reach Paris but

3420-702: A lifelong sense of strict religious morality. She also learned to speak fluent French and took a more active interest in English literature, with a particular focus on the works of William Shakespeare . During the celebrations for the centennial of the United States in 1876, Edith visited the White House , afterward commenting that it would be unlikely that she should ever visit it again. After graduating from Miss Comstock's School in 1879, she participated in New York's social life, attending balls and making social calls. She

3591-618: A mine scout for a year, Hoover was hired by Bewick, Moreing & Co. ("Bewick"), a London-based company that operated gold mines in Western Australia . He first went to Coolgardie , then the center of the Eastern Goldfields , which was actually in Western Australia , receiving a $ 5,000 salary (equivalent to $ 183,120 in 2023). Conditions were harsh in the goldfields; Hoover described the Coolgardie and Murchison rangelands on

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3762-488: A model Uniform Vehicle Code for adoption by the states and a Model Municipal Traffic Ordinance for adoption by cities. Both were widely influential, promoting greater uniformity between jurisdictions and tending to promote the automobile's priority in city streets. Phillips Payson O'Brien argues that Hoover had a Britain problem. He had spent so many years living in Britain and Australia, as an employee of British companies, there

3933-417: A poorly-drained lawn which required annual replacement, the die-off of multiple rose bushes "to the point where only a dozen or so remained", and the parterres' susceptibility to boxwood blight. White House interior designer and Grounds Committee member Thammanoune Kannalikham described the decision as a "collective" one, made “by the entire team to respond to the changed environment of the garden ... It allows

4104-785: A prominent position as a New York district attorney. Edith often served as an intermediary for the Roosevelts' associates to get information to the president. During peace negotiations for the Russo-Japanese War in 1905, she was in contact with Cecil Spring Rice, who at this point was a diplomat at the British embassy in Russia. It would have been untoward for Spring Rice and Theodore to communicate directly given their respective positions, but Spring Rice wrote to Edith and his letters included valuable information for Theodore. Edith donated handkerchiefs and other items to be auctioned for charity during

4275-650: A reputation as a "doctor of sick mines". He made investments on every continent and had offices in San Francisco; London; New York City; Paris; Petrograd ; and Mandalay , British Burma . By 1914, Hoover was a very wealthy man, with an estimated personal fortune of $ 4 million (equivalent to $ 121.67 million in 2023). Hoover co-founded the Zinc Corporation to extract zinc near the Australian city of Broken Hill , New South Wales . The Zinc Corporation developed

4446-548: A separate mine in the Altai Mountains that, according to Hoover, "developed probably the greatest and richest single body of ore known in the world". In his spare time, Hoover wrote. His lectures at Columbia and Stanford universities were published in 1909 as Principles of Mining , which became a standard textbook. The book reflects his move towards progressive ideals, as Hoover came to endorse eight-hour workdays and organized labor . Hoover became deeply interested in

4617-455: A speech for the second night of the 2020 Republican National Convention in the Rose Garden before an audience of 70 people. Although the Rose Garden is used frequently to greet distinguished visitors and for special ceremonies and public statements, the contemplative setting is often a very personal and private place for the president. On September 26, 2020, President Donald Trump announced his Supreme Court nomination of Amy Coney Barrett in

4788-645: A successful engineer and public official. Averse to giving political speeches, Hoover largely stayed out of the fray and left the campaigning to Curtis and other Republicans. Smith was more charismatic and gregarious than Hoover, but his campaign was damaged by anti-Catholicism and his overt opposition to Prohibition. Hoover had never been a strong proponent of Prohibition, but he accepted the Republican Party's plank in favor of it and issued an ambivalent statement calling Prohibition "a great social and economic experiment, noble in motive and far-reaching in purpose". In

4959-859: A unique, gigantic achievement, worthy of the greatest glory, which will long remain in the memory of millions of Russians whom you have saved from death". In 1919, Hoover established the Hoover War Collection at Stanford University. He donated all the files of the Commission for Relief in Belgium, the U.S. Food Administration, and the American Relief Administration, and pledged $ 50,000 as an endowment (equivalent to $ 878,695 in 2023). Scholars were sent to Europe to collect pamphlets, society publications, government documents, newspapers, posters, proclamations, and other ephemeral materials related to

5130-482: A vacation to the Adirondack Mountains while Theodore was on a speaking tour. It was here that she received a telephone call from her husband informing her that President McKinley had been shot . Edith correctly speculated that the perpetrator was an anarchist. McKinley died on September 14, 1901. Only six months into his term as vice president, Theodore became president of the United States , and Edith became

5301-432: A way that she did not with most people. The nation was in mourning when the Roosevelts entered the White House, so the first lady's traditional role of hosting social events was postponed for 30 days. As Washington became active, Edith increased the number of social events held by the White House each season, including dinners, teas, garden parties, and concerts. The 1902 social season saw approximately 40,000 people visit

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5472-519: A wealthy mining engineer. In 1914, the outbreak of World War I , he organized and headed the Commission for Relief in Belgium, an international relief organization that provided food to occupied Belgium . When the U.S. entered the war in 1917, President Woodrow Wilson appointed Hoover to lead the Food Administration. He became famous as his country's "food czar". After the war, Hoover led the American Relief Administration , which provided food to

5643-625: Is unknown to what extent or in what areas Edith had political influence over her husband. One government official, Gifford Pinchot , said that she had "much more ... to do with government business than was commonly supposed" after Theodore appointed her preferred candidate, James Rudolph Garfield , to the Civil Service Commission. She sometimes worked with William Loeb Jr. , the president's secretary , to convince Theodore of her ideas. Edith often dissuaded Theodore from ideas she disliked. When he asked for reduced security, she instructed

5814-439: Is unknown, but they frequently spoke about politics and he often took her advice. She resented the press, feeling that it was intrusive. She leveraged her influence to control when and how they reported on the Roosevelts, and had professional photographs taken of the family so the press would not need to take their own. Edith also controlled Washington social life, organizing weekly meetings of the cabinet members' wives, and became

5985-512: The 1932 presidential election . Hoover's retirement was over 31 years long, one of the longest presidential retirements. He authored numerous works and became increasingly conservative in retirement. He strongly criticized Roosevelt's foreign policy and the New Deal . In the 1940s and 1950s, public opinion of Hoover improved, largely due to his service in various assignments for Presidents Harry S. Truman and Dwight D. Eisenhower , including chairing

6156-589: The Depression of 1920–21 , he convinced Harding to assemble a presidential commission on unemployment, which encouraged local governments to engage in countercyclical infrastructure spending. He endorsed much of Mellon's tax reduction program but favored a more progressive tax system and opposed the treasury secretary's efforts to eliminate the estate tax . Between 1923 and 1929, the number of families with radios grew from 300,000 to 10 million, and Hoover's tenure as Secretary of Commerce heavily influenced radio use in

6327-542: The East Wing . Aware that extravagant spending could provoke controversy, she reduced costs wherever possible, having older furniture brought in rather than purchasing newer items. The largest change was in the East Room , which was entirely redesigned, including a new ceiling, wallpaper, carpeting, and three electric crystal chandeliers. She also had a tennis court installed, hoping that it would encourage her husband to maintain

6498-677: The Iran hostage crisis (1979–1981) were a Rose Garden strategy because he mostly held discussions with his close advisers in the White House rather than traveling to elicit public support. Four years earlier, Carter had accused Gerald Ford of the same thing and said that President Ford was using White House actions to garner free publicity while as challenger, Carter had to struggle for press coverage. 38°53′51″N 77°02′14″W  /  38.8975°N 77.0371°W  / 38.8975; -77.0371 Edith Roosevelt Edith Kermit Roosevelt ( née Carow ; August 6, 1861 – September 30, 1948)

6669-518: The National Park Service , Williams secretly removed and transported the trees from the Basin to the White House under cover of night. Ever since then, roses have served as the primary flowering plants in the garden, including large numbers of ' Queen Elizabeth ' grandiflora roses, along with the tea roses ' Pascali ', ' Pat Nixon ', and ' King's Ransom '. A shrub rose, ' Nevada ', also served to add

6840-696: The North Sea forty times to meet with German authorities and persuade them to allow food shipments. He also convinced British Chancellor of the Exchequer David Lloyd George to allow individuals to send money to the people of Belgium, thereby lessening workload of the CRB. At the request of the French government, the CRB began delivering supplies to the people of German-occupied Northern France in 1915. American diplomat Walter Page described Hoover as "probably

7011-587: The Paris Peace Conference , Hoover served as a close adviser to President Wilson, and he largely shared Wilson's goals of establishing the League of Nations , settling borders on the basis of self-determination , and refraining from inflicting a harsh punishment on the defeated Central Powers. The following year, the famed British economist John Maynard Keynes wrote in The Economic Consequences of

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7182-579: The Pope John Paul II Rose in honor of the first time a pope visited the White House in 1979. A new limestone walk, 36 inches (91 cm) wide to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act , was laid around the borders of the garden. The crabapple trees, added during the Kennedy redesign, were relocated elsewhere on the White House grounds as the newer trees were failing to thrive. The renovation

7353-614: The Rough Riders . Edith wrote to him almost every day while he was away and stayed informed through the newspaper, which often covered his exploits with the Rough Riders as he became increasingly famous. The Rough Riders returned to the United States that August and were put under quarantine in Montauk, New York , as disease had spread on the battlefield. Violating the quarantine, Edith and Theodore secretly reunited, and she worked tirelessly at

7524-676: The Secret Service to ignore his request. She also had two Secret Service agents stationed at Pine Knot each night without telling Theodore. Edith had little interest in the political affairs of the Republican Party and its members, but she took an interest in certain political issues and gave her evaluations of the men with whom the Roosevelts interacted. She agreed with Theodore's policies when he became adamant about progressive reforms in his second term. Shortly after becoming first lady, Edith put her efforts toward helping her friend Frances Metcalfe Wolcott reunite with her ex-husband following

7695-605: The United States Geological Survey ; these experiences convinced Hoover to pursue a career as a mining geologist. When Hoover graduated from Stanford in 1895, the country was in the midst of the Panic of 1893 and he initially struggled to find a job. He worked in various low-level mining jobs in the Sierra Nevada Mountains until persuading prominent mining engineer Louis Janin to hire him. After working as

7866-590: The froth flotation process to extract zinc from lead-silver ore and operated the world's first selective ore differential flotation plant. Hoover worked with the Burma Corporation, a British firm that produced silver, lead, and zinc in large quantities at the Namtu Bawdwin Mine . He also helped increase copper production in Kyshtym , Russia , through the use of pyritic smelting. He also agreed to manage

8037-503: The history of science , and he was especially drawn to the De re metallica , an influential 16th century work on mining and metallurgy by Georgius Agricola . In 1912, Hoover and his wife published the first English translation of De re metallica . Hoover also joined the board of trustees at Stanford, and led a successful campaign to appoint John Branner as the university's president. During his senior year at Stanford, Hoover became smitten with

8208-404: The labour movement of the Australian miners. During his time with the mining company, Hoover became opposed to measures such as a minimum wage and workers' compensation , feeling that they were unfair to owners. Hoover's work impressed his employers, and in 1898 he was promoted to junior partner. An open feud developed between Hoover and his boss, Ernest Williams, but Bewick's leaders defused

8379-463: The "Treaty of Oyster Bay". She also objected to McKim's proposed design for her writing desk, calling it "ugly and inconvenient". Edith saw the construction of a feature long desired by past first ladies: separate living quarters secluded from the executive offices and public areas, allowing the family to live uninterrupted by visitors. This separation came with the establishment of the West Wing and

8550-467: The 1909 social season began as the Roosevelts' presence there was nearing its end. The incoming Taft family , though generally well-liked, lacked the energetic reputation of the Roosevelts. Helen Taft had already begun planning the changes she would make in the staff. Edith had bonded with these people over the years and became emotional when discussing Taft's intentions. Herbert Hoover Herbert Clark Hoover (August 10, 1874 – October 20, 1964)

8721-413: The 1928 Republican nomination, and he quickly put together a strong campaign team led by Hubert Work , Will H. Hays , and Reed Smoot . Coolidge was unwilling to anoint Hoover as his successor; on one occasion he remarked that, "for six years that man has given me unsolicited advice—all of it bad". Despite his lukewarm feelings towards Hoover, Coolidge had no desire to split the party by publicly opposing

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8892-641: The Allied Powers, preventing their collapse and earning Hoover great acclaim. As head of the Food Administration, Hoover gained a following in the United States, especially among progressives who saw in Hoover an expert administrator and symbol of efficiency. He was elected to the American Philosophical Society during his tenure. World War I came to an end in November 1918, but Europe continued to face

9063-600: The Bolsheviks and feared the possibility of a protracted U.S. involvement. The Russian famine of 1921–22 claimed six million people, but the intervention of the ARA likely saved millions of lives. When asked if he was not helping Bolshevism by providing relief, Hoover stated, "twenty million people are starving. Whatever their politics, they shall be fed!" Reflecting the gratitude of many Europeans, in July 1922, Soviet author Maxim Gorky told Hoover that "your help will enter history as

9234-633: The British refused to lift their blockade of German-occupied Belgium unless the U.S. government supervised Belgian food imports as a neutral party in the war. With the cooperation of the Wilson administration and the CNSA , a Belgian relief organization, Hoover established the Commission for Relief in Belgium (CRB). The CRB obtained and imported millions of tons of foodstuffs for the CNSA to distribute, and helped ensure that

9405-601: The Chinese government, the director of the Chinese Engineering and Mining Company agreed to establish a new Sino-British venture with Bewick. After they established effective control over the new Chinese mining company, Hoover became the operating partner in late 1901. In this role, Hoover continually traveled the world on behalf of Bewick, visiting mines operated by the company on different continents. Beginning in December 1902,

9576-535: The Democrats or the Republicans . He initially sought to avoid committing to any party in the 1920 election, hoping that either of the two major parties would draft him for president at their national conventions. In March 1920, he changed strategy and declared himself a Republican; he was motivated in large part by the belief that the Democrats had little chance of winning. Despite his national renown, Hoover's service in

9747-502: The German army did not appropriate the food. Private donations and government grants supplied the majority of its $ 11-million-a-month budget, and the CRB became a veritable independent republic of relief, with its own flag, navy, factories, mills, and railroads. Hoover worked 14-hour days from London, administering the distribution of over two million tons of food to nine million war victims. In an early form of shuttle diplomacy , he crossed

9918-542: The Germans did control nearly all of Belgium for the entire war. Hoover and other London-based American businessmen established a committee to organize the return of the roughly 100,000 Americans stranded in Europe. Hoover was appointed as the committee's chairman and, with the assent of Congress and the Wilson administration , took charge of the distribution of relief to Americans in Europe. Hoover later stated, "I did not realize it at

10089-502: The Harding administration. Hoover envisioned the Commerce Department as the hub of the nation's growth and stability. His experience mobilizing the war-time economy convinced him that the federal government could promote efficiency by eliminating waste, increasing production, encouraging the adoption of data-based practices, investing in infrastructure, and conserving natural resources. Contemporaries described Hoover's approach as

10260-564: The Home Modernizing Bureau. He worked with bankers and the savings and loan industry to promote the new long-term home mortgage, which dramatically stimulated home construction. Other accomplishments included winning the agreement of U.S. Steel to adopt an eight-hour workday, and the fostering of the Colorado River Compact , a water rights compact among Southwestern states . The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 broke

10431-530: The Hoovers began living in the United States, maintaining homes in Stanford, California , and Washington, D.C. Hoover's great-grandaughter (through Allan) is conservative political commentator, strategist, media personality and author Margaret Hoover . Hoover's elder brother Theodore also studied mining engineering at Stanford, and returned there to become dean of the engineering school. In retirement, Theodore bought

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10602-642: The Peace that if Hoover's realism, "knowledge, magnanimity and disinterestedness" had found wider play in the councils of Paris, the world would have had "the Good Peace". After U.S. government funding for the ARA expired in mid-1919, Hoover transformed the ARA into a private organization, raising millions of dollars from private donors. He also established the European Children's Fund, which provided relief to fifteen million children across fourteen countries. Despite

10773-443: The Roosevelts struggled financially. Edith was in charge of all the family's finances, keeping meticulous records and allotting $ 20 per day to her husband (equivalent to $ 680 in 2023 ). The increasingly erratic behavior of Theodore's alcoholic brother Elliott became the family's primary focus until his sudden death in 1894. The Roosevelts were invited to dine at the White House for the first time on February 1, 1894, where Edith

10944-418: The Senate and from radio station owners. Hoover was also influential in the early development of air travel, and he sought to create a thriving private industry boosted by indirect government subsidies. He encouraged the development of emergency landing fields, required all runways to be equipped with lights and radio beams, and encouraged farmers to make use of planes for crop dusting . He also established

11115-421: The Senate. Hoover would serve as Secretary of Commerce from 1921 to 1928, serving under Harding and, after Harding's death in 1923, President Calvin Coolidge . While some of the most prominent members of the Harding administration, including Attorney General Harry M. Daugherty and Secretary of Interior Albert B. Fall , were implicated in major scandals , Hoover emerged largely unscathed from investigations into

11286-426: The South, Hoover and the national party pursued a " lily-white " strategy, removing black Republicans from leadership positions in an attempt to curry favor with white Southerners. Hoover maintained polling leads throughout the 1928 campaign, and he decisively defeated Smith on election day, taking 58 percent of the popular vote and 444 of the 531 electoral votes. Historians agree that Hoover's national reputation and

11457-416: The St. Hilda Sewing Circle with Oyster Bay's Christ Episcopal Church. She voiced her support for the Audubon Society 's efforts to end the use of decorative plumes on women's hats in 1905, and she joined the New York Assembly of Mothers in 1907. Edith sponsored a variety of classical instrumentalists and singers, giving them a venue to perform at the White House. She enjoyed classical music, including

11628-541: The United States for their wedding. They would remain married until Lou Henry Hoover's death in 1944. Hoover was the first president to be a widower since Woodrow Wilson . Though his Quaker upbringing strongly influenced his career, Hoover rarely attended Quaker meetings during his adult life. Hoover and his wife had two children: Herbert Hoover Jr. (born in 1903) and Allan Henry Hoover (born in 1907). The Hoover family began living in London in 1902, though they frequently traveled as part of Hoover's career. After 1916,

11799-450: The United States in fall 1907, and she again grew anxious for his return, looking forward to each letter he sent. In the final ten months of her tenure as first lady, a series of attacks on unaccompanied women in Washington led Theodore to appoint a bodyguard for Edith's walks. He chose Archibald Butt , the new White House military aide. Butt accompanied Edith on her walks and shopping trips, and she felt herself able to speak freely to him in

11970-478: The United States where it was painted with the great seal . She then ensured the continuation of the White House china collection that had been started by former first lady Caroline Harrison . Along with her social secretary Belle Hagner and the reporter Abby Gunn Baker , Edith tracked down much of the china used by previous administrations. At the end of her tenure, she had all of the damaged pieces destroyed, feeling that selling or gifting them would degrade

12141-444: The United States. In the early and mid-1920s, Hoover's radio conferences played a key role in the organization, development, and regulation of radio broadcasting . Hoover also helped pass the Radio Act of 1927 , which allowed the government to intervene and abolish radio stations that were deemed "non-useful" to the public. Hoover's attempts at regulating radio were not supported by all congressmen, and he received much opposition from

12312-455: The White House upon moving in, saying that it was "like living over the store". The building had become cramped with more employees as the scope of federal politics changed over the 19th century, and demand for workspace restricted the residential areas. Renovations began on the building in 1902, and the Roosevelts found other places to live for six months. While Theodore moved to a house on Lafayette Square , Edith returned to Sagamore Hill with

12483-428: The White House, Edith hired caterers, allowing her to lighten her schedule and to avoid potential criticism for poor catering decisions. She likewise delegated management of the staff to the chief usher. Rather than hiring a housekeeper, she took personal responsibility for the care of the mansion. Edith's mornings as first lady often entailed answering her mail, reading the newspaper, shopping, and studying French. In

12654-469: The White House, far more than any previous year. Edith found comfort in the fact that the first lady did not have to make social calls, instead receiving them from others each afternoon. Being first lady came with new obligations that she disliked, including participation in large receiving lines and the White House Easter Egg Roll . She found the egg roll distasteful, saying that it ruined

12825-572: The Wilson administration had alienated farmers and the conservative Old Guard of the GOP , and his presidential candidacy fizzled out after his defeat in the California primary by favorite son Hiram Johnson . At the 1920 Republican National Convention , Warren G. Harding emerged as a compromise candidate after the convention became deadlocked between supporters of Johnson, Leonard Wood , and Frank Orren Lowden . Hoover backed Harding's successful campaign in

12996-404: The age of 34 of a sudden heart attack. Hoover's mother died in 1884 of typhoid , leaving Hoover, his older brother, Theodore, and his younger sister, May, as orphans. Hoover lived the next 18 months with his uncle Allen Hoover at a nearby farm. In November 1885, Hoover was sent to Newberg, Oregon , to live with his uncle John Minthorn, a Quaker physician and businessman whose own son had died

13167-573: The age of thirteen to become an office assistant for his uncle's real estate office (Oregon Land Company) in Salem, Oregon . Though he did not attend high school, Hoover learned bookkeeping, typing, and mathematics at a night school. Hoover was a member of the inaugural "Pioneer Class" of Stanford University , entering in 1891 despite failing all the entrance exams except mathematics. During his freshman year, he switched his major from mechanical engineering to geology after working for John Casper Branner ,

13338-505: The agency leadership— Alonzo E. Taylor (technical abilities), Robert Taft (political associations), Gifford Pinchot (agricultural influence), and Julius Barnes (business acumen). World War I had created a global food crisis that dramatically increased food prices and caused food riots and starvation in the countries at war. Hoover's chief goal as food czar was to provide supplies to the Allied Powers, but he also sought to stabilize domestic prices and to prevent domestic shortages. Under

13509-582: The amount of crude oil spilled during extraction and shipping. He promoted international trade by opening overseas offices to advise businessmen. Hoover was especially eager to promote Hollywood films overseas. His "Own Your Own Home" campaign was a collaboration to promote ownership of single-family dwellings, with groups such as the Better Houses in America movement, the Architects' Small House Service Bureau, and

13680-526: The banks and levees of the lower Mississippi River in early 1927, resulting in the flooding of millions of acres and leaving 1.5 million people displaced from their homes. Although disaster response did not fall under the duties of the Commerce Department , the governors of six states along the Mississippi River specifically asked President Coolidge to appoint Hoover to coordinate the response to

13851-458: The booming economy, combined with deep splits in the Democratic Party over religion and Prohibition, guaranteed his landslide victory. Hoover's appeal to Southern white voters succeeded in cracking the " Solid South ", and he won five Southern states. Hoover's victory was positively received by newspapers; one wrote that Hoover would "drive so forcefully at the tasks now before the nation that

14022-710: The broad powers granted by the Food and Fuel Control Act , the Food Administration supervised food production throughout the United States, and the administration made use of its authority to buy, import, store, and sell food. Determined to avoid rationing, Hoover established set days for people to avoid eating specified foods and save them for soldiers' rations: meatless Mondays , wheatless Wednesdays, and "when in doubt, eat potatoes". These policies were dubbed "Hooverizing" by government publicists, in spite of Hoover's continual orders that publicity should not mention him by name. The Food Administration shipped 23 million metric tons of food to

14193-450: The camp over the next four days as a Red Cross volunteer. Theodore returned as a war hero , and their home became a place of public interest. When he began his campaign to be elected Governor of New York in the fall of 1898, Edith worried he would be targeted by anarchist assassins . She did not join him on the campaign, out of both her need to support the children and her desire to avoid public attention. She instead took charge of

14364-427: The chairman of Stanford's geology department. During his sophomore year, Sam Collins proposed founding, Romero Hall Boarding Club , the first student cooperative boarding house at Romero Hall, for "sociability and economy", which Hoover and William Foster Hidden co-founded. Hoover was a mediocre student, and he spent much of his time working in various part-time jobs or participating in campus activities. Though he

14535-514: The children's play. She hoped for another child, but her two pregnancies in 1902 and 1903 both resulted in miscarriages. For two months beginning in April 1903, Theodore ventured off on a trip to the west. Edith cared for the children on her own at this time, first when she was on a cruise aboard the USS Mayflower and after she returned to the White House. Worried about his safety the entire time, she

14706-559: The children. Edith then underwent a period of postpartum depression , and she experienced a miscarriage the following year. Managing the family became a large responsibility, in part because she considered her husband to be one of the children for his involvement in their trouble-making, and she frequently hosted their family friend Cecil Spring Rice . In October 1888, Edith joined Theodore in traveling west to campaign for Benjamin Harrison in that year's presidential election , finding

14877-405: The children. From here, she stayed updated on the renovations and prevented the implementation of any ideas she disliked. The work was carried out by McKim, Mead & White . The earliest point of contention was the location of the White House conservatory; the architect Charles Follen McKim wished to destroy it, and Edith protested. They settled on relocating it, an agreement that McKim dubbed

15048-712: The city, joining the Friday Morning Club and accompanying Frances Theodora Parsons on botanical trips. Edith was more cautious about public life as her husband became one of the most prominent figures in American politics. Her receptions and public activity were the subject of national press coverage, though it was generally positive. Edith's primary focus when entertaining was the flower arrangements, while an aide addressed food, seating, and music. In March 1900, Edith and her sister vacationed in Cuba where she visited San Juan Hill ,

15219-489: The collection. She also organized the creation of a portrait gallery that featured official portraits of the first ladies. Since then, every first lady has had an official portrait created. Edith did not share her political opinions publicly, but she often discussed them with her husband—a fact that was generally known by the public. Since Theodore did not read the newspapers, Edith read four each day and brought clippings to him if she thought they warranted his attention. It

15390-669: The companies had caused damage to the building during rail construction. The trial went on until it was decided in the Carow sisters' favor in 1890. Edith and Theodore traveled to London, where they were wed at St George's, Hanover Square , on December 2, 1886. They spent their honeymoon in Europe over the winter, going to France and then visiting Edith's family at their new home in Italy before returning to England. The Roosevelts returned to New York in March 1887. They stayed with Theodore's sister Bamie for

15561-555: The company faced mounting legal and financial issues after one of the partners admitted to having fraudulently sold stock in a mine. More issues arose in 1904 after the British government formed two separate royal commissions to investigate Bewick's labor practices and financial dealings in Western Australia. After the company lost a lawsuit Hoover began looking for a way to get out of the partnership, and he sold his shares in mid-1908. After leaving Bewick, Moreing, Hoover worked as

15732-412: The conferences grew and soon embraced motor vehicle standards, rules of the road, and urban traffic control. He left the invited interest groups to negotiate agreements among themselves, which were then presented for adoption by states and localities. Because automotive trade associations were the best organized, many of the positions taken by the conferences reflected their interests. The conferences issued

15903-429: The confinement he would experience as president, and she worried that he was too young to be president. She received some relief at the beginning of her tenure when she spoke to former president Cleveland about Theodore as president, to which he simply responded "don't worry, he is all right". Edith's first duty in her new role was to attend the funeral of William McKinley . Upon entering the White House, she rearranged

16074-534: The deaths of her son Quentin in 1918 and then Theodore in 1919. She remained politically active, supporting Warren G. Harding in 1920 and Herbert Hoover in 1932 . Edith took an interest in her ancestry in 1920s, writing a book on her ancestors and purchasing her ancestral home in Brooklyn, Connecticut . She lost two more of her sons in the 1940s and was bedridden for the last year of her life. Edith died on September 30, 1948. Historians have consistently ranked her in

16245-559: The depression was widely seen as lackluster and he scapegoated Mexican Americans for the economic crisis. Approximately one million Mexican Americans were forcibly "repatriated" to Mexico in a forced migration campaign known as the Mexican Repatriation even though a majority of them were born in the United States. In the midst of the Great Depression, he was decisively defeated by Democratic nominee Franklin D. Roosevelt in

16416-547: The duke was praised by the press and by members of the Russian aristocracy. The tone of the White House improved after Theodore's reelection, as the beginning of this term was a cause for celebration instead of the mourning that followed the assassination of President McKinley. This led up to Edith's most prominent social event as first lady, in which she hosted the White House wedding of her stepdaughter Alice to Congressman Nicholas Longworth on February 17, 1906. Edith disliked

16587-683: The edge of the Great Victoria Desert as a land of "black flies, red dust and white heat". Hoover traveled constantly across the Outback to evaluate and manage the company's mines. He convinced Bewick to purchase the Sons of Gwalia gold mine, which proved to be one of the most successful mines in the region. Partly due to Hoover's efforts, the company eventually controlled approximately 50 percent of gold production in Western Australia . Hoover brought in many Italian immigrants to cut costs and counter

16758-446: The election neared. Edith was disappointed when, in the jubilation of his victory, Theodore announced that he would not run for election again. She knew he would come to regret the announcement, and she later said that she would have done anything in her power to prevent it if she had known what he was going to say. In May 1905, Edith set off to create a presidential retreat to which the family could escape. Their home at Sagamore Hill

16929-425: The end of his eight years as president will find us looking back on an era of prodigious achievement". Hoover's detractors wondered why he did not do anything to reapportion congress after the 1920 United States census which saw an increase in urban and immigrant populations. The 1920 census was the first and only decennial census where the results were not used to reapportion Congress, which ultimately influenced

17100-419: The evenings, she spent time with her children and went horseback riding with her husband. Despite the tribulations of White House life, Edith and Theodore adored one another and maintained a strong relationship. Each Tuesday, Edith organized a meeting with the wives of all the cabinet members to run concurrently with cabinet meetings. Here they planned and budgeted White House entertainment, and they made sure

17271-592: The experience enjoyable. After Harrison's victory, he repaid Theodore with a position on the Civil Service Commission . Edith was pregnant again, and she stayed at Sagamore Hill while Theodore moved to Washington, D.C. His absences especially took a toll on her while she was pregnant, causing her further depression. Edith's second son, Kermit , was born on October 10, 1889. She joined her husband in Washington that December. During her time in Washington, Edith took on more serious hosting responsibilities as

17442-430: The families and by historians for their split, including a rejected proposal, Theodore Roosevelt Sr. 's disapproval of Charles Carow's alcoholism, a rumor that the Roosevelts were afflicted with scrofula , or clashing personalities between their strong tempers. They rekindled their friendship in December 1879. By this time, Theodore was engaged to his first wife, Alice Hathaway Lee . This caused Edith grief, but she held

17613-461: The federal government's power to inspect planes and license pilots, setting a precedent for the later Federal Aviation Administration . As Commerce Secretary, Hoover hosted national conferences on street traffic collectively known as the National Conference on Street and Highway Safety. Hoover's chief objective was to address the growing casualty toll of traffic accidents , but the scope of

17784-600: The first lady's activities to the press. In Theodore's second term, Congressman Thomas W. Hardwick objected to Hagner's employment on government funds and raised a motion to dismiss her. The remainder of the United States House of Representatives saw this as an affront against the first lady, and Hardwick was the lone voice in support of the motion. Fashion was not important to Edith, who often kept outfits over multiple seasons. She sometimes had adjustments made to keep them updated. When Marion Graves Anthon Fish wrote

17955-485: The first two years of her tenure, establishing a "handkerchief bureau" to facilitate the donations. She stopped after the handkerchiefs were scrutinized and criticized, which caused her a great deal of emotional distress. She also made anonymous donations from her personal funds to those in need, so long as she could first confirm the facts to ensure she was not "'carrying' people when they should 'learn to walk ' ". Edith frequently did needlework for charity, participating in

18126-434: The flood crisis, by 1928, Hoover had begun to overshadow President Coolidge himself. Though Hoover received wide acclaim for his role in the crisis, he ordered the suppression of reports of mistreatment of African Americans in refugee camps . He did so with the cooperation of black American leader Robert Russa Moton , who was promised unprecedented influence once Hoover became president. Hoover quietly gathered support for

18297-463: The flood. Believing that disaster response was not the domain of the federal government, Coolidge initially refused to become involved, but he eventually acceded to political pressure and appointed Hoover to chair a special committee to help the region. Hoover established over one hundred tent cities and a fleet of more than six hundred vessels and raised $ 17 million (equivalent to $ 298.18 million in 2023). In large part due to his leadership during

18468-473: The following year. He avoided her intentionally, worrying that he would be betraying Alice if he developed feelings for Edith. When Theodore returned to New York in September 1885, he encountered Edith by chance at his sister's house. They renewed their relationship and were secretly engaged that November, unwilling to disclose that Theodore was to rewed so soon after the death of his wife. After their engagement

18639-534: The following years. Edith became a public figure when her husband became a war hero in the Spanish–American War and was elected governor of New York . Theodore became vice president in March 1901, and she became second lady of the United States for six months; she became first lady when the assassination of President William McKinley propelled Theodore to the presidency in September of that year. The exact nature of Edith's influence over Theodore's presidency

18810-425: The furniture in the living quarters and then promptly slept for two days. One benefit of their new position meant that the Roosevelts no longer had to worry about money, and she came to enjoy her life as first lady. For her sitting room, Edith used an oval library adjacent to the president's office. From here she could watch over him and scold him if he was working too late. Instead of overseeing meal preparation in

18981-450: The garden for making public announcements about policy and staffing decisions. President John F. Kennedy welcomed Project Mercury astronauts in the garden. Many presidential news conferences take place in the garden, as well as occasional White House dinners and ceremonies. The marriage of President Richard Nixon 's daughter Tricia to Edward F. Cox took place in the Rose Garden in 1971. In recent years, joint news conferences with

19152-582: The garden, and he installed cast iron furniture pieces. In 1961, during the John F. Kennedy administration , the garden was largely redesigned by Rachel Lambert Mellon concurrently with extensive repair work to the East Garden. Mellon created a space with a more defined central lawn, bordered by flower beds that were planted in a French formal garden style while largely using American botanical specimens. Although individual plantings are changed frequently according to

19323-411: The gatekeeper of who could attend formal events. Her oversight of the 1902 White House renovations and her hiring of the first social secretary for a first lady, Belle Hagner , are described by historians as her most enduring legacies. Edith took up travel in the years after leaving the White House , frequently touring Europe and Latin America. Her health declined in the 1910s, and she was devastated by

19494-516: The general election, and he began laying the groundwork for a future presidential run by building a base of strong supporters in the Republican Party. After his election as president in 1920, Harding rewarded Hoover for his support, offering to appoint him as either Secretary of the Interior or Secretary of Commerce . Secretary of Commerce was considered a minor Cabinet post, with limited and vaguely defined responsibilities, but Hoover decided to accept

19665-434: The government. He created many sub-departments and committees, overseeing and regulating everything from manufacturing statistics to air travel . In some instances, he "seized" control of responsibilities from other Cabinet departments when he deemed that they were not carrying out their responsibilities well; some began referring to him as the "Secretary of Commerce and Under-Secretary of all other departments". In response to

19836-608: The grass and lamenting the smell of rotting eggs as the event went on. Though "first lady" had already become a common term for the president's wife, she never used the title herself, instead signing her name as Mrs. Roosevelt. While the Roosevelts were staying in Oyster Bay in 1902, Grand Duke Boris Vladimirovich of Russia was touring the United States, and he engaged in what Edith considered to be vulgar behavior. She refused to recognize him socially, leaving to have lunch with relatives before he arrived to meet Theodore. Her rejection of

20007-561: The influential Hoover Commission . Critical assessments of his presidency by historians and political scientists generally rank him as a significantly below-average president, although Hoover has received praise for his actions as a humanitarian and public official. Herbert Clark Hoover was born on August 10, 1874, in West Branch, Iowa . His father, Jesse Hoover, was a blacksmith and farm implement store owner of German, Swiss, and English ancestry. Hoover's mother, Hulda Randall Minthorn,

20178-501: The lot of the Chinese worker, seeking to end the practice of imposing long-term servitude contracts and to institute reforms for workers based on merit. The Boxer Rebellion broke out shortly after the Hoovers arrived in China, trapping them and numerous other foreign nationals until a multi-national military force defeated Boxer forces in the Battle of Tientsin . Fearing the imminent collapse of

20349-413: The mail that he received. Theodore went on to win the election, making Edith the first lady of New York . At the reception for Theodore's inauguration as governor, Edith held a bouquet in each hand so she would not have to shake hands with the thousands of visitors—a technique that she used throughout her husband's political career. Her children were older by this point, and their time in school or with

20520-427: The moment, but on August 3, 1914, my career was over forever. I was on the slippery road of public life." By early October 1914, Hoover's organization had distributed relief to at least 40,000 Americans. The German invasion of Belgium in August 1914 set off a food crisis in Belgium, which relied heavily on food imports. The Germans refused to take responsibility for feeding Belgian citizens in captured territory, and

20691-468: The mud" when he repeatedly got trapped in the mud crossing the unpaved street. Herbert's family figured prominently in the town's public prayer life, due almost entirely to mother Hulda's role in the church. As a child, Hoover consistently attended schools, but he did little reading on his own aside from the Bible. Hoover's father, noted by the local paper for his "pleasant, sunshiny disposition", died in 1880 at

20862-442: The nation's first lady . Edith dreaded the idea of Theodore being president, fearing both for his safety and for her children who would receive national attention. Only after leaving the White House did she realize how severely these anxieties affected her. Especially stressful were Theodore's absences on tours and hunting trips, during which she was in constant worry until his return. Edith feared that he would not do well under

21033-455: The nation's food needs during the war. Hoover had hoped to join the administration in some capacity since at least 1916, and he obtained the position after lobbying several members of Congress and Wilson's confidant, Edward M. House . Earning the appellation of "food czar", Hoover recruited a volunteer force of hundreds of thousands of women and deployed propaganda in movie theaters, schools, and churches. He carefully selected men to assist in

21204-461: The next two months, then moved into Leeholm, the Oyster Bay house that Theodore had intended to live in with his first wife. The house was subsequently renamed Sagamore Hill . Edith promptly had her own family's furniture brought in to replace the furniture from Theodore's previous marriage. This was to be the Roosevelts' home for the rest of their lives. Edith decided that her stepdaughter Alice

21375-401: The only man living who has privately (i.e., without holding office) negotiated understandings with the British, French, German, Dutch, and Belgian governments". War upon Germany was declared in April 1917, and American food was essential to Allied victory. With the U.S. mobilizing for war, President Wilson appointed Hoover to head the U.S. Food Administration , which was charged with ensuring

21546-565: The opposition of Senator Henry Cabot Lodge and other Republicans, Hoover provided aid to the defeated German nation after the war, as well as relief to famine -stricken Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic . Hoover condemned the Bolsheviks but warned President Wilson against an intervention in the Russian Civil War , as he viewed the White Russian forces as little better than

21717-506: The outer edges to the flower bed which faced the central lawn were edged with boxwood, and each of the four corners to the garden were punctuated by Magnolia × soulangeana ; specifically, obtaining specimens that were found growing along the banks of the Tidal Basin by Mellon. Mellon tasked White House Head Gardener Irvin Williams with planting the trees. Initially blocked from doing so by

21888-399: The popular Commerce Secretary's candidacy. Many wary Republican leaders cast about for an alternative candidate, such as Treasury Secretary Andrew Mellon or former secretary of state Charles Evans Hughes . However, Hughes and Mellon declined to run, and other potential contenders like Frank Orren Lowden and Vice President Charles G. Dawes failed to garner widespread support. Hoover won

22059-471: The position. Hoover's progressive stances, continuing support for the League of Nations , and recent conversion to the Republican Party aroused opposition to his appointment from many Senate Republicans . To overcome this opposition, Harding paired Hoover's nomination with that of conservative favorite Andrew Mellon as Secretary of the Treasury , and the nominations of both Hoover and Mellon were confirmed by

22230-529: The president and a visiting head of state have been held in the Rose Garden. On July 25, 1994, a declaration of peace between Israel and Jordan was signed in the Rose Garden. Presidents frequently host American Olympic and major league athletes in the Rose Garden after winning in their respective sport. George W. Bush welcomed the Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes to the Rose Garden after their victory in 2006. In August 2020, First Lady Melania Trump gave

22401-417: The presidential campaign commenced, she tended to their home while he traveled to garner support. She became very thin during the campaign, because of the stress of Theodore being away and the possibility that he might win. After Theodore was elected vice president, Edith began receiving requests that she donate some of her possessions to be auctioned, as was common for prominent women of the time. She started

22572-418: The presidential nomination on the first ballot of the 1928 Republican National Convention . Convention delegates considered re-nominating Vice President Charles Dawes to be Hoover's running mate , but Coolidge, who hated Dawes, remarked that this would be "a personal affront" to him. The convention instead selected Senator Charles Curtis of Kansas. Hoover accepted the nomination at Stanford Stadium , telling

22743-410: The press. It became common practice for well-off women to hire a secretary in the 1890s, but no first lady had ever done this. A few weeks into her tenure, Edith hired Belle Hagner as a social secretary, creating the first formalized staff office for the first lady . Hagner was responsible for answering Edith's mail, managing her schedule, overseeing guest lists, and communicating information about

22914-463: The role saying he was needed as the governor of New York, but he attended the 1900 Republican National Convention and was chosen to join the Republican Party 's electoral ticket. In the days leading up to the convention, the Roosevelts dined at the White House with President McKinley, where Edith reveled in the fact that she and Theodore were much younger than the other guests of their status. As

23085-535: The roses to thrive (having increased in quantity from 19 to over 200), while bringing in the greater narrative of the colonnade into the design of the garden." Beginning with the establishment of the garden in the early twentieth century, the Rose Garden has been used for events. President Wilson met there with the press for informal questions. President Herbert Hoover began a tradition of welcoming and being photographed with prominent citizens there. Calvin Coolidge used

23256-401: The site of her husband's most famous battle . As the 1900 presidential election approached, Theodore considered running for Vice President of the United States . Edith was uncomfortable with the proposition. It would again uproot the family's lives in a move to Washington, and it would come with a lower salary than the governorship. The two at one point drafted an official declination of

23427-619: The situation by offering Hoover a compelling position in China . Upon arriving in China, Hoover developed gold mines near Tianjin on behalf of Bewick and the Chinese-owned Chinese Engineering and Mining Company . He became deeply interested in Chinese history , but gave up on learning the language to a fluent level . He publicly warned that Chinese workers were inefficient and racially inferior. He made recommendations to improve

23598-542: The starving millions in Central and Eastern Europe, especially Russia. Hoover's wartime service made him a favorite of many progressives , and he unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination in the 1920 U.S. presidential election . Hoover served as the secretary of commerce under Presidents Warren G. Harding and Calvin Coolidge . Hoover was an unusually active and visible Cabinet member, becoming known as "Secretary of Commerce and Under-Secretary of all other departments." He

23769-475: The supply. Their plan was to drastically cut back on output from British Malaya , which had the effect of tripling rubber prices. Hoover energetically gave a series of speeches and interviews denouncing the monopolistic practice and demanding that it be ended. The American State Department wanted no such crisis and compromised the issue in 1926. By then Hoover had solved his image problem, and during his 1928 campaign he successfully squelched attacks that alleged he

23940-482: The two went walking or rowing in the afternoons. She was content with a quiet, domestic life, but she accepted that Theodore would often bring home company for her to entertain. To her displeasure, her husband was frequently away on trips west. She began suffering headaches that plagued her for the rest of her life, sometimes leaving her bedridden. Edith's first child, Theodore III , was born September 13, 1887. She hired her own childhood nanny, Mary Ledwith, to care for

24111-524: The upper half of first ladies in periodic polling by the Siena College Research Institute . Edith Kermit Carow was born on August 6, 1861, in Norwich, Connecticut . She was the first of two daughters born to Charles Carow and Gertrude Elizabeth Tyler. Though her family was wealthy, her father was an unsuccessful businessman as well as a chronic gambler and an alcoholic, while her mother was

24282-632: The war and the revolutions that followed it. The collection was renamed the Hoover War Library in 1922 and is now known as the Hoover Institution Library and Archives . During the post-war period, Hoover also served as the president of the Federated American Engineering Societies. Hoover had been little known among the American public before 1914, but his service in the Wilson administration established him as

24453-437: The way up until the early winter days. In a tradition, every summer sees garden gnomes placed throughout the Rose Garden on July 1 - the number representing the number of living presidents at that time. First Lady Melania Trump commissioned an August 2020 renovation of the garden by Oehme, van Sweden and Perry Guillot. In the flower beds, white and pale pink rose bushes are intermixed with seasonal bulbs and annuals, including

24624-507: The wife of a political figure, and she befriended several of the city's major figures, developing a particularly close friendship with Henry Adams . She preferred Washington to New York, and after arriving, she made her first of many visits to the Smithsonian Institution and Fischer's antique shop. She looked back fondly on these years later in life. She attended several receptions at the White House in 1890 with her husband, and

24795-417: The wishes of the incumbent administration, until 2020 the garden followed the same layout first established by Mellon, where each flower bed was planted with a series of pale pink 'Katherine' crabapples and Littleleaf lindens bordered by low diamond-shaped hedges of thyme. (The 'Katherine' crabapples were replaced in 2019 with a white-flowering variety called Spring Snow, which did not do well.) Additionally,

24966-618: The wives' entertainment did not overshadow that of the White House. Here Edith also governed who was allowed on guest lists, excluding anyone that did not meet her moral standards, particularly those suspected of adultery. In tandem with her responsibilities as first lady, Edith continued acting as the caregiver for her children. She tended to her children and her husband whenever they fell ill or were injured, which happened many times throughout her tenure. Quentin's childhood friend Earle Looker later wrote that Edith seemed to regret that her role as first lady prevented her from being more active in

25137-446: The work of Richard Wagner . Edith hosted the famous German composer Engelbert Humperdinck when he visited the United States, which led to her appearance at a charity performance of Humperdinck's Hansel and Gretel for The Legal Aid Society . She also supported the theater and allowed the performance of plays at the White House at a time when actors were seen as lower class. Among Edith's greatest concerns with becoming first lady

25308-414: The world's troubles, such as famine in Belgium, as well as specific American problems which he had solved as food commissioner during the world war. The third solution to was to fall back on that old tactic of twisting the British tail. He employed that solution in 1925–1926 in the worldwide rubber crisis. The American auto industry consumed 70% of the world's output, but British investors controlled much of

25479-519: The year before. The Minthorn household was considered cultured and educational, and imparted a strong work ethic. Much like West Branch, Newberg was a frontier town settled largely by Midwestern Quakers. Minthorn ensured that Hoover received an education, but Hoover disliked the many chores assigned to him and often resented Minthorn. One observer described Hoover as "an orphan [who] seemed to be neglected in many ways". Hoover attended Friends Pacific Academy (now George Fox University ), but dropped out at

25650-604: Was Edith's closest childhood friend, and Edith was often brought along with the Roosevelt children in their family activities. At age four, she stood with the Roosevelts on their balcony to watch Abraham Lincoln 's funeral procession. Edith and Corinne formed their own literature club as children, the "Party of Renowned Eligibles", in which Edith served as club secretary each week for three years. She also bonded with Corinne's brother, Theodore Roosevelt , over their mutual love of literature. The Carows moved uptown in 1871, where Edith attended Miss Comstock's School. Here she developed

25821-409: Was a risk that he would be labeled a British tool. There were three solutions, all of which he tried in close collaboration with the media, which greatly admired him. First came the image of the dispassionate scientist, emotionally uninvolved but always committed to finding and implementing the best possible solution. The second solution was to gain the reputation of a humanitarian, deeply concerned with

25992-451: Was born on November 9, 1897. She spent the following four months recovering from an abdominal abscess and the resulting surgery. With the onset of the Spanish–American War , Edith supported American efforts to end Spanish rule over Cuba . Though she was apprehensive about Theodore's desire to join the fighting, she defended his decision against critics. She traveled to Florida on June 1, 1898, to see Theodore off as he left to fight with

26163-440: Was controversial, with many observers describing it as "sterile, bland, and devoid of any joy". Presidential historian Michael Beschloss opined that the renovation was an "evisceration" of the Rose Garden, and that "decades of American history [was] made to disappear." The Washington Post , however, stated that the renovation was "long overdue" and noted several problems with the Rose Garden's pre-renovation landscaping, including

26334-620: Was dominated by the Great Depression , and his policies and methods to combat it were seen as lackluster. Amid his unpopularity, he decisively lost reelection to Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1932 . Born to a Quaker family in West Branch, Iowa , Hoover grew up in Oregon . He was one of the first graduates of the new Stanford University in 1895. Hoover took a position with a London-based mining company working in Australia and China. He rapidly became

26505-605: Was frequently visited by reporters, politicians, and those seeking favors of the president. She went to the Blue Ridge Mountains in Albemarle County, Virginia , where she purchased a cabin from a family friend. This cabin became Theodore's presidential retreat, Pine Knot . The same year, Edith joined Theodore in a voyage to Panama to oversee the construction of the Panama Canal . Theodore left for another trip across

26676-550: Was influential in the development of air travel and radio. Hoover led the federal response to the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 . He won the Republican nomination in the 1928 presidential election and defeated Democratic candidate Al Smith in a landslide. In 1929, Hoover assumed the presidency. However, during his first year in office, the stock market crashed , signaling the onset of the Great Depression, which dominated Hoover's presidency until its end. His response to

26847-479: Was initially shy among fellow students, Hoover won election as student treasurer and became known for his distaste for fraternities and sororities . He served as student manager of both the baseball and football teams , and helped organize the inaugural Big Game versus the University of California . During the summers before and after his senior year, Hoover interned under economic geologist Waldemar Lindgren of

27018-430: Was not kept for long. Theodore was appointed New York City Police Commissioner in 1895, and the Roosevelts again made New York their primary residence. Edith was reluctant to leave Washington and her social circle in the city, but the move also came with an increased salary for Theodore. Edith's mother died in April of the same year, and Edith's sister Emily came to live with the Roosevelts for several months. Theodore

27189-516: Was not needed until the next Congressional session later in the year. Edith felt that the job's limited duties made it a poor fit for her perennially active husband. Nonetheless, she was glad to have more time with him. Over the following months, they attended the Pan-American Exposition , went horseback riding with Edith's new horse Yagenka, and endured a variety of medical ailments in the family. In August 1901, Edith took her children on

27360-471: Was now received as a guest rather than a tourist. She retired to Sagamore Hill that summer at the end of the social season, and she accompanied Theodore on his travels west. While initially hesitant, she came to share her husband's love of the Badlands and Yellowstone . Edith gave birth to a daughter, Ethel , on August 13, 1891. With a growing family and both their New York and Washington homes to maintain,

27531-415: Was raised in Norwich, Ontario , Canada, before moving to Iowa in 1859. Like most other citizens of West Branch, Jesse and Hulda were Quakers . Around age two "Bertie", as he was called during that time, contracted a serious bout of croup , and was momentarily thought to have died until resuscitated by his uncle, John Minthorn. As a young child he was often referred to by his father as "my little stick in

27702-546: Was rarely at home as he became heavily invested in his work. Edith eventually joined him in the city whenever he worked overnight, and after her period of mourning for her mother ended, she began attending cultural events in the city. The Roosevelts returned to Washington in 1897 when Theodore was appointed Assistant Secretary of the Navy by the newly elected president William McKinley . Edith once again delayed her move to Washington because of pregnancy. Her final child, Quentin ,

27873-494: Was relieved when he returned. Besides her own children, Edith also made sure to dedicate time to her stepdaughter Alice, who felt neglected by Theodore. The White House became too hot in the summer, so the Roosevelts returned to Sagamore Hill each year. Edith was confident in Theodore's chances for his reelection in 1904 , as she had a low estimation of his opponent, Alton B. Parker . She nonetheless lost five pounds from stress as

28044-454: Was seated directly next to President Grover Cleveland . Edith had another son, Archibald , on April 9, 1894. When Theodore considered running a campaign to be mayor of New York in 1894, Edith implored him not to because she preferred life in Washington and because he would have a smaller salary as mayor. He regretted not running to the point of depression, and Edith made a promise not to give further input on his political career. The promise

28215-593: Was set, they separated for eight months so Edith could help her mother and sister move to Europe while Theodore could settle his business affairs on the frontier. They remained in contact, but she preserved only one of these letters. Edith and her sister inherited an interest in a building on Stone Street in New York, and in 1886 they took the New York Elevated Railroad Company and the Manhattan Railway Company to court, alleging that

28386-432: Was the 31st president of the United States , serving from 1929 to 1933. A wealthy mining engineer before his presidency, Hoover led the wartime Commission for Relief in Belgium and was the director of the U.S. Food Administration , followed by post-war relief of Europe. A member of the Republican Party , he served as the U.S. Secretary of Commerce from 1921 to 1928 before being elected president in 1928 . His presidency

28557-464: Was the effect it would have on her privacy. This was something she valued, and she considered the press to be her greatest annoyance while living in the White House. She exerted her influence over journalists: for example, when she wore the same dress on multiple occasions, she convinced the reporters to describe it differently each time. To control media coverage of her family, she had photographs taken of herself and her children that were then given to

28728-594: Was the second wife of President Theodore Roosevelt and the first lady of the United States from 1901 to 1909. She had previously been the second lady of the United States in 1901 and the first lady of New York from 1899 to 1900. Edith Carow grew up alongside the Roosevelt family and married Theodore Roosevelt in 1886. They established a home in Sagamore Hill , where Edith had five children with Theodore, and they moved back and forth between New York and Washington, D.C. , as Theodore's political career progressed over

28899-427: Was to live with them and was to refer to Edith as her mother. Separating Alice from her aunt, who had previously been caring for her, began a lifelong enmity between Edith and her stepdaughter. Sagamore Hill had a staff of approximately 12 servants, and Edith found herself managing the entire staff and estate by herself. Each morning, Edith tended to the household chores while Theodore worked on his writing, and then

29070-624: Was too close to British interests. With the goal of encouraging wise business investments, Hoover made the Commerce Department a clearinghouse of information. He recruited numerous academics from various fields and tasked them with publishing reports on different aspects of the economy, including steel production and films. To eliminate waste, he encouraged standardization of products like automobile tires and baby bottle nipples. Other efforts at eliminating waste included reducing labor losses from trade disputes and seasonal fluctuations, reducing industrial losses from accident and injury, and reducing

29241-420: Was unable to travel, as she had to stay home tending for her parents, who had both fallen ill. Edith and Theodore grew closer as teenagers, and they developed romantic feelings for one another. They stayed in contact when Theodore went to Harvard University , but they had a falling-out in August 1878. The details surrounding this stage of their relationship are not known. Various reasons have been proposed by

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