In many different ways the White House is living history, a reflection of our nation's past and a window to its future. The illuminating, well-written essays in this abundantly illustrated volume focus on the Executive Mansion's architecture, gardens, furnishings, and staff to reveal a White House forever changing and evolving. The volume also includes an essay on the personal experiences and recollections of the household staff, whose long-established tradition of service and decorum provides a key source of continuity over decades of change in the White House. This exquisite work is dedicated to the memory of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, who inspired the creation of the White House Historical Association. It evokes the spirit of the Executive Mansion, and of the presidents and first families who shaped its fascinating history. The essays included are an outgrowth of a White House Historical Association - sponsored symposium celebrating the two hundredth anniversary of the White House.