View of the Monuments from Blue Room Window, Lorraine Waxman Pearce Collection
This photograph of the Washington Monument and Jefferson Memorial was taken from a window in the Blue Room during the John F. Kennedy administration in March 1962. The Blue Room is located on the State Floor of the Executive Mansion. The oval parlor has been known as the Blue Room since President Martin Van Buren's 1837 redecoration. The room is often used for receptions, photo opportunities, and during the holiday season is home to the official White House Christmas Tree. The central room looks out upon the South Portico and South Lawn of the White House Grounds.
This photograph is part of the Lorraine Waxman Pearce Collection. Lorraine Waxman Pearce served as the first White House Curator from 1961 to 1962. As curator, she oversaw refurbishment projects, implemented collections policies, and collaborated with First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy to write the first White House guidebook—a joint publication of the National Geographic Society and the White House Historical Association. Since its original publication in 1962, “The White House: An Historic Guide” has been revised, updated, and printed for over 60 years.