Indian Treaty Room
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Indian Treaty Room (originally known as the Navy Department Library and Reception Room) is located in the East Wing of the Old Executive Office Building. It was designed by Richard von Ezdorf, Draftsman for the Supervising Architect of the Treasury. Completed in 1879, it cost more to construct than any other room in the building at about $33.50 per square foot (total $55,675.00). The room has been used as a library, but today is primarily used for meetings and receptions.[1]
The design of the room includes many nautical motifs - such as shells over the Italian and French marble panels; seahorses and dolphins in the cast iron railing at the second floor balcony; stars for navigation in the ceiling and the compass in the center of the floor. The floor is the original English Minton tile floor. The room contains the only surviving original lighting fixtures in the building.[1]
President Dwight D. Eisenhower held the first televised presidential press conference in the room in January 1955. The Treaty Room was subsequently used for presidential press conferences from 1955 until 1961.[1] On September 12, 2001, the Indian Treaty Room was used to host the American Red Cross for an emergency blood drive so the White House staff could donate blood to respond to the tragedies of the day before.[2] In 2001-2002, the room was used for the White House's Coalition Information Center, which coordinated media relations and relief efforts during Operation Enduring Freedom.[3][4]
The name "Indian Treaty Room" came about sometime during the 1930s, and it is still not clear as to where it originated, despite extensive research. Some say it is due to the fact that during the 1930s the War Department stored papers there, including treaties with the American Indian nations.[1]
The Bretton Woods agreements, the peace treaties with Romania, Italy and Hungary after World War II, and the United Nations Charter were all signed in the room.[1]
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e Indian Treaty Room. United States Government. Retrieved on 2008-03-01.
- ^ The Eisenhower Executive Office Building Tour (photo essay). United States Government. Retrieved on 2008-03-01.
- ^ The Eisenhower Executive Office Building Tour (timeline). United States Government. Retrieved on 2008-03-01.
- ^ Information ' war room' deploys its own troops. USA Today. Retrieved on 2008-03-01.
[edit] External Links
- Indian Treaty Room, The Eisenhower Executive Office Building Tour, whitehouse.gov
- Photos of the Indian Treaty Room, National Archives and Records Administration website
