Date: May 20, 1932
Context: In this letter, Lou Hoover asks Grace if she can help demystify the origins of some White House furniture. Mrs. Hoover was attempting to locate the origins of the White House’s furniture, but found that there were no records for many of pieces in the collection. There were, however, some pieces linked by name to the Coolidges, so she asks Grace for assistance in identifying the provenance of these pieces. The two first ladies had been friends since Calvin’s vice presidency, even adopting pet names for each other in their correspondence. The Mrs. McMullin in the letter refers to Dare Stark McMullin, a friend of Mrs. Hoover’s.
My dear Mrs. Coolidge:
We talked, years ago, at different times, if you remember, about the furniture of the White House,- past, present and future.
When I came here to live so many of the pieces intrigued my interest,- for one reason or another. But when I enquired about them, I found that beyond where the memories of the Chief Usher and Wilkins and one or two other old servants went, there was nothing. No record. The inventory said “a mahogany chair”, “an armed rocking chair”, “a chair upholstered in blue damask.” I got the two or three books and what magazine articles the Library of Congress could give me, and was delighted with what I learned. But as I walked to and fro about the house, after I had finished the available literature, my attention would be constantly attracted by articles of which I had read nothing. I turned Miss Fesler to keeping a record of all I found, or to using a little of her own time in investigation. But it was slow work, and we were both too busy to find many hours for this exploring.
And then Mrs. McMullin came to visit me,- a scholar, a poet, with an artist’s soul which she expressed through the medium of words rather than by line or color. She was fascinated by the little trails I was running down, and shortly became absorbed in real research into the history of the White House belongings. With the result that I convinced her, after the few months’ visit she had intended to make me, that it would be wicked for her to leave until she had completed this study. What she has unearthed, from song and story, is amazing. How she has done it, is astonishing.
And now there are not very many pieces left about which she has not discovered some tale. Alas, they prove not always to be accurate. Even the best of Chief Usher’s memories may err on occasions, and many publications prove to be more romance than history. So that we want to “check up on them” in every way possible. And for that purpose we are now appealing to you.
Mrs. McMullin has recorded the results of her studies in a card catalogue,- cross catalogued. So that you can find an article for instance under “chairs” in one card index, or in the other under the room where it now is.
But card catalogues at best have an air of concentrated dullness and research mustiness about them. The romance has evanesced. I told Mrs. McMullin that she must think of some way of gathering all her findings together with some sort of a running commentary that was interesting, and we would have a typed copy bound, probably “loose leafed,” to leave in the White House,- illustrated with many photographs.
She decided that the most logical and interesting method to use would be to group the articles according to the Administration in which they were acquired. This task is nearly completed. I think the volume will be quite absorbing to anyone who has been in contact with the House (you must come down sometime and see it. Or we may make a duplicate and loan it to you!)
However, we want to be as accurate as possible in our production, and we are checking and rechecking in every way possible, frequently finding quite conflicting stories about the same piece of furniture.
So I want to know if you will be good enough to read the chapter dealing with what Mrs. McMullin has found regarding “Coolidge” acquisitions, and correct any misstatements in it, and add any details our ignorance has omitted? It would be most kind if you would do this, not only kind to Mrs. McMullin and me, but to all in the future who may have any kind of interest in the furnishings of the White House.
Please do not hesitate to tell us when she has been misinformed,- and also please think very hard about other things which you got for the White House, and which are still listed amongst her “unknown.”
I do hope you are not so busy that this will be an unwelcome task for you.
And with all greetings for a happy summer,
I am
Yours always affectionately,
Lou Henry Hoover
Citation: Vermont Historical Society
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The Coolidge Foundation thanks Craig Eyermann, who prepared this document for digital publication