Indian Treaty Room
Encyclopedia
The Indian Treaty 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.
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.
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. 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 in response to the September 11 attacks. 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.
The name "Indian Treaty Room" was minted in the 1930s, and it is still not clear as to where it originated, despite extensive research. Some say it is because during the 1930s the War Department stored papers there, including treaties with the American Indian nations.
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.
Old Executive Office Building
The Eisenhower Executive Office Building , formerly known as the Old Executive Office Building and as the State, War, and Navy Building, is an office building in Washington, D.C., just west of the White House...
. 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.
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.
President Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
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. On September 12, 2001, the Indian Treaty Room was used to host the American Red Cross
American Red Cross
The American Red Cross , also known as the American National Red Cross, is a volunteer-led, humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief and education inside the United States. It is the designated U.S...
for an emergency blood drive so the White House staff could donate blood in response to the September 11 attacks. In 2001-2002, the room was used for the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
's Coalition Information Center, which coordinated media relations and relief efforts during Operation Enduring Freedom.
The name "Indian Treaty Room" was minted in the 1930s, and it is still not clear as to where it originated, despite extensive research. Some say it is because during the 1930s the War Department stored papers there, including treaties with the American Indian nations.
The Bretton Woods agreements
United Nations Monetary and Financial Conference
The United Nations Monetary and Financial Conference, commonly known as the Bretton Woods conference, was a gathering of 730 delegates from all 44 Allied nations at the Mount Washington Hotel, situated in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, to regulate the international monetary and financial order after...
, the peace treaties
Peace treaty
A peace treaty is an agreement between two or more hostile parties, usually countries or governments, that formally ends a state of war between the parties...
with Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and the United Nations Charter
United Nations Charter
The Charter of the United Nations is the foundational treaty of the international organization called the United Nations. It was signed at the San Francisco War Memorial and Performing Arts Center in San Francisco, United States, on 26 June 1945, by 50 of the 51 original member countries...
were all signed in the room.
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