Washington Governor's Mansion
Encyclopedia
Official residence
An official residence is the residence at which heads of state, heads of government, gubernatorial or other senior figures officially reside...
of the governor of Washington. The Georgian-style mansion is located on the grounds of the State Capitol campus
Washington State Capitol
The Washington State Capitol or Legislative Building in Olympia is the home of the government of the state of Washington. It contains chambers for the Washington State Legislature and offices for the governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state and treasurer and is part of a campus consisting...
in the capital city Olympia
Olympia, Washington
Olympia is the capital city of the U.S. state of Washington and the county seat of Thurston County. It was incorporated on January 28, 1859. The population was 46,478 at the 2010 census...
. It is on the crest of Capitol Point, with a view of mountains, ocean, and the city.
Early history
The mansion was designed in 1908 by the architectural firmArchitectural firm
An architectural firm is a company which employs one or more licensed architects and practices the profession of architecture.- History :Architects have existed since early in recorded history. The earliest recorded architects include Imhotep and Senemut . No writings exist to describe how these...
Russell and Babcock of Tacoma
Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma is a mid-sized urban port city and the county seat of Pierce County, Washington, United States. The city is on Washington's Puget Sound, southwest of Seattle, northeast of the state capital, Olympia, and northwest of Mount Rainier National Park. The population was 198,397, according to...
, the partners being Everett Phipps Babcock
Everett Phipps Babcock
Everett Phipps Babcock was an architect who worked in the U.S. states of Washington and California.Babcock worked with Ambrose J. Russell in Tacoma, Washington on "distinguished residences in various styles". The firm completed the Washington Governor's Mansion in Olympia, Washington. Their work...
and Ambrose J. Russell
Ambrose J. Russell
Ambrose J. Russell was an architect in Tacoma, Washington. He was Scottish and was born in the East Indies. He was trained in Paris at the Ecole des Beaux Arts where he was a classmate of Bernard Maybeck....
. The residence was built at a cost of $35,000 and has 19 rooms. The cornerstone ceremony was attended by Governor Albert E. Mead
Albert E. Mead
Albert Edward Mead was the fifth Governor of Washington, serving in that position from 1905 to 1909.Mead was born in Kansas on December 14, 1861. There is conflicting information about his town of birth: most reliable sources say it was Manhattan, Kansas, but there is one claim he was born in...
, numerous dignitaries, state officials, and several hundred spectators. Mead never lived in the house, however; he was defeated in the Republican primary election
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
of 1908 by Samuel G. Cosgrove
Samuel G. Cosgrove
Samuel Goodlove Cosgrove was the sixth Governor of the state of Washington, and was from Pomeroy, Washington. He was a U.S. Civil War veteran and educator. He served for one day before leaving for California for health reasons. He died in California shortly thereafter...
, who served for one day (January 27, 1909) because he became ill and was taken to a spa in Paso Robles, California
Paso Robles, California
Paso Robles is a city in San Luis Obispo County, California, United States. Paso Robles is the fastest growing city in San Luis Obispo County: Its population at the 2000 census was 24,297; in 2010 it recorded some 29,793 residentsLocated on the Salinas River north of San Luis Obispo, California,...
, where he died on March 2. Cosgrove missed the official housewarming and ball the day after his inauguration. Lieutenant Governor
Lieutenant Governor of Washington
The Lieutenant Governor of Washington is an elected office in the U.S. state of Washington. The current incumbent is Brad Owen, a Democrat who has served since 1997...
Marion E. Hay
Marion E. Hay
Marion E. Hay was the seventh Governor of the U.S. state of Washington. Born in Adams County, Wisconsin, he moved to Washington Territory, where he open a store. Hay also served as mayor of Wilbur, Washington. In his capacity as Lieutenant Governor of Washington he became Governor upon the death...
, who became governor after Cosgrove's death, was the first governor to live in the official residence, beginning the same year (1909). All governors and their families have lived in the Mansion since then.
Hay's wife, Elizabeth Hay, purchased $15,000 worth of furnishings from Frederick & Nelson
Frederick & Nelson
Frederick & Nelson was a department store chain in the northwestern United States, based in Seattle, Washington. Founded in 1891 as a furniture store, it later expanded to sell other types of merchandise. The company was acquired by Marshall Field & Company in 1929...
, a department store
Department store
A department store is a retail establishment which satisfies a wide range of the consumer's personal and residential durable goods product needs; and at the same time offering the consumer a choice of multiple merchandise lines, at variable price points, in all product categories...
in Seattle, and many of these original selections remain, including a huge mahogany
Mahogany
The name mahogany is used when referring to numerous varieties of dark-colored hardwood. It is a native American word originally used for the wood of the species Swietenia mahagoni, known as West Indian or Cuban mahogany....
buffet
Sideboard
A sideboard is an item of furniture traditionally used in the dining room for serving food, for displaying serving dishes such as silver, and for storage. It usually consists of a set of cabinets, or cupboards, and one or more drawers, all topped by a flat display surface for conveniently holding...
, table, consoles, 18 chairs in the State Dining Room, and the grandfather clock on the staircase landing. In 1915, Governor Ernest Lister
Ernest Lister
Ernest Lister was the eighth Governor of the state of Washington. He was sworn into the office in 1913 and remained in it until his death six years later.-Further reading:...
and his family moved out because they said there was not enough money to keep the house warm during winter. Electricity
Electricity
Electricity is a general term encompassing a variety of phenomena resulting from the presence and flow of electric charge. These include many easily recognizable phenomena, such as lightning, static electricity, and the flow of electrical current in an electrical wire...
eventually replaced gas lighting
Gas lighting
Gas lighting is production of artificial light from combustion of a gaseous fuel, including hydrogen, methane, carbon monoxide, propane, butane, acetylene, ethylene, or natural gas. Before electricity became sufficiently widespread and economical to allow for general public use, gas was the most...
in the building. The building was weatherstripped
Weatherstripping
Weatherstripping is the process of sealing openings such as doors, windows, and trunks from the elements, or the materials used to carry out such sealing process. The goal of weatherstripping is to prevent rain and water from entering by either blocking it outright or by blocking most of it and...
during the 1950s as part of renovations, but roof
Roof
A roof is the covering on the uppermost part of a building. A roof protects the building and its contents from the effects of weather. Structures that require roofs range from a letter box to a cathedral or stadium, dwellings being the most numerous....
leaks, clanking radiator
Radiator
Radiators are heat exchangers used to transfer thermal energy from one medium to another for the purpose of cooling and heating. The majority of radiators are constructed to function in automobiles, buildings, and electronics...
s, faulty plumbing, and sagging floors persisted.
In 1928, the State Legislature
Washington State Legislature
The Washington State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Washington. It is a bipartisan, bicameral body, composed of the lower Washington House of Representatives, composed of 98 Representatives, and the upper Washington State Senate, with 49 Senators.The State Legislature...
discussed having the structure demolished, as it was on a valuable piece of land, in order to build a new legislative office building. In 1963, three legislators introduced a bill
Bill (proposed law)
A bill is a proposed law under consideration by a legislature. A bill does not become law until it is passed by the legislature and, in most cases, approved by the executive. Once a bill has been enacted into law, it is called an act or a statute....
again proposing a new office building on the site.
Preservation
Governor Daniel J. EvansDaniel J. Evans
Daniel Jackson Evans served three terms as the 16th Governor of the state of Washington from 1965 to 1977, and represented the state in the United States Senate from 1983 to 1989....
and his family moved into the mansion in 1964. At the time, costs for a new mansion were estimated to be two million dollars. Evans's wife Nancy advocated for the preservation and renovation of the existing mansion and in 1972 founded the Foundation for the Preservation of the Governor's Mansion, which was renamed the Governor's Mansion Foundation in 1988. In 1973, the Legislature appropriated $600,000 for mansion's remodeling and renovation.
Evans wanted to establish a committee "to stimulate interest in donating furniture, paintings and objets d'art as well as financial support of the mansion's public rooms, maintaining a consistency in design and style. I am endeavoring to form a state-wide committee of importance which will actively seek donations, both tangible and monetary, and whose interest in history and art will help perpetuate public interest in the mansion." The first meeting of the Foundation occurred on May 30, 1972, with 47 women and 5 men present. The Foundation decided to use a master plan
Master plan
A master plan has many meanings, it can refer to:Generally it may be used for serious plans or strategies, see:*Strategy**Strategic planning**Comprehensive planning**Blueprint...
prepared previously for refurbishing the mansion by Jean Jongeward, an interior design
Interior design
Interior design describes a group of various yet related projects that involve turning an interior space into an effective setting for the range of human activities are to take place there. An interior designer is someone who conducts such projects...
er from Seattle who donated her services to the project. The plan called for the use of furnishings of the period from 1780 to 1830.
Architectural features, art and furnishings
Great Hall- Empire pier tables (c. 1810) on either side of the entrance of the Great Hall, attributed to Charles Lannuier of New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, one with its original marbleMarbleMarble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite.Geologists use the term "marble" to refer to metamorphosed limestone; however stonemasons use the term more broadly to encompass unmetamorphosed limestone.Marble is commonly used for...
top. MirrorMirrorA mirror is an object that reflects light or sound in a way that preserves much of its original quality prior to its contact with the mirror. Some mirrors also filter out some wavelengths, while preserving other wavelengths in the reflection...
s above the tables were the gift of the people of Clallam County, Washington. - Set of eight chairs upholsteredUpholsteryUpholstery is the work of providing furniture, especially seats, with padding, springs, webbing, and fabric or leather covers. The word upholstery comes from the Middle English word upholder, which referred to a tradesman who held up his goods. The term is equally applicable to domestic,...
in gold silk, with claw feetPaw feetPaw feet is a term used in furniture making and design. It describes the terminals on the legs of furniture that resemble the feet of animals. Lions and dogs are two of the most popular types. It was used from ancient times through the Renaissance. Paw feet could be found on anything from tables...
and reeded legs, attributed to Joseph Barry of Philadelphia, given by the Washington State America Revolution BicentennialUnited States BicentennialThe United States Bicentennial was a series of celebrations and observances during the mid-1970s that paid tribute to the historical events leading up to the creation of the United States as an independent republic...
, divided between the Great Hall and the Drawing Room. - MahoganyMahoganyThe name mahogany is used when referring to numerous varieties of dark-colored hardwood. It is a native American word originally used for the wood of the species Swietenia mahagoni, known as West Indian or Cuban mahogany....
and bird's-eyeBird's eye figureBird's eye is a type of figure that occurs within several kinds of wood, most notably in hard maple. It has a distinctive pattern that resembles tiny, swirling eyes disrupting the smooth lines of grain. It is somewhat reminiscent of a burl, but it is quite different: the small knots that make the...
mapleMapleAcer is a genus of trees or shrubs commonly known as maple.Maples are variously classified in a family of their own, the Aceraceae, or together with the Hippocastanaceae included in the family Sapindaceae. Modern classifications, including the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group system, favour inclusion in...
demilune server (c. 1800), presented to the Foundation by descendants of Audrey P. Holden of ConnecticutConnecticutConnecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, attributed to John Seymour of Boston. It has details of turning and patterned veneerVeneerA veneer is a thin covering over another surface. More specifically, it may refer to:* Wood veneer, a term used in architecture and woodworking...
s for which Seymour is known.
Drawing Room
- Four Duncan PhyfeDuncan PhyfeDuncan Phyfe was one of nineteenth-century America’s leading furniture makers.Born Duncan Fife near Loch Fannich, Scotland, he emigrated to Albany, New York, at age 16 and served as a cabinetmaker’s apprentice...
pieces: Two Pembroke tables, a FederalFederal architectureFederal-style architecture is the name for the classicizing architecture built in the United States between c. 1780 and 1830, and particularly from 1785 to 1815. This style shares its name with its era, the Federal Period. The name Federal style is also used in association with furniture design...
sofa with deeply incised rail and eagle feet, and a Federal pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
. Over the piano is a Constitution mirror (c. 1800) topped with the American eagleBald EagleThe Bald Eagle is a bird of prey found in North America. It is the national bird and symbol of the United States of America. This sea eagle has two known sub-species and forms a species pair with the White-tailed Eagle...
, a typical Federal motif. - Fine two-drawer mahogany sewing stand (c. 1810), with carving attributed to Samuel McIntire of Salem, MassachusettsSalem, MassachusettsSalem is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 40,407 at the 2000 census. It and Lawrence are the county seats of Essex County...
, active 1757 to 1811. - Black lacquerLacquerIn a general sense, lacquer is a somewhat imprecise term for a clear or coloured varnish that dries by solvent evaporation and often a curing process as well that produces a hard, durable finish, in any sheen level from ultra matte to high gloss and that can be further polished as required...
Sheraton sofa and English Sheraton chair (c. 1795), and pedestal candle grouped on one side of fireplaceFireplaceA fireplace is an architectural structure to contain a fire for heating and, especially historically, for cooking. A fire is contained in a firebox or firepit; a chimney or other flue allows gas and particulate exhaust to escape...
, with American Sheraton mahogany secretarySecretary deskA secretary desk is made of a base of wide drawers topped by a desk with a hinged desktop surface, which is in turn topped by a bookcase usually closed with a pair of doors, often made of glass...
behind them.
Library - adjacent to Drawing Room
- Round rosewoodRosewoodRosewood refers to any of a number of richly hued timbers, often brownish with darker veining, but found in many different hues. All rosewoods are strong and heavy, taking an excellent polish, being suitable for guitars, marimbas, turnery , handles, furniture, luxury flooring, etc.In general,...
table with brassBrassBrass is an alloy of copper and zinc; the proportions of zinc and copper can be varied to create a range of brasses with varying properties.In comparison, bronze is principally an alloy of copper and tin...
inlay and a sofa, both of English RegencyEnglish RegencyThe Regency era in the United Kingdom is the period between 1811—when King George III was deemed unfit to rule and his son, the Prince of Wales, ruled as his proxy as Prince Regent—and 1820, when the Prince Regent became George IV on the death of his father....
period, given to the Foundation in memory of Governor Samuel Cosgrove - Books by Washington authors and state-related books
State Dining Room
- Wall panels, painted on canvas by Edwin Chapman of San Francisco (a former Washingtonian) done in the style of Jean ZuberZuber CieZuber Cie, founded as Jean Zuber et Cie is a French Manufacture de Papier Peints et Tissus company which claims to be the last factory in the world to produce woodblock printed wallpapers and furnishing fabrics.For its production Zuber Cie uses woodblocks engraved during the 17th 18, and 19th...
and suggestive of early state history. They are similar to murals selected for the White HouseWhite HouseThe 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...
by First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy. - 18 dining room chairs include initials of the needlepointNeedlepointNeedlepoint is a form of counted thread embroidery in which yarn is stitched through a stiff open weave canvas. Most needlepoint designs completely cover the canvas...
ers who made them in 1975 on needlepoint covers; volunteers were chosen in a statewide competition to make the leaf pattern in Persian yarnEmbroidery threadEmbroidery thread is yarn that is manufactured or hand-spun specifically for embroidery and other forms of needlework.Threads for hand embroidery include:...
designed by Sally Kelly of Seattle; a special canvas was made for the governor's chair, which is larger - 48 table settingTable settingTable setting or place setting refers to the way to set a table with tableware—such as eating utensils and dishes for serving and eating. The arrangement for a single diner is called a place setting...
s of ShenangoSyracuse ChinaSyracuse China Corporation, located in Syracuse, New York, was a manufacturer of fine china. Founded in 1871 as Onondaga Pottery Company in the town of Geddes, New York, the company initially produced earthenware...
bone chinaBone chinaBone china is a type of soft-paste porcelain that is composed of bone ash, feldspathic material and kaolin. It has been defined as ware with a translucent body containing a minimum of 30% of phosphate derived from animal bone and calculated calcium phosphate...
, with creamCream (colour)Cream is the colour of the cream produced by cattle grazing on natural pasture with plants rich in yellow carotenoid pigments, some of which are incorporated into the cream, to give a yellow tone to white. Cream is the pastel colour of yellow, much like as pink is to red. Cream is used as a skin...
body with gold borders and state sealSeal of WashingtonThe Seal of the State of Washington contains a portrait of George Washington, as painted by Gilbert Stuart. The outer ring contains the text "The Seal of the State of Washington" and "1889", the year Washington state was admitted to the Union...
(reproducing the Gilbert StuartGilbert StuartGilbert Charles Stuart was an American painter from Rhode Island.Gilbert Stuart is widely considered to be one of America's foremost portraitists...
portrait of George WashingtonGeorge WashingtonGeorge Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
) depicted in gold, purchased by Foundation through a gift from the women of Grays Harbor CountyGrays Harbor County, WashingtonGrays Harbor County is a county in the state of Washington, in the United States of America. As of 2010, the population was 72,797. The county seat is at Montesano, and its largest city is Aberdeen. The county is named after a large estuarine bay near its southwestern corner...
. In 1977, 48 settings of flatCutleryCutlery refers to any hand implement used in preparing, serving, and especially eating food in the Western world. It is more usually known as silverware or flatware in the United States, where cutlery can have the more specific meaning of knives and other cutting instruments. This is probably the...
silverSilver (household)Household silver or silverware includes dishware, cutlery and other household items made of sterling, Britannia or Sheffield plate silver. The term is often extended to items made of stainless steel...
in Reed and Barton's "Hammered" pattern were purchased through gifts from the Legislative Wives Club and individual donations. - 85 place settings of the Lenox "Tuxedo" china pattern also with the state seal. BoeingBoeingThe Boeing Company is an American multinational aerospace and defense corporation, founded in 1916 by William E. Boeing in Seattle, Washington. Boeing has expanded over the years, merging with McDonnell Douglas in 1997. Boeing Corporate headquarters has been in Chicago, Illinois since 2001...
gave funds for the purchase of 85 settings of flat silver in Lunt'sLunt SilversmithsLunt Silversmiths is an American manufacturer of fine sterling, silver-plate and stainless steel flatware, holloware, and giftware established in 1902.-History:...
"St. Charles" pattern, a gift facilitated by Paul Friedlander of Seattle. - A 27-piece sterling silverSterling silverSterling silver is an alloy of silver containing 92.5% by mass of silver and 7.5% by mass of other metals, usually copper. The sterling silver standard has a minimum millesimal fineness of 925....
service that is displayed in the State Dining Room and Ballroom belongs to the state. The silver and gold bullion used in the piece was mined in Washington and features a border of oak leavesOak LeafOak leaf may refer to:Military* Oak leaf cluster, a U.S. military decoration* A bronze oak leaf device is also used to signify a Mention in Despatches or the award of the Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service in Commonwealth militaries...
and acornAcornThe acorn, or oak nut, is the nut of the oaks and their close relatives . It usually contains a single seed , enclosed in a tough, leathery shell, and borne in a cup-shaped cupule. Acorns vary from 1–6 cm long and 0.8–4 cm broad...
s, a traditional design used in the insigniaInsigniaInsignia or insigne pl -nia or -nias : a symbol or token of personal power, status or office, or of an official body of government or jurisdiction...
of Navy officersOfficer (armed forces)An officer is a member of an armed force or uniformed service who holds a position of authority. Commissioned officers derive authority directly from a sovereign power and, as such, hold a commission charging them with the duties and responsibilities of a specific office or position...
, as well as medallions representing the Department of the NavyUnited States Department of the NavyThe Department of the Navy of the United States of America was established by an Act of Congress on 30 April 1798, to provide a government organizational structure to the United States Navy and, from 1834 onwards, for the United States Marine Corps, and when directed by the President, of the...
, the jack of the United StatesJack of the United StatesThe jack of the United States is a maritime flag representing United States nationality flown on the jackstaff in the bow of its vessels. The U.S. Navy is a prime user of jacks, but they are also used by ships of the Coast Guard, Military Sealift Command, National Oceanic and Atmospheric...
, and the seal of Washington. A solid silver winged statueStatueA statue is a sculpture in the round representing a person or persons, an animal, an idea or an event, normally full-length, as opposed to a bust, and at least close to life-size, or larger...
tte of VictoryNike (mythology)In Greek mythology, Nike was a goddess who personified victory, also known as the Winged Goddess of Victory. The Roman equivalent was Victoria. Depending upon the time of various myths, she was described as the daughter of Pallas and Styx and the sister of Kratos , Bia , and Zelus...
by Douglas TildenDouglas TildenDouglas Tilden was a world-famous sculptor. Tilden was deaf and attended the California School for the Deaf in Berkeley, California . Tilden became deaf at the age of four after a severe bout of scarlet fever...
may be used as a separate ornament resting on an ebonyEbonyEbony is a dense black wood, most commonly yielded by several species in the genus Diospyros, but ebony may also refer to other heavy, black woods from unrelated species. Ebony is dense enough to sink in water. Its fine texture, and very smooth finish when polished, make it valuable as an...
base, placed on top of the punch bowlPunch bowlA punch bowl is a bowl, often large and wide, in which the drink punch is served.-Origins:The word punch is a loanword from Hindi. The original drink was named paantsch, which is Hindi for "five", and the drink was made from five different ingredients: spirit, sugar, lemon, water, and tea or spices...
cover, or on a pedestal in the centerpiece. The set was presented originally by the State of Washington and the City of Olympia in 1899 to the NavyUnited States NavyThe United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
cruiserCruiserA cruiser is a type of warship. The term has been in use for several hundreds of years, and has had different meanings throughout this period...
USS Olympia (C-6)USS Olympia (C-6)USS Olympia is a protected cruiser which saw service in the United States Navy from her commissioning in 1895 until 1922. This vessel became famous as the flagship of Commodore George Dewey at the Battle of Manila Bay during the Spanish-American War in 1898. The ship was decommissioned after...
to commemorate the victory of the Battle of Manila Bay the previous year, during which the USS Olympia was the US flagshipFlagshipA flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, reflecting the custom of its commander, characteristically a flag officer, flying a distinguishing flag...
, with Commodore George DeweyGeorge DeweyGeorge Dewey was an admiral of the United States Navy. He is best known for his victory at the Battle of Manila Bay during the Spanish-American War...
aboard. The service was custom-made in the George II style for the ship by Shreve & Company of San Francisco. When the Olympia was decommissionedShip decommissioningTo decommission a ship is to terminate her career in service in the armed forces of her nation. A somber occasion, it has little of the elaborate ceremony of ship commissioning, but carries significant tradition....
, the silver service returned to Olympia, and the city presented it to the state for use in the mansion.