An accomplished pianist and painter, Caroline "Carrie" Harrison blended her interest in the arts with the growing sense of national history that accompanied her husband's presidential administration. Benjamin Harrison (1833-1901; see entry in volume 3) was called the "centennial president," having taken office one hundred years after the first American president, George Washington (1732-1799; see entry in volume 1).

Carrie Harrison supported the founding of the Daughters of the American Revolution, a group that helps preserve items and places of historical significance, and served as the group's first president. She applied the group's historical service to the White House: Among other accomplishments, she designed the china pattern used for place settings during the Harrison presidency and gathered examples of dinnerware from past administrations. The china collection has since grown into one of the more visually informative displays on exhibit at the White House.

The White House had undergone...