Official White House Ornament Collection on Display at Calvert Marine Museum
Solomons, MD – As we reach the close of the holiday season, many people have begun the process of storing away those precious decorations. Some holiday ornaments may have a special meaning or memory attached to it. Since 1981, the White House Historical Association creates a new ornament to represent a historical moment in American history for people to enjoy. The full collection of ornaments of White House Historical Association is currently on display at the Calvert Marine Museum located in Solomons.
Sandi Milton of Suffolk, VA is a current member of the society and has been collecting ornaments since 1981, when the first design was made. “I had no idea they had them on display here, this is a great way to see how they have changed over the years,” said Milton. She said, “Every year members of the Association receive a catalog of collectibles which includes the latest ornament design.”
The White House Historical Association is a charitable nonprofit institution whose purpose is to enhance the understanding, appreciation and enjoyment of the White House. From private funding and the sale of its educational products, the Association supports the acquisition of artwork and objects for the White House collection and contributes to the conservation of the public rooms.
The sale of the Official 2016 Christmas Ornament is intended for individuals to add to their personal collections.
One local family has turned the giving of White House Christmas ornaments into a tradition that will hopefully be continued for generations. “I add to our collections each year with hopes that my children will pass them on to their children,” said retired Calvert Memorial Hospital Nurse Barbara Michael of Huntingtown. Michael told TheBayNet.com she has been collecting the White House Christmas ornaments since 2002. “By now, my children automatically know what is inside the blue boxes under the tree,” she said.
The 2016 White House Christmas ornament honors the administration of Herbert Hoover, who served as the thirty-first president of the United States from 1929 to 1933. It is inspired by the fire trucks that responded to the 1929 Christmas Eve fire at the White House and the toy engines presented to children by the Hoovers the following Christmas. The ornament is crafted from shiny brass plated with nickel and 24-karat gold, and the engine carries a Christmas tree for delivery to the White House.
“Every year they are unique and this is the first year they came out with a two-piece ornament design,” said Michael.
The 2016 ornament design was created by art student Kayla Whelan, the winner of a national art school design competition created by the Association. Whelan attends Montserrat College of Art in Beverly, Massachusetts.
The 2016 design was inspired by the events of Christmas Eve, Dec. 24, 1929 when a four-alarm fire brought nineteen engine companies and four truck companies to the White House in response to a fire in the West wing. One hundred and thirty firefighters began to battle the blaze, and unfortunately, the bitter cold temperatures froze some of the hoses. By about 10:30 p.m., the fire was extinguished.
Calvert Marine Museum is located at 14200 Solomons Island Road in Solomons. The hours of operation are 10 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. For more information call 410-326-2042.
Contact Shertina Mack at s.mack@TheBayNet.com
