Who was the first president to have a Christmas tree in the White House?
The first president to have electric lights in the White House was Benjamin Harrison in 1891. Fascinated and afraid of the new technologically, First Lady Caroline would not turn the new lights on or off herself for fear of being shocked. To allay their fears, President Harrison asked Irwin “Ike” H. Hoover, the electrician who had installed the lights, fixtures, and wiring, to stay on and operate it. Hoover worked at the White House for 42 years and eventually became Chief Usher. The first Christmas tree also went up during Harrison’s presidency in 1889. It was lit with candles. First Lady Frances Cleveland would be the first to hang electric lights on the tree. This information was found at… • “The Electric Career of Ike Hoover” – The White House Historical Association – Timelines – 1890s (http://www.whitehousehistory.org/05/subs/05_workers_11.html) • “Death of Hoover”, Time Magazine, Sep. 25, 1933 (http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,882188,00.
