Harriet Lane, America's First Lady

Description

Review It is a unique addition to the reference materials available to our staff. Congratulations on concluding this most noteworthy project! -- The George Washington's Mount Vernon Estate & Gardens Library Staff Read more From the Publisher She was the niece of America's Bachelor President and his official hostess in Lancaster, London and Washington. Anyone who met her was instantly enamored. Queen Victoria bestowed upon her the title "Honorary Ambassadress." The Washington press corps proclaimed her "Our Democratic Queen." The Chippewa named her "the Great Mother of the Indians." And she was the first White House Hostess to be called "First Lady." Ships were named for her. Songs were written about her. And women dressed like her. She was the most admired woman in the country and established a style of entertaining never before seen in the White House. She was the first of her kind to be an advocate for social causes: hospital and prison reform and the plight of the American Indians. And only she could get away with beating the Prince of Wales at bowling! Her world was guided by tragedy, yet she lived every day to the fullest. She conducted herself with grace and dignity and dedicated her life to the perpetuation of the memories of those dearest to her heart. Although no monument has been dedicated in her memory, her legacy lives on in Baltimore and Washington through a pediatric hospital, a school for boys, a museum of art, and a monument to her beloved uncle. No Washington guest list was complete without her, as a society columnist once wrote, "There is no more elegant figure in the official and social gatherings during the season than the niece of President James Buchanan." More than twenty years after her death, she was named one of the most memorable women in American History. With her beauty, charm, and generosity of spirit, America's First Lady will always be Harriet Lane. Read more See all Editorial Reviews