1902-1909
A little over two decades ago, staffers for an incoming president searched for White House menus from the turn of the last century, attempting to imitate Theodore Roosevelt’s style, though not his substance. Ironically, the ideals of the new administration differed greatly from those of the Progressive Era ushered in by Roosevelt. Still, it was understandable why the politicos wanted to recreate the aura of a time when American confidence was running high. Their efforts proved futile—printed menus were not used at the White House back then. Nevertheless, Theodore Roosevelt was enthusiastically fêted by the citizenry whenever he was away from Washington. His popularity is evident in the size, complexity, and sheer exuberance of the menus from these occasions, as shown by four examples spanning his presidency.
