2005 White House Easter Egg
Easter Egg Rolls have been a tradition going back to the 1870’s. The original site of the Easter Monday Egg Roll was the grounds of the United States Capitol. By the mid 1870s, the egg rolling activities on the West Terraces had gained notoriety as the children turned the Capitol grounds into their Easter Monday playground. The first egg rolls, largely family affairs, seem to have been held during the administration of President Andrew Johnson. It is also believed that some small groups of egg rollers used the White House grounds under the presidency of General Ulysses S. Grant, but the Capitol Grounds still were the main congregating area for egg rollers.
Facing an inadequate budget to maintain the grounds of the Capitol, the Congress passed a law forbidding the Capitol grounds to be used as a children’s playground. In 1878, as President Rutherford B. Hayes was taking his daily walk, he was approached by some children who asked about the possibility of egg rolling on the South Lawn of the White House. Upon his return to the White House, the President issued an official order that should any children arrive to egg roll on Easter Monday, they were to be allowed to do so.
President Hayes and his wife, Lucy, officially opened the White House grounds to the children of the area for egg rolling that Easter Monday. Successive Presidents continued the tradition, and the event has been held on the South Lawn ever since. The event has been canceled on occasion only because of poor weather conditions and during World War I and World War II.
The children attending the event take part in many activities, but rolling a hard-boiled egg across the lawn is still a highlight of the day. Presidents and First Ladies have personally greeted the egg rollers as have members of the Cabinet, athletes, musicians, celebrities and the official White House Easter Bunny. At the end of the day, each attendee is presented a special presidential wooden egg as a memento.
Facing an inadequate budget to maintain the grounds of the Capitol, the Congress passed a law forbidding the Capitol grounds to be used as a children’s playground. In 1878, as President Rutherford B. Hayes was taking his daily walk, he was approached by some children who asked about the possibility of egg rolling on the South Lawn of the White House. Upon his return to the White House, the President issued an official order that should any children arrive to egg roll on Easter Monday, they were to be allowed to do so.
President Hayes and his wife, Lucy, officially opened the White House grounds to the children of the area for egg rolling that Easter Monday. Successive Presidents continued the tradition, and the event has been held on the South Lawn ever since. The event has been canceled on occasion only because of poor weather conditions and during World War I and World War II.
The children attending the event take part in many activities, but rolling a hard-boiled egg across the lawn is still a highlight of the day. Presidents and First Ladies have personally greeted the egg rollers as have members of the Cabinet, athletes, musicians, celebrities and the official White House Easter Bunny. At the end of the day, each attendee is presented a special presidential wooden egg as a memento.
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The item in my collection is a green wooden Easter Egg from the 2005 White House Easter Egg Roll. In blue ink, the front of the egg depicts a drawing of the Easter Bunny carrying a basket. Underneath the caricature it states White House Easter Egg Roll 2005. On the reverse of the egg are the facsimile signatures of President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush.
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