Treaty Room

The Treaty Room is located on the second floor of the White House, the official residence of the President of the United States. The room is a part of the first family's private apartments and is used as a study by the president.

Before construction of the West Wing of the White House, working offices were located on the east side of the second floor. The Treaty Room has been used as a waiting room, a cabinet room, and the president's office. President Andrew Johnson used the room for his cabinet meetings. Ulysses S. Grant continued this use and acquired a large Renaissance Revival style table to be used by his cabinet. The table remained in the room for many years, and President William McKinley oversaw the signing of the peace treaty with Spain which concluded the Spanish–American War on it on August 12, 1898.

Old engravings, photographs and stereographs show a succession of ornate printed wall and ceiling papers, highly figured axminster carpets, and ornate gas lighting fixtures. During the administration of Theodore Roosevelt this room was greatly simplified as a part of an overall refurbishment of the house directed by Charles Follen McKim. Victorian decoration was removed, and the underlying wood floor was exposed. Low bookcases were constructed, and the room began use as the president's in-residence study.

During the administration of Herbert Hoover, the room was used as a parlor or sitting room and was termed the Monroe Room. James Monroe's French Empire center table was moved to the room, and a copy of the desk he signed the Monroe Doctrine upon was placed in the room. Additional efforts were made during the administration of Franklin Delano Roosevelt to furnish the room somewhat as it might have been when the house was built. Following the Truman reconstruction of the White House, the room was furnished by the interior design department of the New York department store B. Altman and Company. Nearly all the furniture was contemporary, generally in a traditional style.

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