Morgantown Glass Company, White House Glass
Collection
Collection Number: A&M 4251
A set of "The President's House" handmade lead crystal manufactured by the Morgantown Glass Company. The name of this glassware line derives from having been chosen by Jacqueline Kennedy to be the official crystal service of the White House. Mrs. Kennedy's choice was the first time that American-made glassware had been the official service of the White House. This particular set of crystal was given in 1966 as a wedding gift to Lester and Rebecca Hess, both of whom are alumni of West Virginia University.
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"In 1961 the Morgantown Glass Company gained national recognition when First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy chose a simple Morgantown glassware pattern as the official crystal service for the White House. After receiving this recognition, Morgantown marketed this pattern as The President's House stemware.
The 1960 presidential campaign pitted John F. Kennedy against Hubert Humphrey. While the vote in West Virginia was small, its influence in the Electoral College was significant, and both candidates spent a great deal of time campaigning in the Mountain State. West Virginia's vote in the Electoral College was deemed a significant factor in Kennedy's eventual victory in the race.
After winning the election, President and Mrs. Kennedy moved into the White House on January 20, 1961. Mrs. Kennedy, as is well known now, had a strong sense of style, and undertook to update the decor of the White House. The crystal used in the White House had long
been either European or influenced by European design, but the First Lady championed "Buy American." When Mrs. Kennedy saw the crystal in use at their favorite hotel, the Carlton in New York City, she asked about its origins. She learned it was made in Morgantown, West Virginia, and had an inquiry sent to Morgantown Glass about pieces available. Morgantown immediately sent samples of its crystal pattern to Pennsylvania Avenue. The service met Mrs. Kennedy's approval and she personally chose this glassware line as the "Official Crystal Service" of the White House. An order was placed for fifty dozen of each item: white wine glasses, water goblets, red wine glasses, toasting or champagne glasses and finger bowls.
Previously marketed under another name, after the First Lady's order Morgantown Glass decided to re-christen the pattern as "The President 's House." Each piece was identified with a paper label that read "The President's House Handmade Lead Crystal by Morgantown Glass."
With the unexpected death of President Kennedy the era of Camelot ended. When Mrs. Kennedy moved out of the White House, the Haden family (then owners of Morgantown Glass), gave her a personal service of the crystal she had helped make famous . In a letter to the Hadens dated February 12, 1964, Mrs. Kennedy wrote: "I do wish to thank you for the beautiful Morgantown Glass, 'The President's House', which you so graciously gave to me for our new house on N Street. I was happy to see you had put the label, 'The President's House' on the glassware. We were so proud when we first came to the White House to find Made in America, something so beautiful it could not be matched anywhere - and, corning from our beloved West Virginia, which really did make it possible for my husband to be President. It was a joy and a pride to use them in the White House, and it made me happy to think of all the people being able to buy the same fine things we used in The President's House. I am sure they will go on being
used there forever; I know I shall always use mine. And, whenever I see them, I will think of the
brief wonderful days, all the official dinners and brilliant toasts my husband made so well when, as President, he used them in The President's House."
Morgantown Glass closed in 1971."
(This information was provided by Lester and Rebecca Hess.)
2.1 Linear Feet (2 ft. 1 in. (3 artifact storage boxes, 7 in. each); (1 flat storage box, 4 in.))
English
West Virginia and Regional History Center / West Virginia University / 1549 University Avenue / P.O. Box 6069 / Morgantown, WV 26506-6069 / Phone: 304-293-3536 / Fax: 304-293-3981 / URL: https://wvrhc.lib.wvu.edu/
Part of the West Virginia and Regional History Center Repository