Chester Arthur was our 21st President, and a Vermonter, who presided over the ribbon cutting for the Brooklyn Bridge and redecorated the White House. This columned room is a mix of Victorian and neoclassical styles, the way Arthur wanted the White House to look, with a Tiffany dragonfly lampshade at the end of a king-size bed and a classical brick fireplace. Rose velvet drapes pull back to reveal the porch, overlooking Main Street. This room has a wonderful bathroom with a steam shower, and is handicap-accessible.

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Chester A. Arthur - The Man
Chester A. Arthur is one of two U.S. Presidents born in Vermont. His life spans the era from the Civil War to the dawn of the 20th century. Although Arthur's detractors alleged that he was born in Quebec and should have been ineligible for the Presidency, history states that he was probably born in 1829 in Fairfield, VT, where one can still see his childhood home. His parents moved to Hinesburg, VT and then to the Albany area of New York, where he grew up.

During the Civil War, he distinguished himself through the effective administration of supplies for the Union army. He later became the custom's collector for the port of New York City where he assumed prominence as a loyal member of the Conkling political machine. He was nominated as the Republican vice-presidential candidate as part of a deal between his wing of the party and the reformers led by James Garfield. He assumed the Presidency in 1881 when a deranged person acting in Arthur's name assassinated Garfield. In all likelihood, Arthur underwent a conversion of sorts as he sat by Garfield's bedside for the months prior to his death. Arthur's administration confounded his former allies by supporting reforms such as the establishment of a civil service based on merit. Arthur presided over the ribbon cutting for the Brooklyn Bridge, a significant engineering feat for its time, having taken 14 years to complete.

Arthur never ran for Presidency and retired at the end of his term in 1884. The so-called "Dude" President died in 1886.

Chester A. Arthur - The Room
The Chester A. Arthur Room commemorates his Presidency and his era. The room is reminiscent of the end of the 19th century which is associated with Victorian and Neoclassical styles. The most prominent architectural firms of this period were McKinn, Mead & White (Pennsylvania Station, Boston Library) and H.H. Richardson (New York State Capitol, Trinity Church in Boston). The noted interior designer and stained glass artist Louis Comfort Tiffany was a personal friend of Chester Arthur. With his help, Arthur undertook a remodeling of the White House, ridding the mansion of outmoded furniture and decorations which had accumulated since the early days of the republic and replaced with the more fashionable Victorian furnishings. The floor lamp in this room is a Tiffany replica.

The woodworking in this room is of white oak, which was popular at the end of the 19th century. The moldings, columns and general symmetrical layout are formal and neoclassical, suitable for a presidential visit.

The library table with its leather top is a Victorian walnut piece probably made in New York State around 1870. The Persian rugs, decorating the floor, were very fashionable in Arthur's era. These rugs are from the border area between present-day Iran and Turkmenistan.

Toward the end of the 19th century, it was still unclear whether the wave of the future in lighting technology would tend toward gas or electricity. The wall fixtures reflect this ambiguity. They were originally designed to operate on either gas or electricity.

The multi-volume biography next to the head of the bed was written around the time of Arthur's presidency. You will notice that the pages have never been separated with a letter opener. How long will it be before anyone reads the life and thoughts of this unknown person from the 1800s?

The portrait of Arthur is a reproduction of the original in Washington, D.C. and was painted by Stewart Williams.

The woodwork is by Mark Calabrese of Traditional Design; window treatments and fabrics are by Karen Schmitz. The stainless steel work in the bathroom is by Giroux's in Hinesburg. The floor lamp was rebuilt by Conant Custom Brass. The masonry is by David Newton.
- Mac Rood