Maybe we're biased, but we think the squirrel is the most distinguished pet to have ever lived in the White House. Did you know the oversized role that this undersized animal has played in Washington, D.C. history? In honor of Presidents’ Day, we’ve gathered some thoughts on the topic for you — prepare to be amazed!
For an exhaustive, and frankly exhausting but fascinating read on this topic, please enjoy this article in White House History!
(click on "read digital edition" and scroll to pages 20-31 for the article)
Don’t have all day? Here’s a quick piece that hits hard, including a poem by Benjamin Franklin about Mungo, the squirrel he loved so dearly:
The Surprising Link Between Squirrels and the Founding Fathers
This (above) is President Warren Harding's pet squirrel Pete, being fed by Secretary of the Navy Edwin Denby in 1922. Fancy fellow!
Ronald Reagan fed the squirrels right outside the Oval Office with acorns that the gardening staff gathered for him. What a guy!
Above is young Wall Street titan and champion indoor kid Daniel Verplanck, painted in 1771, in the height of the pet squirrel craze, by John Singleton Copley. Daniel was nine years old and posed with his pet squirrel on its delicate gold leash, a common pet and accessory of the day. This is a detail view, the painting can be seen in its entirety at the Met Museum's website.
