An official residence is a residence designated by an authority and assigned to an official (such as a head of state , head of government , governor , or other senior figures), and may be the same place where the office holder conducts their work functions or lives.
126-528: Number One Observatory Circle is the official residence of the vice president of the United States . Located on the grounds of the U.S. Naval Observatory in Washington, D.C. , the house was built in 1893 for the observatory's superintendent. The U.S. Navy's chief of naval operations (CNO) liked the house so much that in 1923 he took over the house from the superintendent for himself. It remained
252-514: A Bachelor of Laws and passed the bar examination in Maryland . He started a law practice in downtown Baltimore, but was not successful, and took a job as an insurance investigator . A year later, Agnew moved to Schreiber's, a supermarket chain , where his role was store detective. He remained there for four years, a period briefly interrupted in 1951 by a recall to the Army after the outbreak of
378-419: A diner . A passionate self-educator, Agnew maintained a lifelong interest in philosophy; one family member recalled that "if he wasn't reading something to improve his mind, he wouldn't read." Around 1908, he moved to Baltimore, where he purchased a restaurant. Here he met William Pollard, who was the city's federal meat inspector . The two became friends; Pollard and his wife Margaret were regular customers of
504-403: A favorite son , uncommitted to any of the main candidates. At the convention, held August 5–8, Agnew abandoned his favorite son status, placing Nixon's name in nomination. Nixon narrowly secured the nomination on the first ballot. In the discussions that followed about a running mate, Nixon kept his counsel while various party factions thought they could influence his choice: Strom Thurmond ,
630-409: A Japanese-American reporter as "the fat Jap", and appeared to dismiss poor socio-economic conditions by stating that "if you've seen one slum you've seen them all." He attacked Humphrey as soft on communism, an appeaser like Britain's prewar prime minister Neville Chamberlain . Agnew was mocked by his Democratic opponents; a Humphrey commercial displayed the message "Agnew for Vice President?" against
756-465: A career in politics, he should become a Republican . There were already many ambitious young Democrats in Baltimore and its suburbs, whereas competent, personable Republicans were scarcer. Agnew took Barrett's advice; on moving with family to the suburb of Lutherville in 1947, Agnew registered as a Republican, though he did not immediately become involved in politics. In 1947, Agnew graduated with
882-490: A chemistry major. After a few months, he found the pressure of the academic work increasingly stressful, and was distracted by the family's continuing financial problems and worries about the international situation, in which war seemed likely. In 1939 he decided that his future lay in law rather than chemistry, left Johns Hopkins and began night classes at the University of Baltimore School of Law. To support himself, he took
1008-476: A convention marred by violent demonstrations, had nominated Vice President Hubert Humphrey and Maine Senator Edmund Muskie as their standard-bearers. The segregationist former Governor of Alabama , George Wallace , ran as a third-party candidate and was expected to do well in the Deep South . Nixon, mindful of the restrictions he had labored under as Dwight Eisenhower 's running mate in 1952 and 1956,
1134-470: A county where the population was 97 percent white. His relations with the increasingly militant civil rights movement were sometimes troubled. In a number of desegregation disputes involving private property, Agnew appeared to prioritize law and order, showing a particular aversion to any kind of demonstration. His reaction to the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing in Alabama, in which four children died,
1260-712: A day job as an insurance clerk with the Maryland Casualty Company at their Rotunda building on 40th Street in Roland Park . During the three years Agnew spent at the company he rose to the position of assistant underwriter. At the office, he met a young filing clerk, Elinor Judefind , known as "Judy". She had grown up in the same part of the city as Agnew, but the two had not previously met. They began dating, became engaged, and were married in Baltimore on May 27, 1942. They had four children; Pamela Lee, James Rand, Susan Scott, and Elinor Kimberly. By
1386-415: A den, and a study. The attic, once the servants' quarters, now houses four bedrooms. The main kitchen is located in the basement. Most of the furnishings placed in the house following the 1974 renovation were twentieth-century copies of either colonial or Federal style pieces. A notable exception was a bed placed in the house by Nelson Rockefeller. The bed was designed by surrealist artist Max Ernst . Called
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#17327984316271512-580: A foreign policy matter in a cabinet meeting, an angry Nixon sent Bob Haldeman to warn Agnew to keep his opinions to himself. Nixon complained that Agnew had no idea how the vice presidency worked, but did not meet with Agnew to share his own experience of the office. Herb Klein , director of communications in the Nixon White House, later wrote that Agnew had allowed himself to be pushed around by senior aides such as Haldeman and John Mitchell, and that Nixon's "inconsistent" treatment of Agnew had left
1638-551: A hotel when he served as vice president from 1921 to 1923, wrote in his autobiography that an "official residence with suitable maintenance should be provided for the Vice-President", and that the office "should have a settled and permanent habitation and a place, irrespective of the financial ability of its temporary occupant." In 1966, the House Public Works Committee approved the construction of
1764-590: A lithograph called "The Great Ignoramus", several antique Korean and Japanese chests, and nearly a dozen other pieces. When the Mondales occupied the house, Joan Mondale introduced more saturated upholstery and wall colors and contemporary art. Like the Rockefellers, the Mondales brought some Asian antiques into the house. The Bush family, working with interior decorator Mark Hampton, used a palette of celadon , lime green , and light blue . The Quayles removed
1890-634: A meeting, Agnew closed the college and ordered more than 200 arrests. Following the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. on April 4, 1968, there was widespread rioting and disorder across the US. The trouble reached Baltimore on April 6, and for the next three days and nights the city burned. Agnew declared a state of emergency and called out the National Guard . When order was restored there were six dead, more than 4,000 were under arrest,
2016-453: A member of the House of Delegates and served as Maryland Secretary of State under Agnew. Arthur Sohmer , Agnew's long-time campaign manager, became his political advisor, and Herb Thompson , a former journalist, became press secretary. Agnew was sworn in along with Nixon on January 20, 1969; as was customary, he sat down immediately after being sworn in, and did not make a speech. Soon after
2142-462: A minority of Americans opposed the war. Nixon speechwriter Pat Buchanan penned a speech in response, to be delivered by Agnew on November 13 in Des Moines, Iowa . The White House worked to assure the maximum exposure for Agnew's speech, and the networks covered it live, making it a nationwide address, a rarity for vice presidents. According to Witcover, "Agnew made the most of it". Historically,
2268-485: A month in 1989 for an extensive $ 300,000 remodeling that included a rebuilt third floor with bedrooms suitable for children, a wheelchair-accessible entrance, and an upgraded bathroom off the vice president's room. A putting green was also added that year. In 1991, a non-profit organization, the Vice President's Residence Foundation, was established to raise further funds to redecorate the residence, and Quayle added
2394-546: A more conciliatory tone, in line with Nixon's own speeches after taking office. Still, he urged a firm line against violence, stating in a speech in Honolulu on May 2, 1969, that "we have a new breed of self-appointed vigilantes arising—the counterdemonstrators—taking the law into their own hands because officials fail to call law enforcement authorities. We have a vast faceless majority of the American public in quiet fury over
2520-569: A narrow popular vote plurality – 500,000 out of a total of 73 million votes cast. The Electoral College result was more decisive: Nixon 301, Humphrey 191 and Wallace 46. The Republicans narrowly lost Maryland, but Agnew was credited by pollster Louis Harris with helping his party to victory in several border and Upper South states that might easily have fallen to Wallace—South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee and Kentucky—and with bolstering Nixon's support in suburbs nationally. Had Nixon lost those five states, he would have had only
2646-463: A perennially unsuccessful candidate for office. Mahoney's candidacy split his party, provoking a third-party candidate, Comptroller of Baltimore City Hyman A. Pressman. In Montgomery County , the state's wealthiest area, a "Democrats for Agnew" organization flourished, and liberals statewide flocked to the Agnew standard. Mahoney, a fierce opponent of integrated housing, exploited racial tensions with
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#17327984316272772-405: A pool, hot tub, and pool house. A 525-square-foot (49 m) sky-lit exercise room was added to the rooftop around that time, and numerous security enhancements were also performed. The Navy, responsible for upkeep on the residence, decided in 1991 that Congress would never build a permanent vice president's residence (ostensibly next door to Admiral's House) and opted instead to remodel and repair
2898-520: A range of social and community activities. Historian William Manchester summed up Agnew in those days: "His favorite musician was Lawrence Welk . His leisure interests were all midcult : watching the Baltimore Colts on television, listening to Mantovani , and reading the sort of prose the Reader's Digest liked to condense. He was a lover of order and an almost compulsive conformist." In
3024-754: A replacement officer. After briefly serving as a rifle platoon leader, Agnew commanded the battalion's service company. The battalion became part of Combat Command "B" of the 10th Armored Division , which saw action in the Battle of the Bulge , including the Siege of Bastogne —in all, "thirty-nine days in the hole of the doughnut", as one of Agnew's men put it. Thereafter, the 54th Battalion fought its way into Germany, seeing action at Mannheim , Heidelberg , and Crailsheim , before reaching Garmisch-Partenkirchen in Bavaria as
3150-445: A residence, containing only the lieutenant governor 's offices. Alberta also has a Government House , but it is used solely for official entertaining and meetings. French Polynesia The following are official residences maintained by private, nongovernmental institutions: Federal States Brandenburg / Prussia / Imperial / East Germany / Former West Germany Other Presidential Palace * In every state of
3276-486: A roadside stall, while the youthful Spiro helped the family's budget with part-time jobs, delivering groceries and distributing leaflets. As he grew up, Spiro was increasingly influenced by his peers, and began to distance himself from his Greek background. He refused his father's offer to pay for Greek language lessons, and preferred to be known by a nickname, "Ted". In February 1937, Agnew entered Johns Hopkins University at their new Homewood campus in north Baltimore as
3402-547: A senator, he took lessons in Senate procedures from the Parliamentarian and from a Republican committee staffer. He lunched with small groups of senators, and was initially successful in building good relations. Although silenced on foreign policy matters, he attended White House staff meetings and spoke on urban affairs; when Nixon was present, he often presented the perspective of the governors. Agnew earned praise from
3528-512: A series of speeches attacking their political opponents. In New Orleans on October 19, Agnew blamed liberal elites for condoning violence by demonstrators: "a spirit of national masochism prevails, encouraged by an effete corps of impudent snobs who characterize themselves as intellectuals". The following day, in Jackson, Mississippi , Agnew told a Republican dinner, "for too long the South has been
3654-422: A single felony charge of tax evasion and resigned from office. Nixon replaced him with House Republican leader Gerald Ford . Agnew spent the remainder of his life quietly, rarely making public appearances and blaming Zionists for forcing him out of office. He wrote a novel and a memoir, both of which defended his actions. Agnew died at home in 1996 at age 77 of undiagnosed acute leukemia . Spiro Agnew's father
3780-541: A soundtrack of prolonged hysterical laughter that degenerated into a painful cough, before a final message: "This would be funny if it weren't so serious..." Agnew's comments outraged many, but Nixon did not rein him in; such right-wing populism had a strong appeal in the Southern states and was an effective counter to Wallace. Agnew's rhetoric was also popular in some Northern areas, and helped to galvanize "white backlash" into something less racially defined, more attuned to
3906-508: A suitcase of money." Agnew was also criticized over his part-ownership of land close to the site of a planned, but never-built second bridge over Chesapeake Bay . Opponents claimed a conflict of interest, since some of Agnew's partners in the venture were simultaneously involved in business deals with the county. Agnew denied any conflict or impropriety, saying that the property involved was outside Baltimore County and his jurisdiction. Nevertheless, he sold his interest. Agnew's term as governor
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4032-587: A suite at the Sheraton Hotel in Washington formerly occupied by Johnson while vice president. Only one of their children, Kim, the youngest daughter, moved there with them, the others remaining in Maryland. During the transition, Agnew hired a staff, choosing several aides who had worked with him as county executive and as governor. He hired Charles Stanley Blair as chief of staff; Blair had been
4158-730: A three-story vice presidential residence at the Naval Observatory. A month later, President Lyndon B. Johnson suspended construction until the economy improved; construction never restarted. The exact location was to be determined later by the GAO and the Navy. Construction was to commence on the residence when funding was available once the Vietnam War was over. In the interim, the Secret Service paid for expensive upgrades to
4284-410: A well-secured residence in Washington, D.C., though the Rockefellers donated millions of dollars' worth of furnishings to the house. Vice President Walter Mondale was the first vice president to move into the house. Every vice president since has lived there. The house at One Observatory Circle was designed by architect Leon E. Dessez and built in 1893 for $ 20,000 (equivalent to $ 678,222 in 2023) for
4410-635: Is located 2.5 miles (4 km) from the White House and directly to its south is the British Embassy . The observatory was moved from Foggy Bottom to its present location the same year the house was completed and 12 observatory superintendents lived in what was then known as The Superintendent's House . In 1928, with the passage of Public Law 630, Congress appropriated it for the chief of naval operations , and in June 1929, Charles Hughes became
4536-446: Is not the centuries of racism and deprivation that have built to an explosive crescendo, but ... that lawbreaking has become a socially acceptable and occasionally stylish form of dissent". In March 1968, when faced with a student boycott at Bowie State College , a historically black institution , Agnew again blamed outside agitators and refused to negotiate with the students. When a student committee came to Annapolis and demanded
4662-640: The 1968 Liberty Bowl , and to New York to attend the wedding of Nixon's daughter Julie to David Eisenhower . Agnew was a fan of the Baltimore Colts; in January, he was the guest of team owner Carroll Rosenbloom at Super Bowl III , and watched Joe Namath and the New York Jets upset the Colts, 16–7. There was as yet no official residence for the vice president, and Spiro and Judy Agnew secured
4788-437: The 1976 Senate election . The 1974 renovation replaced and updated building systems and increased the size of several rooms by removing internal walls. As a part of this renovation, the interior trim was painted white, and the walls had a palette of mostly neutral colors. Little consideration was given to historic preservation with interior or exterior spaces. No attempt was made to restore any interior space to its appearance at
4914-584: The Korean War . Agnew resigned from Schreiber's in 1952, and resumed his legal practice, specializing in labor law . In 1955, Barrett was appointed a judge in Towson , the county seat of Baltimore. Agnew moved his office there; at the same time, he moved his family from Lutherville to Loch Raven . There, he led a typical suburban lifestyle, serving as president of the local school district's Parent-Teacher Association , joining Kiwanis , and participating in
5040-579: The law and order stance he had taken in the wake of civil unrest that year appealed to aides such as Pat Buchanan . Agnew made a number of gaffes during the campaign , but his rhetoric pleased many Republicans, and he may have made the difference in several key states. Nixon and Agnew defeated the Democratic ticket of incumbent vice president Hubert Humphrey and his running mate, Senator Edmund Muskie , and American Independent Party candidates George Wallace and Curtis LeMay . As vice president, Agnew
5166-517: The "Rockefeller for President" citizens' committee. When in a televised speech on March 21, 1968, Rockefeller shocked his supporters with an apparently unequivocal withdrawal from the race, Agnew was dismayed and humiliated; despite his very public role in the Rockefeller campaign, he had received no advance warning of the decision. He took this as a personal insult and as a blow to his credibility. Within days of Rockefeller's announcement, Agnew
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5292-487: The "cage" bed, the headboard had the form of a Greek pediment, and the baseboard a lower version of a pediment. The Rockefellers twice offered the bed permanently to the house but it was turned down both by Vice President George H. W. Bush and Vice President Dan Quayle . On visiting Barbara Bush at the house, Mrs. Rockefeller offered her the bed, and Mrs. Bush responded, "you are always welcome in this house, but there's no need to bring your own bed." The Rockefellers did leave
5418-463: The 1950s, Agnew volunteered for the congressional campaigns of U.S. Representative James Devereux . Agnew made his first bid for political office in 1956, when he sought to be a Republican candidate for Baltimore County Council. He was turned down by local party leaders, but nevertheless campaigned vigorously for the Republican ticket. The election resulted in an unexpected Republican majority on
5544-684: The 1966 election, his record had won him the endorsement of Roy Wilkins , leader of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). In mid-1967, racial tension was rising nationally, fueled by black discontent and an increasingly assertive civil rights leadership. Several cities exploded in violence, and there were riots in Cambridge, Maryland , after an incendiary speech there on July 24, 1967, by radical student leader H. Rap Brown . Agnew's principal concern
5670-620: The 21st century in Detroit and New York City , although as of 2016 the mayors of both cities live in the official residences. In the case of Denver , no mayor has ever lived in the official residence; the city instead makes it available to certain non-profit groups for special functions. The following are official residences maintained by private, nongovernmental institutions: Spiro Agnew#Criminal investigation and resignation Spiro Theodore Agnew ( / ˈ s p ɪər oʊ ˈ æ ɡ n juː / ; November 9, 1918 – September 17, 1996)
5796-658: The CNO to Quarters A at the Navy Yard . The decision was largely made as it was increasingly expensive to add security and communicative equipment to each new vice presidential residence. Elmo Zumwalt was the last chief of naval operations to live in Number One Observatory Circle before it became the official residence of the vice president . For Zumwalt, not pleased with the choice, this was reason enough to challenge Virginia senator Harry F. Byrd Jr. in
5922-695: The Democratic primary. By contrast with his elderly opponent, Agnew was able to campaign as a "White Knight" promising change; his program included an anti-discrimination bill requiring public amenities such as parks, bars and restaurants be open to all races, policies that neither Birmingham nor any Maryland Democrat could have introduced at that time without angering supporters. In the November election, despite an intervention by Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson on Birmingham's behalf, Agnew beat his opponent by 78,487 votes to 60,993. When Symington lost to Democrat Clarence Long in his congressional race, Agnew became
6048-509: The Family Heritage Garden, where stones memorialize all the home's previous occupants and their family members, including pets. Vice President Mike Pence and Second Lady Karen Pence added a beehive to the grounds in 2017 as well as a new basketball court. Vice President Kamala Harris and Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff moved into Number One Observatory on April 7, 2021. They temporarily resided at Blair House during
6174-646: The Maryland governor as a possible running mate. As Agnew continued to meet with Nixon and with the candidate's senior aides, there was a growing impression that he was moving into the Nixon camp. At the same time, Agnew denied any political ambitions beyond serving his full four-year term as governor. As Nixon prepared for the August 1968 Republican National Convention in Miami Beach , he discussed possible running mates with his staff. Among these were Ronald Reagan ,
6300-622: The Mexico the Palacio de Gobierno , or Government Palace, was the official residence the governor, they are now maintained solely as the relevant governor's offices. Querétaro Former residence Official estates of the Swiss Federal Council : Some mayors in cities with an official mayor's residence choose instead to reside at their private residence, using the official residence for official functions only. This has occurred in
6426-767: The Naval Observatory superintendent and later those of the chief of naval operations . Period photographs of the interior show middle-class nineteenth-century furnishings in various styles, including Eastlake . Walls were covered in patterned wall papers. By the first decade of the twentieth century, Victorian-style architecture had begun to fall out of fashion. Many houses that were initially built in brick or wood with complex paintings were simplified and " colonialized " by being painted white. This frequently happened inside as well as outside. Substantial wood millwork of mahogany , quarter-sawn oak, American chestnut , and walnut were often painted over in white to "lighten" rooms and make them feel more contemporary. The home's exterior
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#17327984316276552-402: The Navy spent $ 34,000 to repair the porch roof. Repairs to interior and exterior walls damaged by water seepage amounted to $ 225,000, and $ 8,000 more was spent to build a small master bedroom. Bush also constructed a horseshoe pit and quarter-mile track around the residence. During his eight years at the residence, Vice President Bush hosted over 900 parties. Dan Quayle delayed his move-in by
6678-447: The Nixon camp such as Pat Buchanan, and also impressed Nixon. When on April 30 Rockefeller re-entered the race, Agnew's reaction was cool. He commended the governor as potentially a "formidable candidate" but did not commit his support: "A lot of things have happened since his withdrawal ... I think I've got to take another look at this situation". In mid-May, Nixon, interviewed by David Broder of The Washington Post , mentioned
6804-460: The November 1960 elections, Agnew decided to seek election to the county circuit court , against the local tradition that sitting judges seeking re-election were not opposed. He was unsuccessful, finishing last of five candidates. This failed attempt raised his profile, and he was regarded by his Democratic opponents as a Republican on the rise. The 1960 elections saw the Democrats win control of
6930-473: The Republican Party to help secure the re-election of Nixon and Agnew in 1972, and that Agnew's rhetoric "could have served as the blueprint for the culture wars of the next twenty-to-thirty years, including the claim that Democrats were soft on crime, unpatriotic, and favored flag burning rather than flag waving". The attendees at the speeches were enthusiastic, but other Republicans, especially from
7056-618: The Rev. Sidney Daniels, rebuked the governor: "Talk to us like we are ladies and gentlemen", he said, before walking out. Others followed him; the remnant was treated to further accusations as Agnew rejected all socio-economic explanations for the disturbances. Many white suburbanites applauded Agnew's speech: over 90 percent of the 9,000 responses by phone, letter or telegram supported him, and he won tributes from leading Republican conservatives such as Jack Williams , governor of Arizona, and former senator William Knowland of California. To members of
7182-586: The black community the April 11 meeting was a turning point. Having previously welcomed Agnew's stance on civil rights, they now felt betrayed, one state senator observing: "He has sold us out ... he thinks like George Wallace , he talks like George Wallace". At least until the April 1968 disturbances, Agnew's image was that of a liberal Republican. Since 1964 he had supported the presidential ambitions of Governor Nelson Rockefeller of New York, and early in 1968, with that year's elections looming, he became chairman of
7308-691: The boredom and lack of a role he had sometimes experienced in that office. Nixon initially gave Agnew an office in the West Wing of the White House, a first for a vice president, although in December 1969 it was given to deputy assistant Alexander Butterfield and Agnew had to move to an office in the Executive Office Building . When they stood before the press after the meeting, Nixon pledged that Agnew would not have to undertake
7434-476: The campaign, it emerged that Agnew had failed to report three alleged attempts to bribe him that had been made on behalf of the slot-machine industry, involving sums of $ 20,000, $ 75,000, and $ 200,000, if he would promise not to veto legislation keeping the machines legal in Southern Maryland . He justified his silence on the grounds that no actual offer had been made: "Nobody sat down in front of me with
7560-471: The ceremonial roles usually undertaken by the holders of the vice presidency, but would have "new duties beyond what any vice president has previously assumed". Nixon told the press that he planned to make full use of Agnew's experience as county executive and as governor in dealing with matters of federal-state relations and in urban affairs. Nixon established transition headquarters in New York, but Agnew
7686-571: The cities, complained to the Republican National Committee that Agnew's attacks were overbroad. In the wake of these remarks, Nixon delivered his Silent Majority speech on November 3, 1969, calling on "the great silent majority of my fellow Americans" to support the administration's policy in Vietnam. The speech was well received by the public, but less so by the press, who strongly attacked Nixon's allegations that only
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#17327984316277812-439: The conservative Governor of California ; and the more liberal Mayor of New York City , John Lindsay . Nixon felt that these high-profile names could split the party, with Lindsay in particular unacceptable to Southern conservatives, and looked for a less divisive figure. He did not indicate a preferred choice, and Agnew's name was not raised at this stage. Agnew was intending to go to the convention with his Maryland delegation as
7938-413: The consideration of other candidates was little more than a charade. On August 8, after a final meeting of advisers and party leaders, Nixon declared that Agnew was his choice, and shortly afterwards announced his decision to the press. Delegates formally nominated Agnew for the vice presidency later that day, before adjourning. In his acceptance speech, Agnew told the convention he had "a deep sense of
8064-411: The cost of refurbishment and furnishing the house. Although Number One Observatory Circle was made available to the vice president in 1974, more than two years passed before a vice president lived full-time in the house. Vice President Gerald Ford became president before he could use the house. His vice president, Nelson Rockefeller , primarily used the home for official entertainment as he already had
8190-467: The council, and in recognition for his party work, Agnew was appointed for a one-year term to the county Zoning Board of Appeals at a salary of $ 3,600 per year. This quasi-judicial post provided an important supplement to his legal practice, and Agnew welcomed the prestige connected with the appointment. In April 1958, he was reappointed to the Board for a full three-year term and became its chairman. In
8316-543: The county council, and one of their first actions was to remove Agnew from the Zoning Appeals Board. According to Agnew's biographer, Jules Witcover , "The publicity generated by the Democrats' crude dismissal of Agnew cast him as the honest servant wronged by the machine." Seeking to capitalize on this mood, Agnew asked to be nominated as the Republican candidate in the 1962 U.S. congressional elections, in Maryland's 2nd congressional district . The party chose
8442-419: The county's Democrats had healed their rift. Instead, in 1966 he sought the Republican nomination for governor, and with the backing of party leaders won the April primary by a wide margin. In the Democratic party, three candidates—a moderate, a liberal, and an outright segregationist—battled for their party's gubernatorial nomination, which to general surprise was won by the segregationist George P. Mahoney,
8568-451: The existence of an underground "9/11" bunker beneath the house. Elizabeth Alexander , Biden's press secretary, explained the following day, "What the vice president described in his comments was not—as some press reports have suggested—an underground facility, but rather, an upstairs work space in the residence, which he understood was frequently used by Vice President Cheney and his aides." The Christian Science Monitor suggested that Biden
8694-628: The family to a house in the Forest Park northwest section of the city, where Spiro attended Garrison Junior High School and later Forest Park High School . This period of affluence ended with the crash of 1929 , and the restaurant closed. In 1931, the family's savings were wiped out when a local bank failed, forcing them to sell the house and move to a small apartment. Agnew later recalled how his father responded to these misfortunes: "He just shrugged it off and went to work with his hands without complaint." Theodore Agnew sold fruit and vegetables from
8820-582: The family, and a strong influence on his son. When in 1969, after his vice presidential inauguration, Baltimore's Greek community endowed a scholarship in Theodore Agnew's name, Spiro Agnew told the gathering: "I am proud to say that I grew up in the light of my father. My beliefs are his." During the early 1920s, the Agnews prospered. Theodore acquired a larger restaurant, the Piccadilly, and moved
8946-411: The fire department had responded to 1,200 fires, and there had been widespread looting. On April 11, Agnew summoned more than 100 moderate black leaders to the state capitol , where instead of the expected constructive dialogue he delivered a speech roundly castigating them for their failure to control more radical elements, and accused them of a cowardly retreat or even complicity. One of the delegates,
9072-520: The first resident of what became known as Admiral's House . For the next 45 years, it served as the home of admirals such as Richard Leigh , Chester Nimitz , and Elmo Zumwalt . Previously, serving vice presidents had lived in hotels or their own private homes. In 1923, to honor her late husband, Senator John B. Henderson 's widow offered to provide their newly built home as an official residence. President Calvin Coolidge , who lived in
9198-483: The first such laws passed south of the Mason–Dixon line . Agnew's attempt to adopt a new state constitution was rejected by the voters in a referendum. For the most part, Agnew remained somewhat aloof from the state legislature, preferring the company of businessmen. Some of these had been associates in his county executive days, such as Lester Matz and Walter Jones, who had been among the first to encourage him to seek
9324-457: The first time an executive home in American history has carried the abiding sign of sanctity of a Jewish home. On November 28, 2021, Harris and Emhoff became the first second couple to light a menorah in the window of the official residence in celebration of the first night of Hanukkah . On April 15, 2022, Harris and Emhoff became the first known second family to host a Passover Seder at
9450-526: The first vice president to live in the house, and it has served as the home of every vice president since. Instead of building a new vice presidential residence, One Observatory Circle continued to have extensive remodels. In 1976, the Navy spent $ 276,000 to replace 22 window units with steam heat and central air conditioning; the leaky roof was replaced in 1980 with slate. In 1981, George H. W. Bush and Second Lady Barbara raised $ 187,000 for carpeting, furniture, and upholstery when they moved in. The next year,
9576-411: The governorship. Agnew's close ties to the business community were noted by officials in the state capital of Annapolis : "There always seemed to be people around him who were in business." Some suspected that, while not himself corrupt, he "allowed himself to be used by the people around him." Agnew publicly supported civil rights, but deplored the militant tactics used by some black leaders. During
9702-426: The ground floor, all of which are found at Number One Observatory Circle. When the house was constructed, its exterior was faced with terracotta brick. The wood trim was painted in a warm putty-gray, and the wooden porch in a combination of putty-gray and white. Window frames and mullions were painted the same gray, and shutters were painted olive green. The interior was furnished mostly with the personal furnishings of
9828-411: The highest-ranking Republican in Maryland. Agnew's four-year term as county executive saw a moderately progressive administration, which included the building of new schools, increases to teachers' salaries, reorganization of the police department, and improvements to the water and sewer systems. His anti-discrimination bill passed, and gave him a reputation as a liberal, but its impact was limited in
9954-556: The house substantially. Al Gore agreed to delay his move into the house by nearly six months in 1993 to allow for the largest renovation of the house since 1974. The $ 1.6 million repair job replaced the heating, air conditioning, plumbing, removed asbestos, rewired the electrical, replaced the ventilation systems, restored the porch, and upgraded the family quarters on the second floor. Unlike prior additions, these habitability-focused renovations were carried out with taxpayer funds. Second Lady Tipper Gore built an electronic inventory of all
10080-478: The house. Unlike the White House, Number One Observatory Circle and the surrounding Naval Observatory do not offer any public tours. In December 2002, following the September 11 attacks , neighbors of the Number One Observatory Circle, then inhabited by Cheney, complained of loud "blasts" and construction noises. Occurring several times and lasting up to five seconds, the vibrations were able to knock mirrors off
10206-472: The improbability of this moment". Agnew was not yet a national figure, and a widespread reaction to the nomination was "Spiro who?" In Atlanta , three pedestrians gave their reactions to the name when interviewed on television: "It's some kind of disease"; "It's some kind of egg"; "He's a Greek that owns that shipbuilding firm." In 1968, the Nixon–Agnew ticket faced two principal opponents. The Democrats, at
10332-619: The inauguration, Nixon appointed Agnew as head of the Office of Intergovernmental Relations , to head government commissions such as the National Space Council and assigned him to work with state governors to bring down crime. It became clear that Agnew would not be in the inner circle of advisors. The new president preferred to deal directly with only a trusted handful, and was annoyed when Agnew tried to call him about matters Nixon deemed trivial. After Agnew shared his opinions on
10458-517: The lime green and used off-white . The Gores oversaw a complete redecoration, the addition of a new dining-room table, new furniture for the library, and a substantial renovation of the grounds and porches to make them more suitable for outdoor entertaining. Immediately before the Cheneys moved in, some needed work on the air conditioning and heating was performed and the interiors were repainted. The Cheneys brought several pieces of contemporary art into
10584-586: The minimum number of electoral votes needed, 270, and any defection by an elector would have thrown the election to the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives. Immediately after the 1968 election, Agnew was still uncertain what Nixon would expect of him as vice president. He met with Nixon several days after the election in Key Biscayne, Florida . Nixon, vice president himself for eight years under Eisenhower, wanted to spare Agnew
10710-552: The moderate California senator Thomas Kuchel , a candidacy that, Witcover remarks, "died stillborn". After the failure of moderate Pennsylvania Governor William Scranton 's candidacy at the party convention , Agnew gave his reluctant support to Goldwater, but privately opined that the choice of so extremist a candidate had cost the Republicans any chance of victory. As his four-year term as executive neared its end, Agnew knew that his chances of re-election were slim, given that
10836-496: The more experienced J. Fife Symington , but wanted to take advantage of Agnew's local support. He accepted their invitation to run for county executive, the county's chief executive officer; Democrats had held the executive's post and its predecessor, chairman of the board of county commissioners, since 1895. Agnew's chances in 1962 were boosted by a feud in the Democratic ranks, as the retired former county executive, Michael Birmingham, fell out with his successor and defeated him in
10962-453: The new vice presidential residence rather than secure private homes. In July 1974, Congress passed a new law to make Admiral's House the "official temporary residence of the vice president of the United States" effective upon the termination of service of the incumbent chief of naval operations. Work began on preparing Admiral's House to be the temporary vice president's residence later that fall, after Richard Nixon 's resignation and move of
11088-436: The news media. Television network executives and commentators responded with outrage. Julian Goodman , president of NBC , stated that Agnew had made an "appeal to prejudice ... it is regrettable that the Vice President of the United States should deny to TV freedom of the press". Frank Stanton , head of CBS , accused Agnew of trying to intimidate the news media, and his news anchor, Walter Cronkite , agreed. The speech
11214-435: The official household items passed down from administration to administration. Vice President Dick Cheney and Second Lady Lynne Cheney 's changes to the residence included renovating the upstairs exercise room, redoing the kitchen pantry, and decorating the house in neutral colors. In 2010, Vice President Joe Biden added a tree swing to the grounds as a Valentine's Day present for Second Lady Jill Biden , who later added
11340-569: The other members when he presided over a meeting of the White House Domestic Council in Nixon's absence but, like Nixon during Eisenhower's illnesses, did not sit in the president's chair. Nevertheless, many of the commission assignments Nixon gave Agnew were sinecures , with the vice president only formally the head. The public image of Agnew as an uncompromising critic of the violent protests that had marked 1968 persisted into his vice presidency. At first, he tried to take
11466-438: The party's Northern liberals but played well in the South. John Mitchell , Nixon's campaign manager, was impressed, some other party leaders less so; Senator Thruston Morton described Agnew as an "asshole". Throughout September, Agnew was in the news, generally as a result of what one reporter called his "offensive and sometimes dangerous banality". He used the derogatory term "Polack" to describe Polish-Americans, referred to
11592-637: The period of construction or early use. The 1961-era white paint on the exterior was retained. Second-floor shutters, which appear in an 1895 photograph, were reinstalled. The house formally opened as the vice presidential residence in September 1975. Vice President Gerald Ford would have been the first resident if President Richard Nixon had not resigned, leaving the White House to Ford. The new vice president Nelson Rockefeller chose to live in his larger private home instead and used Admiral's House only for entertaining. In January 1977, Walter Mondale became
11718-486: The press had enjoyed considerable prestige and respect to that point, though some Republicans complained of bias. But in his Des Moines speech, Agnew attacked the media, complaining that immediately after Nixon's speech, "his words and policies were subjected to instant analysis and querulous criticism ... by a small band of network commentators and self-appointed analysts, the majority of whom expressed in one way or another their hostility to what he had to say ... It
11844-469: The private homes of vice presidents Hubert Humphrey , Spiro Agnew , and Gerald Ford . Agnew lived in his house for only three months in 1973 before resigning ; shortly after, he sold it at a large profit, in part because of the upgrades (additional quarters for the Secret Service, fences and a new driveway for example), paid for by the government. This resulted in a minor scandal. A subsequent investigation showed that it would be cheaper to immediately set up
11970-422: The punching bag for those who characterize themselves as liberal intellectuals ... their course is a course that will ultimately weaken and erode the very fiber of America." Denying Republicans had a Southern Strategy , Agnew stressed that the administration and Southern whites had much in common, including the disapproval of the elites. Levy argued that such remarks were designed to attract Southern whites to
12096-441: The renovations as they agreed to move in once the $ 3.8 million upgrades to the residence had been completed. The repairs consisted of replacing chimney liners, heating, air-conditioning, and plumbing systems. Harris was responsible for having the kitchen remodeled and the hardwood floors refurbished. In October 2021, Emhoff affixed a white mezuzah to the right-hand side of the doorway of the residence's wooden entryway, which marked
12222-419: The residence of the CNO until 1974, when Congress determined that it would be easier and less expensive to provide security in a government-provided residence, and authorized its transformation to the first official residence for the vice president, though a temporary one. It is still the "official temporary residence of the vice president of the United States" by law. The 1974 congressional authorization covered
12348-567: The restaurant. After Pollard died in April 1917, Agnew and Margaret Pollard began a courtship which led to their marriage on December 12, 1917. Spiro Agnew was born 11 months later, on November 9, 1918. Margaret Pollard, born Margaret Marian Akers in Bristol, Virginia , in 1883, was the youngest in a family of 10 children. As a young adult she moved to Washington, D.C., and found employment in various government offices before marrying Pollard and moving to Baltimore. The Pollards had one son, Roy, who
12474-494: The senator from South Carolina, told a party meeting that he held a veto on the vice presidency. It was evident that Nixon wanted a centrist, though there was little enthusiasm when he first proposed Agnew, and other possibilities were discussed. Agnew was seen as a candidate who could appeal to Rockefeller Republicans, was acceptable to Southern Conservatives, and had a solid law-and-order record. Some party insiders thought that Nixon had privately settled on Agnew early on, and that
12600-471: The situation— and with good reason ." On October 14, 1969, the day before the anti-war Moratorium , North Vietnamese premier Pham Van Dong released a letter supporting demonstrations in the United States. Nixon resented this, but on the advice of his aides, thought it best to say nothing, and instead had Agnew give a press conference at the White House, calling upon the Moratorium protesters to disavow
12726-462: The slogan: "Your Home is Your Castle. Protect it!" Agnew painted him as the candidate of the Ku Klux Klan , and said voters must choose "between the bright, pure, courageous flame of righteousness and the fiery cross". In the November election Agnew, helped by 70 percent of the black vote, beat Mahoney by 455,318 votes (49.5 percent) to 373,543, with Pressman taking 90,899 votes. After
12852-496: The suburban ethic defined by historian Peter B. Levy as "orderliness, personal responsibility, the sanctity of hard work, the nuclear family, and law and order". In late October, Agnew survived an exposé in The New York Times that questioned his financial dealings in Maryland, with Nixon denouncing the paper for "the lowest kind of gutter politics". In the election on November 5, the Republicans were victorious, with
12978-552: The support of the North Vietnamese. Agnew handled the task well, and Nixon tasked Agnew with attacking the Democrats generally, while remaining above the fray himself. This was analogous to the role Nixon had performed as vice president in the Eisenhower White House; thus Agnew was dubbed "Nixon's Nixon". Agnew had finally found a role in the Nixon administration, one he enjoyed. Nixon had Agnew deliver
13104-732: The time of the marriage, Agnew had been drafted into the United States Army. Shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, he began basic training at Camp Croft in South Carolina . There, he met people from a variety of backgrounds: "I had led a very sheltered life—I became unsheltered very quickly." Eventually, Agnew was sent to the Officer Candidate School at Fort Knox in Kentucky , and on May 24, 1942—three days before his wedding—he
13230-489: The use of the superintendent of the Naval Observatory who was the original resident. It was built on 13 acres (5.3 ha) of land which had originally been part of a 73-acre (30 ha) farm called Northview, which the Navy purchased in 1880. Northview had been the property of widow Margaret Barber, who at the time of the abolition of slavery in the District in 1862 was one of its largest slaveholders. The Naval Observatory
13356-582: The vice president exposed. Agnew's pride had been stung by the negative news coverage of him during the campaign, and he sought to bolster his reputation by assiduous performance of his duties. It had become usual for the vice president to preside over the Senate only if he might be needed to break a tie, but Agnew opened every session for the first two months of his term, and spent more time presiding, in his first year, than any vice president since Alben Barkley , who held that role under Harry S. Truman . The first postwar vice president not to have previously been
13482-587: The vice president's residence. In 2024, Harris planted a pomegranate tree at the residence to commemorate the 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel . The house is built in the Queen Anne style prevalent in the last quarter of the nineteenth century. Hallmarks of the Queen Anne style are an asymmetrical floor plan, a series of rooms opening to each other rather than a common central hall, round turret rooms, inglenooks near fireplaces, and broad verandas wrapping
13608-449: The walls of some nearby residences. Neighbors who complained about the construction received a letter from the observatory's superintendent reading, "Due to its sensitive nature in support of national security and homeland defense, project-specific information is classified and cannot be released." It was widely speculated that a nuclear bunker was being constructed. In 2009, recently inaugurated Vice President Joe Biden reportedly revealed
13734-773: The war concluded. Agnew returned home for discharge in November 1945, having been awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge and the Bronze Star . On return to civilian life, Agnew resumed his legal studies, and secured a job as a law clerk with the Baltimore firm of Smith and Barrett. Until that time, Agnew had been largely non-political; his nominal allegiance had been to the Democratic Party , following his father's beliefs. The firm's senior partner, Lester Barrett, advised Agnew that if he wanted
13860-488: Was 10 years old when Pollard died. After the marriage to Agnew in 1917 and Spiro's birth the following year, the new family settled in a small apartment at 226 West Madison Street, near downtown Baltimore. In accordance with his mother's wishes, the infant Spiro was baptized as an Episcopalian , rather than into the Greek Orthodox Church of his father. Nevertheless, Theodore was the dominant figure within
13986-621: Was a campaign aide for U.S. Representative James Devereux in the 1950s, and was appointed to the Baltimore County Board of Zoning Appeals in 1957. In 1962, he was elected Baltimore county executive . In 1966, Agnew was elected governor of Maryland , defeating his Democratic opponent George P. Mahoney and independent candidate Hyman A. Pressman . At the 1968 Republican National Convention , Richard Nixon asked Agnew to place his name in nomination, and named him as running mate. Agnew's centrist reputation interested Nixon;
14112-563: Was actually referring to a tunnel which leads to one of the Navy-operated telescopes on the grounds. Informational notes Citations Official residence The provinces of Ontario and Quebec no longer have official residences for their lieutenant governors , but do provide them with accommodations; in the case of Ontario, only if necessary. There is a Government House in Regina, Saskatchewan , though it does not serve as
14238-452: Was being wooed by supporters of the former vice president Richard Nixon, whose campaign for the Republican nomination was well under way. Agnew had no antagonism towards Nixon, and in the wake of Rockefeller's withdrawal had indicated that Nixon might be his "second choice". When the two met in New York on March 29 they found an easy rapport. Agnew's words and actions after the April disturbances in Baltimore delighted conservative members of
14364-511: Was born Theophrastos Anagnostopoulos in about 1877, in the Greek town of Gargalianoi , Messenia . The family may have been involved in olive growing and been impoverished during a crisis in the industry in the 1890s. Anagnostopoulos emigrated to the United States in 1897 (some accounts say 1902) and settled in Schenectady, New York , where he changed his name to Theodore Agnew and opened
14490-587: Was commissioned as a second lieutenant . After a two-day honeymoon, Agnew returned to Fort Knox. He served there, or at nearby Fort Campbell , for nearly two years in a variety of administrative roles, before being sent to England in March 1944 as part of the pre- D-Day build-up. He remained on standby in Birmingham until late in the year, when he was posted to the 54th Armored Infantry Battalion in France as
14616-401: Was determined to give Agnew a much freer rein and to make it clear his running mate had his support. Agnew could also usefully play an "attack dog" role, as Nixon had in 1952. Initially, Agnew played the centrist, pointing to his civil rights record in Maryland. As the campaign developed, he quickly adopted a more belligerent approach, with strong law-and-order rhetoric, a style which alarmed
14742-614: Was investigated by the United States Attorney for the District of Maryland on suspicion of criminal conspiracy , bribery, extortion, and tax fraud . Agnew took kickbacks from contractors during his time as Baltimore county executive and governor of Maryland . The payments had continued into his time as vice president, but had nothing to do with the Watergate scandal , in which he was not implicated. After months of maintaining his innocence, Agnew pleaded no contest to
14868-421: Was marked by an agenda which included tax reform, clean water regulations, and the repeal of laws against interracial marriage. Community health programs were expanded, as were higher educational and employment opportunities for those on low incomes. Steps were taken towards ending segregation in schools. Agnew's fair housing legislation was limited, applying only to new projects above a certain size. These were
14994-428: Was not invited to meet with him there until November 27, when the two met for an hour. When Agnew spoke to reporters afterwards, he stated that he felt "exhilarated" with his new responsibilities, but did not explain what those were. During the transition period, Agnew traveled extensively, enjoying his new status. He vacationed on St. Croix , where he played a round of golf with Humphrey and Muskie. He went to Memphis for
15120-415: Was obvious that their minds were made up in advance." Agnew continued, "I am asking whether a form of censorship already exists when the news that forty million Americans receive each night is determined by a handful of men ... and filtered through a handful of commentators who admit their own set of biases". Agnew thus put into words feelings that many Republicans and conservatives had long felt about
15246-444: Was often called upon to attack the administration's enemies. In the years of his vice presidency, Agnew moved to the right, appealing to conservatives who were suspicious of moderate stances taken by Nixon. In the presidential election of 1972 , Nixon and Agnew were re-elected for a second term, defeating Senator George McGovern and his running mate Sargent Shriver in one of the largest landslides in American history. In 1973, Agnew
15372-422: Was originally dark red brick until 1960 when it was painted "feather" gray. It was changed to white with black shutters in 1963, and by 1993 was cream-colored. The house is 9,000 square feet (836 m). The house's first floor has a dining room, garden room, living room, lounges, pantry kitchen, reception hall, sitting room, and veranda. The second floor contains the main bedroom suite, an additional bedroom,
15498-457: Was the 39th vice president of the United States , serving from 1969 until his resignation in 1973. He is the second of two vice presidents to resign the position, the first being John C. Calhoun in 1832. Agnew was born in Baltimore to a Greek immigrant father and an American mother. He attended Johns Hopkins University and graduated from the University of Baltimore School of Law . He
15624-439: Was to display moral indignation, denounce his opponents' "outrageous distortions", deny any wrongdoing and insist on his personal integrity; tactics which, Cohen and Witcover note, were to be seen again as he defended himself against the corruption allegations that ended his vice presidency. In the 1964 presidential election , Agnew was opposed to the Republican frontrunner, the conservative Barry Goldwater , initially supporting
15750-485: Was to maintain law and order, and he denounced Brown as a professional agitator, saying, "I hope they put him away and throw away the key." When the Kerner Commission , appointed by President Johnson to investigate the causes of the unrest, reported that the principal factor was institutional white racism, Agnew dismissed these findings, blaming the "permissive climate and misguided compassion" and adding: "It
15876-490: Was to refuse to attend a memorial service at a Baltimore church, and to denounce a planned demonstration in support of the victims. As county executive, Agnew was sometimes criticized for being too close to rich and influential businessmen, and was accused of cronyism after bypassing the normal bidding procedures and designating three of his Republican friends as the county's insurance brokers of record, ensuring them large commissions. Agnew's standard reaction to such criticisms
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