06/05/2024
Have you ever wondered where we get our name? We take it from the great Resolute Desk.
Our friends at beautifully explain the history of the desk and it’s easy to see why it inspired our name:
Posted • For over a century, the Resolute Desk has been used by nearly every president in the White House. But do you know the history behind its creation?
Created by William Evenden in Chatham, England, the historic desk was constructed from white oak and mahogany timbers taken from the HMS Resolute. Before repurposing the ship into a desk, the Resolute had been abandoned after being trapped in ice during an arctic expedition.
In 1855, the American whaler George Henry recovered the ship, and Congress appropriated funds to refit it and send it to Queen Victoria to continue fostering the relationship between the U.S. and Great Britain.
The Queen reaffirmed that friendship with the construction of this desk after the HMS Resolute was decommissioned. In 1880, Queen Elizabeth presented the desk to President Rutherford B. Hayes.
In 1945, Harry S. Truman became the first president to use the updated version of the desk, which featured the Presidential Coat-of-Arms carved into a panel fitted at the rear kneehole. It wasn’t until John F. Kennedy’s presidency that the desk was first used in the Oval Office.
Since then, it has been used by nearly every president, with the exception of Presidents Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard Nixon, and Gerald R. Ford. Today, the desk remains in the Oval Office.
Swipe through today’s gallery of presidents with the Resolute Desk. 👉
Image 1: William Evenden, White House Historical Association
Image 2: Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum/NARA
Image 3: Cecil Stoughton, John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum/NARA
Image 4: Susan Biddle, NARA
Image 5: Eric Draper, NARA
Image 6: Barbara Kinney, NARA
Image 7: Official White House Photo by Pete Souza
