Munsey's Magazine, March 1908

This March 1908 issue of Munsey's Magazine features "The Most Brilliant Days of Old-Time Washington Society" by Lyndon Orr, a historical essay examining Washington's social life during the administrations of Andrew Jackson, Martin Van Buren, and William Henry Harrison. Orr contrasts Jackson's disruption of White House society—described as crude and chaotic, culminating in the notorious "mammoth cheese reception" of 1837—with Van Buren's successful restoration of formal entertaining. Van Buren, aided by his daughter-in-law Angelica Singleton Van Buren as mistress of the White House, renovated the mansion and revived diplomatic functions. The article catalogs prominent figures including Henry Clay, Daniel Webster, John C. Calhoun, Robert E. Lee, and William T. Sherman, along with foreign diplomats including Sir Charles Vaughan, Baron de Bodisco, and Lord Ashburton. Throughout, Orr emphasizes the presidency's role in establishing Washington's social tone and the contrast between Jackson's informality and Van Buren's refinement.