Stag August 1974

The Presidential historical materials of Lucy A. Winchester are in the custody of the National Archives and Records Administration under the provisions of Title I of the Presidential Recordings and Materials Preservation Act of 1974 (44 U.S.C. 2111 note) and implementing regulations. In accordance with the act and regulations, archivists reviewed the file group to identify personal and private materials (including materials outside the date span covered by the act) as well as nonhistorical items. These materials have been returned to the individual who has primary proprietary interest.

Stag August 1974

The Lucy A. Winchester file group documents the activities of the White House Social Secretary's office from 1969 through 1974. The Social Secretary and her staff were in charge of arranging and coordinating all social functions in the White House, whether or not the President or a member of the First Family actually participated in the event. This included the creation of guest lists, sending out and receiving invitations, scheduling entertainment and overseeing the general progress of the event. The Social Secretary worked in close coordination with numerous White House staff offices, including the domestic and security staffs, the President's and First Lady's appointments offices, military/social aides, military music groups and the Social Office. She also worked with ministers, entertainers, the State Department, and other government agencies.

Boxes: 1Series: Memoranda File Spans: 1969-1973Description: Composed mostly of inter-office memos dealing with scheduling and other problems involving White HOuse social events. There are some thank-you letters concerning President Nixon's world trip in the summer of 1969. The files are arranged chronologically.Boxes: 2-3Series: Subject File Spans: 1969-1974Description: Includes requests for autographs, photos, interviews, etc. as well as invitations, gifts received, and some aspects of the Social Secretary's duties. Arrangement is alphabetical.Boxes: 4-5Series: Entertainment File Spans: 1969-1974Description: Comprised of biographical and publicity information on entertainers, suggestions for entertainment possibilities, and information on some specific events; there is a list of celebrities invited to White House social functions, 1969-7/21/1971, and a list of functions, 1953-1968. Arrangement is alphabetical by key word. If the key word does not begin the folder title, it has been underlined.Boxes: 6Series: Evenings at the White House Spans: 1969-1973Description: Contains background material on scheduling entertainment and inviting guests for these events, which occurred between 1969 and 1973. Most files include a guest list and scenario, and some include programs.Boxes: 7-9Series: Holidays Spans: 1969-1974Description: The bulk of the material deals with the planning of events for Christmases, 1969-1973. Includes information on various receptions and parties for the press corps, diplomatic children, White House staff and administration officials. There are lists of White House correspondents (1969), sub-Cabinet members (1971), Mrs. Nixon's staff, ministers who conducted worship services (1969-1973), and entertainers who performed at White House functions (1973). Many files contain scenarios of the event, schedules, guest lists and menus. There is a collection of photos of White House Christmas decorations, 1939-1968. Other holidays dealt with include the Easter Egg Roll and Fourth of July festivities in 1969, and Halloween parties for 1969, 1971 and 1972. Arrangement is chronological under the individual holidays, which are listed alphabetically.Boxes: 10-16Series: Worship Services Spans: 1969-1974Description: Includes the planning of services and the procuring of ministers and choirs/soloists. There is a complete list of services, 1969-1974, in box 10. Most of the files include scenarios, guest lists and programs. Some also have a transcript of the minister's remarks. Arrangement is chronological. There is a sub-series which deals with minister recommendations. This is filed alphabetically by denomination.Boxes: 17Series: Luncheons Spans: 1969-1974Description: Comprised of information used in planning the various White House luncheons. This series also includes information on Presidential or "working" Breakfasts, 1969-1972. Many files contain guest lists and scenarios and some include copies of menus. Arrangement is chronological.Boxes: 18-25Series: Receptions/Teas/Tours Spans: 1969-1974Description: Composed of planning material for the various late morning and afternoon events held at the White House. Most of the files include guest lists and scenarios. Many also have background information on guests or organizations invited to the event. All of these varied events are filed together in chronological order.Boxes: 26-29Series: Private/Special Dinners Spans: 1969-1974Description: These dinners are non-State Dinners to which guests are invited. They do not include purely private First Family meals. Even though these are not State Dinners, a visiting head of state may be the honored guest, but in a private capacity. Most files include guest lists and scenarios, and many have menus and information on entertainment. Plans for possible dinners that did not necessarily occur are also included. One interesting item is a history of the Chowder and Marching Society. Arrangement is chronological.Boxes: 30-33Series: State Dinners Spans: 1969-1974Description: Comprised of background information on formal dinners for visiting heads of state. According to internal evidence, not all of the dinners filed in this series were actually formal State Dinners, but were of the same type as the Special Dinners in the previous series. Since they were originally filed here, however, I have retained the original designation. Most files contain guest lists and scenarios and many also have menus, programs and entertainment information. There is also occasional material on state visit schedules and other events. Arrangement is chronological.Boxes: 34-35Series: Miscellaneous Events Spans: 1969-1974Description: Contains information on social events not classifiable elsewhere, including California Receptions, 1973 Inauguration, Trips, Tricia Nixon's wedding, Yachting Parties, and Julie Nixon Eisenhower's needlepoint project (including original designs). Many files contain guest lists and scenarios. Arrangement is alphabetical by subject and then chronological.Boxes: 36-37Series: Background Material Spans: 1969-1974Description: Comprised of materials dealing with guest selection, ideas for events, Department of State input, and lists and information on White House Fellows, interns, military support (social aides and musical groups), and a list of children of White House Staff (1969). Also includes a schedule of all social events, 1/20/1969-3/14/1973. Arrangement is alphabetical by subject.Boxes: 38Series: Miscellany Spans: 1969-1974Description: Includes books, booklets, bumper stickers, and other miscellaneous materials. There is a printed standard of conduct for White House employees (1965), and information on the Central Files and Social Files filing system. Oversize Attachments (O.A.'s) are also included in this series. Arrangement is alphabetical; O.A.'s are filed numerically at the end of the series.

The longest known flood of record on the lower Mississippi River! The Bonnet Carre Spillway is used for the 13th time in its history, and the first time in consecutive years. At peak flow of 213,000 cubic feet per second, a total of 206 gates out of 350 were opened. Baton Rouge went above flood stage of 35.0 feet the morning of Jan 6, 2019. Red River Landing went above flood stage of 48.0 feet on Dec 28, 2018. This is the fourth time the spillway was used in a single decade - the most in its history. On May 10th, and in the first time ever in its history, the Bonnet Carre Spillway was opened a second time due do excessive rainfall upriver. On May 21st, Baton Rouge experienced its longest duration flood event, surpassing the 135 days in flood in 1927. On May 28th, Red River Landing surpassed its longest duration flood event established in 1927. On May 25th, it surpassed the latest calendar day for its operation, passing the previous mark set in 1983. For the first time in the spillway's existence, it was in operation during the tropical cyclone season, as Hurricane Barry made landfall near Atchafalaya Bay. When Barry approached the Louisiana coast, it produced a surge up the river that saw a rise of 1 foot at New Orleans, briefly rose to 16.93 feet, then settling back to around 16 feet. On July 27th, the last bays of the Bonnet Carre Spillway was closed, ending a 79 day stretch of deployment. On August 4th, Baton Rouge finally fell below flood stage, a record 211 days in flood at Baton Rouge. On the morning of August 10th, Red River Landing finally fell below flood stage - a record 226 days in flood. 041b061a72