Offices
First Floor
Business Office
Missouri, Northeast
This room was a memorial gift from the Missouri Daughters. The recommendation was that any furniture that was to be provided for Memorial Continental Hall was to be of a design used during the Revolution.
The room includes carved style mahogany furniture, the State Coat of Arms, horsehair brocade sofa, arm chairs, side chairs with rush seats, desks, mirror, banjo clock, rugs and window draperies.
The oil painting of Mrs. John R. Walker, First Vice President General of MO, was presented by the Kansas City Chapter.
Office of the Historian General
Ohio, Northeast Corner
The State memorial from Ohio included gold damask wall coverings, a hand tied Austrian rug which matched the royal-blue velvet window, door draperies, and table. Individual chapters gifted bookcases, desks, typewriter table, and Robert Morris chairs.
The State Coat of Arms is embroidered on velvet, in gold within a boarder of buckeye leaves.
Office of The Librarian General and Library
North Portico Side
By the time the space for the Library was complete the Society had amassed over seven thousand volumes, mostly reference books; to ensure their protection, the Mary Washington Chapter, D.C. provided modern equipment, steel stacks, and furnishings consisting of double reading desks, Windsor chairs, two George Washington desks, two large tables, revolving and straight desk chairs, a secretary cabinet, a card catalogue case, brass fireplace furnishings and a mantel mirror.
The oil portrait of Mrs. Mary S. Lockwood was a gift of the artist, Miss Aline E. Solomons. Mrs. Lockwood was the recipient of many gifts from the Society while in office as Historian General, Librarian General, and Chaplain General. It was through her gifted pen that the interest of women was enthused to organize the National Society.
Office of the Registrar General
Iowa, Northwest Corner
This memorial room, with substantial business furniture and tablet, was presented to the Society by the Chapters of Iowa. A banjo clock was the gift of the Rose Standish Chapter, two roll top desks were given by the Abigail Adams and Council Bluff Chapters, and six flat top desks were gifted by the Stars and Stripes, Francis Shaw, Mary Brewster, Keokuk, Penelope Van Princes, and Council Bluff Chapters.
Office of The Treasurer General
Maryland, Southwest Corner
The Maryland chapters provided the mahogany furniture, including long case for large books, desks, typewriter tables and chairs, table and card catalogue case. The Maryland Coat of Arms and framed photographs of Maryland officers of the Revolution were presented by the Maryland Line Chapter. The oil painting, “The Burning of the Peggy Stewart,” was presented by the Peggy Stewart Tea Party Chapter. It is a copy, half the size of the original made by Miss Katherine Walton.
During the twenty-third Continental Congress the Thomas Johnson Chapter presented a portrait of Thomas Johnson, the first Governor of Maryland. The portrait is a copy by Waldemar Franklin Dietrich of Baltimore, MD.
Treasurer General’s Private Office
Tennessee, First Floor
This memorial room was furnished by the Chapters of Tennessee. The window draperies were a rich dark blue plush, the rug a gift of the Cumberland Chapter, and the clock by Hermitage Chapter. The Watauga Chapter presented the desk, and the door of the vault, which is built into the north wall, was a gift of Mr. Thomas Sawyer Spivey and the desk was from the Commodore Perry Chapter.
Museum
New York City Chapter, South Portico Side
The Museum, opening out on the Memorial Portico, was the gift of the New York City Chapter, NY. This also included the draperies, glass cases and brass fenders and five cases for exhibiting Revolutionary relics. A large double case was a gift of the Wyoming Chapters. A large Sixteenth Century tapestry, “The Conqueror’s Return,” was presented by Mrs. Margaret Irwin Hays, of the Pittsburgh Chapter, PA. Two antique chairs with rush seats, which were brought to this country in the Mayflower, were presented by Mrs. Donald McLean, while President General. A tapestry picture of the Last Supper, made in 1770, was presented by Mrs. Javier LeDuc.
Memorial Mahogany Doors
in Museum and Library
Both the library and museum were generous in proportion for their time and not only feature heavily carved woodwork, but also molded plaster arched ceilings. These rooms were also lighted by natural light from double French doors with arched windows above. Naturally lit public spaces were popular architectural conventions of the day, and many public libraries, as well as museum galleries, were lit in this manner.
Five pairs of double sliding mahogany doors are on the north side of the museum, and five pairs on the south side of the library connecting these rooms with the auditorium. These ten pairs of doors ($100 each) were given by chapters all over the country.
Office of the Vice President General in Charge of Organization of Chapters
Illinois, Southeast Corner
All the furnishings for this memorial room were made in Illinois. Furnishings include chairs of quaint design, with brocaded green haircloth seats, comfortable desk chairs and easy chairs.
The mantel mirror was given by Rebecca Parke Chapter of Galesburg. In addition, a mahogany and gilt French mirror in three sections was presented by Amor Patriae Chapter of Streator.
An oil painting of George Rogers Clark was presented by the Fincastle Chapter, KY.
Reception Room
District of Columbia, Southeast
This reception room was a memorial gift of the District of Columbia Chapters and includes the large revolving book stand, two rocking chairs, rug, and a mahogany desk. In the room hung a picture of “A Visit of Washington to Monticello,” from the Monticello Chapter and a pen and ink line drawing of “Washington in the Heart of His Country,” gifted by Major L’Enfant Chapter.
Second Floor
Office of the President General
Indiana, Southeast Corner
The Indiana chapters furnished the room with an array of items, including a mantel mirror, candelabra, fireplace set, colonial sofa, bookcase, colonial secretary, carved table, rugs and chairs. The floor clock was given in honor of Mrs. Harrison, first President General, by the Caroline Scott Harrison Chapter. An oil portrait of Mrs. Cornelia Cole Fairbanks, who presided over the first Continental Congress held in Memorial Continental Hall in 1905, was gifted by her friends, Mrs. Lilian Pike Roome presented a silver tea set and the chandelier was given as a memorial to the late Mrs. Georgia Stockton Hatcher by the General de Lafayette Chapter.
President General Reception Room
Alabama, East
This room, a memorial gift from the chapters of the Alabama Society, contains a round table with claw feet, an escritoire, a Colonial combined secretary and bookcase and the State Coat-of Arms in marble.
Video Series – A Closer Look at Memorial Continental Hall
National Board Room
Connecticut, East
This room, set aside for the meetings of the National Board of Management, was the gift of Mrs. John T. Mason, of New Haven, CT. The furnishings include the decoration on the walls, mahogany table, a stenographers’ table and chair, twenty-one carved chairs, eight of them having the insignia of the Society and thirteen having the coat of arms of the original thirteen States. Three magnificent crystal and gold chandeliers complete the furnishings of this room.
Office of the Corresponding Secretary General
Texas, East
This room was furnished by the chapters of Texas in memory of Mrs. John Lane Henry, who died while serving as State Regent. Office furniture was sent from Texas and consisted of a double desk, typewriter desk and chair, three arm chairs and a filing cabinet. Ornamental pieces include the coat of arms of the State University, the coat of arms of Texas in color, the gift of the Lady Washington Chapter, and the Washington Coat of Arms, as a memorial to George Washington by the George Washington Chapter.
Video Series – A Closer Look at Memorial Continental Hall
Office of the Recording Secretary General
New York, Second Floor
The New York room is a memorial to the Founders of the Society. Chapters of the State united, providing an office desk, a typewriter chair, filing cabinet, a green velvet rug, window and door draperies. The carved desk for use by the Recording Secretary General was a gift from the Tioughnioga Chapter. A framed original autographed poem by Dolley Madison, dated 1848, was gifted by the Women of ‘76 Chapter.
Office of The Genealogical Editor
Michigan, Northwest Corner
This room was given by the Michigan chapters. The walls are covered in silk brocade, and furnishings include an upholstered davenport, chairs and rug. The desk is a gift of Mrs. James P. Brayton, and is in memory of a Michigan Real Daughter who died in 1909. She also gifted the state coat of arms.
Committee Room
New Jersey, Southwest Corner
The New Jersey State Daughters supplied the funding needed to have the woodwork and furniture made from the oak of the British Frigate, August, which sank during the Battle of Red Bank, October 22, 1777. The idea of using the timber of the great ship, which had remained in the waters of the Delaware River, originated from Miss Mecum, State Regent.
Office of the Assistant Historian General
California, South
Furnishings of this room, presented by California Chapters and chapter members, include the Colonial clock, a photogravure by V. je Parades, “Washington’s first Reception,” three Persian rugs, a sculptural panel in low relief, by sculptor Julia Bracken Wendt, Colonial mirror, and a George Washington desk.