Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no access restrictions.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Virginia Office of the Governor, Executive Mansion Director, Records, 1973-1995. Accession 36470, State Records Collection, The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.

Acquisition Information

Transferred from the Office of the Governor, Executive Mansion, on 5 May 1999.

Biographical/Historical Information

During the colonial period of Virginia's history the governor, as an appointee of the Crown, was the colony's principal representative and upholder of royal authority. Although his powers were limited somewhat by the Council and by the laws passed by the House of Burgesses, the governor still had the authority to prorogue, adjourn, or dissolve the legislature, to confirm or veto its acts, to preside as the chief jurist of the colony, to command the provincial military forces, and to appoint many of the subordinate officers of government.

Most of these powers, excepting the military and appointive, were swept away by the American Revolution. The several revolutionary conventions assumed the executive role in 1774 and 1775 until the Committee of Safety was created in July 1775 to function in that capacity. The constitution adopted in 1776 made the governor subordinate to the legislative branch, elected by the General Assembly and circumscribed by a Council of State appointed by the assembly.

It was not until the constitution of 1851 was adopted that the power of the governor was strengthened appreciably. The Council of State was abolished, and the governor was popularly elected. In subsequent years his authority was consolidated and expanded to statute, and his veto power was restored. The state government reorganization act passed by the General Assembly on April 18, 1927, firmly established the governor as the chief administrative officer of a government composed of departments, the directors of which serve at the pleasure of the governor. In addition, the organization of the governor's staff has increased in size and complexity until it has become virtually a department itself: the Office of the Governor, encompassing both the chief executive and his staff.

Scope and Content Information

Contains documentation of the work of the Executive Mansion director, including records of events and renovations. Also included are materials related to the Citizens' Advisory Council on Furnishing and Intepreting the Executive Mansion, the celebration of the 175th Anniversary of the Executive Mansion. Materials include correspondence, photographs, decorative samples, and architectural drawings.

Organized into ten (10) series: I. Event files ; II. DGS/Special Projects Files ; III. Historic Attractions/Associations/Tours Files ; IV. General Mansion Information, etc. ; V. Citizens' Advisory Council on Furnishing and Intepreting the Executive Mansion Files ; VI. 175th Anniversary of the Executive Mansion Files ; VII. Miscellaneous ; VIII. Architectural Drawings, Renderings and Other Plans ; IX: Photographs, Slides and Negatives ; and X. Ephemera.

Series I. Event Files, 1982-1995 is arranged into five (5) subseries and contains memos and notes concerning the preparations and arrangements for events at the Executive Mansion. Included are lists of invitees and guests, menus, sample invitations and menu cards, and notes to the mansion staff. Also included are a transcript of a gathering of former first ladies of Virginia on March 24, 1982, and files for the Southern Governor's Association / African Trade Summit meeting in 1993. Other collections at the Library of Virginia contain event files from the Wilder and Allen administration. Please consult the library catalog for references to these collections.

Series II: DGS/Special Projects Files, 1981-1995 is arranged alphabetically by folder title and contains correspondence, memos and other materials related to the special projects at the Mansion and relations with the Department of General Services. Of particular interest are materials relating to the renovations and improvement projects at the Mansion, including samples of materials used in the renovation and improvement projects. Also contains folders relating to the use of the Mansion by film crews for movies.

Series III: Historic Attractions / Associations / Tourism, 1984-1994 is arranged alphabetically by folder title and contains correspondence, memos and other materials relating to Historic Attractions throughout the Richmond Area and the United States, as well as information on tours given at the Mansion.

Series IV: General Mansion Information, etc. is arranged alphabetically by folder title. Contains correspondence, memos, brochures, and other materials relating to the Executive Mansion. Included in the series is information on specific aspects of the Mansion and its grounds.

Series V: Citizens' Advisory Council on Furnishing and Interpreting the Executive Mansion, 1973-1989 is arranged into three (3) subseries; Contributions; Correspondence; and Financial Information. The Contributions Files, 1973-1990, are arranged chronologically, and contain information regarding monetary and property donations made to the Citizens' Advisory Council on Furnishing and Interpreting the Executive Mansion for the calendar years 1973 through 1990. The Correspondence Files, 1973-1989, are arranged chronologically by date and contain correspondence and other materials relating to the Citizens' Advisory Council on Furnishing and Interpreting the Executive Mansion (formerly the Citizens' Advisory Committee on Furnishing and Interpreting the Executive Mansion). Included in these materials is correspondence regarding the donation and restoration of property for the furnishing of the Mansion as well as correspondence with members of the Citizens' Advisory Council. The Financial Files, 1973-1989, are arranged chronologically and contain information regarding donations to and purchases made by the Citizens' Advisory Council on Furnishing and Interpreting the Executive Mansion from 1973 until 1989. Members of the Citizens' Advisory Council on Furnishing and Interpreting the Executive Mansion transferred these files to the Office of the Director of the Executive Mansion in 1987. These materials compliment the materials found in the Library of Virginia accession 35652 from the Citizens' Advisory Council on Furnishing and Interpreting the Executive Mansion.

Series VI: 175th Anniversary of the Executive Mansion, 1987-1989 is arranged into two (2) subseries: Correspondence and Other Materials, 1987-1989; and Financial Files, 1987-1989. Contains correspondence and financial information relating to the events surrounding the 175th Anniversary of the Executive Mansion. The Citizens' Advisory Council on Furnishing and Interpreting the Executive Mansion (formerly the Citizens' Advisory Committee on Furnishing and Interpreting the Executive Mansion) was responsible for the developing of activities and events for the celebration. Members of the Citizens' Advisory Council on Furnishing and Interpreting the Executive Mansion transferred these files to the Office of the Director of the Executive Mansion in 1987.

Series VII: Miscellaneous, is arranged alphabetically by folder title. Contains correspondence, memos and other items not directly related to the Executive Mansion and its functions.

Series VIII: Architectural Drawings, Renderings and other plans is arranged chronologically and contains architectural drawings related to renovations of the mansion, landscaping plans, window treatments and other decorative points within the Mansion. Some items were removed from folders in other series -- notations of such actions accompany the item and are indicated in the folder listing for each series.

Series IX: Photographs, slides and negatives is arranged into seven (7) subseries and contains photographs, slides and negatives depicting the Mansion, its occupants and events at the Mansion. Many of the photographs were previously used in brochures and other publications about the Executive Mansion, including William Seale's Virginia's Executive Mansion (1988). Photographs are from various sources including the Richmond Newspapers, the Valentine Museum, the Library of Virginia, and from private collections.

Series X: Ephemera is arranged alphabetically by item title. Contains artifacts, videotapes, decorator samples and one book.

Arrangement

Series are arranged alphabetically or chronologically, see series description for specific arrangement information.

Organized into ten (10) series: I. Event files ; II. DGS/Special Projects Files ; III. Historic Attractions/Associations/Tours Files ; IV. General Mansion Information, etc. ; V. Citizens' Advisory Council on Furnishing and Intepreting the Executive Mansion Files ; VI. 175th Anniversary of the Executive Mansion Files ; VII. Miscellaneous ; VIII. Architectural Drawings, Renderings and Other Plans ; IX: Photographs, Slides and Negatives ; and X. Ephemera.