WASHINGTON — The White House Historical Association unveiled its latest Christmas ornament Friday, heaping praise on the District’s fire department for its service.
The 2016 White House Christmas ornament honors D.C. firefighters who responded to a major fire at the West Wing of the White House nearly 90 years ago.
“One hundred-thirty firefighters responded to this four-alarm fire that destroyed the West Wing,” says the president of the White House Historical Association, Stewart McLaurin.
The West Wing, which houses the Oval Office, had to be rebuilt following the fire that broke out on Christmas Eve back in 1929.
“The fire department arrived and the fire was extinguished, and all was saved,” McLaurin says. “It prevented the total loss of the West Wing as well as the fire going over into the main White House.”
The ornament features a shiny, antique fire truck hauling a Christmas tree. President Herbert Hoover was in office at the time, and his name is displayed prominently on the truck.
“It is truly an honor for the 2016 official White House Christmas ornament to pay tribute to the members of our department,” said D.C. Fire Chief Gregory Dean.
The nonprofit White House Historical Association has released a special Christmas ornament every year since 1981.
The 2016 ornament can be bought at the White House Historical Association’s here.
