This illustration shows a January 17, 1900 State Dinner hosted by President William McKinley and First Lady Ida Saxton McKinley in the White House Cross Hall. Dignitaries from Great Britain, Italy, Germany, Russia, Mexico, Sweden, Norway, Guatemala, Austria-Hungary, Switzerland, Denmark, Haiti, Korea, Belgium, China, Brazil, Japan, Costa Rica, Colombia, Spain, Nicaragua, France, Chile, Venezuela, Portugal, Turkey, the Argentine Republic, and the Dominican Republic were in attendance. The famous Tiffany glass screen, commissioned by Chester A. Arthur in 1882, that separated the Cross Hall from the Entrance Hall, is seen in the background.

This wood engraving was published in 1881 and titled "Tragedy at Washington - The Night-Watch Before the Executive Mansion," referring to the vigil that took place as President James Garfield slowly died due to an assassination attempt. Although Garfield was shot on July 2, he did not die until September 19th, an eleven week ordeal that stretched out as the country waited for news.

This hand-colored wood engraving by Thure De Thulstrup, a Swedish American illustrator renowned for his military depictions, was made in 1889 during the Grover Cleveland administration. The engraving depicts a state dinner hosted by President Cleveland in honor of the diplomatic corps on January 24, 1889. On the left is Chinese diplomat and politician Zhang Yinhuan, who attended the event in the old State Dining Room before it was renovated by Theodore Roosevelt in 1902.