What was the only piece of furniture John F. Kennedy brought from his Senate office into the White House?
And the answer: rocking chair.
To ease his chronic back pain, Kennedy's doctor recommended he buy a specially designed rocking chair. The future President loved it so much that when he moved into the White House, it became his preferred chair in the Oval Office. He even gifted similar chairs to other heads of state.
While some presidents like to redecorate to personalize their stay at the White House, the legacy of JFK's time in the Oval Office is a bit more...wooden. In fact, P&P's custom-made red Appalachian oak rocking chair was so well loved during Kennedy's time in office, that it was the only piece of furniture that he brought from his Senate office to the White House.
In 1955, Kennedy visited Dr. Janet Travell in Massachusetts, following back problems from war injuries and a spinal surgery the year prior. It was in Travell's office that he discovered the rocker, and immediately requested the name of its creator. Little did he know, the rocker would come to sport his own name in the years to come.
Many photos from Kennedy's time in office display the famous Kennedy Rocker. Today, it remains a popular, classic rocker, created and assembled by a small family business. Check it out here.
