Traditional White House Egg Roll

Every year, the White House holds the traditional White House Egg Roll on the Monday after Easter. The Egg Roll tradition on the White House lawn was first started in 1878 by First Lady Lucy Hayes, wife of President Rutherford Hayes. It was started for the children on the White House lawn, but it was First Lady, Dolley Madison, wife of President James Madison, who had initially had the idea of a pubic egg roll during her husband's presidency between 1809 and 1817.

In the beginning, the White House Egg Roll was just as the name says. It was a chance for kids to put to use the Easter eggs that they found. As time went on, little changes were made. The event started on Capitol Hill, but because of unpleased Congressmen, the Turf Protection Law was passed, stating that Capitol Hill could not be "used as a playground." The event was rained out the next year, and the year after, the law was enforced. Egg rollers were no allowed on the lawn of Capitol Hill. This lead future egg rollers to question if they would get to have the celebration anymore. President Hayes was approached on his daily walk one day about the issue, but he was unfamiliar with the activities. Once informed, he stated that anyone who showed up to the White House for an egg roll would be allowed to participate. Once moved to the White House the kids quickly took to the rolling hills on the White House lawn - rolling both, their colorful eggs and themselves around in the grass.