MICHAEL J. FARRELL FILES, (1969-73) 1974-77

Michael Farrell joined the White House staff on March 24, 1969, and became Director of the White House Visitors Office in 1974 during the Nixon administration, a post he held through the entire Ford administration. Most of the collection dates from the Ford administration, but includes some Nixon administration materials, most notably the group tour calendar books, going back as far as 1969.

The collection primarily documents matters associated with the White House Visitors Office including the training of tour officers, distribution of tickets for special ceremonies, issuance of parking permits to White House staff, requests for special tours, and handling appointments for East Wing staff.

There are also materials on the various collaborative projects between the Visitors Office and the First Lady’s staff, including the Easter Egg Roll, garden tours, candlelight tours, National Explorer Scouts meeting, arrival ceremonies for heads of state, the Combined Federal Campaign, and savings bond and blood bank drives.

Related Materials (August 2015)
Materials related to White House tours and social functions can be found in the White House Central Files Subject Files under file codes PR 18 (White House Tours - Visitors) and SO (Social Affairs), White House Social Office Central Files, First Lady’s staff office files, and files of Russell H. Armentrout, Sheila R. Weidenfeld, and the Maria Downs Papers.