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From Department of State to the National Museum: The Jefferson Writing Box Comes to the Museum, November 1921

Annotation

Thomas Jefferson's descendants gave the writing box to the nation. The Department of State preserved it until 1921, then transferred the desk to the care of the National Museum. Since that time, the desk has sometimes appeared on exhibition, although its fragile materials limit the length of time that curators decide to expose it to light and humidity.

Source

Charles E. Hughes letter, November 4, 1921 (Accession File, #67435), National Museum of American History.