First Family

It used to be that presidential pets were considered nothing special, but after World War I, Washingtonians were looking for happy news -- and they got it in the form of a happy-go-lucky dog that changed how Americans looked at animals who lived in the White House.

As President Trump's wife, Melania, has elected to stay in New York -- at least for the time being -- it has been widely speculated that the President's daughter, Ivanka, will take on some of the traditional duties of the First Lady in Washington. Many are worried that this is another break from tradition by America’s unconventional 45th president; however, there have been numerous other times in US history when the ‘First Lady’ has been a woman other than the president’s wife. Sometimes, it’s because the president is a bachelor or a widower; other times, the First Lady is too ill to fulfill her duties as hostess and appoints a substitute. Or, as often seemed the case in the 19th century and perhaps now, the president’s wife took one look at the job and said “No, thank you!”