As the fair eventually dropped the Washington inaugural theme, Messmore Kendall, President General of the Sons of the American Revolution and one of the nation’s great Washington enthusiasts, constructed Washington Hall with his own money. He also planned and financed the coach trip for “Washington” from Mount Vernon to New York City as a publicity stunt in April. He filled the Hall with exhibits from his own collection and those of Dr. A. W. W. Rosenbach and William Randolph Hearst.

At the terrace porch restaurant at Washington Hall, diners could enjoy a meal just as the first president did: Virginia fried chicken, baked potato, salad and Lafayette Cake (gingerbread) all made from Martha Washington’s recipe book.