Apr 5, 2015

The annual Easter egg roll became a White House tradition after egg rolls on the Capitol grounds were prohibited due to the 1876 Turf Protection Law. Alerted to the plight of the children, President Rutherford B. Hayes opened the gates to the South Lawn for the festivities in 1878.

: This 1889 photo released by the National Archives shows children egg hunting in Washington. In 1889, eleven years after the Easter Egg Roll became a White House tradition, President Benjamin Harrison added music: The United States Marine Band, also known as “The President’s Own,” played as children romped on the South Lawn. (AP Photo/Library of Congress, Francis Benjamin Johnston)

: This photo from the 1920s released by the National Archives shows children dancing round the maypole at The White House Easter Egg Rolling in Washington. World War I and food rationing put the White House egg roll on hold, scrambling it from 1917-1920. World War II stopped the festivities again from 1943-1945. (AP Photo/Library of Congress)

: This 1921 photo released by the National Archives shows children Easter egg rolling on the South Lawn of The White House in Washington. World War I and food rationing had put the White House egg roll on hold, scrambling it from 1917-1920. World War II stopped the festivities again from 1943-1945. (AP Photo/Library of Congress)

: In the absence of President and Mrs. Harding April 2, 1923, for the annual White House Easter egg roll, the first family’s pet airedale Laddie Boy acted as host for the many children who rolled eggs on the White House lawn. (AP Photo/Library of Congress)

: In this April 18, 1927, file photo First lady Grace Coolidge displays her pet raccoon Rebecca to children gathered on the White House grounds for Easter egg rolling. (AP Photo/Library of Congress, File)

: Washington kiddies have a big time at the Easter egg roll on the White House lawn. The annual custom of throwing open the White House grounds for the annual Easter Monday frolic is continued by President Coolidge. (AP wirephoto, 1928)

: This April 11, 1939, photo released by the National Archives shows first lady Eleanor Roosevelt, right, with children during the Easter egg roll at The White House in Washington. World War I and food rationing put the White House egg roll on hold, scrambling it from 1917-1920. World War II stopped the festivities again from 1943-1945. (AP Photo/Library of Congress)

: In this April 20, 1981, file photo first lady Nancy Reagan leads a group of cartoon characters to the South Lawn of the White House Monday for the annual Easter Egg Roll. (AP Photo/Barry Thumma, File)

: Stephanie Petyak, right, 11 months of Falls Church, Va., appears intrigued while Jennifer Hoffman, left, 13 months of Bowie, Md., appears apprehensive as they meet the Easter Bunny on the lawn of the White House. The occasion was the annual Easter egg roll held at the White House since the day of President Rutherford B. Hayes in 1889. (AP Wirephoto, 1975)

: Christian Stelter lunges forward as he gets a jump on the field at the start of the White House Easter Egg roll April 8 on the South Lawn. President Clinton welcomed thousands of youngsters to the perennial rite of spring. (Photo by Win McNamee/Reuters)

: President Bill Clinton(L), First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton(C), and the Easter Bunny wave during the annual Easter Egg Roll on the south lawn of the White House in Washington, DC 13 April . This was the 120th annual easter egg roll held at the White House. (Luke Frazza/AFP/Getty Images)

: Katherine Dryer, center, watches, Monday, April 21, 2003, as her daughter Maggie Dryer, 3, right, and Ethan Frietze, left, take part in the annual Easter Egg Roll at the White House. This year only military families were allowed to attend the event. Dryer’s husband is stationed on the hospital ship USS Comfort. President Bush and wife Laura return later from a Easter weekend stay at the Crawford, Texas, ranch. Others are unidentified. (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)

: Children participate in the annual Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn of the White House 01 April 2002. US President George W. Bush joined thousands of children who participated in the event which also included book readings, cartoon characters and other activities on the South Lawn of the White House. (AFP PHOTO/Stephen Jaffe)

: In this March 24, 2008 file photo, President Bush hugs a person dressed as the Easter bunny at the start of the annual Easter Egg Roll, overlooking the South Lawn of the White House in Washington. If it’s Easter Monday in Washington, it’s time for the White House Easter Egg Roll. The White House is getting ready, putting on the finishing touches before the gates open and 30,000 men, women and children scramble to take part in the annual tradition. The Easter Bunny and more than 14,500 hard-boiled eggs are dyed and waiting. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, File)

From the Vault: White House Easter Egg Roll

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