Born and raised in Wytheville, Virginia, Edith Bolling Wilson is a descendant of Pocahontas and the only Southern Appalachian-born First Lady. As one of only eight historic sites across the country dedicated to the interpretation of a First Lady, the museum tells the story of the overlooked, yet vitally important role Edith Bolling Wilson played in the White House at a pivotal moment during World War I.

Frequently cited as one of the most influential, historically significant yet controversial women of the 20th century, Edith Bolling Wilson's role as First Lady has been heavily scrutinized. Because of her marriage to President Woodrow Wilson only fifteen months after his first wife’s death in 1914, Edith was frequently criticized for taking the President away from his presidential duties during their courtship at the height of World War I. When President Wilson suffered a debilitating stroke in September of 1919 during his second term in office, Edith assumed the “stewardship of the presidency,” as she referred it, for 17 months until Wilson’s second term ended. However, it wasn’t until 1961 when the 25th Amendment was adopted that a proper succession to the presidency was established and that presidential disabilities were discussed. 

​In recent scholarship, Edith Bolling Wilson is often portrayed as overstepping her boundaries as First Lady by not permitting cabinet members access to the president while he was incapacitated. Even today, the debate continues over how to interpret her role at that time. In many ways, Edith Bolling Wilson served as the mother of modern First Ladies as she focused more on politics and social issues rather than serving as a traditional White House hostess.

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