- Designed by Thomas U. Walter in 1858
- Historic walnut desk
- Occupied by the presiding officer of the United States Senate since 1858 - 1949
- First user was Vice President John Breckenridge (1857-1861)
- Last user was Vice President Alben W. Barkley from January 3, 1949 to July 1949
A color photo of the Research/ Reading Room in Margaret I. King North Library. The desk at the left was Vice President Barkley's desk from the United States Senate. Photographer: Terry Warth, 1985, University of Kentucky, University of Kentucky general photographic prints
senate.gov, Senate Donates Historic Desk - September 22, 1950
Congressional Record September 22, 1950 Vol. 96, Part 20 - Daily Digest, pages 1-2
"Presentation to Vice President: S. Res. 357, authorizing presentation to Vice President Barkley by Special Committee on Reconstruction of Senate Chamber of desk formerly occupied by him as Vice President since January 3, 1949, was adopted. Page 15514"
Congressional Record September 22, 1950 Vol.96, Part 11 - Senate, page 57
Whereas the Special Committee on Re-construction of Senate Roof and Skylightsand Remodeling of Senate Chamber, acting under authority of section 3 of Public Law 731, Eighty-first Congress, has directed the Architect of the Capitol to present to ALBEN W. BARKLEX, of Kentucky, as a gift from the Senate in recognition of his service as Member of Congress, President of the Senate, and Vice President, the desk in the Senate Chamber occupied by him as President of the Senate and Vice President since January 3, 1949;
Whereas this particular desk was first occupied by Vice President John C. Breckinridge of Kentucky;
Whereas Kentucky and its people have contributed to the building of the United States in every form and manner in all that is good for a government of the people;
Whereas it is the desire of the Special Committee on Reconstruction of Senate Roofand Skylights and Remodeling of Senate Chamber, acting under Public Law 731, Eighty-first Congress, to honor not only Kentucky but Vice President Breckinridge and Vice President BARKLEY that the Special Committee has made this decision and presentation. In effect, the said gift be to Vice President ALBEN BARKLEY for his lifetime,and thereafter to the State of Kentucky: Therefore be it
Resolved, That the Senate take this occasion to extend to Vice President ALBEN W. BARKLEY an expression of high appreciation for his distinguished and judicial service as its presiding officer, and, even at this late date, to pay tribute to Vice President Breckinridge and to the State of Kentucky and its people...
The Chair would like to express his thanks to the Senate for its very gracious act with regard to this old desk, which has occupied a place in the Senate Chamber for 93 years. As the Senator from New Mexico stated, it was first used by Vice President John C. Breckinridge, who was Vice President under James Buchanan. It has been used, of course, by many distinguished Americans who presided over the Senate inthat period of time. It so happened that I was presiding at the time of its removalfrom the Senate Chamber. Naturally there is a sentimental attachment to it which probably would not apply to others. I greatly appreciate the action of the Senate, and I am sure, speaking for the State of Kentucky, that the people of that State will appreciate this gracious act in donating the rostrum to them.
An Interview with Dorothye G. Scott by the U.S. Senate Historical Office, 1992, pages 269-270:
They gave the Vice President's desk to the University of Kentucky... They have it on display in the University of Kentucky library and they refer to it as the Barkley desk. I pointed out that all the Vice Presidents sat at that desk from [John] Breckenridge in 1859 up through Barkley in 1950's. So it was the Vice President's desk not the "Barkley desk."
Interview with James Ketchum by U.S. Senate Historical Office, 2004-2007, pages 205-206
There was, let’s see, the clerk’s desk for the Senate Chamber had been given to Alben Barkley when he left the Senate as vice president. He had it for that brief period of time when he came back to the Senate. It must have gone down to wherever his papers were at the University of Kentucky, and that provided us with enough of the detail of what the presiding officer’s desk would look like.