According to the studio's nomination to the National Register of Historic Places: "[T]he president personally urged him to start a photographic news service in Washington because it was so difficult at that time for out-of-town newspapers to get timely photographs of notable people and events in the Nation's Capital." Livingston, Michael (November 13, 2000). "Harris & Ewing studio was photographer to presidents". Washington Business Journal. Retrieved January 11, 2011.
