Mead never lived in the house, however; he was defeated in the Republican primary election of 1908 by Samuel G. Cosgrove, who served for one day (January 27, 1909) because he became ill and was taken to a spa in Paso Robles, California, where he died on March 28.

The building was weatherstripped during the 1950s as part of renovations, but roof leaks, clanking radiators, faulty plumbing, and sagging floors persisted.

Evans wanted to establish a committee "to stimulate interest in donating furniture, paintings and objets d'art as well as financial support of the mansion's public rooms, maintaining a consistency in design and style.

The Foundation decided to use a master plan prepared previously for refurbishing the mansion by Jean Jongeward, an interior designer from Seattle who donated her services to the project.

Eventually, as the infestation grew worse, Locke, his wife, child, and cats relocated to a private residence while groundskeepers dealt with the problem.

[3] In 2021, concurrently with the January 6 United States Capitol attack, dozens of armed supporters of then-President Donald Trump breached the mansion's security gates and descended onto the lawn.