Rutherford B Hayes Presidential Home, Library & Museum

We like to visit presidential libraries and homes. We have been to a few - Roosevelt in New York, Kennedy in Massachusetts, Truman in Missouri, Hoover in Iowa, Eisenhower in Kansas, Nixon in California, Ford in Michigan, Clinton in Arkansas, and the Lincoln home in Illinois, the Wilson home in DC, and the Eisenhower home in Gettysburg to mention a few. We have passed through Ohio many times driving back and forth from the Midwest to the east coast. Every time we pass by the Hayes Presidential Library and Museum in Fremont. So this time we decided it was time to stop. So we did. It was probably one of the most nicely put together place we have ever seen. Unfortunately, we couldn’t take photos inside the home. The guide was wonderful and the house was full of authentic family pieces. It did put us behind schedule so we didn’t have time to walk through the gardens and trails. Oftentimes it is the lesser known places that leave the biggest impression. This was one of them. One of these days we need to get to Texas and visit Johnson, Bush and Bush. 

Bill Clinton Presidential Library in Little Rock Arkansas

We've been to Hyde Park in New York, Independence Missouri, Boston Massachusetts, Abilene Kansas, and Yorba Linda California. It was time to stop in Littke Rock to see President Clinton's Presidential Library. It was a huge structure, but we didn't have much time to spend as we were on our way back from a cross country trip to California and back. Being a history buff makes it really easy because I like to see all sides to one story - especially in politics. I'm just sorry we didn't get to Simi Valley because it is highly unlikely we will be that way again. This was an interesting collection of memorabilia. But now it's time to get on home. 

 

Richard Nixon Presidential Library in Yorba Linda

Richard Nixon was an interesting person. So we decided to visit his library in Yorba Linda for history sake. We've been to several presidential libraries from Roosevelt to Truman to Kennedy. But wouldn't you know this place was mostly closed for renovation with the grand reopening ceremony scheduled for next week. But we had the chance to see his birthplace and boyhood home. I liked the understated docent and the fact that 90% of what was in the original house was the real thing. Outside was the grave site of both the president and Pat Nixon. There was a wedding about to take place and the grounds were peaceful and serene. We will most likely never be here again, so it was worth the trip. It feels odd to see places like this where we actually lived and knew of this person. We are getting older, and it feels a little weird. 

George Washington Presidential Library at Mount Vernon

After our usual Saturday brunch at McLean Family Restaurant - where today Mark Levin and Sanjay Gupta were also chatting about with friends - we thought a short ride to see the new George Washington Presidential Library was in order. We had passed by the area several times since the groundbreaking, and heard on the news yesterday that it would be opening.  It sits right across from Mount Vernon on the George Washington Parkway. It doesn't appear to be a place that you can just drop in and look around. It's intended to be a destination for visiting scholars and will house only GW's papers,all the books written about him, and all things digital. All other personal artifacts and such will remain at the estate, more or less. Perhaps there will be presentations that one could attend, but it appears to be more scholastic in nature rather than just interested to learn more. If anyone deserves a library is it George Washington. He was a remarkable person...and seemed to be a nice guy. I've never heard of anything really negative about him, and someone would have found something by now. Now that's something really unique in this day and age.