Presidential House Visit: George H. W. Bush Birthplace

George H. W. Bush Birthplace
Milton, Massachusetts

One of the great joys of this project has been the amount of care that goes into the upkeep of the houses. Maintaining a historic home is a labor of love that needs both funding and the passion of people who care. The fact that so many sites still exist today, even for the most obscure presidents is a testament to the people who keep them going.

Plaque on a rock in front of the house

The George H. W. Bush Birthplace was, unfortunately, an example of what can happen when that funding and passion doesn't come through. The house still stands just south of Boston in Milton, Massachusetts just several miles from the Adams National Historic Site in Quincy. The house is privately owned, but a marker stands on the property explaining the historic nature of the house, which is blocked by trees and bushes, so I had to go up the driveway to get a better look at it.

I almost wished I hadn't, because it upset me. I couldn't describe it as dilapidated, but it certainly wasn't in good shape. I wasn't expecting this, mostly because the other houses in the area look to be about the same age and are in excellent condition. The house itself was a large wooden Victorian with a welcoming front porch, and if taken care of, would be quite beautiful. I hope that someday soon the house will find a champion and be preserved as befits the birthplace of a president.

Presidential House Visit: Chester A. Arthur Birthplace

Chester A. Arthur Birthplace
Fairfield, Vermont

With all the controversy surrounding President Obama's birth certificate, most people forgot that this is not the first time this has happened. In the late 19th century, there were many people utterly convinced that Chester A. Arthur was born, not in Fairfield, Vermont, but fifteen miles north in Canada. 

Stone marker commemorating site of the original home
(or is it?)

But if you take the family Bible at its word, Arthur was born on American soil. Regardless of the exact spot, we can be fairly sure it looked something like the replica that stands in Fairfield today, which was modest even for its day. His father was an itinerant preacher, and the family moved around quite a bit when Arthur was a child. 

Without the controversy of his mysterious origins, Chester A. Arthur is one of those presidents most people remember as the guys in the middle with funny facial hair. In reality, Arthur was a political hack for much of his career, and was chosen to be Garfield's running mate so he would deliver New York to the Republican cause. Arthur's work in the New York political machine is mentioned in the museum inside the Arthur birthplace, although our guide pointed out, it is often covered by a door, which was something we all got a good laugh out of.

Panel about Arthur's political career,
cleverly hidden behind a door

After Garfield's assassination, Arthur was a changed man. He passed the Pendleton Civil Service Act, which fought against the very corruption he once practiced himself. He did not want to be president and he did not run for re-election, but he made the best of a difficult situation, and actually accomplished something of note.

Also, I heard he was from Canada. Eh.

View from the home

Presidential House Visit: Calvin Coolidge Birthplace

Calvin Coolidge has been described as our quietest president. Nicknamed "Silent Cal," Coolidge left behind him a wake of humorous anecdotes describing his total unwillingness to string together a few sentences. His reserve has made him into something of a comic historical figure.

Historic Plymouth, Vermont

Seeing the town where Coolidge was born and raised, it's not difficult to figure out where that reserve came from. In a small farming community like Plymouth, Vermont, words are cheap. Work was valued above small talk, and Calvin Coolidge learned from the best. His father, Colonel John Coolidge, was a farmer, post master, constable, general store owner, and notary, as well as a skilled woodworker, and just as silent as his son. After the deaths of young Calvin's mother and little sister, father and son became very close, and the bond lasted throughout both of their lives.

Calvin Coolidge Birthplace

John Calvin Coolidge was born on July 4, 1872 in the small house behind the general store where his father worked. The family later moved across the street into a larger house where Calvin would regularly return for the rest of his life.

Room where Coolidge was born

Hallway leading to the General Store from the house

The Coolidge Homestead

Carriage made by Coolidge's father, Colonel John Coolidge

Quilt and small chest of drawers made by Calvin Coolidge
as a boy

Most notably, it was in the Coolidge homestead that John Coolidge administered the Oath of Office to his son after the sudden death of President Harding. The Coolidges stayed in Plymouth during the summer of 1924 after their son Calvin Jr. died at the tender age of sixteen when a blister on his foot became infected. Coolidge and his wife Grace were devastated, so they went to Plymouth for a much needed vacation. Then President Coolidge did the same farm tasks he did as a boy, pitching hay and helping his father with the farm.

I could see why the President would want to return home after such a terrible tragedy. Plymouth can best be summed up by the word wholesome. The air is fresh, the trees are green, and the mountains seem to reach up out of the earth to fold you in their embrace. There is a neat orderliness to the town that I imagine was of great comfort to Coolidge and his grieving family. 

Room where Colonel Coolidge administered the Oath of
Office to his son

Church where the Coolidges worshipped

Like its most famous son, Plymouth is quiet, but the silent landscape has an eloquence that can heal. I confess I found it difficult to leave; I felt a little healthier, a little happier, and little more clear headed just for breathing in the mountain air. I imagine Coolidge felt the same, although he may not have said it aloud.

The view from Plymouth