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

Movie Review: Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter

Synopsis: Young Abraham Lincoln (Ben Walker) is out to avenge the death of his mother when he discovers she was in fact murdered by vampires. He is trained by a mysterious man (Dominic Cooper) in the skills he needs to kill vampires, as well as the equipment (a silver plated ax). Henry charges Abraham to kill the vampires he finds, and also warns him not to create any attachments. When Abraham marries the vivacious Mary Todd (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), a rift is created between Lincoln and his teacher, and Lincoln begins to get involved in politics as a way to stop vampires, who use slaves as a food source. He faces off against the head vampire Adam (Rufus Sewell) and his cronies along the way, only to meet them again after he becomes president. Can Lincoln stop the vampires from destroying the Union? Can he still wield his ax with the skill of a homicidal majorette?


Historical Accuracy:
With a name like Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter, I didn't expect much in terms of historical accuracy from this movie. That being said, even if you edited out the vampires, this movie was riddled with inaccuracies. I found myself thinking: what about Lincoln's older sister Sarah? Why is everyone clapping when the Gettysburg Address was poorly received? Ultimately, these critiques seem nitpicky considering the main goal of the movie, but it was distracting for me.
Grade: C


Period Detail:
In a movie like this, the sets and costumes are the straight men that make the premise funny. In general, they do a good job of setting the scene without distracting from the action, with one exception. The one lady vampire was riding in around in pants, which bothered me since a woman walking around in pants at that time would have at least raised a few eyebrows. Still, overall, it was a fine job.
Grade: B+


Casting:
Ben Walker is no Henry Fonda, but he does a good job playing Lincoln through different periods of his life. Dominic Cooper gives Henry some flair, but Rufus Sewell really steals the show as Adam, playing up his natural creepiness for all its worth. The weak link is Mary Elizabeth Winstead, whose Mary Todd is a bit too modern, but she improves as the movie progresses. All in all, a fine job by the cast.
Grade: A-


Quality of the Film:
I did not have high expectations for this movie, but I was very pleasantly surprised. It's not exactly high art, but it is a lot of fun. 
Grade: B

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

Presidential House Visit: Spiegel Grove

Spiegel Grove, Home of Rutherford B. Hayes
Fremont, Ohio

Part of the joy of this journey has been discovering the unlikely awesomeness of obscure presidents. The Rutherford B. Hayes Home is an excellent example. My knowledge of Hayes was limited and narrow, so I didn't have many expectations when I arrived at his house not too far outside Toledo. From the outside the house looks like a decent sized brick home with a side front porch.


Walking inside the house was a revelation. For one thing, it's huge; the ceilings are high, the rooms are large, and the staircase was breathtaking in both size and beauty. The house was full of beautiful woodworking  done by local craftsmen using trees felled on the property. 

Eagle doorknocker

Hayes was very involved in the building of his house, and he specifically asked for a wide front porch, because he believed a narrow porch was as useless as no porch at all (a man after my own heart). The home was primarily a space for his family, and he wanted it to be functional as well as beautiful.

Hayes certainly accomplished his mission, because his house was the most beautiful one on the tour so far. Spacious and light, grand without being remote, Spiegel Grove was a place you could imagine both raising a family and entertaining important guests. 

Wide front porch of Spiegel Grove

Perhaps most impressively, the house is still used by locals today. In the front yard, there was a group of young men playing croquet just as the Hayes's would have done, although they probably wouldn't have worn t-shirts and shorts. In the backyard, people were camped out to watch an old-fashioned baseball game on a pleasant weekend afternoon. 

The presence of regular folks enjoying their afternoon seemed to create a connection between past and present. Because you can't touch anything or stray off the carpets in historical homes, there can be a sense of disconnect between a visitor and the past generations who used the house. It speaks to Hayes's character that his home feels welcoming, personal, and functional even all these years later. I think the gentlemen playing baseball would agree. 

 

Old fashioned baseball game on the grounds

Gravesite of Rutherford B. Hayes

Movie Review: 1776

At my elementary school, watching 1776 (1972) in 5th grade was the closest thing we got to watching a non-kid film. Although it was rated G, the characters still uttered some mild swear words, and each one garnered a moment of hushed glee. As a lover of both history and musicals, it's not surprising that I loved 1776 as a kid- so much so that I was a little afraid to watch it again in case it didn't hold up.

I watched it again over the weekend, and was pleased to conclude it held up very well indeed. I finally got to watch the bits with Jefferson's wife that our teachers always fast-forwarded through, and all those flashbacks to Abigail made a lot more sense. But was it actually accurate? 

Historical Accuracy:

There are two major inaccuracies in the movie, but at least both add to the drama of the movie (which is more than I can say for Magnificent Doll). First of all, Martha Jefferson never came to Philadelphia, nor would she because of her delicate health. Secondly, Caesar Rodney, one of the delegates from Delaware, was not actually on his deathbed, although he was suffering from skin cancer. However, despite these inaccuracies along with a little simplification of people's characters, the movie is quite accurate.

Grade: B+

Period Detail:

Having been to Historical Philadelphia several times, I can vouch for the fact that the scenery looks correct. The costumes are also well done, along with the interior space of Independence Hall. All in all, somebody's hard work paid off, because the movie looks like it takes place in the right location during the right time.

Grade: A

Casting:

William Daniels (aka Mr. Feeny from Boy Meets World) is a real treat as John Adams. He manages to convey his brilliance and passion, while also showing how he could get in his own way. The rest of the cast plays their parts with panache, with the exception of the actor playing Thomas Jefferson, who was just a little too blandly handsome for my taste, but the role didn't give him all that much to do. I was going to say something about how the acting can be a little over the top, but then I realized I was talking about a movie musical about the signing of the Declaration of Independence, and that was kind of the whole point.

Grade: A-

Quality of the Film:

1776 is by no means a perfect film, but it is endearingly earnest in its attempts to uncover what American independence really meant. It is also honest about the less savory aspects of the process, including the devil's bargain made in regards to slavery. The songs aren't the catchiest and the dancing is amateur, but this is a movie with its heart in the right place that also manages to convey some pretty important themes about what it means to be an American.

Grade: A-

Presidential House Visit: Lindenwald

Lindenwald, Home of Martin Van Buren
Kinderhook, New York

Martin Van Buren was a president overshadowed by the immense personality of his mentor and predecessor. Martin Van Buren was handpicked by Jackson to be his successor, so I often thought of him as being something of a lackey. 

Back of Lindenwald showing a later addition

Seeing Van Buren's house in Kinderhook, I had to rethink that assessment. The house is so unique, such a strange amalgamation of influences, that the man who lived there could not be as simple as I had assumed. The architecture is a mixture of the Federal, Victorian, and Italianate styles that doesn't quite add up to a cohesive whole.

Grand Hall

It's also full of awesome gadgets. The table picture above has over twenty leaves that can be taken out, and the rest of the table folds together like an accordion until it is the size of a small side table. The Grand Hall also houses a early form of the sofa bed you can make out on the far left end.

Best Bedroom where Henry Clay once slept

Original narrative wallpaper

The tour also took us down into the lower level of the house to show us where the servants lived and worked. It was a surprisingly large, clean space; it might not have been grand, but it seemed comfortable. The basement also housed the early form of running water built into the house.

Servants quarters dining room

Running water system

Bust of Van Buren in the library

View of stairs leading to the tower

All in all, I was surprised by how interesting and unexpected Lindenwald was. Although I'm still not terribly fond of Van Buren, I felt I finally understood him apart from his relationship with Jackson, although he was not wholly absent from the house. The walking stick he gave to Van Buren was made of hickory and had his name engraved on the silver plates placed over the knots in the wood. Needless to say, Jackson was not famous for his modesty. 

Van Buren died in his bedroom at Lindenwald in 1862. He spent his last weeks asking about the progress of the war, and his family didn't have the heart to tell him the truth of how poorly the war was going. Van Buren died with the hope that someday the country he loved and fought to hold together would one day be reunited again. 

Van Buren's bedroom

Guide showing the walking stick given to
Van Buren from Andrew Jackson

Remember the Ladies: Grace Goodhue Coolidge House

Grace Goodhue Coolidge lived in this house with her parents in Burlington, Vermont while she attended school at the University of Vermont. Grace went on to become a teacher to the deaf at a school in Northampton, where she met Calvin Coolidge.

In 1905, the Coolidges were married in her parents' house in Burlington. It was the beginning of a successful relationship that ended only with Calvin's death in 1933. Grace balanced her naturally taciturn husband's reserve with her gregarious wit, and she proved to be one of the White House's most popular hostesses. She was also a favorite of the people thanks to her unpretentious elegance.

Stay tuned for more on the First Ladies!

Phase Two: In Which Doris Gets Her Oats

After a week to recover from my whirlwind tour of the Midwest, I'm back on the road again! 


Within the next four days I plan on visiting 7 presidential houses throughout the northeast. So far, the scenery is beautiful-- it seems like there's a new mountain around every corner. There's also the highest concentration of Moose Crossing signs I've ever seen, which begs the question: has anyone actually ever seen a moose in Vermont? Please comment if you have!


I'll try to keep posting regularly as I travel, so stay tuned for updates!


(Side note: If you were wondering about the title of this post...)

Presidential House Visit: Springfield Redux

Abraham Lincoln Home
Springfield, IL

I was a little nervous to see the Abraham Lincoln Home in Springfield again. What if it was totally different from how I remembered it? What if it was a big disappointment?

I shouldn't have worried. It was completely different from how I remembered, but it was also a much richer experience. Having seen the Abraham Lincoln Boyhood Home so recently, I had a different perspective and a deeper understanding of what this house meant for Abraham Lincoln.

The formal parlor

For one thing, the size must have been a welcome relief. In the cabin where he grew up, the ceilings were too low for his 6'4" frame, and he would have had to crouch to fit. In his home in Springfield, the ceilings are are all twelve feet high. Walking through the house, I could imagine him finally being able to be comfortable in his own home. He had enough room at last.

Abraham Lincoln's Original Writing Desk

Wardrobe possibly made by Lincoln's father

Lincoln's Bed

Another surprise for me on the tour was the focus on Mary Lincoln, as they refer to her at the site. History has been harsh on Mrs. Lincoln, but the home she made for her family is stylish and comfortable, but not ostentatious. Also, I was surprised to learn that Mary did all the cooking for the family herself in the well-equipped kitchen. I always thought of her as a spoiled, difficult woman, but the evidence at Springfield contradicted that assessment.

Mrs. Lincoln's Bed

Kitchen where Mrs. Lincoln did her cooking

The historical neighborhood

While I was in Springfield, I also stopped by Abraham Lincoln's tomb. I was pleasantly surprised to find it much as I remembered it, although now you can no longer go up to the balcony section.

Lincoln's Tomb

But what I was most excited to see at Oak Ridge Cemetery was the John R. Tanner mausoleum. It is still there, in all its beehive glory, although things were not exactly as I remembered it. The grave we thought belonged to John R. tanner's second wife was actually that of his daughter-in-law (the mistake was easy to make considering the words "Wife of John R. Tanner" are emblazoned on the tombstone). His actual second wife was only 11 years younger than him, which is not nearly as large an age difference as my dad had thought. 

John R. Tanner Mausoleum

Daughter-in-law of John R. Tanner (not trophy wife)

Second wife of John R. Tanner, Edith English Tanner

I'm glad I came back to Springfield. I felt like I came away knowing more about Lincoln and the life he chose for himself.