The Night I Drove Down To Old Dixie (Part One)

A week ago I started my Southern Tour of presidential homes with a mixture of excitement and trepidation. It was my most ambitious trip, consisting of the most average miles traveled per day. 

Fortunately, I had both my parents with me to help with the driving. Saints that they are, they came with me to each of the sites. This turned out to be a bigger commitment than originally intended; I only planned on visiting 11 presidential homes, but we ended up seeing 15. 

Amazingly, 7 of those visits were completed on the first day, thanks to a few last minute additions. The first of these impromptu stops was at Montpelier, the home of James Madison, which I noticed was only 40 miles out of our way. It was already closed, but we could walk the grounds. Our only company was a pair of deer, which added to the serene beauty of the place. It was certainly worth a detour.

We are spotted by the Montpelier deer

Montpelier, home of James Madison

On our way back to the main road, we came within a few miles of Ash Lawn-Highland, home of president Monroe, which I had no pictures of. We decided to make a stop there to get some exterior shots of the house since it was already late evening. However, when we got there, the parking lot was full. Turns out, a wedding reception was being held on the grounds. Not to be deterred, we snuck around, avoiding the wedding guests while we snapped a few pictures. Mission accomplished.

Shortly after this picture was taken, we were chased off
the property by enraged newlyweds

The next day, we visited Poplar Forest, the country retreat of Thomas Jefferson. While on the tour, we discovered that Jefferson had purchased a natural bridge for five dollars that still existed. We decided to stop by and check it out when we realized it was right on our route into Tennessee. As we got off the highway, we probably should have picked up on the warning signs that The Natural Bridge was not what we were expecting; namely, the billboards for a dinosaur theme park and Foamhenge, a replica of Stonehenge presumably made of foamboard.

When we finally arrived at the Natural Bridge, we had to walk into a large complex about the size of an elementary school that turned out to be a combination Visitors Center/Gift Shop (with emphasis on the Gift Shop). We briefly convened to discuss what would be an acceptable price to view the bridge. I maintained five dollars would be ideal, since that was how much Jefferson paid for the bridge, but we eventually settled on ten. Imagine our surprise when we learned that it cost $19 per person to see the natural rock formation. We were also informed that we could choose to either walk or take a shuttle to see it, despite the fact that it was less than a quarter mile away. In the end, we opted out of shelling out 60 bucks to see a rock and got some ice cream instead.

I only view rock formations for free

To be continued...

Presidential House Visit: Where in the World is Richard Milhous Nixon?

For those of you who wondered what Richard Nixon
would look like in the Carmen Sandiego hat

Forget Carmen Sandiego- Richard Milhous Nixon has given me more trouble than a globetrotting master thief.

Since I lack the funds to get a flight to California, his birthplace in Yorba Linda, California wasn't an option, so I decided to get creative. I looked up the various places where he lived and discovered he had a house in Saddle River, New Jersey, less than two hours away. I read some rumblings about its imminent demolition, but decided it was close enough to give it a shot.

Site of the Nixon Saddle River residence

I got hopeful as I entered the neighborhood of mansions, but as I drove up to the address, I realized with dismay the reports were indeed true. There was no trace of the house, only a plot of trees between mansions with some abandoned building materials. I was surprised not only by how eerie it was, but how sad it made me. I wouldn't characterize myself as Nixon's biggest fan, but it seemed wrong that no one made a greater effort to save the house.

I was also sad because the lack of house meant I still had a Nixon sized hole in my checklist. Luckily, I had found another New Jersey Nixon residence only fifteen minutes away in Park Ridge. Unfortunately, I never even got to pull up to that house, since it was in a gated community. It turns out it's actually really difficult to sweet-talk your way into a private neighborhood for the obscenely wealthy. 

I was getting discouraged at this point, but faint heart never won fair lady-- or in this case, dead politician's former residence. After a bit more snooping around the internet I found two addresses of houses the Nixons lived in while they were in Washington, both still privately owned.

The house the Nixons resided in during the 1950s

Residence of the Nixon family in the 1960s

Driving up to the first house in Washington, DC, I said a silent prayer it hadn't been destroyed in a freak lightning storm. Happily, it was not only still standing, it looked to be in excellent shape. The next house was also well cared for and quite beautiful. All of the houses were tucked away in quiet neighborhoods where the Nixons would be afforded some measure of privacy. 

Driving away, I realized with no small amount of glee that I had not been defeated by Richard Nixon.  

Update: Numbers and Figures

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: The Pierce Manse

The Pierce Manse
Concord, New Hampshire

If I had to guess which president had a significant following other than the Rushmore set, Franklin Pierce would have been one of the last men to come to mind. Pierce has the unfortunate distinction of being one of the presidents who were in office shortly before Lincoln, whose towering greatness tends to diminish the accomplishments of his predecessors.

But in Concord, New Hampshire, Pierce holds a place of prominence that is unusual among the houses I have visited so far. Concerned citizens of Concord formed the Pierce Brigade in the 1970’s to save the Pierce Manse, the only home Franklin Pierce ever owned, from demolition during an urban renewal project. In order to accomplish this feat they had to physically move the house to a different location from where it originally stood. Those same people are still heavily involved in the running of the house today, and they formed the Pierce Brigade, which keeps the house in running order.

I was fortunate enough to be able to attend a lecture at the Pierce Manse given by Pierce biographer Peter A. Wallner. The focus of his talk was on three of the most significant friends of Pierce's life: Daniel Webster, Jefferson Davis, and Nathaniel Hawthorne. The talk was extremely informative as well as interesting; I had always associated Pierce with the depression and alcoholism that historians claim dominated his later life. Hearing about these relationships he had forged and kept for so long made him less a tragic historical figure and more of a man whose life had ups and downs just like everyone else's. That he managed to continue to be a true friend through very difficult times is a testament to his character, and speaks to the best part of a man who doesn't get much respect. 

The Northern Tour

Due to the response for the video of my Midwest Tour, I've created a video for my tour of the Presidential Houses of New England.

Please feel free to leave comments and let me know what you think!

You can also view a higher quality version on youtube here.

The Midwest Tour

I've gotten some comments from people who wanted to know exactly where I've been going on these trips. So I've posted a video that shows the route I took on my Midwest Tour to see presidential homes (with a quick pit stop at the Mark Twain House!) in late May.

Please feel free to leave comments and let me know what you think!

You can also view a higher quality version on youtube here.

Movie Review: Young Mr. Lincoln

Synopsis: The movie chronicles the early adulthood of Abraham Lincoln, following his journey from lowly store clerk to self-taught lawyer. It mostly focuses on his first big law case in which he defends two brothers accused of murdering a local ruffian.

Historical Accuracy:
This is a bit of a tough one to call. Although the plot is almost entirely fictionalized, many of the details are accurate enough that they balance out a bit. For example, the case that takes up the majority of the movie was made up for the purposes of the film, but the defense Lincoln used was from a famous case he defended. In any case, the plot is really unimportant in a movie like this, which was more interested in getting at Lincoln's character than getting the exact chronology of his life. Even so, you wouldn't want school kids to think this is gospel truth.
Grade: C+


Period Detail:
Unlike many other Hollywood films of the period, this one looks like it takes place in the correct time period. Little touches like Lincoln playing the Jew Harp and the parade of Revolutionary War veterans add nice bits of period flair. My only gripe was that the opening and closing music were songs from the Civil War era, which was still several decades away from the action of the film. I can see how they could be considered foreshadowing, but it still bothered me. Still, it was a good job overall.
Grade: A


Casting:
I could go on about all the supporting players in this movie and how they were great, but that would be missing the point. In order for this movie to work, they had to cast one person right, and that's Abraham Lincoln. Not only is Henry Fonda right for the role, he's perfect for it. Nobody else will have that kind of face that just seems to emanate goodness or a voice that sounds humble, soft, and sweet. Even under the (surprisingly realistic) makeup, Fonda shines and embodies Lincoln in a way that wraps myth and man together. 
Grade: A+


Quality of the Film:
Like many classic films, Young Mr. Lincoln is a little bit slower and little bit more cornball than what modern audiences are used to seeing. However, director John Ford injects a naturalism and a sense of integrity into the film that make it stand out above other movies. Not only is this an enjoyable movie, it's a great one.
Grade: A 

Update: I'm Back!

I'm alive!

I've spent the past few days pulling a Walden, staying in a remote location on a body of water with patchy internet and almost nonexistent electricity (if you're asking how electricity can be almost nonexistent, you've obviously never stayed in a cabin built before 1955). 

So what was I doing if I wasn't preparing blog posts? My activities over the past few days have included getting horrific sunburns, mosquito bites, and wasp stings, engaging in water sports, watching beautiful sunsets, and painting cabins. While most of these things are more fun than they sound, I'm glad to be back on schedule.


So stay tuned for more posts!

A Very Special Movie Review: Independence Day

President Pullman, off to save the world

In honor of July 4th, a very special movie post.


There are many aspects of Independence Day (1996) to love: the alien invasion storyline, a deranged Randy Quaid, Will Smith's first foray into science fiction, and a surprisingly ripped Jeff Goldblum, to name a few. But the reason I watch Independence Day whenever it comes on TV is because I believe Bill Pullman is the best president we've ever had. 


My love for Bill Pullman is well documented at this point, but this goes beyond even that. When I see Bill Pullman as President  Thomas J. Whitmore pick up the intercomm and address a group of fighter pilots staging an attack on the alien mothership, I settle in and prepare to feel some patriotic fervor. He speaks eloquently and with conviction about the imminent destruction facing them, laying out the difficulty of their mission without getting too depressing. Then he rallies the troops with a final call to action that will mean independence not only for America, but for the rest of the world as well.


The speech pretty obviously plays into many Americans' love of being the saviors of the world, but it's still effective, mostly because Pullman plays it straight and adds an air of desperation to his performance. He knows it's a crazy plan, but it's the only plan they've got. 


President Pullman (which I will call him henceforth because President Whitmore just sounds wrong) doesn't just talk a good game, he puts his previous combat fighting to use and joins his men in the skies to take down the invading alien forces. He's the George Washington of the movie presidents, leading by example and being generally awesome.


Plus, he looks like Bill Pullman, which is a definite bonus.