Presidential library visits
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As you certainly know, I love history. On my travels, whenever I am close to a presidential library, I will always make a point of visiting it — even if I have been there before. Over the past year, I have been to the presidential libraries and museums of JFK (Boston, MA), Ronald Reagan (Simi Valley, CA), and most recently, that of Herbert Hoover (West Branch, IA). I also stopped by Ronald Reagan’s childhood home in Dixon, IL. Lastly, I went to the Harry S. Truman Little White House (Key West, FL), which I wrote about here:
"The buck stops here"
Harry Truman loved playing poker and coming to the Florida Keys. He would speed walk alongside the ocean, and play cards with his guests, staff, friends, and advisors around a magnificent mahogany poker table that was made for the president by local hands.
When my wife and I stopped at the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum, we were welcomed by a young man in high school, who told us that he has always been fascinated by U.S. presidents and that, one day, he hopes to run a presidential library. If only millions more Americans were that interested and engaged in our history.
Here are some pictures that we have captured from those visits:
Have you visited any presidential libraries? If so, which one(s), and what mark did it/they leave on you?
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You asked, I answered:
In 1961 I was seven on a road trip from LA to Chicago to visit family. Our parents took us out of school and promised we'd have educational experiences along the way.
Our route took us through Independence, Missouri so Dad added a stop at the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library.
The Library was closed to the public that day for school groups and when my Dad explained he brought his four daughters to see the Library the nice lady asked us to wait a moment.
When she came back she said they could accommodate us.
We were not told President Truman was addressing the school groups that day. Nor were informed she asked President Truman if we could be seated in the section for his guests.
It was President Truman who told my Dad he appreciated children coming to visit his Library. He shook our hands and thanked us each for visiting. He then asked my Mom if he could hold our baby sister - she got the kiss.
I've been to many Presidential Library's...they never live up to the magic of that experience.
I have been to the Lyndon b Johnson Presidential Library and while Lyndon Johnson was a flawed person, the words on one of the walls of his library from his 1965 Inaugural address are worth reading and I think are applicable still today: "In a land of great wealth, families must not live in hopeless poverty. In a land rich in harvest, children must not go hungry. In a land of healing miracles neighbors must not suffer and die untended. In a great land of learning and scholars, young people must be taught to read and write."