The General's Home After the Presidency

“Fifty evergreens lined the avenue from Waterworks Road to the farm residence, a gift of the Republican state committees” (21).

The Book

Going Home to Glory: A Memoir of Life with Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1961-1969 is part personal stories and part history. Authors David Eisenhower and Julie Nixon Eisenhower bring so much to the book because of their personal connection with Dwight D. Eisenhower. David is Eisenhower’s grandson and his wife, Julie, is the daughter of Richard M. Nixon. The book follows the last eight years of Eisenhower’s life which were also his years after the White House.

Eisenhower and his wife, Mamie, moved to their farm in Gettysburg, PA in 1961. It is a short drive from the White House to Gettysburg, and the small town was eager to become home to the president. The Eisenhower’s became involved in the community and their grandchildren were often visitors. David tells of his summers spent working on the farm and getting to know his grandfather in a context other than president. Eisenhower did not stay secluded at Gettysburg. He and Mamie traveled to homes in the south and west to visit friends and golf. Despite his retirement, Presidents Kennedy and Johnson sought Eisenhower’s advice on numerous issues.

Because Going Home to Glory is authored by Eisenhower’s family, the reader feels a personal connection to one of the First Families. Details are given on the presidential transfer of power, the Civil Rights Movement, the Vietnam War, and presidential elections. The details are given through the lens of Eisenhower’s views, diary entries, and discussions with family. It is a unique way to learn more about American history.

The Place

The Eisenhower’s bought their farm in 1950 and it was the first home they owned as a married couple. They had moved thirty-three times during Eisenhower’s career with the Army. The farm included orchards, a putting green, a brick hut and patio, a skeet and trap shoot range, and a herd of cattle. In 1965, Eisenhower sold his cattle herd and he and Mamie deeded their land to the National Park Service, effective upon their deaths.

Today, visitors to the Gettysburg can tour the Eisenhower National Historic Site adjacent to the Gettysburg National Battlefield. You are able to tour both the house and farms to see what it was like when Eisenhower and Mamie lived there. The Historic Site also teaches visitors about Eisenhower’s service during World War II and as the president. It is a great experience to walk where an American leader during World War II and the Cold War walked. If you are traveling with children, there are two ways they can get a hands-on experience: the Junior Secret Service Agent Program and a virtual tour of the home.  

O-H-I-O

“The Buckeyes were more than just a local team. They were the prism through which Columbus viewed itself” (17).

The Book

War as They Knew It: Woody Hayes, Bo Schembechler, and America in a Time of Unrest is an interesting look at two football coaches, a historic football rivalry, and the changing of the culture in the 1960s and 1970s. Author Michael Rosenberg weaves together the stories, styles, and differences of The Ohio State University and University of Michigan football coaches.

Woody Hayes coached The Ohio State University for twenty-seven years. In those years he invested in the education of his players, saw the culture go through drastic changes, and tried to promote the connection between football plays and military strategies. Bo Schembechler coached the University of Michigan for twenty years. He came to Ann Arbor to find a struggling football program and a campus heavily invested in the anti-war movement. These two coaches elevated the rivalry between the two schools and Rosenberg details each of their meetings in the last game of the season.

War as They Knew It is a great book for any football fan, but especially Buckeye and Wolverine fans. As a life-long Buckeye fan, I knew the names of Woody Hayes and Bo Schembechler, but Rosenberg’s accounts helped me understand the men behind the legends. One aspect of the book, that I found particularly interesting, was the inclusion of Ralph Waldo Emerson quotes. Woody Hayes admired Emerson and Rosenberg found Emerson quotes that related to decisions or beliefs of Woody Hayes.

The Place

The Ohio State University is not your typical tourist destination because it is a school; however it is a place with history and tradition. Although most tours will be geared towards prospective students, The Ohio State University does provide a self-guided walking tour. The campus is a great place to walk around, even if it is not a football Saturday.

I have had the opportunity to attend two football games in “the Horseshoe” stadium. The stadium is referred to as “the Horseshoe” because the original structure had an opening on one end. The open end was filled in to accommodate more seating, but the name remains.

Attending a Buckeyes football games is truly an incredibly experience. The Ohio State University Marching Band performs in St. John’s Arena, the old basketball arena, prior to the game. The main streets throughout campus are closed to car traffic and you mingle with students and Buckeyes fans. Outside the stadium a visitor can smell the various tailgate foods and visit stores full of Buckeye apparel, gadgets, and souvenirs. Inside the stadium the game is interspersed with roars from the crowd and the excitement of each first down. Of course, every college football team has a similar atmosphere at their home games. The atmosphere is most significant for the fans of each team. 

Escape to Space

“…the Kennedy Space Center was the place where the public came to experience history being made. Kennedy Space Center, the most industrial part of the space program, represented the romance of space to citizens” (179).

The Book

A History of the Kennedy Space Center, by Kenneth Lipartito and Orville R. Butler, is not just a book about the development of NASA’s launch site in Florida. It is also a history of the entire space program, particularly manned flight. The authors provide a behind the scenes look at the work in the space program, the workers, the interest in space, and the future of the Kennedy Space Center. The book is packed with information that goes into scientific and personnel detail.

Lipartito and Butler say, “The Apollo program was more audacious than the Panama Canal, more difficult than the Hoover Dam, and more expensive than the Manhattan Project” (113). As a student of American history, I had already known that the Apollo program was a ground-breaking and difficult program. However, after reading this book, I have a newfound respect for the process of putting a man on the moon. The book spends a great deal of time on the Apollo missions, but the authors’ also discuss the early rocket programs and the later shuttle programs.

In the 1950s, Cape Canaveral was used to launch and test rockets and missiles. In 1961, NASA chose the Cape as the permanent launch site and in 1965 a visitor center was authorized. The visitor center began as a few trailers housing scientific exhibits. The opening of Walt Disney World revealed a need to update the exhibits to entice visitors to Walt Disney World. In fact, many travel agencies recommended visiting both.

The Place

The Kennedy Space Center does a fantastic job of engaging all ages in learning about NASA and each launch program. A visitor is able to learn about the early flights (Mercury and Gemini) and get the latest news on planned launches. In addition to the Visitor Complex, you are able to drive out to view the launch areas, control center, and Vehicle Assembly Building (where the rockets are assembled prior to launch).

The two highlights from when I visited where the Rocket Garden and the Apollo/Saturn 5 Center. The Rocket Garden is home to rockets from the early programs and capsules you are able to climb aboard. The Apollo/Saturn 5 Center is a large rectangular building that is home to artifacts that were used in the Apollo missions. The Saturn 5 rocket hangs from the ceiling and you can’t help but walk the length of it in awe.

From Rail Yard to Artistic Park

“Critically acclaimed as a unique fusion of art, architecture, and landscaping; embraced by diverse Chicagoans as a park for all people; and promoted to tourists as the crowning glory of a beautiful world-class city, Millennium Park has, in many ways, won Chicago the honor as the city of the century” (x).

The Book

Millennium Park: Creating a Chicago Landmark by Timothy J. Gilfoyle is a great coffee table book for anyone interested in Chicago. The book is full of pictures, maps, drawings, and short chapters that chronicle the history of Millennium Park. Gilfoyle divides the book into three sections: history, politics, and culture.

Millennium Park is a place that is steeped in history and is the final piece of Grant Park to be completed. In 1836 the land along Lake Michigan was preserved from any major development and became home to railroad tracks. After the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition, Chicago became interested in developing a permanent park along the lakefront. Plans were commissioned for Grant Park in 1903 and sporadic construction began. Gilfoyle guides the reader through the history and straight into the political aspects of Millennium Park. The goal was to create something significant to attract residents and tourists and celebrate the new Millennium (the park didn’t actually open until 2004). There were accusations of corruption due to influence from major donors and construction issues. The many changes to the park’s design caused construction to be redone numerous times.

Gilfoyle ends the book with culture and helps the reader appreciate all that went into Millennium Park. One chapter consists solely of pictures depicting the construction of the major elements of the park: Pritzker Pavilion, Cloud Gate, BP Bridge, Crown Fountain, and Lurie Garden. The following chapters focus on each of the major elements and their designers. The book ends with a nod to Daniel Burnham and the realization that Millennium Park simply builds upon this man’s dream for Chicago that began in the late nineteenth century.

The Place

Millennium Park is a park designed for all seasons and all ages. There are several parts of the park that are worth checking out.

Cloud Gate: Chicagoans refer to this as “the Bean.” It is a huge bean shaped sculpture that reflects its surroundings. You are able to walk up to it, around it, and under it.

Crown Fountain: During the warm months, the pictures of Chicagoans mimic gargoyles while water spits from their mouths. The two towers face each other and the water pools in between.

Lurie Garden: This garden is stocked with large varieties of plants. Within the garden is a section where visitors can sit and soak their feet in water.

In addition to these, is the ice skating rink in the winter, the BP Bridge that snakes out of the Lurie Garden, and the Pritzker Pavilion that hosts concerts. Although Millennium Park is always crowded, it is a must see for visitors to Chicago. I have more pictures of the Bean than I can count, but it is always fun to visit. 

The Flag was Still There

“We sir, are ready at Fort McHenry to defend Baltimore against invading by the enemy. This is to say, we are ready except that we have no suitable ensign to display over the Star Fort, and it is my desire to have a flag so large that the British will have no difficulty seeing it from a distance” Major George Armistead (17-18).

The Book

The Flag, the Poet, and the Song: The Story of the Star-Spangled Banner, by Irvin Molotsky, is an easy to read book that dives into the stories surrounding our national anthem. Molotsky provides a brief background into the war including the reasons American declared war on Great Britain and the major events. Throughout this tumultuous time Mary Young Pickersgill was asked, by Major George Armistead, to sew a massive American flag. With the help of many, the flag was completed in six weeks. It weighed eighty pounds, was thirty feet tall, and forty-two feet long.

Francis Scott Key was a lawyer who was asked to help an American citizen, imprisoned by the British. The American was being held on a ship in the Chesapeake Bay just outside of Baltimore. While on the ship, Key witnessed the British attack Fort McHenry through a naval bombardment that lasted twenty-four hours. At the end of the bombardment, Fort McHenry still stood and Pickersgill’s flag was proudly raised. Key saw that flag and wrote a poem: The Star-Spangled Banner.

Molotsky’s book is packed with details surrounding the British attempt to invade Baltimore, details of the main characters, the preservation of Pickersgill’s flag, and how Key’s poem became the national anthem. I enjoyed reading this book and learning many new things. The only drawback is that Molotsky includes many editorial comments that are not necessary. The book shines when he lets history speak for itself.

The Place

Fort McHenry is a part of the National Park Service and is located southeast of Baltimore, Maryland. Visitors can tour the fort and learn more about the War of 1812 at the Visitors Center. When I visited Fort McHenry as a kid, we were able to see an interactive model that explained the types of defenses that were used. These included sunken ships that prevented the British Navy from coming too close.

The fort is surrounded by large cannons that can seem intimidating up close, but it is incredible to think of their power. A tour of the fort reveals what it was like to live there, especially during the bombardment by the British. The flag pole that held the “Star-Spangled Banner” is still at the fort and visitors can imagine the eighty pound flag flapping in the wind. 

High Above Manhattan

“It was, […] a building that would represent the United States, ‘a land which reached for the sky with its feet on the ground’” (5).

The Book

Mark Kingwell calls his book, Nearest Thing to Heaven: The Empire State Building, “a guided tour of the Empire State Building” (22). Kingwell provides the reader a history of the men involved, time period it was built, publicity, and the design. The driving force behind the creation was Alfred Smith, former governor of New York, and John Jakob Raskob, former employee of General Motors. Through their leadership, the Empire State Building took eighteen months to complete (four and a half stories a week), came in under budget, and ahead of schedule. All of this occurred during the Great Depression.

Kingwell looks at the Empire State Building as an icon, symbol, and phenomenon. He spends time on the skyscraper concept, architecture, and construction feats. The reader will read about the Empire State Building’s influence in culture, nostalgia, and film. We have a fascination with reaching the sky and the Empire State Building is a perfect example of that desire and a status symbol.  

Each chapter is interesting, however the book delves into political, social, and historical commentary. It would be nice to read more about the actual construction of the building and the people who worked on it. The guided tour is more a look at the Empire State Building’s place in culture and architecture history.

The Place

There are so many places to visit in New York City and you can easily spend a couple of days there. The Empire State Building can take up to half a day, depending on the time of year and day you plan to visit. Tickets are available online and at the Empire State Building. The inside is decorated in Art Deco, giving visitors a glimpse into the past. 

Once at the Observation Deck you can spend as much time as you want looking out at Manhattan. The views include: Lower Manhattan, Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Brooklyn Bridge, Central Park, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and other various New York City landmarks. It will be crowded at the top, but space will open up along the edges. Cloudless days are the best to visit the Empire State Building, because you will be able to see for miles. I recommend planning to spend at least an hour at the top. The views are truly stunning.

 

Intended for National Purposes

“No matter how many times he visited the National Cathedral, there was always something else to observe, to learn from, to wonder at” (186).

The Book

Murder at the National Cathedral by Margaret Truman (the daughter of President Harry S. Truman) opens with a wedding at the National Cathedral in Washington, DC and ends with the solving of two murders. One murder victim is found in the National Cathedral, another in an English countryside church. The story follows law professor Mackensie Smith, who is a recurring character of Truman’s, as he investigates the murders and provides legal counsel to the National Cathedral.

Truman does a good job of drawing the reader into the action. Several of the characters have already been introduced in previous books, but a reader does not need to know all the details while reading Murder at the National Cathedral. Any significant details are written in a way to catch a new reader up to speed and gently remind a returning reader.

The Place

In Pierre L’Enfant’s 1791 Plan for the City of Washington, he said, “This church is intended for national purposes…and assigned to the special use of no particular sect or denomination, but equally open to all.”

The Washington National Cathedral is a beautiful place to visit. The design reminds visitors of European churches, even though the National Cathedral was begun in 1907. It is a fully functioning church as well as a tourist destination. There is a fee for sightseeing, but if a visitor wants to worship or pray in the many chapels that is free.

The National Cathedral is located fifteen minutes northwest of the National Mall. There are several varieties of tours that are available as well as changing exhibits. The tours include behind the scenes, music demonstrations, the gardens, and a climb up to the bell chamber.