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.