Presidential Places

“A splendid misery,” Thomas Jefferson called it. “It’s hell!” declared Warren Harding. The American presidency has been described in many ways by those who held the office. For more than two centuries, those elected president have helped shape not just what the office would be, but they also left their mark on the American political landscape. From the corridors of power to quiet corners of history, presidential places offer visitors a tangible connection to the individuals who have held the “highest office in the land.”

Echoes of presidential history resonate throughout Washington, D.C. They’re found in the grand monuments on the National Mall—from the towering Washington Monument to the contemplative Lincoln Memorial. They’re present in street names and institutions that carry forward the legacies of presidents past. But nowhere is this presidential heritage more palpable than at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., where every president since John Adams has called the White House home.

While getting that perfect group photo outside the White House gates is a must, visitors can delve deeper into executive mansion history at several nearby locations. The innovative new “People’s House: A White House Experience” tour offers an immersive journey through presidential history. Three floors of exhibits and galleries bring the White House to life. Visitors can interact with a detailed scale model of the executive mansion, stroll through a re-created Rose Garden, and step into a full-scale replica of the Oval Office.

At the White House Visitor Center, nearly 100 artifacts from the White House Collection tell the story of the presidential office and home. Highlights include President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s desk, a historic eagle finial from the White House flagpole, and the chief usher’s desk. The center’s theater presents “The White House: Reflections from Within,” featuring intimate stories from presidents, first ladies, and their families.

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History offers what might be the capital’s most comprehensive look at the presidency. Its exhibition, “The American Presidency: A Glorious Burden,” explores every facet of the office of the presidency, including presidential life. The space includes sections on the foundations of presidential power, historic inaugurations, daily life in the White House, and how presidents have communicated with the public through the ages. Interactive exhibits let visitors step into presidential shoes—try delivering a famous presidential speech from a teleprompter, or explore the personal artifacts that humanize these larger-than-life figures. Don’t miss the accompanying exhibition on the first ladies, which highlights not only the fashion of the day but also the way these powerful women inspired America in their own right. In “The American Democracy: A Great Leap of Faith,” visitors can explore how America went from a monarchy to create the presidency and a government “of the people, by the people, and for the people.”

WHERE IT ALL BEGAN

The story of the American presidency stretches beyond Washington to sites that witnessed the nation’s founding.

Philadelphia’s Independence Hall in Pennsylvania stands as perhaps the most significant site of presidential history, where many future presidents helped draft and sign both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. The guided tours here bring to life the heated debates and profound decisions that shaped our executive branch.

In Colonial Annapolis, the Maryland State House—America’s longest continuously used legislative building—echoes with history. Here, George Washington resigned his commission as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army.

Thomas Jefferson’s architectural masterpiece, Monticello, offers visitors a window into the brilliant mind of our third president. Set amid the rolling hills of Charlottesville, Virginia, the estate showcases Jefferson’s fascination with science, agriculture, and the arts, and invites visitors to explore the conflicting legacies of freedom and slavery.

Monticello offers a variety of guided tours. Get the fullest picture of life at Monticello and see all three floors of the house—including the iconic Dome Room—on the “Behind-the-Scenes Tour.” No trip is complete without a photo on the West Lawn, also known as the “nickel view,” and a visit to Monticello’s own Jefferson Vineyards. Located just minutes from this iconic historic site, you’ll find award-winning wine and stunning mountain views.

Near Nashville, Tennessee, The Hermitage presents the complex portrait of Andrew Jackson. This carefully preserved plantation home offers insight into “Old Hickory’s” controversial presidency, including his forceful personality, his transformative impact on American democracy, and the troubling aspects of his legacy regarding Native Americans and slavery.

HIDDEN GEMS

Beyond the famous landmarks lie fascinating sites connected to presidents whose stories are often overlooked. In Kinderhook, New York, Martin Van Buren’s estate Lindenwald tells the remarkable story of “Old Kinderhook,” who rose from humble beginnings as a tavern keeper’s son to become the nation’s eighth president.

The Garfield National Historic Site in Mentor, Ohio, preserves the legacy of James Garfield’s “front porch campaign,” a first in the history of presidential campaigning, during which he delivered brief, welcoming, not pointedly political remarks to thousands of visitors from his home, nicknamed “Lawnfield.” After his tragic death, his widow, Lucretia R. Garfield, added a “Memorial Library” to the home. This space became the blueprint for the publicly visited presidential libraries familiar to many Americans today.

In Plymouth Notch, Vermont, visitors step back in time to Calvin Coolidge’s hometown, preserved almost exactly as it was in the 1920s. Coolidge’s boyhood home, where his father administered the presidential oath by kerosene lamp following Warren Harding’s death, is just part of the sprawling complex. The circumstance of Coolidge’s inauguration remains the only instance in American history when a notary public elevated someone into the absolute highest position in the nation. Both the lamp and Bible used at that historic moment—Aug. 3, 1923, at 2:47 a.m.—are on display in the museum. Visitors can enjoy an orientation film, croquet on the lawn of one of the village houses, and schoolyard games at the schoolhouse.

The Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site in Indianapolis stands as one of the best-preserved Victorian-era presidential homes. Here, Harrison conducted another influential front porch campaign and made history by installing the first electric lights in an Indianapolis residence.

In Fremont, Ohio, Rutherford B. Hayes’ magnificent 31-room Victorian mansion sits amid 25 acres of parkland at Spiegel Grove, where Hayes and his wife, Lucy, began the White House Easter Egg Roll tradition that continues today. In addition to the home, the estate is home to America’s first presidential library—the forerunner to the federal presidential library system—a museum, the tomb of Hayes and his wife, and the original gates that were at the White House during the Hayes administration. In temperate weather, enjoy a tour—and refreshing lemonade on the veranda—to learn about Lucy Hayes.

Wheatland, James Buchanan’s Federal-style mansion in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, offers insight into one of the most controversial presidencies, as the nation moved toward civil war. The home remains largely as Buchanan left it, complete with original furnishings. In North Bend, Ohio, William Henry Harrison’s tomb and the site of his log cabin campaign headquarters tell the story of how the “Log Cabin and Hard Cider” campaign transformed political messaging, although Harrison would serve a mere 31 days as president.

PRESIDENTS PAST & PRESENT

No discussion of presidential places would be complete without Mount Rushmore National Monument in South Dakota’s Black Hills. The iconic colossal sculpture featuring the faces of four presidents—Washington, Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Lincoln—turns 100 this year. Beyond its stunning visual impact, the monument offers ranger-led programs and an evening lighting ceremony that make it an unforgettable stop on any presidential tour. New this year will be an unveiled theater renovation project and new film. Here, in the heart of America, these four faces remind us of the outsized role presidents have played in the development of our nation.

The legacy of the presidency continues to evolve through modern presidential libraries and museums scattered across the country. These institutions offer immersive experiences that bring recent presidential history to life, from FDR’s Little White House in Warm Springs, Georgia, to the LBJ Ranch in Johnson City, Texas—known as the “Texas White House.” Each site adds another layer to our understanding of how the presidency has shaped, and been shaped by, the individuals who have held this unique office.

From the marble halls of Washington to the corners of small-town America, presidential places tell the story of the United States through the lives of those who have led it. They remind us that presidents were not just historical figures, but human beings who lived, worked, and left their mark on communities across America. Whether walking the grounds of Mount Vernon or visiting a preserved home in a Vermont village, these sites offer something more than just history—they provide a tangible connection to the people who have served and shaped the nation, helping us better understand both the office and America.

By Michael McLaughlin

Main Image: The White House, Washington, D.C.; Credit: Washington.org