I’ve made some progress on this one, but naturally, I’d like
to make more. I am a student of history, if that wasn’t painfully obvious
before, and ever since I was very young I’ve had an interest in Presidential
history. I don’t really know why, except that, as the leader of a country the
cultural landscape, vision, scope, and identity of that country can be wrapped
up in the embodiment of one individual. That is why Presidential terms are
given titles such as “Age of Lincoln” or “The Kennedy Years” “Reagonomics” and
“Obamacare”.
Really any of these terms apply for more than the actions of one
individual, but still much of what we consider to be culturally relevant can be
found in the person who is the President of the United States.
In the last several years, I have visited the Gerald R. Ford
Museum in Grand Rapids (his library is located at his alma mater, that place in
Ann Arbor) and The Abraham Lincoln Library in Illinois. It’s kind of pathetic,
but I’ve never been to the Harding Museum, even though it’s the closest in
Marion, nor have I been to any in the state of Ohio (Hays, McKinley). That’s an
issue to be sure.
Having said that, there are only a handful of Presidential
Libraries which are considered significant enough to be national landmarks. A
listing of these can be found here. At any rate, I would like to see what can
be found at each of these locations. To tour the museums, see the exhibits, and
study the archives would allow me to have a greater understanding of what made
these men tick, and why they did what they did. I don’t know if I’ll ever use
that knowledge, but for me, it will be a satisfying journey.
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