They grew up to be president but what were their childhoods like?
Tea cup-sized dogs (or “sleeve” dogs, as they were called in the mid-nineteenth century) were a gift from Japan to then-President Franklin Pierce (1804-1869). The teacup dogs were brought to […]
Teacup Dogs Owned by President Franklin Pierce Read More »
Dogs were initially held in poor esteem by Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826) when he was a young man. In an era when most landowners kept livestock that were important in commerce, dogs
Thomas Jefferson’s Dogs Read More »
Today we think of the ceremonial lighting of the White House Christmas tree as a long-time tradition, but it actually only dates to 1923. Individual first families undoubtedly had Christmas
The Tradition of the White House Tree Lighting Ceremony Read More »
To read this patent application today is to be transported to a time before the name, Abraham Lincoln, carried such import—before he was the President who led our country through a war that literally could have torn the country in two.
Abraham Lincoln’s Patent: The Only President-Inventor Read More »
President William Howard Taft (1857-1930), who served as president from 1909-1913, was a big man. At about 6 feet tall, his weight fluctuated from 255 to over 350 pounds, and
President Taft’s Weight: Keeping the Pounds Off Read More »
The first presidential turkey pardon may have occurred in 1863 when President Abraham Lincoln’s son, Tad, begged his father to write a presidential pardon for the live turkey brought to
The Presidential Turkey Pardon Read More »
