The name Martin Van Buren is not generally met with an outburst of applause and cheering when his name is mentioned. In fact, the average citizen probably would inadvertently leave him of his list if he were asked to make one of all of the United States Presidents from memory. Others might recall that his name was dusted off and brought back to the surface when George H.W. Bush was running for President in 1988 – reminding us that a sitting Vice President hadn’t ascended to the Presidency through vote since the time of our 8th President, Martin Van Buren (who as the 8th Vice President, served in Andrew Jackson’s cabinet). And like Bush, Van Buren would only serve one term, losing his second campaign to William Henry Harrison.
As a one-term President, Van Buren ranks not far from the dead center in terms of effective presidencies, having not administered during many major significant events in our country from 1837-1841, and maintaining much of the status quo leftover from Jackson’s presidency. Among the notable happenings was the Panic of 1837, which saw a four year depression. This likely contributed to his loss of a second term.
Regardless of a rather boring Presidential term, I was of course thrilled to visit the major locations relevant to the life (and death) of Martin Van Buren, all of which are located in Kinderhook, New York – making a visit to all three of them easy to complete during a one-day trip.
Wednesday, July 11, 2012 – Birthsite of Martin Van Buren – Martin Van Buren was the first future-President to be born a citizen of the United States, his date of birth coming on December 5, 1782, after America had gained its independence. The location of his birth was in a humble house in the village of Kinderhook, New York, about 25 miles south of Albany. His father was a tavern keeper and farmer in the area.
Artist’s rendering of the Martin Van Buren birth home
The house no longer stands, and there is currently a newer home standing on the location – which is marked by a State Historical marker.
The New York State historical marker
The house that now sits on the property
The proximity of the sign and actual location
Wednesday, July 11, 2012 – Lindenwald – Home of Martin Van Buren – In 1939, in the midst of his presidency, Martin Van Buren would purchase the estate known as Lindenwald (which is German for “linden wood”, describing the types of trees lining the road in front of the house) in Kinderhook, New York, not far from the location of his birthplace elsewhere in the city. However he would not actually move into the home until 1841, following his defeat by President William Henry Harrison. The author Washington Irving had once visited and wrote some of his works in the home, which had originally been built in 1797, and by the time of Van Buren’s death had been expanded to include 36 tooms.
The National Parks Service sign
The State historic sign for Lindenwald
The house was renovated in 1849, with the red bricks being painted yellow, an Italianate tower was added, the Gothic Revival front porch was added, and additional rooms were attached to the house. This is how the house remains today. The former President would remain in this house until his death in 1862.
The tour of the house was a good one, and although flash photos were not permitted, I was able to capture some decent photos inside the home – along with at least one museum piece located in a glass case near the entrance of the home.
The Lindenwald home
The Grand Hall dining room
Portrait of Martin Van Buren in the parlor, where he led two (losing) Presidential campaigns
Van Buren’s office and library
Martin Van Buren’s bedroom and the room in which he died
Martin Van Buren’s personal walking stick sits atop his death bed. It was given to him by Andrew Jackson.
The Van Buren family Bible: despite my ‘swearing in’ pose, there was no indication that this was used as his inaugural Bible though
Wednesday, July 11, 2012 – Grave of Martin Van Buren – President Van Buren’s wife Hannah had preceded him in death in 1819 at the age of 35, years before he ascended to the Presidency. Since Van Buren never remarried, Hannah is still considered to be a First Lady.
Martin Van Buren remained a lifelong bachelor following her death, and remained in his Lindenwald home until his death in the home on July 24, 1862.
He and Hannah are both interred at the Kinderhook Cemetery under a relatively modest headstone.
State marker indicating the Van Buren grave at Kinderhook Cemetery
The headstone marker of Martin Van Buren
Smaller stone indicating MVB – the actual burial site of Martin Van Buren
The original grave of Hannah Van Buren, who died in “the 36th year of her age”
Me and Martin Van B.
Continue to the next President…
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