Dwight D. “Ike” Eisenhower most certainly rose to power as our nation’s 34th United States President from 1953-1961 due to his exemplary military record. He had served as the Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces in Europe and had planned and supervised our invasion of France and Germany, effectively forcing Germany to surrender. As President he had less of an impact, but did contribute to our country’s economic and military growth by the the deveopment of the Interstate Highway System. In addtion he oversaw the cease-fire in Korea, began the course of de-segregation of our schools, continued our country’s commitment to the Cold War, and advanced the Social Security system.
The first place that I visited pertaining to Eisenhower was the first place that held importance in his life was his birthplace while my friend Bob and I toured Texas. More locations prominent to the life of Dwight D. Eisenhower are on my agenda for the future.
Thursday, April 3, 2008 – Dwight D. Eisenhower Birthplace – Eisenhower was our first Texas-born President although he eventually became much more closely assiciated with the state of Kansas where he moved when he was just two years old.
In front of the Eisenhower birthplace visitors center
The house in which Eisenhower was born
This home was in Dension, Texas, just a few miles from the Oklahoma border. Eisenhower’s family had moved here to be close to the railroad line and young Dwight was born in this house in 1890. Although the docent tended to highlight more of the non-authentic items in the home that were simply put there to give it a ‘period flavor’, it was certainly a worthwhile visit. And most importantly, we were able to snap photos in the room in which he was born.
The room where Ike was born
9-foot tall statue of General Eisenhower erected in 1973 and unveiled by Julie Nixon Eisenhower
Sunday, June 14, 2009 – Eisenhower National Historic Site – Dwight and Mamie Eisenhower purchased a run-down farm on the outskirts of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, a city that Ike had visited to before. The house came with 189 acres, 25 cows, hundreds of chickens, and rather dilapidated buildings. In fact the entire house needed reconstruction.
The renovation and rebuilding was completed in 1955 and the home became a retreat for the President, seeing visits from him 365 during the time between its completion and his second term. This was the only home that Eisenhowers ever owned and it saw visits from many foreign and domestic dignitaries including Nikita Khrushchev.
I really liked the feel of this home, decorated elaborately with 50’s and 60’s sensibilities. The compound included a skeet range and a putting green for the golf-fanatic President. There was no parking at the site itself and it was required that Bob and I park at the Gettysburg National Military Park Museum and Visitors Center, purchase our tickets and then take a shuttle. We had a young but enthusiastic and knowledgeable docent who took us through the house and told us tales of the President and his family, spending nearly an hour on the grounds and in the house.
Outside the gift shop with Historic Site sign
Outside the house, which had been almost entirely reconstructed by the Eisenhowers. Only the section with the four different-sized windows were original before Ike rebuilt.
With a portrait of Ike in the living room
The sun room where Dwight and Mamie spent most of their time in the home
Original guestbook signed by members of the Eisenhower clan
The President’s bedroom with original furnishings
President Eisenhower’s private putting green, just outside the house
Continue to the next President…
Return to Thursday in Texas 2008…
Returnt to Sunday in Pennsylvania 2009…
He married one Mamie Doud and she hailed from Denver. I went to high school with her great-nephews and niece. Apparently, there was one side of the family that was classy and the other side that wasn’t. Guess which side I know…LOL
In all seriousness, though, if I had known then what I know now, I probably would have been a little nicer…
Okay, no, seriously, the twins were great. Great people and Teena really blossomed after high school.
Amber
May 18th, 2008
When I was taking Grandpa home from game night at your mom’s house, he told me a story about meeting Eisenhower when he was still General Eisenhower. You should ask him about it, it’s a pretty good story.
Chris
May 18th, 2008
Didn’t they ride their bikes to California together?
Aaron
May 19th, 2008
No, but they did play golf together!
Darlene
May 20th, 2008
Have you been to the grave and boyhood home in Kansas? Also noticed there was no entry on Truman. Have you been to Independence yet?
Jon Barnes
August 24th, 2015
No, these are two of the last ones I need to get to.
Brad
August 25th, 2015
Yeah, other than LBJ, the Ike site is the most remote. We did an I-70 trip a couple years back and hit that and Independence in one swoop. I’m sure you already know this but if you come from the east there is a US Grant site in St Louis along the way. Also in the middle of the state off of I-70 is Fulton MO and there at Westminster College is a small museum commemorating the Iron Curtain Speech that Winston Churchill delivered there in 1946.
Jon Barnes
August 26th, 2015