The Terrible Catsafterme

History has not been all that kind to our nation’s 15th President, James Buchanan, who served from 1857-61, for just one desired term. As the chief executive who had preceded Abraham Lincoln, general consensus is that he came to the job reluctantly, sat idly by as the issues of slavery and secession passed him by, and then with relief exited the Presidency – which he had promised that he would do during his inaugural speech – and left the momentous job ahead in the hands of his successor. In nearly all regards, he deserted the sinking ship and is today regarded as one of the worst of U.S. Presidents.

Parenthetically, Buchanan is also well-known as the only bachelor United States President. His relationship with his predecessor Franklin Pierce’s Vice President William King has caused some to speculate that Buchanan was in fact also our only gay President. And incidentally, he was the last President born in the 1700’s.

James Buchanan was also our only President from Pennsylvania, and thus I was able to see the major – and some of the minor – sites relevant to his life and career during my road trip through the state with my friend Bob.

Saturday, June 13, 2009 – James Buchanan Birthplace – Within the same week that I visited the birthplace of Buchanan’s successor Abraham Lincoln, I visited the two sites in or near Mercersburg, Pennsylvania relative to Buchanan’s birth.

The first is the Buchanan Birthplace State Park, a peaceful and scenic wooded area just outside Mercersburg in the village of Cove Gap, now known as Stoney Batter. On the site where his birth cabin once stood, is a giant pyramid monument erected in his honor. Being in a heavily wooded area with a stream running by, this is one of the most serene of all the Presidential birthplaces.

Unfortunately – probably because I had bad-mouthed Buchanan – it began to rain during our visit and we were forced to hurry out of there.

Buchanan’s Birthplace State park sign, obviously

With the historical marker sign at the entrance to the park – in the rain

Lay of the land at the birthplace

James Buchanan monument

Before locating the site of the actual birthplace, we visited Mercersburg Academy, which houses the log cabin in which he was born – which obviously once stood on the site of the pyramid monument. The cabin was closed up at the time that we visited there, but we could see in the windows and it appeared to house very little. A sign outside the cabin told of the highlights of Buchanan’s career, but oddly never mentioned that this was this was the cabin in which he was born.

James Buchanan sign – with no mention that this was his birthplace cabin

The cabin

Locked out

Saturday, June 13, 2009 – Boyhood home of James Buchanan – On Main Street in Mercersburg is the boyhood home of James Buchanan. The family moved here from Cove Gap in 1796 when Buchanan was five years old. He lived here until 1807 at which time he entered Dickinson College. The house had become the James Buchanan Hotel, but by the time we visited, it appeared to be out of business. Next door was the James Buchanan Pub & Restaurant, which also appeared to be permanently closed.

Historical marker outside the Buchanan Hotel

The marker on the hotel indicates that Buchanan actually owned the house until 1829

The James Buchanan Hotel – now closed. Pulling on the doorknob didn’t help at all.

Just across the street from Buchanan’s boyhood home was the Lane house, in which James Buchanan’s niece Harriet Lane was born. She would perform the services of mistress (the title of which was later coined as First Lady) of the White House during the Presidency of her bachelor uncle.

In front of the Lane house

Friday, June 19, 2009 – ‘Wheatland’ home of James Buchanan – Wheatland, located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, was the home of James Buchanan from 1848 until his death in 1868. The home was built in 1828 and when it was acquired by bachelor James Buchanan, he moved his niece and nephew in with him. During his bid for the Presidency, Buchanan refused to do any campaigning, save for a couple of speeches given off the porch of this very house.

Welcome to Wheatland. It took Bob four tries to get this picture straight

Wheatland

Back of Wheatland

Much of the land was sold off after his niece Harriet Lane inherited it and then sold it after using it as a summer home. Many of the furnishings and belongs of James Buchanan were acquired to outfit the house for visitors. As is often the case, no photographs were permitted in the house – which is always a sore spot with me. So I had no qualms about sneaking a photo of Buchanan’s bedroom, which is the room in which he passed away.

The bedroom in which James Buchanan passed away

In a separate building from the house is the visitors center and gift shop. We watched a brief movie about Buchanan here and browsed the very limited pieces in the museum. Again, no photographs allowed, so all I got was a rather crummy shot with Buchanan’s Bible.

The visitor’s center and small Buchanan museum

The large treasured Bible inside the case was given to James Buchanan by his Mother Elisabeth in 1830. No photos allowed in here they say.

Also found nearby in Lancaster is a nice statue of James Buchanan located in Buchanan Park. Between our visit to Wheatland and Buchanan’s grave, Bob and I stopped by to see it as well. (Also see a tavern Buchanan once owned in Lancaster here).

With the James Buchanan statue in Buchanan Park

Friday, June 19, 2009 – Grave of James Buchanan –James Buchanan was buried in Woodward Hill Cemetery, which is just a few miles away from his Wheatland home. While the headstone is rather bland, the area in which he is buried is pretty nice. The cemetery itself though is not located in the best spot. Bob and I had to drive around in a circle through this crummy town just to postion ourselves on the right side of the one-way road off of which it is located.

Entrance to Woodward Hill, home of the James Buchanan grave

Historical marker outside the cemetery – and one-way road

Overview of Buchanan’s grave area

Me and James B.

I made a return visit to the grave in 2014, as my girlfriend Carolyn and I made our way from Ohio to Philadelphia. It was a brief stop to get an updated photo (and a first one for her), which looked remarkable similar to the first one.

Reunited in 2014

Continue to the next President…

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This entry was posted on Saturday, June 27th, 2009 at 6:25 am and is filed under 2000's - Late, Famous Graves, Historical Locations, US Presidents. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.