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Grover Cleveland, Again! Author Ken Burns Shares His 10 Favorite Presidential Facts
Children have an endless appetite for fun facts and unforgettable stories, and our nation’s history—particularly when it comes to our presidents—offers an abundance of both. In Grover Cleveland, Again!: A Treasury of American Presidents, accomplished documentarian Ken Burns presents a fascinating overview of our presidents, with a vibrant, richly illustrated, and comprehensive spread dedicated to teaching kids about each one (save Grover Cleveland, the only president to serve two non-consecutive terms—who has two spreads!). A book sure to appeal to young history buffs, the ceaselessly curious, and everyone in between, Grover Cleveland, Again! hits shelves on July 12. We asked Mr. Burns to share his ten favorite presidential facts—and spoiler alert: this top ten list goes to eleven.
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- JAMES K. POLK—Polk didn’t take a single vacation while president, and, in fact, he only left the White House for a total of six weeks during his entire four-year term; and even that was on business. First lady Sarah Polk served as her husband’s personal secretary, and together they regularly worked 12-16 hour days. Polk’s last words were to his wife: “I love you, Sarah. For all eternity, I love you.”
- MARTIN VAN BUREN—When he was a young man, Martin Van Buren worked in his father’s tavern in Old Kinderhook, NY. Located between the state capital, Albany, and New York City, the tavern was a frequent stop for politicians and statesmen like Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton. Listening to the discussions and conversations happening around him while he worked was Van Buren’s introduction to politics.
- JAMES A. GARFIELD—When President Garfield was 16 years old he went to work on a canal boat, but he fell overboard fourteen times in just six weeks. Though he didn’t have sea legs, Garfield was able to write Latin with one hand and Greek with the other…at the same time.
- CHESTER A. ARTHUR—President Arthur, a widower, was devoted to the memory of his lost wife. He commissioned a stained glass window in her memory at St. John’s Episcopal Church that he was able to see from his office as president. The church would keep the window lit so he might view it at night. Arthur also made sure to have fresh flowers placed in front of her portrait in the White House each day.
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- WILLIAM McKINLEY—President McKinley’s wife, Ida, hated the color yellow and had all yellow items removed from the White House, including digging up the yellow flowers in the garden. Ida had poor health and President McKinley worried about her frequently, even breaking tradition by having her seated beside him at state functions. After he was shot, McKinley first cried out that his assassin not be harmed, but his next worry was for his wife. While riding to the hospital he fretted over how she should be told.
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- WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT—President Taft loved to drink milk. He had his own pet dairy cow named Pauline Wayne who grazed on the White House lawn. “Miss Wayne” was a Holstein cow from Wisconsin, and the milk she produced fed the first family for almost three years. She was the last White House presidential cow.
- RICHARD M. NIXON—When President Nixon was in high school, he had to wake up at 4:00 am daily and drive a truck to Los Angeles to buy vegetables for his family’s grocery store. Then he’d drive back, wash them, and put them out for sale, all before school.
Grover Cleveland, Again!: A Treasury of American Presidents is in stores on July 12th.
Author photo credit: Cable Risdon.