Benjamin Harrison

 Wednesday, May 7, 2025

I left Madison, Wisconsin this morning at 7:30, about 30 minutes later than I had wanted.   The issue is that I crossed into Eastern Time Zone somewhere in Indiana, meaning I came close to missing the 2:00 tour of the Benjamin Harrison Home in Indianapolis.   But I was only about 3 minutes late and they slipped me into the tour. (I became tourist # 4!)

This brings up an issue that I don't know if there is a solution.   Tooo many of these tourist attractions have brief hours.   The Harrison home's last tour is 2:00 and the visitor's center closes at 3:30.   Makes it difficult to do multiple stops in the same day.   And, The home is nothing without the tour!   

Benjamin Harrison, grandson of President William Henry Harrison, was president for 4 years, between the two non-consecutive terms of Grover Cleveland.   His wife was a founder of the DAR.   Harrison was the last president to have a beard.   He had a telephone in his home.   He built up the Navy.  His wife was very active, behind the scenes.   She was quite the artist and designed the White House China.  She died at the end of his term, and he later married his late wife's niece.

                                                            An Early Home Gym!

The family was well known for the pet goat they kept at the White House.   The story went that the little daughter was being pulled by the goat when it took off down the street.   At the last minute, the President of the United States grabbed the goat and child, and averted serious injury.  There is a children's book about it that I now wish I had bought.   The garden has that book on a large outdoor display.

Tomorrow's goal is William Henry Harrison's home in Vincennes, followed by a visit to a WWII LST, floating on the Ohio River.   Kentucky will be next.  As of today, I have visited something of all but 10 presidents, and Obama's Center is not open yet.