Welcome to season three of Historically Hip.
In a few days, Joe Biden will be sworn in as president of the United States. He will be the second president born in Pennsylvania and the first president to be born in Scranton. To mark this historic occasion, we decided to launch this season with a look back at the birthplaces of all the presidents who have served our nation.
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As promised here is the list of presidential birthplaces with links to learn more about these historic sites –
- George Washington, born Feb. 22, 1732, on a tobacco farm, 1732 Popes Creek Road, Colonial Beach, Virginia.
- Washington’s Birthplace National Monument marks the site of the first president’s home along the banks of Pope Creek.
- John Adams, born Oct. 30, 1735, at 133 Franklin St., Quincy, Massachusetts.
- The home is open to the public as Adams National Historical Park, and the town also boasts an Adams Street and Adams Field, a recreational site.
- Thomas Jefferson, born April 13, 1743: Shadwell Plantation, Albemarle County, Virginia. The site is marked by a Virginia state historical marker.
- Charlottesville, situated near Jefferson’s Monticello plantation in Albemarle County, includes the major thoroughfare Jefferson Park Avenue. The town also is home to the University of Virginia, which has a statue of the president, its founder, and Jefferson Hall, a UNESCO World Heritage site that Jefferson designed.
- James Madison, born March 16, 1751, at Belle Grove Plantation, Port Conway, Virginia.
- Madison’s mother, Eleanor Rose “Nellie” Conway delivered her son at her childhood home, which today operates as a bed and breakfast and includes a room named for the Madisons. A state historical marker also identifies the site.
- James Monroe, born April 28, 1758, in Westmoreland County, Virginia.
- Born near what became Colonial Beach, Virginia, Monroe is remembered with a state historical marker and archeological site, both near the community of Monroe Hall. Site is marked by a state historical marker and archeological site being developed into a historical park.
- John Quincy Adams, born July 11, 1767, at 141 Franklin St., Quincy, Massachusetts.
- This home also is part of Adams National Historical Park.
- Andrew Jackson, born March 15, 1767, Waxhaws region of North and South Carolina.
- Jackson’s birthplace remains disputed, but the North Carolina Daughters of the American Revolution group erected a monument marking his supposed birthplace in Union County in 1910. Jackson, aka “Old Hickory,” has family buried in Waxhaw Presbyterian Church’s cemetery in Lancaster County, South Carolina, which sits on Old Hickory Road.
BRIAN FULTON / STAFF PHOTO
Martin Van Buren, our 8th president, was born in Kninderhook, New York in 1782. He would later purchased Lindenwald, an estate with 137 acres that was a short distance from Knidnerhook, as home once his was finished being president. The home and surrounding farm would later become the Martin Van Buren Historical Site in 1974.
- Martin Van Buren, born Dec. 5, 1782, in Kinderhook, New York.
- His home, Lindenwald, was turned into the Martin Van Buren National Historic Site. The Martin Van Buren Nature Trail is nearby.
- William Henry Harrison, born Feb. 9, 1773, at Berkeley Plantation, Charles City, Virginia.
- The home sits off 12602 Harrison Landing Road and near Harrison’s Point on the James River.
- John Tyler, born March, 29, 1790, at Greenway Plantation near Charles City County Courthouse, Virginia.
- The birthplace, now a private home, sits on John Tyler Memorial Highway.
- James K. Polk, born Nov., 2, 1795, in Pineville, North Carolina.
- The cabin where Polk was born and the surrounding property now make up President James K. Polk State Historic Site, 12031 Lancaster Highway, by James K. Polk Road. South Polk Street also is nearby.
- Zachary Taylor, born Nov. 24, 1784, at Montebello Plantation, Gordonsville, Virginia.
- The home, now a private residence, has a historical marker identifying the birthplace.
- Millard Fillmore, born Jan. 7, 1800, Summerhill, New York.
- The site of the log cabin where he was born, now located on Fillmore Road, has a state historical marker. Fillmore Glen State Park, Fillmore Golf Club, Millard Fillmore Elementary School and a replica of the log cabin are nearby, in and around Moravia, New York.
- Franklin Pierce, born Nov. 23, 1804 in Hillsborough, New Hampshire.
- The home where he was born has been preserved as a state landmark, Franklin Pierce Homestead Historic Site, 301 Second NH Turnpike, and sits near Franklin Pierce Lake.
- James Buchanan, born April 23, 1791 at Stony Batter near Cove Cap, Franklin County, Pennsylvania
- At Buchanan’s Birthplace State Park, 2831 Stony Batter Road, Peters Twp., a pyramid marks the site of the log cabin where Buchanan was born. James Buchanan High School is a few miles away.
** FILE ** This Jan. 11, 2008 file photo shows replica of Abraham Lincoln’s birthplace at the Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Site in Hodgenville, Ky. (AP Photo/Ed Reinke, File)
- Abraham Lincoln, born Feb. 12, 1809, on Sinking Spring Farm, Hodgenville, LaRue County, Kentucky.
- Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park, 2995 Lincoln Farm Road, Hodgenville, commemorates the site of the log cabin where Lincoln was born. Several nearby churches and businesses also honor him in their names.
- Andrew Johnson, born Dec. 29, 1808 in Raleigh, North Carolina.
- The building where Johnson was born in a detached kitchen was identified in 1887 and preserved in 1904. It was moved several times but now rests in Mordecai Historic Park in Raleigh. A granite and bronze marker in the city also identifies his birthplace.
- Ulysses S. Grant, born April 27, 1822, in Point Pleasant, Ohio.
- U.S. Grant Park, 1551 Route 232, Point Pleasant, houses the small cottage where Grant was born along the Ohio River. The Grant Memorial Bridge, also in Point Pleasant, passes over Big Indian Creek, and the scenic Route 52 was named the Grant Memorial Highway.
- Rutherford B. Hayes, born Oct. 4, 1822, at 17 E. William St., Delaware, Ohio
- A gas station today occupies the site of the home where Hayes was born, with a historical marker and flagpole denoting the spot’s significance. The town also has a Hayes Street and a statue of the president at 2 S. Sandusky St., and its high school also is named for him.
- James Garfield, born Nov. 19, 1831, in Moreland Hills, Ohio
- James A. Garfield Birth Site Park, 4350 Som Center Road, includes a replica of the cabin Garfield lived in and a statue of the young president. It’s an approximately 30-minute drive from James Garfield National Historic Site in Mentor, Ohio.
TOBY TALBOT / ASSOCIATED PRESS
This is the historic birthplace of President Chester Arthur in Fairfield, Vt., Friday, Oct. 3, 1997. Arthur, the 21st president of the United States, was born in Vermont.
- Chester A. Arthur, born Oct. 5, 1829, in Fairfield, Vermont.
- The state established President Chester Arthur Historic Site at 4588 Chester A. Arthur Road to commemorate the birthplace, but research later showed the location was wrong. A reconstructed building on the property depicts one of his homes. The President Chester A. Arthur Nature Trail explores nearby woods.
- Grover Cleveland, born March 18, 1837, in the pastor’s residence at First Presbyterian Church of Caldwell, New Jersey.
- The home is now Grover Cleveland Birthplace Historic Site, 207 Bloomfield Ave. The town also has a park, road and middle school named for Cleveland.
- Benjamin Harrison, born Aug. 20, 1833, on the farm started by his grandfather, President William Henry Harrison, in North Bend, Ohio.
- A state historic marker stands by the home, now a private residence, at Symmes and Washington avenues.
- William McKinley, born Jan. 29, 1843, in Niles, Ohio.
- The National McKinley Birthplace Memorial, 40 N. Main St., rests on the site where McKinely attended school and includes a statue of him, a museum and an auditorium. A replica of McKinley’s house and a state historical marker stand down the road at 40 S. Main St.
- Theodore Roosevelt, born Oct. 27, 1858, at 28 E. 20th St., New York City.
- The home was torn down in 1916 but later reconstructed and turned into Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace National Historic Site, part of the National Park Service. The greater New York City area includes several memorials to the president, including Theodore Roosevelt Park, a high school in the Bronx and Theodore Roosevelt U.S. Courthouse in Brooklyn. The American Museum of Natural History announced last summer it would remove its statue of Roosevelt because it “communicates a racial hierarchy that the Museum and members of the public have long found disturbing.”
- William H. Taft, Sept. 15, 1857, at 2038 Auburn Ave., Cincinnati, Ohio.
- The home is now William Howard Taft National Historic Site, and an elementary school in the city also is named after him.
- Woodrow Wilson, born Dec. 28, 1856, in the pastor’s residence of First Presbyterian Church, 24 N. Coalter St., Staunton, Virginia.
- The home is part of the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library and Museum, and the Route 262 beltway is known as Woodrow Wilson Parkway. A complex in neighboring Fishersville includes schools, a road and a rehabilitation center named for Wilson.
- Warren Harding, born Nov. 2, 1865, in Blooming Grove, Ohio.
- While the house no longer exists, a state historic marker and flagpole on Route 97 south of the town note the site’s significance.
BRIAN FULTON / STAFF PHOTO
Sign marking that Plymouth Notch, Vermont as the birthplace of Calvin Coolidge, 30th president of the United States. The sign is located on the second floor of Florence Cilley General Store in the village.
- Calvin Coolidge, born July 4, 1872 in Plymouth Notch, Vermont.
- Coolidge’s birthplace and boyhood home, along with several buildings in the village, make up the President Calvin Coolidge State Historic Site.
- Herbert Hoover, born Aug. 10, 1874 in a cottage in West Branch, Iowa.
- The cottage and several other buildings, including Hoover’s presidential library and museum, are part of Herbert Hoover National Historic Site. Herbert Hoover Highway connects West Branch with neighboring towns, while the Hoover Nature Trail, a developing rail-trail in southeastern Iowa, has completed portions in West Branch and Oasis.
- Franklin D. Roosevelt, born Jan. 30, 1882 in Hyde Park, New York
- The family estate, Springwood, and its grounds are now the Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site. The property also include Roosevelt’s presidential library and museum.
- Harry S. Truman, born May 8, 1884, in Lamar, Missouri.
- The home where Truman was born was turned into Harry S. Truman Birthplace State Historic Site. His birthday also is a public holiday in Missouri.
- Dwight D. Eisenhower, born Oct. 14, 1890, in Denison, Texas.
- In 1946, the Denison community bought and preserved the home where Eisenhower was born, and it became a state historic park in 1958. The town’s Eisenhower Veterans Memorial in Denison also features a 21-foot tall-bust of the president and Army general.
- John F. Kennedy, born May 29, 1917, at 83 Beals St., Brookline, Massachusetts.
- The Kennedy family home is now John Fitzgerald Kennedy National Historic Site.
- Lyndon B. Johnson, born Aug. 27, 1908, in Stonewall, Texas.
- In 1964, Johnson hired an architect to reconstruct his birthplace based off family photographs of the home. It is adjacent to the Johnson Ranch, and together they make up Lyndon b. Johnson National Historical Park. The adjacent Lyndon B. Johnson State Historical Park includes a living history farm, wildlife enclosures, nature trails, an amphitheater, a swimming pool, a baseball field and picnic areas.
- Richard M. Nixon, born Jan. 9, 1913, in Yorba Linda, California.
- The home where Nixon was born and spent his childhoodis now a museum and part of the Richard M. Nixon Presidential Library and Museum.
- Gerald Ford, born July 14, 1913, at 3202 Woolworth Ave., Omaha, Nebraska.
- Omaha businessman James Paxson helped turn the site of Ford’s home into the Ford Birthsite Gardens in 1974. The Nebraska State Historical Society built the Ford Conservation Center on an adjacent site. Interstate 480 in Omaha also is known as the Gerald R. Ford Expressway.
- James Carter, born Oct. 1, 1924, at Wise Sanitarium, Plains, Georgia.
- Carter was the first president born in a hospital, and a state historical maker stands in front of what is now the Lillian G. Carter Nursing Center. Plains’ Jimmy Carter National Historic Site includes Plains High School, the Carter family farm and the Plains train) depot.
BOB SPRINGER / ASSOCIATED PRESS
President Ronald Reagan’s birthplace, located in this building on Main Street, Tampico, Ill., is seen on January 21, 1984.
- Ronald Reagan, born Feb. 6, 1911, at 111-113 S. Main St., Tampico, Illinois.
- Reagan was born in a second-floor apartment above a commercial property, and today the building is the Ronald Reagan Birthplace and Museum. Tampico also includes Ronald Reagan Park, which has a historical marker and a statue of the president depicted as a 12-year-old boy standing atop a Civil War cannon.
- George H.W. Bush, born June 12, 1924, at 173 Adams St., Milton, Massachusetts.
- The home, where Bush spent the first six months of his life, is a private residence, but a marker denotes its history.
- William Clinton, born Aug. 19, 1946, at Julia Chester Hospital in Hope, Arkansas.
- A funeral home now exists where the hospital did, with a marker and flag pole recognizing the spot as Clinton’s birthplace. His boyhood home at 117 S. Hervey St. is now the President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home National Historic Site.
- George W. Bush, born July 6, 1946, at Grace-New Haven Hospital (now Yale New Haven Hospital) in New Haven, Connecticut.
- The Bushes lived at 37 Hillhouse Ave. in New Haven when he was born, which today is part of Yale University.
- Barack Obama, born Aug. 4, 1961, at Kapiolani Maternity & Gynecological Hospital in Honolulu, Hawaii.
- Hawaii was working on placing a historical marker near the hospital (now Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children) and other nearby sites significant to Obama.
- Donald Trump, born June 14, 1946, at Jamaica Hospital in Queens, New York.
- The hospital operates today as Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, and the Trump Pavilion, named in honor of Trump’s mother, Mary, opened in 1975. In 2010, a new Trump Pavilion for Nursing and Rehabilitation replaced the original one.
Have a drink
As mentioned on the episode here are the links to The Washington Post videos dealing with presidential cocktails. If you are looking to celebrate this Inauguration Day you could try one or two of the POTUS drinks.
- Warren Harding’s Champagne Cocktail
- Chester Arthur’s Highball
- Gerald Ford’s Martini
- Harry Truman’s Old Fashioned
- Teddy Roosevelt’s Mint Julep
- John Adams’ Independence Punch
- John K. Kennedy’s Daiquiri
- Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Rum Sizzle
Brian Fulton has been the librarian at The Times-Tribune for the past 15 years. On his blog, Historically Hip, he writes about the great concerts, plays/musicals and celebrity happenings that have taken place throughout NEPA. He is also the co-host of the local history podcast, Historically Hip. He competed and was crowned grand champion on an episode of NPR quiz show “Ask Me Another.” Contact: bfulton@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9140; or @TTPagesPast
