Heading to Roswell NM (Currently 40 Sunshine: Pleasant and Warmer High 78)
After JFK was assassinated in 1963 there was the idea to create a memorial for him. The response was amazing and overwhelmed the reading room in the library that was its planned location. The material also included other presidential material so it was suggested to honor all of the Presidents and thus the Presidential Archives and Leadership Library was founded and eventually moved into the entire library when a new library was built.
The lobby includes a rug that is a copy of the rug during the Truman administration. They had to get special permission from the White House for the rug weavers.
The guest book that you sign is on a desk used by then-General Dwight David Eisenhower in Paris.
There are displays throughout, the highlights include an 1840 copy of the Declaration of Independence printed in 1840 that was passed down from family member to family member but almost ending in a burn pile until it was donated. Another highlight is a pin from the George Washington inauguration. Sadly with the lighting our pictures did not turn out.
A collection of dolls throughout wearing replicas of the First Lady gowns
Portraits, for all the Presidents and First Ladies. Here are Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush.
You know you are in the south when you see the 10 Commandments on display in the lobby.
If we think that today's politicians are horrible, well they are, but they are not unique in time.
The library portion of the museum contains over 5000 books, some rare first editions are included.
Outside of the museum sits the first home that the Bush family lived in Odessa Texas from 1948-1949.
The day before we saw and blogged about the second home for the Bush family in nearby Midland. There were a couple of anecdotes about the Midland house that we forgot to mention in the blog. First, since Jeb was born in Midland that house was home to 2 future governors and 2 future presidents. Also, George W. and Donald Trump are the only Presidents that played Little League baseball.
As we were leaving the museum we saw the Bush home and we could have gone back into the museum and found somebody to open it up but decided it would have been too much of a hassle since the only staff we saw during our tour was a guy when we came in and a custodian cleaning the bathrooms when Bob wanted to use them :-)
We really enjoyed our stay here in the Midland-Odessa area. Great sightseeing, food and weather. We leave today for Roswell New Mexico and if we are not abducted by a UFO we will be there for a short stay and then head to Albuquerque.
We'll end with this cross stitched map of the original colonies/states for Bob's sister.
Till next time,
Bob and Jo
Didn't even know this place existed. That would be a great place to visit. We will be in Roswell in May so find some fun things for us to do. And, of course, good places to eat.
ReplyDeleteWe are with Sandie. We never saw this place. They don't to such a great job of advertising. Looks like a great fine. Sorry we missed it.
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