February 7, 2026 • 00:40:50

Destination: President’s Day Little Known Presidential Stories

Destination: President’s Day
Little Known Presidential Stories

For President’s Day, it’s the perfect time to share a few ” President’s Day Little Known Presidential stories – some funny and some will have you saying, “I didn’t know that.”

Take a listen to the show filled with stories. And, start planning a journey to see the many Presidential sites, monuments, libraries and childhood homes around the country.

Presidential Libraries & Museums
These are the official archival libraries and museums that preserve each president’s papers, artifacts, and exhibits on their life and presidency. 

Herbert Hoover Presidential Library & Museum

  • Location: West Branch, Iowa
  • Description: Museum & archives dedicated to President Hoover’s life and public service.
  • Website: https://www.archives.gov/presidential-libraries/hoover
  • Hours: Vary seasonally; check website.

Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library & Museum

  • Location: Hyde Park, New York
  • Description: America’s first presidential library, housing FDR’s papers and exhibits.
  • Website: https://www.archives.gov/presidential-libraries/fdr
  • Hours: Typically 10 am–5 pm (check site). 

Harry S. Truman Presidential Library & Museum

Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum & Boyhood Home

John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum

Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library & Museum

Richard Nixon Presidential Library & Museum

Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library & Museum

Jimmy Carter Presidential Library & Museum

Ronald Reagan Presidential Library & Museum

George Bush Presidential Library & Museum

William J. Clinton Presidential Library & Museum

George W. Bush Presidential Library & Museum

Barack Obama Presidential Library (In Development)

  • Location: Chicago, Illinois (Library in development)
  • Website: https://www.obamalibrary.org

Presidential Homes, Birthplaces & Historic Sites
These are historic homes, childhood homes, parks, and national historic sites where presidents were born, raised, lived, studied, or shaped their early years. Many have guided tours, interpretive exhibits, and historical programs. 

Adams National Historical Park

  • Location: Quincy, Massachusetts
  • Description: Preserves the homes of Presidents John Adams and John Quincy Adams, plus family buildings.
  • Website: https://www.nps.gov/adam
  • Hours: Seasonal; check NPS site. 

James K. Polk Home & Museum

  • Location: Columbia, Tennessee
  • Description: Home & museum of the 11th president; guided tours available.
  • Website: https://www.jameskpolk.com
  • Hours: Vary by season. 

Jimmy Carter National Historical Park

  • Location: Plains, Georgia
  • Description: Comprehensive site including Carter’s residences, boyhood farm, school, and railroad depot.
  • Website: https://www.nps.gov/jica
  • Hours: Typically daily; check online. 

James A. Garfield National Historic Site

  • Location: Mentor, Ohio
  • Description: Garfield’s estate and early presidential library.
  • Website: https://www.nps.gov/gafo
  • Hours: Seasonal; check NPS. 

The White House (Washington, D.C.)

  • Description: The People’s House and primary presidential residence. Public tours require advance reservations.
  • Website: https://www.whitehouse.gov/about-the-white-house/tours-events

Smithsonian National Museum of American History (Washington, D.C.)

Roosevelt’s Little White House Historic Site (FDR’s Retreat)

Location: Warm Springs, Georgia
What you’ll experience: FDR’s personal retreat, museum exhibits, and the setting tied to his final days.
Hours: 9:00 a.m.–4:45 p.m. daily (last entry typically near closing); closed major holidays.
Website:
Visit Roosevelt’s Little White House Official Site

Boyhood Home of President Woodrow Wilson

Location: Augusta, Georgia
What you’ll experience: Guided tours interpreting Wilson’s early life in the post–Civil War South.
Hours: Wednesday–Saturday 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. (tours on the hour; lunch closure typically 12–1).
Website:
Visit Woodrow Wilson Boyhood Home Official Site

Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum

Location: Staunton, Virginia
What you’ll experience: Museum, archives, and campus exploring Wilson’s life and presidency.
Hours: Typically 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. (check site for weather closures or seasonal changes).
Website:
https://www.woodrowwilson.org

George Washington’s Mount Vernon

Location: Mount Vernon, Virginia
What you’ll experience: Mansion, grounds, museum, and extensive interpretation including the enslaved community.
Hours:

Monticello (Thomas Jefferson)

Location: Near Charlottesville, Virginia
What you’ll experience: Jefferson’s home, exhibitions, and major interpretation of slavery and plantation life.
Hours: Seasonal / variable — daily calendar posted online.
Website:
https://www.monticello.org

Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage

Location: Nashville, Tennessee
What you’ll experience: Mansion tours, grounds, and museum interpretation of Jackson’s life and era.
Hours: Typically 9:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m. (last ticket ~3:00 p.m.).
Website:
https://thehermitage.com

Lincoln Home National Historic Site

Location: Springfield, Illinois
What you’ll experience: Lincoln’s preserved neighborhood and ranger-guided home tours.
Hours: Visitor Center usually 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Website:
https://www.nps.gov/liho

Harry S. Truman National Historic Site

Location: Independence, Missouri
What you’ll experience: Truman home tours plus related family and political sites.
Hours: Typically open Wednesday–Sunday (verify seasonal schedule).
Website:
Visit Truman National Historic Site (NPS)

Eisenhower National Historic Site

Location: Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
What you’ll experience: Eisenhower’s farm and interpretation of Cold War-era leadership and personal life.
Hours: Grounds generally sunrise–sunset (home tours seasonal).
Website:
https://www.nps.gov/eise

Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace National Historic Site

Location: Manhattan, New York City
What you’ll experience: Recreated childhood home with guided tours and exhibits.
Hours: Visitor Center typically Wednesday–Sunday, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
Website:
Visit Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace (NPS)

Sagamore Hill National Historic Site (TR Home)

Location: Oyster Bay, New York
What you’ll experience: Roosevelt’s “Summer White House,” museum exhibits, and grounds.
Hours: Grounds sunrise to sunset; museum and home tours scheduled (often reservation-based).
Website:
Visit Sagamore Hill National Historic Site (NPS)

Presidential Homes & Residences (National Parks)

Lincoln Home National Historic Site

  • President: Abraham Lincoln
  • What you’ll experience: Lincoln’s only owned home; ranger-led tours of the house and neighborhood
  • Why it matters: See Lincoln before the presidency
  • Hours: Typically 9 a.m.–5 p.m. (free tickets required)
  • Website: https://www.nps.gov/liho

Harry S. Truman National Historic Site

  • President: Harry S. Truman
  • What you’ll experience: Truman’s longtime home and related buildings
  • Why it matters: A remarkably modest life for a world-shaping president
  • Hours: Wed–Sun; seasonal variations
  • Website: https://www.nps.gov/hstr

Eisenhower National Historic Site

  • President: Dwight D. Eisenhower
  • What you’ll experience: Eisenhower’s farm, his “weekend White House”
  • Why it matters: Cold War leadership in a rural, personal setting
  • Hours: Grounds open daily; house tours ticketed
  • Website: https://www.nps.gov/eise

Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace National Historic Site

  • President: Theodore Roosevelt
  • What you’ll experience: Reconstructed boyhood home with guided tours
  • Why it matters: Where the force of nature called TR began
  • Hours: Wed–Sun, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
  • Website: https://www.nps.gov/thrb

Sagamore Hill National Historic Site

  • President: Theodore Roosevelt
  • What you’ll experience: Roosevelt’s Long Island home and grounds
  • Why it matters: Where policy, conservation, and family life mixed
  • Hours: Grounds daily; house tours seasonal
  • Website: https://www.nps.gov/sahi

Presidential Memorials (National Parks)

Lincoln Memorial

  • President: Abraham Lincoln
  • Why it matters: A national shrine to unity and freedom
  • Hours: Open 24 hours
  • Website: https://www.nps.gov/linc

Thomas Jefferson Memorial

  • President: Thomas Jefferson
  • Why it matters: Enlightenment ideals etched in stone
  • Hours: Open 24 hours
  • Website: https://www.nps.gov/thje

Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial

  • President: FDR
  • Why it matters: Tells the story of crisis leadership—Depression and WWII
  • Hours: Open 24 hours
  • Website: https://www.nps.gov/frde

Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial

  • President: Dwight D. Eisenhower
  • Why it matters: From Kansas boy to Supreme Allied Commander
  • Hours: Open 24 hours
  • Website: https://www.nps.gov/ddem

National Parks Named for Presidents

Theodore Roosevelt National Park

  • President: Theodore Roosevelt
  • What you’ll experience: Badlands landscapes that shaped Roosevelt’s conservation ethic
  • Why it matters: The only national park named directly for a president
  • Hours: Park open 24 hours (visitor centers vary)
  • Website: https://www.nps.gov/thro

Presidential Childhood & Early-Life Parks

Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park

  • President: Abraham Lincoln
  • What you’ll experience: Symbolic birthplace cabin and early family farm
  • Why it matters: Frontier roots of a future president
  • Hours: Typically 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
  • Website: https://www.nps.gov/abli

Planning Your Visit: Tips

  • Hours & Seasons: Many presidential homes or libraries have seasonal hours—especially historical homes—so always check the official site before travel.
  • Tickets & Tours: Popular places (The White House, Kennedy Library, Clinton Library) may require advance tickets or reservations.
  • Educational Programs: Many sites have living history programs, lectures, and school-friendly tours.
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