thedrifter
12-17-07, 04:48 AM
Presidential visits have history
December 17, 2007 12:36 am
BY ELLEN BILTZ
President George W. Bush's visit to Stafford County today will be his second to the Fredericksburg area this year.
In September, he had lunch with Marines at Quantico Marine Corps Base.
Around noon, Bush will speak to the three local Rotary clubs and the Chamber of Commerce. The luncheon speech, which is not open to the public, will be at the Holiday Inn on U.S. 17 in Falmouth.
Bush's visits to the region follow those of many of his presidential predecessors.
The following United States presidents have made visits to the Fredericksburg area either while in office or before:
George H.W. Bush-1992 The current president's dad campaigned for re-election here, visiting Goolrick's Modern Pharmacy, where thousands packed Caroline Street, both in support and opposition. He also stopped in the now-closed Fredericksburg Hardware.
The elder Bush also visited Montpelier in Orange County for a fundraising event, at which he spoke to a group of 450.
GERALD FORD-1975
Gerald Ford played in a Pro-Am golf tournament at Lake of the Woods.
DWIGHT EISENHOWER-1954
Dwight D. Eisenhower came to visit Fredericksburg and pay tribute to Mary Washington, George Washington's mother, in honor of Mother's Day. Eisenhower's wife, Mamie, accompanied him on the trip.
Franklin Roosevelt-1930s
A man serving tea and water to a man and woman in a limousine realized he was pouring tea for the president. Franklin D. Roosevelt was accompanied by "a very beautiful woman," the server later said. Roosevelt also made a brief stop at the train station while campaigning for president in 1932.
Calvin Coolidge-1928
Coolidge came to Fredericksburg to dedicate what's now Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park, which commemorates the area's four major Civil War battles.
warren g. harding-1921
Both Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania were stops for Harding, who was greeted by council members and the Fredericksburg mayor. While here, he watched a mock Civil War battle on the Spotsylvania and Orange county line put on by Marines.
william mckinley-1900 McKinley was escorted from the Fredericksburg train station to the courthouse by Marines when he visited to commemorate the battles of Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Wilderness and Spotsylvania Court House.
grover cleveland-1894
While Eisenhower came to pay his tribute to the Mary Washington Monument during his presidency, a much earlier leader was there for its dedication. Grover Cleveland was in Fredericksburg for the event and later a banquet at the Fredericksburg Opera House on Caroline Street. He also frequented Widewater in North Stafford.
Ulysses S. Grant-1864
Spotsylvania and Orange counties weren't just campaign stops for Grant, although he did a little of that, too. He spent most of his time there leading Union forces in the Civil War.
Abraham Lincoln-1862
Fredericksburg residents were visited by two "presidential" men. The United States president, Lincoln, made a speech on the steps of the National Bank on Princess Anne Street. But Jefferson Davis, the man Confederate soldiers thought of as their commander-in-chief, stayed at the Doswell House.
Andrew Jackson-1833
Jackson honored Mary Washington before her monument ever existed. He traveled to Fredericksburg to celebrate laying the cornerstone on Washington Avenue for the monument that would be built 60 years later.
James Monroe-1786
The most recent president to live in Fredericksburg was here more than 200 years ago. Monroe, a native of Westmoreland County, practiced law for three years in the city and his first child was born on Caroline Street.
Thomas Jefferson-1777
The Statute of Religious Freedom was born in Fredericksburg and was written here by Jefferson. The document was the basis for the first amendment to the Constitution. Jefferson also switched horses in the city on multiple trips to Philadelphia from Monticello. He also visited years later during his vice presidency.
George Washington-1738
When he was six years old, Stafford County became home to the man who would be the first United States president. Washington lived in the county until he was 20. After becoming president, he returned to the area, where he visited his sister, Betty Washington Lewis, at her Fredericksburg home, Kenmore Plantation, in 1791.
James Madison-1723
Madison was born in King George County. He later made his home at Montpelier in Orange.
Ellen Biltz: 540/374-5424
Email: ebiltz@freelancestar.com
Ellie
December 17, 2007 12:36 am
BY ELLEN BILTZ
President George W. Bush's visit to Stafford County today will be his second to the Fredericksburg area this year.
In September, he had lunch with Marines at Quantico Marine Corps Base.
Around noon, Bush will speak to the three local Rotary clubs and the Chamber of Commerce. The luncheon speech, which is not open to the public, will be at the Holiday Inn on U.S. 17 in Falmouth.
Bush's visits to the region follow those of many of his presidential predecessors.
The following United States presidents have made visits to the Fredericksburg area either while in office or before:
George H.W. Bush-1992 The current president's dad campaigned for re-election here, visiting Goolrick's Modern Pharmacy, where thousands packed Caroline Street, both in support and opposition. He also stopped in the now-closed Fredericksburg Hardware.
The elder Bush also visited Montpelier in Orange County for a fundraising event, at which he spoke to a group of 450.
GERALD FORD-1975
Gerald Ford played in a Pro-Am golf tournament at Lake of the Woods.
DWIGHT EISENHOWER-1954
Dwight D. Eisenhower came to visit Fredericksburg and pay tribute to Mary Washington, George Washington's mother, in honor of Mother's Day. Eisenhower's wife, Mamie, accompanied him on the trip.
Franklin Roosevelt-1930s
A man serving tea and water to a man and woman in a limousine realized he was pouring tea for the president. Franklin D. Roosevelt was accompanied by "a very beautiful woman," the server later said. Roosevelt also made a brief stop at the train station while campaigning for president in 1932.
Calvin Coolidge-1928
Coolidge came to Fredericksburg to dedicate what's now Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park, which commemorates the area's four major Civil War battles.
warren g. harding-1921
Both Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania were stops for Harding, who was greeted by council members and the Fredericksburg mayor. While here, he watched a mock Civil War battle on the Spotsylvania and Orange county line put on by Marines.
william mckinley-1900 McKinley was escorted from the Fredericksburg train station to the courthouse by Marines when he visited to commemorate the battles of Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Wilderness and Spotsylvania Court House.
grover cleveland-1894
While Eisenhower came to pay his tribute to the Mary Washington Monument during his presidency, a much earlier leader was there for its dedication. Grover Cleveland was in Fredericksburg for the event and later a banquet at the Fredericksburg Opera House on Caroline Street. He also frequented Widewater in North Stafford.
Ulysses S. Grant-1864
Spotsylvania and Orange counties weren't just campaign stops for Grant, although he did a little of that, too. He spent most of his time there leading Union forces in the Civil War.
Abraham Lincoln-1862
Fredericksburg residents were visited by two "presidential" men. The United States president, Lincoln, made a speech on the steps of the National Bank on Princess Anne Street. But Jefferson Davis, the man Confederate soldiers thought of as their commander-in-chief, stayed at the Doswell House.
Andrew Jackson-1833
Jackson honored Mary Washington before her monument ever existed. He traveled to Fredericksburg to celebrate laying the cornerstone on Washington Avenue for the monument that would be built 60 years later.
James Monroe-1786
The most recent president to live in Fredericksburg was here more than 200 years ago. Monroe, a native of Westmoreland County, practiced law for three years in the city and his first child was born on Caroline Street.
Thomas Jefferson-1777
The Statute of Religious Freedom was born in Fredericksburg and was written here by Jefferson. The document was the basis for the first amendment to the Constitution. Jefferson also switched horses in the city on multiple trips to Philadelphia from Monticello. He also visited years later during his vice presidency.
George Washington-1738
When he was six years old, Stafford County became home to the man who would be the first United States president. Washington lived in the county until he was 20. After becoming president, he returned to the area, where he visited his sister, Betty Washington Lewis, at her Fredericksburg home, Kenmore Plantation, in 1791.
James Madison-1723
Madison was born in King George County. He later made his home at Montpelier in Orange.
Ellen Biltz: 540/374-5424
Email: ebiltz@freelancestar.com
Ellie