In anticipation of Presidents Day on Monday, Fun Facts Fridays gives tidbits about former U.S. Presidents. The story of Presidents Day begins in 1800 following the death of President George Washington (1732-1799). The February 22 birthday of the first President became an annual day of remembrance. In 1879 President Rutherford Hayes (1822-1893) signed the federal holiday into law, initially applying it only to D.C. but by 1885 to the whole country. Washington’s Birthday was the first holiday to celebrate the life of an individual American. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, signed into law in 1983 by President Ronald Regan (1911-2004), was the second.
The shift from calling the holiday Washington’s Birthday to Presidents Day began in the late ’60s, when Congress proposed a measure known as the Uniform Monday Holiday Act to create more three-day weekends for the nation’s workers. The Act took effect in 1971 by an executive order from President Richard Nixon (1913-94). Washington’s Birthday changed from the fixed date of February 22 to the third Monday of February. By the early 2000s, the holiday as Presidents Day took root — though it often continues to highlight the lives of esteemed Presidents Washington and Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865).
A DOZEN FACTS
- Once elected President of the United States of America, the individual never loses the title. Indeed Mr. President joins an elite men’s club — though in theory it’s no longer for men only — of 44, four of whom plus the incumbent are alive. A four story townhouse at Jackson Place in Washington opens its doors exclusively to the club’s members.
- Over half the U.S. presidents were born in four states: Virginia (8), Ohio (7), New York (5) and Massachusetts (4).
- Twenty-nine states haven’t produced any presidents. Most are in the west and didn’t exist when the country was founded. Arizona claims two presidential candidates: Barry Goldwater (born in Phoenix in 1909 when Arizona was still a territory) and John McCain (who represented Arizona in Congress and the Senate from 1982-2000).
- William Taft (1857-1930) was the first president (in office 1909-12) to have an official White House automobile: a White Motor Company Model M seven-passenger steam-powered touring car that cost $4,000. After President Kennedy’s assassination, the military and government began examining the vehicles more closely. By the time of President Barak Obama (1961- ), the cars are created from the ground up at a cost of about $1.5 million. The new limo is aptly named The Beast.
- In 1903, toy store owner and inventor Morris Michtom placed two stuffed bears in his shop window, advertising them as Teddy bears. President Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919) had given Michom permission to use his nickname. Other toy manufacturers started turning out copies of the stuffed bears. They soon appeared in most households in the nation.
- Herbert Hoover (1874–1964) was the first president to give his federal paycheques of $75,000/yr to charity. John Kennedy is the only other president to donate his salary of $100,000/yr.
- Three presidents died on the Fourth of July: John Adams and Thomas Jefferson (both in 1826 on the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence) and James Monroe (1831). President Calvin Coolidge was born on July 4th, 1872.
- Eight presidents died in office: William Harrison (1773-1841), Zachary Taylor (1774-1850), Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865), James Garfield (1831-1881), William McKinley (1843-1901), Warren Harding (1865-1923), Franklin Roosevelt (1882-1945), and John Kennedy (1917-1963).
- Franklin Roosevelt is the longest serving President, completing three full terms and dying two months and 23 days into a fourth (in office 1933-1945). However, the 22nd Amendment, ratified on February 27, 1951, establishes a two-term limit for presidents.
- Dwight Eisenhower (1890-1969), in office from 1953-61, was the first president to preside over fifty states. Hawaii and Alaska were admitted to the union in 1959. He also gave permanent status to FDR’s presidential retreat in Maryland, changing its name from Shangri-la to Camp David. “Shangri-la was just a little too fancy for a Kansas farm boy,” he said.
- Email was introduced to the White House in 1992 and George W. Bush (1946- ) was the first president to use the new technology. (He was also the first president to complete a marathon, finishing the Houston Marathon with a time of 3 hours, 44 minutes and 52 seconds on January 24, 1993.) Bill Clinton’s (1946- ) administration developed the White House’s first web site, which debuted on October 20, 1994.
- Three presidents have won Grammy Awards for Best Spoken Word Album: Bill Clinton (My Life, 2004), Jimmy Carter (Our Endangered Values, 2006, A Full Life, 2015 and Faith—A Journey for All, 2018), and Barack Obama (Dreams From My Father, 2005 and The Audacity of Hope, 2007).
Please add your fun facts about U.S. Presidents in the comments below. •
P.S. In summer 1926, White Pine Camp in the Adirondacks of New York State served as the seasonal White House for President Calvin Coolidge (1872-1933) and his family. In summer 2017, Glen, Marina, Andrew, our grandchildren Henry and Charlie, and I stayed for a week at that very Camp.
Al Frank says
Some additional presidential fun facts:
Martin Van Buren holds the title of the first president to be born in the U.S
James Buchanan holds the record of being the only bachelor to be president
Donald Trump is the third president to (allegedly) donate his salary to charity.
Pam McPhail says
Excellent additional fun facts, Al. Yes, the 8th President was the first to be born in the U.S. Our 3rd Prime Minister, John Abbott, was born in Lower Canada (now Quebec).
Ian Wallace says
Pam, congratulations on your fascinating array of presidential information. If I may, I will add a few more items, a few from distant memory…
George W Bush was a swift marathon runner but he was not considered to be the fittest president. That honour goes to John Quincy Adams who reputedly swam regularly in the Potomac.
Who was the tallest/ shortest president? Abraham Lincoln (6’4”) and James Madison (5’4”)
Which president’s wife was the first to serve ice cream in the White House? Dolly Madison.
Who was the only president whose first language was not English? Martin Van Buren (Dutch)
A few presidents were notorious philanderers. On the other hand, these three were/are known to be devoted to their wives: Harry Truman, Jimmy Carter, and Barack Obama.
Which president is recognised as the most vain, obnoxious, unprincipled, dishonest, incompetent, and downright wicked of them all? Yes, it is Donald J Trump.
Apologies for any errors!
Pam McPhail says
Good additions, Ian. Thanks. Although there are no errors in your facts, devoted husband Jimmy Carter famously/infamously confessed: “I’ve looked on a lot of women with lust. I’ve committed adultery in my heart many times.”
Brandon says
Who needs school when ya can just come to Sunset Years and get educated!?
Pam McPhail says
“OOOOh FUNNY!” — as said by Al Pacino.
Rick says
In a recent trivia pursuit contest the question was “who was the youngest U.S. President?” Hint, you have named that person in your article. I got it wrong. I suspect many of your readers will as well. Let us have some non researched submissions with the answer to follow in due course.
Pam McPhail says
I don’t know the answer, Rick, to your question. But Ian appears to. I wonder if Mr. Trivia himself (Tim) would get it right?
Ian Wallace says
The youngest president to assume office was Teddy Roosevelt. The youngest elected was JFK
Pam McPhail says
Well done, Ian! My research confirms your answers. Teddy Roosevelt assumed the presidency at age 42 after William McKinley was assassinated in 1901. JFK was elected at age 43, Bill Clinton at 46 and Barak Obama at 47. Donald Trump is the oldest person to be elected at age 70 — but that fact may change in 2020.
Rick says
If the Donald wins the race in 2020 does that make him the oldest elected and re-elected president? Just wonderin’
Rick
P.S. Well done Ian. But I think we have to go with Teddy as “the youngest U.S. president” don’t you think?