presidential history

1732Where was George Washington born?

George Washington, the first President of the United States, was born on the marshy banks of Pope's Creek in Westmoreland County, Virginia—not in England or at Mount Vernon, as is sometimes rumored. His actual birthplace, now preserved as the George Washington Birthplace National Monument, holds deep historical significance as the first historic site designated in the National Park System in 1930. The foundations of Washington’s birth house remained hidden for 150 years until rediscovered by archaeologists, and today, white oyster shells mark the spot just 100 feet from the Colonial Revival-style Memorial House. A striking feature is the 50-foot granite obelisk, donated by Congress and moved to its current location in 1930, which stands at one-tenth the height of the Washington Monument in the nation’s capital.

1865Why are the remains of U.S. President Abraham Lincoln resting in a concrete vault ten feet below the floor of the burial chamber?

The remains of Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, rest in a concrete vault ten feet beneath the floor of his tomb at Oak Ridge Cemetery in Springfield, Illinois. After his assassination in 1865, a near-theft of Lincoln’s body in 1876 and continuing threats led to extraordinary security measures to ensure his perpetual safety. In September 1901, his casket was identified one final time before being encased in a steel cage and entombed under 4,000 pounds of cement, making it virtually impossible to disturb. Lincoln's journey to lasting peace involved 17 moves of his casket before this remarkable burial, which remains a unique chapter in American presidential history.