Every National Park Dedicated to an American President

[@AbqDez]

I like being able to look at how style and architecture have changed over the years. It can be difficult to find examples of what homes of the past looked like. But specifically the Birthplace homes ( from before they were presidents ) are a wonderful walk through the history of America architecture.

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Very true! And in a lot of cases, they are original. I just visited the GW Birthplace Home, which isn't original, but even then they had very detailed historical accounts of surrounding architecture and did their best to recreate it as accurate as possible. TR Birthplace in NYC is like this too.

[@rachel6348]

John Adams looks like the Gerber baby

[@NationalParkDiaries]

😳😂

[@4351steve]

The picture of the Longhorns is not from the LBJ Ranch. The longhorns are in the Johnson City, just west of the boyhood home in the Johnson Settlement. The Johnson Settlement interprets President Johnson’s Texas heritage and is the location of his Grandfather’s cabin that centered around the post civil war cattle drives. I worked as a Park Ranger at LBJNHP in the 1980’s, I gave tours of the Boyhood home, the reconstructed Birthplace, and Bus tours of the ranch. I also did living history at the settlement. Mrs. Johnson was in residence at the time at the LBJ Ranch when not in Austin.

[@NationalParkDiaries]

But both are still part of LBJ National Historical Park? Different units, yes, but still part of the same overall park, which is what this video is about.

[@4351steve]

⁠@@NationalParkDiariesThe ranch and the boyhood home are the same unit. They are 12 miles apart. The boyhood home is in Johnson City and the ranch just NE of Stonewall. I understand the viewpoint of the Reagan administrators. The Park Service failed to appropriately care for the ranch house while Mrs. Johnson was in residence. There is structural damage to the ranch house that the existing maintenance leadership ailed to mitigate during the 1980’s and 1990’s. Then the park service after Mrs. Johnson’s death compromised the hanger and its historic integrity. The boyhood home was restored by LBJ prior to the Park Services involvement in the site. So the furniture has no historic value. LBJ pushed the settlement area on the NPS as having an important impact on him. Since many of the original park staff had close association with LBJ as friends, associates, or neighbors. The site and its story almost had a feeling of propaganda rather than history in the 1970’s and 1980’s. I had the opportunity to visit the interior of the ranch house a couple of times while Lady Bird was in residence in the 1980’s. And had chance to tour the house about 10 years ago. I was glad to see the attempt to return the interior to representative of the 1960’s during the presidency. My understanding is that ranch house is currently closed because of structural issues. I don’t believe the park is budgeted as well now compared to when Lady Bird as alive and it was considered a VIP park. Mrs. Johnson drew a lot of visitors as well as the rich and famous that were here guests. It is now just a little back water unit.

[@4351steve]

This is a great episode, and it is nice to see something I am familiar with covered.

[@Timbeon]

Kinda beautifully ironic that Ronnie's famous hatred for government oversight is the reason why his historic sites are falling into disrepair instead of being properly managed and maintained by professional historians, curators, interpreters, etc.

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Something tells me that's the way he would have wanted it...😩

[@travingalloverthemap8375]

I wish you would have covered not just the national parks but also the private museums too but I know your channel is national Parks.

[@NationalParkDiaries]

There would be too many! I had to cut this video down somehow 😂

[@Mark-cg2bg]

What a nice episode! Gave me some great ideas for upcoming travel. I wanted to add (since you mentioned Eleanor Roosevelt) that the Lady Bird Johnson Park is on NPS land adjacent to the LBJ Memorial Grove along the Potomac. Thanks, again, for your outstanding work!

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Right? I keep a list of all NPS units so that when I travel I can see which ones will be near me, and often there's a Presidential home/birthplace nearby, which have always been fun to travel too. I've found the staff at these parks are also super knowledgeable and passionate about their Presidents!

[@zachesherman]

I dropped by Andrew Johnson’s home in Greenville some years back. It’s really beautiful. It has a spring in the back and views of the mountains.

[@arduous1914]

Great video! I hope they get the Ronald Reagan one and make one for Obama, as he was the first black president so I’d say rather significant

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Would love to see an Obama park as well - I think that's only a matter of time 👍

[@ElLocoMonkey2012]

As much as Reagan is meh for me, his library with Air Force One in Simi Valley is pretty sick

[@jimtaggart455]

While not dedicated to him, the Saxton-McKinley House is part of the First Ladies NHS in Canton, OH.

[@benty444]

Came here to say this too

[@NationalParkDiaries]

I'm thinking First Ladies NHS needs it's own video!

[@gtbkts]

Thank you for all the amazing videos and awesome content!!!

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Thanks for watching!

[@UTubefy]

I just had the delight of taking my children’s children to the Lady Bird Johnson Grove , a unit of the NPS Redwoods - you could add that to the First Ladies’ list.

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Great to know, thank you!

[@grantdickerson6103]

this channel is so good

[@NationalParkDiaries]

❤🙏❤

[@TheSiemek]

I cried laughed at Reagan’s part. Good luck operating a PUBLIC place like a business. For a person from outside the US this is just funniest thing ever.

[@keithstewart2639]

Thanks for the video and the information

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Thanks for watching!

[@J3scribe]

Well done. I learned quite a bit.

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Thanks for watching!

[@kosjeyr]

Great video! I know some places you've done have led to controversy in the comments section but I don't see this being one at all as this is geared towards history.

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Appreciate it!

[@skysthelimitvideos]

It’s kinda weird to having parks dedicated to still living politicians but I guess it’s better to preserve them now then have to buy them later. Also perhaps you could do a sequel with state/local/private parks dedicated to presidents.

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Good point! I know with Carter and Clinton, both were very involved with the creation of those parks themselves.

[@ericwilkerson2598]

Since you mentioned the Eleanor Roosevelt NHS, I think a mention of the First Ladies National Historic Site, which is also the home of First Lady Ida McKinley, would be appropriate.

[@NationalParkDiaries]

I only mentioned it because of it's proximity to the FDR site. First Ladies honestly deserves it's own video!

[@horizon42q]

You missed Grant’s Cottage. They should add Grants Birthplace & Boyhood home. I can’t believe they ignored these very important sites that need preservation. Also, should add Ronald Reagan birthplace too.

[@NationalParkDiaries]

If you're referring to Grant's Cottage in New York, that's maintained and preserved by the State, not the NPS. Grant's birthplace is also preserved, again, just not by the NPS - the Ohio historical society maintains that site. That's a common arrangement with many Presidential homes I've found. Lots ARE preserved, just not all of them are included in the National Park System (Reagan falls under this as well).

[@mmcwenie]

National Capitol Parks unit has the US Grant Memorial and the James Garfield Memorials which are on the west side of the U.S. Capitol in between the Capitol and the Capitol Reflecting Pool.

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Thanks for the info!

[@MatthewChenault]

4:25 We - in educated circles - call this a “temple.” This is a temple to Lincoln, which might seem absurd to think of it like that, but I think best encapsulates it.

[@MatthewChenault]

I haven’t been to any of these NPS cites, but I’ve been to Monticello (though I wouldn’t recommend it); Berkeley Plantation, the birthplace and home of William Henry Harrison; and Shirley Plantation, the birthplace and home of John Tyler. I’ve also been to the Eppes House, which was used as the headquarters for Benjamin F. Butler during the Bermuda Hundred Campaign and by Ulysses S. Grant during the Petersburg Campaign. There’s also the White House of the Confederacy, which was where Jefferson Davis lived during his time as the President of the Confederate States of America (I’m counting this due to importance). I’ve visited where James Monroe and John Tyler are buried (Hollywood Cemetery’s President’s Circle) and where Jefferson Davis is buried (Jeff Davis circle, where he, his wife, and his many children are buried). In either case, a lot of the birthplaces of the other presidents who don’t have an NPS location are still preserved. In the case of Berkeley and Shirley Plantations, they are privately owned residences, which are open to the public for tours due to their historical significance. Berkeley plantation - in particular - has a rich history starting back as early as 1619, extending into the American War for Independence, towards William Henry Harrison’s Presidency, and was used as a headquarters by McClellan after the Seven Days Battles, which saw Abraham Lincoln visit the (abandoned, at the time) plantation house.

[@NationalParkDiaries]

I'm glad a lot of these places are protected, for sure. This channel focuses a lot on National Parks of course, but I'm very much in the camp of protection and preservation overall for historic sites like these. Gonna have to check a few of these out if I'm in the area!

[@MatthewChenault]

@@NationalParkDiaries, yes, do so! The NPS has its Richmond Battlefield Park division in the area, which protects a few areas, but a lot of sites are protected by the state or county governments and by private groups.

[@jezreelthomas6612]

Can you do Dolores national monument

[@NationalParkDiaries]

I've been following this recently. It's possible I'll make a video about it, thanks for the suggestion!

[@psychlops924]

No Ford’s Theatre for Lincoln? Seems like an odd choice, seeing as he’s the main reason it’s a historic site. I also would have included Longfellow House/Washington’s Headquarters in Boston for GW, because he lived there for a good portion of the Revolutionary War.

[@psychlops924]

The Jefferson Memorial in DC is really cool, I hope you get to do a longer video on National Mall sites because that one deserve to be highlighted more. How do Monroe, Madison, and Jackson not have NPS sites but Martin van Buren does? Lol seems like a serious oversight.

[@NationalParkDiaries]

I've come to learn that the Presidential sites protected under the NPS follow no rhyme or reason lol. In most cases, the Park Service is not the original operator of the site, and only takes over after, say, the non-profit isn't able to anymore, mostly for financial reasons if I had to guess. Like, Monticello and Mt. Vernon are very popular, and thus bring in a lot of money, which can then be reinvested to maintain the site, but a place like Martin Van Buren's home can't really without the help of the NPS. The Reagan home almost had this happen as well since it's visitation started to dwindle, but another non-profit took over the site, rather than the NPS. Basically, each place has unique circumstances for whether or not he NPS gets involved

[@NationalParkDiaries]

A few sites were right on the borderline with my criteria tbh. Ultimately chose not to include them, but just as easily could have

[@mow4it]

You didnt show truman house but the farm site which didnt talk about.

[@davesmilie3082]

Washington never lived in the White House. Adams was the first President to live there.

[@robertwidger6888]

That's what he said.

[@meganstahlberger608]

Which ones do you think should have more or less?

[@NationalParkDiaries]

I'm always surprised FDR doesn't have more

[@tHebUm18]

The Reagan situation resulting in not having one is hilarious.

[@NationalParkDiaries]

It's certainly very fitting 😂

[@hcwalker16]

I would make a case for Ford’s Theatre belonging under the Abraham Lincoln category.

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Definitely could have included it. It was borderline on my, admittedly very unscientific, criteria. Ultimately just chose not too

[@Benno101able]

Great video I always enjoy your research and factual information that goes into your videos !!

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Thanks so much, that means a lot!

[@cdineaglecollapsecenter4672]

Mount Rushmore - 3 surveyors & some other guy.

[@robertwidger6888]

Adams National Historic Site is in Braintree, MA just south of Boston, not in Boston. I agree about TR. I worked at Sagamore Hill for many years and look forward to seeing the only TR site I have not been to, TR NP. They say that the Elkhorn Ranch Unit, although hard to get to, has a vibe not to be missed even though the house no longer exists. Also, TR Birthplace is also a best guess reconstruction. The NPS initially did not want it for that reason but is was a condition by the TR Association to get Sagamore Hill so they took it.

[@NationalParkDiaries]

Sagamore Hill and TR NP are the two I haven't been to yet. I'm honestly MOST excited about visiting the Elkhorn Ranch unit compared to the others, but I just really love TR and find it fascinating to see the places that influenced him and his values. Great insight into the other TR parks, thanks for sharing!

[@Styphon]

Trump doesn't need his own national park. Just name the outhouses in the existing parks after him.