The early afternoon of Monday June 12, 2023 was hot and humid when my photographer, Bob Moldenhauer, and I arrived in downtown Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Since it was only 1:20pm, we had exactly two hours to kill before our tour of…
Author: Thomas Watson
My name is Thomas Watson and I've been a U.S. history fanatic since I was 9 years old. In 2013, I decided to take my passion to the next level when I purchased a Thomas Jefferson bobble head with the sole intention of photographing that bobble head at Presidential sites. From that first day on July 10, 2013 at Spiegel Grove in Fremont, Ohio, this journey has taken on a life of its own. Now, nearly 40,000 miles later, I thought it was time to share the experiences, stories, and photos of Jefferson's travels. Keep in mind, this entire venture has been done with the deepest respect for the men who held the office as our President; no matter what their political affiliations, personal ambitions, or public scandals may have been. This blog is intended to be a true tribute to the Presidents of the United States and this story will be told Through the Eyes of Jefferson. I hope you enjoy the ride!
251: WHILE IN TRENTON, I DISCOVERED WHY GOV. WOODROW WILSON LIVED IN PRINCETON
At 10:40am on Monday June 12, 2023, my companions and I left Princeton behind and headed for Trenton, the capital city of New Jersey. During my travels in recent years with my photographer and Bob Moldenhauer, I’ve been all around…
250: LIKE EINSTEIN, I DIDN’T BLAME GRAVITY WHEN I FELL FOR PRINCETON
Moments after my photographer’s alarm rang at 6:00am on Monday June 12, 2023, Tom received a message from the one person he loves, besides me, who said an overpass bridge on I-95 had collapsed just outside of Philadelphia. The warning…
249: A GRAVE MOMENT IN PRINCETON CAUSED BY A BURR IN MY BREECHES
We rolled into historic Princeton, New Jersey at roughly 5:15pm on Sunday June 11, 2023. Since it was so late in the day, my photographer and his friend Bob Moldenhauer knew they didn’t have enough time to see all of…
248: THE CALDWELL MANSE WHERE CLEVELAND ROCKED
At precisely six o’clock in the morning on Sunday June 11, 2023, Tom’s alarm rang in our room at The Tides Motor Inn near Bayville, New York. I woke up with a smile on my face, sparkles in my two…
247: WE ALL FALL IN LOVE SOMETIMES
“Wise men say, we’re still in Oyster Bay. Sagamore’s now a memory, Ol’ Ted’s just a stone’s throw away. Painted eyes that tried to guide me, aching legs that still mystify me, yet it’s all worth it. We all fall…
246: THE UNFORGETABLE AND NEAR-DISASTROUS ROUGH RIDE TO SAGAMORE HILL
The tires squealed. I heard my photographer cuss. Even though I was upside down in the camera case, I never heard the sound of sheet metal being crushed – and that was a good thing. Maybe it was due to…
245: A SLICE OF BASEBALL HEAVEN WITH THE GREAT BAMBINO, THE IRON HORSE, AND FATTY McGEE McGAW.
My companions were able to sleep in on Saturday June 10, 2023 when my photographer’s alarm rang at 6:00am in our room at the Amsterdam Hotel in Stamford, Connecticut. That’s right, Tom and Bob got two more hours of sleep…
244: IN SEARCH OF THE SICKLY RAT-FACED MUCKER OF CHOATE
The three of us arrived in the town of Wallingford, Connecticut around 12:15pm on Friday June 9, 2023. Tom had made special arrangements with Nicole Thomas, the Communications Office Coordinator at Choate Rosemary Hall School, for a 1:30pm tour of…
243: THE EARLY WORM GETS THE BIRD AT CHET’S DINER
I wasn’t taken by surprise when Tom’s alarm rang at 4:00am on Friday June 9, 2023. I was shocked, however, when my photographer got his large carcass off the bed and into action without any hesitation. The reason for his…