When my photographer’s alarm rang at 6:00am on Friday April 26, 2024, I was anxious for our second morning in Key West, Florida to begin. While the three of us didn’t do anything but relax after we arrived at the…
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!
289: THEY MAY BE CALLED THE DRY TORTUGAS, BUT MY VISIT TO FORT JEFFERSON TURNED TO MUDD
It was still dark outside at 4:50am when Tom’s alarm woke my companions up on Thursday April 25, 2024. The early wake-up call didn’t matter much because this was the day the three of us had been waiting for since…
288: THIS BOBBLE HEAD WAS TALLAHASSEE CLASSY, DOWN TO THE F-L-A KEYS
It was nearly one-thirty in the afternoon on Tuesday April 23, 2024 when our Jeep Grand Cherokee crossed the Georgia-Florida line as Tom, Vicki, and I made our way from Plains, Georgia to the State Capitol Building in Tallahassee. Once…
287: ‘TOP JIMMY’ IN PLAINS AND THE ONLY PEANUT HE HATES
“Creaks in the night, my senses sublime. Footsteps in our room, or a step back in time? Maybe I was dreaming, or maybe it’s deja vu. But this was the home of the dead; plus, Vicki heard them too.” When…
286: IN PLAINS, I POSED WHERE JIMMY CARTER WALKED, STOOD, SAT, AND SLEPT
Even though I had an uncomfortable night due to the surgical tape wrapped around my upper body, I knew my photographer and his wife slept well as the two of them hardly moved a muscle until Tom’s alarm rang at…
285: IF YOU AIN’T FIRST, YOU’RE LAST AT TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWAY
When Tom’s alarm rang at 5:20am on Sunday April 21, 2024, I thought we might be closer to Thunder Road than Talladega. Not only did I hear the distant rumble of thunder, but I also heard the sound of rain…
284: GROUND CONTROL TO MAJOR TOM, WILL YOU FLY ME TO THE MOON IN HUNTSVILLE?
My two companions got an extra half-hour of sleep on the morning of Saturday April 20, 2024. When Tom’s alarm rang at 6:30am, we still had well over two hours before launch. Yes, I said launch, because our first and…
283: I’LL KEEP A-KNOCKIN’ ON POLK’S DOOR & SLIPPIN’ AND SLIDIN’ ON HIS FOUNTAIN
Following a 47-mile drive from Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage, Tom, Vicki, and I rolled into Columbia, Tennessee at roughly 1:45pm on April 19, 2024. It had been nearly ten years since I last visited the self-proclaimed ‘mule capital of the world’,…
282: SEVEN YEARS AFTER TRUMP’S VISIT, I TOOK A V.I.B. TOUR OF JACKSON’S HERMITAGE
My photographer had his alarm set for 6:00am on Friday April 19, 2024, but he hurriedly rolled out of the sack fifteen minutes early. As Tom sat poolside, I stood next to the television set and thought about the 256…
281: MY VISIT TO POLK’S GRAVE WAS REAL, AND IT WAS SPECTACULAR!
After a two-month wait, which seemed like an eternity, our April 18th departure day had finally arrived. My photographer’s alarm rang at 3:15am – I watched as he got himself ready and all of the gear stowed into our Jeep…