In 1998, actor Jim Carrey starred in ‘The Truman Show’ where he portrayed Truman Burbank, an ordinary guy who had unknowingly lived his entire life on a popular reality TV show. In 2021, I became a TV show star as…
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!
231: FDR ROLLED INTO INFAMY ON ‘HAIL TO THE CHIEF’
Franklin D. Roosevelt became paralyzed at the age of 39, just when his political career was about to explode. But instead of giving up, FDR strengthened his body and overcame his disability to lead our nation through some of its…
230: A TITANIC & HISTORIC PRESIDENTIAL SANDWICH ON APRIL 13th
Today, April 13, 2023, is the 280th anniversary of the birth of our third President Thomas Jefferson, who was born at his father’s Shadwell Plantation near Charlottesville, Virginia in 1743. I, on the other hand, was born in China sometime…
229: FOR WHOM THE BUZZARDS CIRCLED, THEY CIRCLED FOR THEE ON ‘HAIL TO THE CHIEF’
On May 12, 2022, my photographer and I, along with our good friend Bob Moldenhauer, embarked on what turned out to be an all-day hike just so we could visit President Herbert Hoover’s Rapidan Camp in Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park.…
228: TAKE ME TO YOUR LEADERS ON ‘HAIL TO THE CHIEF’
For the past several months, since I returned home from my last trip shortly after Thanksgiving 2022, I’ve been busy with my photographer in the GBS Media Studio in Port Huron, Michigan as we recorded episodes of our show ‘Hail…
227: RUB-A-DUB-DUB, TAFT IN A TUB ON ‘HAIL TO THE CHIEF’
There have been times in our past when the President of the United States found himself stuck in a predicament that became rather embarrASSing. That’s right, not all of our Commander-in-Chiefs have been squeaky clean; even when they’ve tried their…
226: ALIENS AMONG US AT HARDING’S TOMB
Sunday November 27, 2022 began when Tom’s alarm rang at 7 o’clock in the morning in our Springfield, Ohio hotel room. For me, it was a bittersweet moment as I figured this was likely my final trip of the year.…
225: ON ‘HAIL TO THE CHIEF’, I JUST WANT TO BE YOUR TEDDY R.
“I don’t wanna be a tiger, ’cause tigers play too rough. I don’t wanna be a lion, ’cause lions ain’t the kind you love enough. I just wanna be, your Teddy R. Put a chain around my neck and lead…
224: A DAY FILLED WITH TAFT, AND GRANT, AND WOLVERINES, OH MY!
My photographer’s alarm went off at 5:45am on Saturday November 26, 2022. Tom and I were anxious to hit the road as he had planned on the two of us visiting several William Howard Taft sites in Cincinnati before we…
223: HARRISONS, HOT DOGS, HEIRLOOMS & HEARTBURN
Once our visit to the National Museum of the United States Air Force had concluded on Friday November 25, 2022, my photographer, his wife, and I were headed south towards Cincinnati. But instead of visiting the sights in The Queen…