It had been just over eight long months since my last Presidential trip and I was getting antsy standing around with my head nodding and nowhere to go. It seemed that every night I stared in wonderment as my photographer…
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!
73: DON’T LET THE SUN GO DOWN ON ME
With Vicki at the wheel of our Avenger, we made the 54-mile drive from Greeneville to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee in a little over an hour. As we got close to our first destination, which was the Comfort Inn and Suites…
72: UPHILL BATTLE TO VISIT ANDREW JOHNSON
The alarm clock in our Lebanon, Virginia motel room went off at 7:00am, which was about an hour later than normal. I laughed to myself when I watched my photographer and his wife struggle to get out of bed. There…
71: IT’S BRISTOL, BABY!
For Vicki, Saturday August 19, 2017 was “Race Day”; or technically race night as we were headed to the Bass Pro Shops/NRA Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway that was scheduled to start at 7:30pm. For my photographer, it was…
70: I’M IN VIRGINESSE; OR IS IT TENNEGINIA?
As my photographer and his wife hurriedly pack the car at 3:30pm on Wednesday August 16, 2017 for our five-day trip to Bristol, Tennessee, all I could think of was Elvis Presley. Yes, part of Bristol is in Tennessee and…
69: INTO THE BEDROOM, NOT THE CLOSET, AT WHEATLAND
Through the window of the Courtyard by Marriott motel, I saw the weather looked perfect as my photographer and his wife packed up their belongings for the last time on the trip. It had been an amazing adventure, and I…
68: NO ROUGH RIDE TO SAGAMORE HILL
The alarm clock went off at 6:00am on Friday July 21, 2017 and my photographer and his wife had a lot of work to do before they headed towards Long Island. Cassie Diehm’s Studio was in the perfect location and…
67: FAT TOM OF THE OPERA
It was Thursday July 20, 2017 and my photographer’s wife was very excited. No, not because it was the 48th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon landing; it was the day one of her longtime wishes would come true. Since…
66. WHO’S BURIED IN GRANT’S TOMB?
The heat wave continued as we left Cassie’s apartment at 8:00am on Wednesday July 19, 2017. We made the two-block walk to the subway station and caught the ‘F’ train back into Manhattan. But on that day, however, we had…
65: IMAGINE NO SOUP FOR YOU
It was roughly a two-block walk from Cassie’s brownstone apartment to the Carroll Street subway station where we took the ‘F’ train into Manhattan. My first experience on a NYC subway train was far different than when I rode the…