“It’s time once again to pay tribute to one of our Presidents, albeit one who isn’t one of our nation’s most prominent Chief Executives.”
“As a matter of fact, most ‘normal’ Americans either forgot this man was President, or never knew the guy with two first names ever lived in the White House”
“Hopefully after you’ve read this post, you’ll know more about the President who looked a bit like Captain Kangaroo – Chester Alan Arthur.”
PRESIDENT CHESTER ARTHUR HISTORIC SITE – “Located in Fairfield, Vermont, this site was where future 21st President Chester Arthur was born on October 5, 1829.”
“The actual birth site is where I’m standing, which is a large granite marker that was dedicated in 1903 by Robert Todd Lincoln. Lincoln was President Arthur’s Secretary of War in his Cabinet.”
“The yellow, two-room house in the background is a replica of the home where Arthur was born.Since the beginning of Arthur’s political career, however, it had been rumored the President was born in Dunham, Quebec – some 30 miles north of Fairfield.”
“Funny thing was – we drove about 115 miles out of the way to visit this site; and that was one way.”
ELLEN HERNDON – “On October 25, 1859. Chester Arthur married Ellen, who was known as ‘Nell’, at the Calvary Episcopal Church in New York City. Arthur was 30 years old, while Nell was only 22. Ellen never saw her husband’s political rise – she died from pneumonia in NYC at the age of 42 on January 10, 1880.”
UNITED STATES CAPITOL – “On March 4, 1881, Chester A. Arthur recited the Oath of Office in the Senate Chambers of the U.S. Capitol at 11:30am to become the 20th Vice President of the United States. After the well-dressed Vice President delivered a short speech in the Senate Chambers, he went outside to the East Portico to participate in the Inaugural ceremony for President James Garfield.”
CHESTER ARTHUR HOME – “Located at 123 Lexington Avenue in New York City, the five-story building was home to Chester Arthur for most of his adult life.Even though I’ve visited NYC in the past, I have yet to see the Arthur home with my own resin eyes.”
“At 2:15am on September 20, 1881, Arthur recited the Presidential Oath of Office in the front parlor of his home following the death of James Garfield.”
“This walnut slant-top desk was in Chester Arthur’s Lexington Avenue home, and he signed the Presidential Oath of Office at this desk on September 20, 1881.”
“On September 22, 1881, President Arthur arrived at the Vice President’s Room inside the U.S. Capitol where Chief Justice Morrison Waite administered the Oath of Office a second time.”
THE WHITE HOUSE – “Shortly after becoming President, Arthur butted heads with Garfield’s Cabinet and most resigned – everyone except Secretary of War Robert Todd Lincoln. At the same time, President Arthur was diagnosed with Bright’s Disease. Although he tried to keep his condition private, his physical appearance began to show the effects of his disease. Arthur lost a lot of weight, and he aged a lot – at the same time, he struggled to keep the pace of the Presidency.”
MARY ARTHUR McELROY – “As sister of the widowed President, Mary was asked to serve as White House Hostess in January 1883. Due to his wife’s death in 1880, there had been no First Lady in the White House for the first year of Chester Arthur’s Presidency.”
LINCOLN COTTAGE – “Chester Arthur, like President Hayes had done before him, used “The Lincoln Cottage” as his Summer White House during the hot summer months in Washington. The cottage is located on higher ground roughly three miles from the White House. President Arthur also resided in the Lincoln Cottage during the winter of 1882 while renovations to the White House were ongoing.”
“In March 1885, after he attended the Inauguration of President Grover Cleveland, Chester Arthur returned to his home in NYC. On November 16, 1886, Arthur ordered all of his personal and official papers burned. The next day, President Arthur suffered a cerebral hemorrhage at his home and never regained consciousness. At 5:00am on November 18, 1886, Chester A. Arthur died at the age of 57.”
ALBANY RURAL CEMETERY – “The grave of our 21st President, Chester Arthur, resides in this cemetery located in Menands, New York, which is just outside of Albany. President Arthur’s funeral was held on November 22, 1886 at the Church of the Heavenly Rest in NYC. Following the service, the casket carrying the remains of our 21st President was interred in the sarcophagus above me.”
“President Arthur was laid to rest in the family plot, near the gravesite of his wife Ellen.”
“This giant bronze female angel is depicted placing a palm leaf on Arthur’s sarcophagus. The angel was added in 1889.”
“That’s my photographer posing at the grave of Chester Arthur. You’ll notice by the lack of photos, Tom hasn’t visited too many sites associated with Arthur. The two of us still need to visit Arthur’s house in NYC; as well as Captain Kangaroo’s ‘Treasure House’ where Mr. Green Jeans, Bunny Rabbit, and Mr. Moose still reside.”
“When Tom and I made our first trip together to see the grave of Chester Arthur, it was the 20th Presidential gravesite we had visited.”
“Nearly six years later, I returned to Albany Rural Cemetery with my photographer and Bob Moldenhauer.”
“Did this post leave you underwhelmed? There’s good reason for that. Chester Arthur was a very underwhelming President and one who easily gets lost within the pages of our history books.”
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!
