<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/" xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/" xmlns:georss="http://www.georss.org/georss" xmlns:geo="http://www.w3.org/2003/01/geo/wgs84_pos#" > <channel> <title>Reese Fiscelli – THROUGH THE EYES OF JEFFERSON</title> <atom:link href="https://eyesofjefferson.com/tag/reese-fiscelli/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" /> <link>https://eyesofjefferson.com</link> <description>Presidential site adventures as told by a bobble head</description> <lastBuildDate>Wed, 27 Nov 2024 22:35:51 +0000</lastBuildDate> <language>en-US</language> <sy:updatePeriod> hourly </sy:updatePeriod> <sy:updateFrequency> 1 </sy:updateFrequency> <generator>https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.1</generator> <site xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">167670250</site> <item> <title>319: THE YELLOW BRICK ROAD OF THE GARFIELD TRAIL LED US TO THE WIZARD OF MENTOR FARM</title> <link>https://eyesofjefferson.com/319-the-yellow-brick-road-of-the-garfield-trail-led-us-to-the-wizard-of-mentor-farm/</link> <comments>https://eyesofjefferson.com/319-the-yellow-brick-road-of-the-garfield-trail-led-us-to-the-wizard-of-mentor-farm/#respond</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Thomas Watson]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Wed, 27 Nov 2024 15:52:10 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Helen Newell Garfield]]></category> <category><![CDATA[James A. Garfield]]></category> <category><![CDATA[James A. Garfield Memorial]]></category> <category><![CDATA[James R. Garfield grave]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Joseph Stanley-Brown]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Lake View Cemetery]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Levi Schofield mausoleum]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Lucretia Garfield]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Mentor Municipal Cemetery]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Mollie Garfield Stanley-Brown]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Reese Fiscelli]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Thomas Jefferson]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Thomas Jefferson bobble head]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Tim Garfield]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Vicki Watson]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://eyesofjefferson.com/?p=43921</guid> <description><![CDATA[My photographer’s wife was behind the wheel of our Jeep Grand Cherokee, and I was inside the padded camera case in the back seat alongside Tom’s granddaughter, Reese Fiscelli, when we left the James A. Garfield National Historic Site in…]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[ <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">My photographer’s wife was behind the wheel of our Jeep Grand Cherokee, and I was inside the padded camera case in the back seat alongside Tom’s granddaughter, Reese Fiscelli, when we left the James A. Garfield National Historic Site in the rearview mirror. Timewise, we were a little bit behind schedule, but that was perfectly fine because the extra time we spent at Lawnfield with Reese was worth it. The ten-year-old absolutely loved the Garfield’s ‘Mentor Farm’ and it was priceless to see the enthusiasm on her face.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">It was just about 12:30pm on Saturday November 16, 2024 and we had one final stop left on our ‘Life of Garfield Tour’ – we were headed to the James A. Garfield Memorial in Lake View Cemetery. And while I absolutely love visiting Presidential gravesites, I admit, that tomb gives me the heebie-jeebies. And for good reason – Tom has taken me to the Garfield Memorial five times over the years, and each time something mysterious or unexplained has happened to me, including me getting decapitated in 2013 by an unknown someone or something.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">My sixth visit to Lake View Cemetery would have to wait, however, as Tom decided to make a quick detour to another burial ground that was just a little over two miles down the road from Lawnfield. When my photographer asked his wife to pull into the Mentor Municipal Cemetery, he told Vicki there was a special gravesite he wanted to visit with his granddaughter.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">Once parked, Tom carried me on foot to a pair of rectangular shaped granite markers that were very low to the ground. When he placed me on one of the headstones, I saw it was the final resting place of James Garfield – James Rudolph Garfield, that is. As my photographer snapped a few images of me posing on the gravesite, he explained to Reese that James R. Garfield was the President’s son and the great-grandfather of Tim Garfield, whom she met the day before at Hiram College.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">James R. Garfield was fifteen years old when he and his older brother, Harry, heard gunshots ring out at the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad Station on July 2, 1881. Their father, the President of the United States, had just been shot as the boys waited for the train and their trip to Williams College in Massachusetts. Eighty days later, James and Harry, along with their three siblings, would become fatherless.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">After passing the Ohio bar and establishing the Garfield and Garfield law firm in Cleveland, James R. was elected to the Ohio State Senate at the age of 31. A few years later, Garfield became a friend and huge supporter of President Theordore Roosevelt, and during TR’s second term in office, James accepted the position of Secretary of the Interior. Following Roosevelt’s second term, Garfield returned to his law practice; but campaigned heavily for Roosevelt during his bid for a third term in the 1912 Presidential election. When his friend lost the election to Woodrow Wilson, Garfield made an unsuccessful bid to be elected as Governor of Ohio in 1914. That defeat spelled the end of James’ political aspirations.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">James R. Garfield lived to the age of 84 when he passed away in Cleveland on March 24, 1950. He was laid to rest alongside his wife of 40 years, Helen Newell Garfield, who died in 1930 from injuries sustained in an automobile accident.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">Usually, my photographer and I do not go out of our way to visit the final-resting places of Presidential children, unless of course they are buried with their famous father. But in the case of James R. Garfield, I heard Tom tell Reese he felt a special bond to James Rudolph after spending most of the previous day with his great-grandson Tim Garfield. This visit was meant as our personal salute to Tim as much as it was to Tim’s great-grandfather.</p> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" width="800" height="572" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-93.jpg?resize=800%2C572&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43928" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-93.jpg?w=1800&ssl=1 1800w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-93.jpg?resize=300%2C214&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-93.jpg?resize=1024%2C732&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-93.jpg?resize=768%2C549&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-93.jpg?resize=1536%2C1097&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-93.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Posing on the grave marker of James Rudolph Garfield was a pleasure for me as James was the son of a President and a Cabinet member of another President. But more importantly, at least to Tom, Reese, and me, James was the great-grandfather of our new friend, Tim Garfield.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="800" height="572" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-94.jpg?resize=800%2C572&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43929" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-94.jpg?w=1800&ssl=1 1800w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-94.jpg?resize=300%2C214&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-94.jpg?resize=1024%2C732&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-94.jpg?resize=768%2C549&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-94.jpg?resize=1536%2C1097&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-94.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">When James R. Garfield passed away on March 24, 1950, he had survived his father by 68 1/2 years. Garfield was also the last surviving member of President Theodore Roosevelt’s cabinet.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="800" height="1112" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/JAMES-R-GARFIELD.jpg?resize=800%2C1112&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43931" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/JAMES-R-GARFIELD.jpg?w=1079&ssl=1 1079w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/JAMES-R-GARFIELD.jpg?resize=216%2C300&ssl=1 216w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/JAMES-R-GARFIELD.jpg?resize=737%2C1024&ssl=1 737w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/JAMES-R-GARFIELD.jpg?resize=768%2C1068&ssl=1 768w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">James Rudolph Garfield, son of James A.; great-grandfather of Tim Garfield; and good friend of Theodore Roosevelt.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="572" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/REESE-AT-JAMES-R-GRAVE.jpg?resize=800%2C572&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43930" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/REESE-AT-JAMES-R-GRAVE.jpg?w=1800&ssl=1 1800w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/REESE-AT-JAMES-R-GRAVE.jpg?resize=300%2C214&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/REESE-AT-JAMES-R-GRAVE.jpg?resize=1024%2C732&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/REESE-AT-JAMES-R-GRAVE.jpg?resize=768%2C549&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/REESE-AT-JAMES-R-GRAVE.jpg?resize=1536%2C1097&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/REESE-AT-JAMES-R-GRAVE.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Reese wanted to pay her respects at the gravesite by placing ‘Mollie’ on the headstone.</figcaption></figure></div> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">When our fifteen-minute visit to Mentor Municipal Cemetery had ended, Reese picked up Mollie; my photographer grabbed me; and the four of us were back in the Jeep with Vicki for the 23-mile drive to Lake View Cemetery. </p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">It was a few minutes after one o’clock in the afternoon when my photographer’s wife drove through the front gates of Lake View Cemetery, which had been founded in 1869. Because most of the leaves had fallen from the trees within the large burial ground, it didn’t take long before we saw the 180-foot-tall Garfield Memorial as it stood majestically above the barren trees in the distance. As soon as we were close enough for the impressive final-resting place of our 20th President to fill the entire windshield of our Jeep, I heard Reese say to her grandfather from the backseat, “That’s a gravesite? Oh my gosh, I can’t believe how big it is. Now I see why it’s your favorite, Papa.”</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">At that moment, as my photographer’s wife was parking the Jeep along the roadway near the backside of the memorial, I wondered if Tom would tell his granddaughter about all of our “weird encounters” we’ve experienced over the years at this site. But he didn’t, and I thought that was a good decision as the stories may have kept Reese from wanting to venture inside. And the more I thought about it, I was nervous to go back inside the tomb myself.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">With a spring in her step, a gleam in her eyes, and a toy squirrel in her hands, the young ten-year-old bounced up the twenty steps of the memorial where she patiently waited for her grandparents and me by the twin black steel doors at the entrance. Both Tom and Vic ascended the steps slowly, with their bad knees and achy joints reminding the pair they weren’t children anymore. And due to my cracked, glued, puttied, and wrapped legs, I was thankful I got to ride along in my photographer’s camera bag.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">The steel doors were closed, but when Reese knocked on one of them, the echo made it seem like we were in the scene from the movie ‘The Wizard of Oz’ when Dorothy and her friends first arrived at the Emerald City. Suddenly, the large metallic door slowly opened, and we were welcomed into the memorial. Reese and Mollie played the part of Dorothy and Toto, Vicki was the Cowardly Lion, Tom was cast in the role of the brainless Scarecrow, and I was stuck portraying the heartless tin guy. The five of us had arrived to visit the Wizard of Mentor Farm.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">Inside, Reese was Immediately awestruck when she saw the twelve-foot-tall white Carrara marble statue of Congressman James A. Garfield, which was positioned in the center of the memorial beneath a circular chandelier and surrounded by 14 stained-glass windows. In my mind, had the statue been able to speak, it would likely say, “I am James, the great and powerful. Now bring me the broomstick of the wicked Guiteau and I will grant your requests.”</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">While the statue of the Wizard of Mentor Farm was impressive, and the interior of the memorial was architecturally stunning, I couldn’t help but wonder what lied in store for us down in the lower crypt room. I also wondered whether or not Reese would be hesitant to venture down the marble spiral staircase as the lower level is not overly well-lit.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">Without a care in the world, the ten-year-old bounced down the winding marble steps and into the abyss. The rest of us followed her, but with a little more caution – the last thing my photographer needed was to slip and fall; or worse yet, drop me to my death.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">The crypt room was dimly lit, eerily quiet, and it featured eight barred openings which allowed us to see the caskets of James and Lucretia Garfield, as well as the urns containing the cremated ashes of Mollie Garfield and her husband Joseph Stanley-Brown. Tom positioned me at several of the openings where I once again posed for photos, like I had done during our previous five visits.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">But on that Saturday afternoon, something felt different. A calmness filled the room, and gone was the trepidation I’ve experienced in the past. Perhaps the spirits were finally at peace, knowing our group had developed an amazing relationship with the slain President’s great-great-grandson. As a matter of fact, Tim Garfield was scheduled to deliver a speech at the memorial on November 19th during a military wreath laying ceremony in honor of the President Garfield’s 193rd birthday.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">Reese was surprised when she learned the Garfield’s were the only President and First Lady whose caskets were in full view – as if lying in state for eternity. At one point, the youngster stood in silence with her toy Mollie and gazed in tribute at the casket of Lucretia Garfield and the urn of daughter Mollie Garfield Stanley-Brown. For little Reese, as well as for the rest of us, our ‘Life of Garfield Tour’ had come full circle. And even though we were never able to obtain the broomstick, our wish for eternal peace for James A. Garfield had seemingly been granted.</p> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="1120" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-96.jpg?resize=800%2C1120&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43940" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-96.jpg?w=1286&ssl=1 1286w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-96.jpg?resize=214%2C300&ssl=1 214w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-96.jpg?resize=732%2C1024&ssl=1 732w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-96.jpg?resize=768%2C1075&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-96.jpg?resize=1097%2C1536&ssl=1 1097w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The 180-foot-tall James A. Garfield Memorial towered over me as Tom carried me to the front of the tomb.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="1120" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-1-1.jpg?resize=800%2C1120&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43959" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-1-1.jpg?w=1207&ssl=1 1207w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-1-1.jpg?resize=214%2C300&ssl=1 214w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-1-1.jpg?resize=731%2C1024&ssl=1 731w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-1-1.jpg?resize=768%2C1075&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-1-1.jpg?resize=1097%2C1536&ssl=1 1097w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Although President Garfield died on September 19, 1881, he wasn’t laid to rest inside this impressive memorial until May 19, 1890. First Lady Lucretia Garfield was interred inside the memorial seven days after her death on March 14, 1918.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="1120" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-97.jpg?resize=800%2C1120&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43974" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-97.jpg?w=1286&ssl=1 1286w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-97.jpg?resize=214%2C300&ssl=1 214w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-97.jpg?resize=732%2C1024&ssl=1 732w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-97.jpg?resize=768%2C1075&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-97.jpg?resize=1097%2C1536&ssl=1 1097w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">This was my sixth visit to the James A. Garfield Memorial. The other five times were in 2013, 2015, 2019, 2022, and 2023.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="1120" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/TOMB-2.jpg?resize=800%2C1120&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43946" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/TOMB-2.jpg?w=1286&ssl=1 1286w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/TOMB-2.jpg?resize=214%2C300&ssl=1 214w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/TOMB-2.jpg?resize=732%2C1024&ssl=1 732w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/TOMB-2.jpg?resize=768%2C1075&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/TOMB-2.jpg?resize=1097%2C1536&ssl=1 1097w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Reese didn’t hesitate to walk up the twenty newly renovated steps to the front doors of the memorial. The ten-year-old was obviously excited to visit her first Presidential gravesite.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="1121" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-6.jpg?resize=800%2C1121&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43960" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-6.jpg?w=1285&ssl=1 1285w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-6.jpg?resize=214%2C300&ssl=1 214w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-6.jpg?resize=731%2C1024&ssl=1 731w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-6.jpg?resize=768%2C1076&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-6.jpg?resize=1097%2C1536&ssl=1 1097w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Once we were inside the memorial, my photographer placed me on the floor in front of the 12-foot-tall Carrara marble statue of James Garfield. In my mind, I thought I heard someone say, “Come forward, Tin Man!”</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="1120" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-2.jpg?resize=800%2C1120&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43961" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-2.jpg?w=1286&ssl=1 1286w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-2.jpg?resize=214%2C300&ssl=1 214w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-2.jpg?resize=732%2C1024&ssl=1 732w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-2.jpg?resize=768%2C1075&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-2.jpg?resize=1097%2C1536&ssl=1 1097w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">As I gazed into the eyes of the Wizard of Mentor Farm, I waited for him to say, “You dare to come to me for a heart, do you? You clinking, clanking, clattering, collection of collagenous junk.”</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="1120" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-7.jpg?resize=800%2C1120&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43962" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-7.jpg?w=1286&ssl=1 1286w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-7.jpg?resize=214%2C300&ssl=1 214w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-7.jpg?resize=732%2C1024&ssl=1 732w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-7.jpg?resize=768%2C1075&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-7.jpg?resize=1097%2C1536&ssl=1 1097w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Reese’s toy squirrel, Mollie, posed in front of the statue as well. (Photo by Reese Fiscelli)</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="572" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/TOMB-3.jpg?resize=800%2C572&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43945" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/TOMB-3.jpg?w=1800&ssl=1 1800w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/TOMB-3.jpg?resize=300%2C214&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/TOMB-3.jpg?resize=1024%2C732&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/TOMB-3.jpg?resize=768%2C549&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/TOMB-3.jpg?resize=1536%2C1097&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/TOMB-3.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">“Just follow the Yellow Brick Road”. Reese smiled with anticipation as she descended the winding stairs down to the crypt room.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="1121" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-9.jpg?resize=800%2C1121&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43967" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-9.jpg?w=1285&ssl=1 1285w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-9.jpg?resize=214%2C300&ssl=1 214w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-9.jpg?resize=731%2C1024&ssl=1 731w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-9.jpg?resize=768%2C1076&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-9.jpg?resize=1097%2C1536&ssl=1 1097w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">My photographer captured this image of his granddaughter the moment she first saw the caskets of James and Lucretia Garfield.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="572" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-8.jpg?resize=800%2C572&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43966" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-8.jpg?w=1800&ssl=1 1800w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-8.jpg?resize=300%2C214&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-8.jpg?resize=1024%2C732&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-8.jpg?resize=768%2C549&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-8.jpg?resize=1536%2C1097&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-8.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">This was the crypt chamber in the basement of the James A. Garfield Memorial. The flag-draped casket contained the remains of President Garfield; the other coffin held the remains of First Lady Lucretia Garfield; the smaller of the two urns contained the cremated ashes of their daughter Mollie Garfield Stanley-Brown; and the taller urn held the ashes of Mollie’s husband Joseph Stanley-Brown.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="572" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-10.jpg?resize=800%2C572&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43968" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-10.jpg?w=1800&ssl=1 1800w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-10.jpg?resize=300%2C214&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-10.jpg?resize=1024%2C732&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-10.jpg?resize=768%2C549&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-10.jpg?resize=1536%2C1097&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-10.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">I’m standing in the exact same location where a woman held me and felt an unknown spiritual force all around me on August 17, 2015.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="572" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-11.jpg?resize=800%2C572&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43969" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-11.jpg?w=1800&ssl=1 1800w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-11.jpg?resize=300%2C214&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-11.jpg?resize=1024%2C732&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-11.jpg?resize=768%2C549&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-11.jpg?resize=1536%2C1097&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-11.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Ten-year-old Reese Fiscelli was photographed as she paid her respects to the Garfield’s.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="572" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/TOMB-5.jpg?resize=800%2C572&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43950" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/TOMB-5.jpg?w=1800&ssl=1 1800w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/TOMB-5.jpg?resize=300%2C214&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/TOMB-5.jpg?resize=1024%2C732&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/TOMB-5.jpg?resize=768%2C549&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/TOMB-5.jpg?resize=1536%2C1097&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/TOMB-5.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">This was Reese as she captured her first image of a Presidential gravesite. Seconds later, I heard Tom say, “Well, Reese, you only have thirty-eight more to go to catch up to your Papa!”</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="572" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-12.jpg?resize=800%2C572&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43970" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-12.jpg?w=1800&ssl=1 1800w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-12.jpg?resize=300%2C214&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-12.jpg?resize=1024%2C732&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-12.jpg?resize=768%2C549&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-12.jpg?resize=1536%2C1097&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-12.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Reese did her best to photograph Mollie the Squirrel near the urn of Mollie the Garfield. (Photo by Reese Fiscelli)</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="1120" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-3.jpg?resize=800%2C1120&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43963" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-3.jpg?w=1279&ssl=1 1279w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-3.jpg?resize=214%2C300&ssl=1 214w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-3.jpg?resize=732%2C1024&ssl=1 732w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-3.jpg?resize=768%2C1075&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-3.jpg?resize=1098%2C1536&ssl=1 1098w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Back outside, my photographer snapped this image of his wife and granddaughter as they posed on the observation deck.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="572" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-4.jpg?resize=800%2C572&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43964" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-4.jpg?w=1800&ssl=1 1800w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-4.jpg?resize=300%2C214&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-4.jpg?resize=1024%2C732&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-4.jpg?resize=768%2C549&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-4.jpg?resize=1536%2C1097&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-4.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Reese and Vicki as they looked out at downtown Cleveland, Ohio from the Observation Deck.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="1120" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-5.jpg?resize=800%2C1120&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43965" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-5.jpg?w=1286&ssl=1 1286w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-5.jpg?resize=214%2C300&ssl=1 214w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-5.jpg?resize=732%2C1024&ssl=1 732w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-5.jpg?resize=768%2C1075&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-5.jpg?resize=1097%2C1536&ssl=1 1097w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">When I posed for this final image on the sacred grounds of the James A. Garfield Memorial, I thought about the memorial’s dedication ceremony held on May 30, 1890 that was attended by President Benjamin Harrison, former President Rutherford B. Hayes, future President William McKinley, and the Garfield family.</figcaption></figure></div> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">When our visit to the James A. Garfield Memorial ended at a few minutes before two o’clock, I figured it was time to hit the road back to Michigan. My straw-filled, brainless photographer had other ideas – he wanted his granddaughter to see the mausoleum where the President’s remains were protected while the permanent memorial was being constructed. Even though I knew Vicki was afraid the extra stop in the cemetery would cause us to get home later than her 6:30pm deadline, I didn’t have the heart to say she was probably right. </p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">The last two times Tom and I tried to find the Levi Schofield mausoleum, my photographer took us on a wild goose chase all around Lake View Cemetery before we found it. But since the clock was not on our side, my camera guy finally used his brain and let GPS technology guide us directly to the site, which was in the older section of the 285-acre burial ground. </p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">Vicki remained in the Jeep while Tom, Reese, Mollie, and I walked through the leaf-strewn lawn towards the Schofield mausoleum. Even though there was still plenty of daylight, the overcast sky made the burial vault look extremely creepy. The facade of the mausoleum, which butted up against a hill, resembled an old castle with the letters SCHOFIELD emblazoned in stone above the steel doors. At one point, I heard my photographer ask Reese to try and open the doors to the crypt as he wanted to take me inside. I thought to myself, “I’ll have monkey’s flying out of my resin butt before I go inside that scary vault.” Luckily for me, the doors were locked shut; but for some strange reason, I think Reese was disappointed she couldn’t participate in one of Tom’s “illegal activities”. </p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">After Tom propped me up on one of the granite columns alongside the doors, I envisioned the casket of our 20th President as it was carried to that mausoleum on September 26, 1881. For nearly nine years, Garfield’s remains stayed within the walls of that vault until they were moved to the permanent memorial on May 19, 1890. In my mind, the Schofield mausoleum reminded me of a wicked witch’s castle. In reality, however, it was a Presidential site; the not-so-final resting place of James A. Garfield.</p> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="1120" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-113.jpg?resize=800%2C1120&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43976" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-113.jpg?w=1286&ssl=1 1286w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-113.jpg?resize=214%2C300&ssl=1 214w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-113.jpg?resize=732%2C1024&ssl=1 732w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-113.jpg?resize=768%2C1075&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-113.jpg?resize=1097%2C1536&ssl=1 1097w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">I’m standing near the Levi Schofield mausoleum at Lake View Cemetery in Cleveland, Ohio. The mortal remains of President James A. Garfield laid in repose inside this structure from September 26, 1881 until May 19, 1890.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="572" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-13.jpg?resize=800%2C572&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43983" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-13.jpg?w=1800&ssl=1 1800w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-13.jpg?resize=300%2C214&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-13.jpg?resize=1024%2C732&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-13.jpg?resize=768%2C549&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-13.jpg?resize=1536%2C1097&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/FINAL-VIEW-13.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">When my photographer told Reese that Lucretia Garfield likely visited this vault on a regular basis, the ten-year-old decided to portray the former First Lady by praying near the door.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="1120" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/LAKEVIEW-3.jpg?resize=800%2C1120&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43978" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/LAKEVIEW-3.jpg?w=1286&ssl=1 1286w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/LAKEVIEW-3.jpg?resize=214%2C300&ssl=1 214w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/LAKEVIEW-3.jpg?resize=732%2C1024&ssl=1 732w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/LAKEVIEW-3.jpg?resize=768%2C1075&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/LAKEVIEW-3.jpg?resize=1097%2C1536&ssl=1 1097w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Inspired by my photographer’s well-known “illegal activities”, Reese tried to gain access to the burial chamber, but unfortunately the doors were locked.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="600" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/LAKEVIEW-2.jpg?resize=800%2C600&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43979" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/LAKEVIEW-2.jpg?w=1800&ssl=1 1800w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/LAKEVIEW-2.jpg?resize=300%2C225&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/LAKEVIEW-2.jpg?resize=1024%2C768&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/LAKEVIEW-2.jpg?resize=768%2C576&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/LAKEVIEW-2.jpg?resize=1536%2C1152&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/LAKEVIEW-2.jpg?resize=120%2C90&ssl=1 120w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/LAKEVIEW-2.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Even though I was happy when Reese couldn’t open the doors, I was still in peril when Tom wedged me between the column and the wall where there was a good chance I’d fall to my death.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="572" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/REESE-TEMP-TOMB.jpg?resize=800%2C572&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43980" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/REESE-TEMP-TOMB.jpg?w=1800&ssl=1 1800w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/REESE-TEMP-TOMB.jpg?resize=300%2C214&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/REESE-TEMP-TOMB.jpg?resize=1024%2C732&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/REESE-TEMP-TOMB.jpg?resize=768%2C549&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/REESE-TEMP-TOMB.jpg?resize=1536%2C1097&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/REESE-TEMP-TOMB.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Before we went back to the Jeep, Reese captured one final photo of her toy squirrel at Lake View Cemetery. (Photo by Reese Fiscelli)</figcaption></figure></div> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">Tom placed me back in the camera bag and Reese clutched Mollie in her hand as the four of us made our way back to the Jeep. The youngster asked her grandfather how long it would take to get home. My smart-aleck photographer replied, “Unless a woman in a pink bubble appears and asks you click your heels together three times, it’ll take about three-and-a-half hours for us to get home.” With no ruby slippers on “Dorothy’s” feet, Vicki navigated our vehicle out of Lake View Cemetery for the 225-mile journey to Reese’s house where her mother anxiously awaited the ten-year-old’s arrival.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">The mind-numbing ride along the Ohio Turnpike gave me time to reflect on the incredible sites we had visited, as well as the amazing people we had met in the past two days. But the star of the show, and the person who was the center of our universe for two entire days, was James Abram Garfield.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">It’s difficult to imagine and even harder to know for sure what impact President Garfield would’ve had on our nation had he not been shot within his first four months in office. There’s little doubt the President was an advocate for the less fortunate, the downtrodden, which may have been spawned by his own humble beginnings. One of his initiatives from the moment he stepped foot in the White House was to promote for better education for former slaves, which would’ve been a huge step in improving their lives. But when Garfield’s life and Presidency was cut short, that initiative fell by the wayside – and it would take nearly eight decades before Civil Rights in our nation would be once again at the forefront.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">It was exactly 6:38pm when we arrived at Reese’s home; we had twenty-two minutes to spare. The four of us had logged 557 miles during our two-day adventure, which put me at 78,236 miles of travel since July 2013. While both Tom and I would’ve loved to have witnessed Tim Garfield’s speech during the wreath laying ceremony at the Garfield Memorial on November 19th, there was no way that was going to happen this year. But in my resin mind, there was always 2025 – and I’d love for the two of us, and Reese, to get an invitation from Tim himself.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">Reese looked tired when she walked into her house with Mollie in one hand and the gift bag Mr. Garfield had given her in the other hand. The ten-year-old hugged her mother and sister, then she said to her grandparents in a solemn voice, “I loved going on that trip with you, but I’m also glad to be back. Oh Nana, there’s no place like home. There’s no place like home.” </p> <figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="571" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/THE-END.jpg?resize=800%2C571&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43982" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/THE-END.jpg?w=1476&ssl=1 1476w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/THE-END.jpg?resize=300%2C214&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/THE-END.jpg?resize=1024%2C731&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/THE-END.jpg?resize=768%2C548&ssl=1 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></figure> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> ]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://eyesofjefferson.com/319-the-yellow-brick-road-of-the-garfield-trail-led-us-to-the-wizard-of-mentor-farm/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">43921</post-id> </item> <item> <title>318: A TEN-YEAR-OLD’S LOVE FOR HISTORY, AND SQUIRRELS, BECAME ENRICHED AT LAWNFIELD</title> <link>https://eyesofjefferson.com/318-a-ten-year-olds-love-for-history-and-squirrels-became-enriched-at-lawnfield/</link> <comments>https://eyesofjefferson.com/318-a-ten-year-olds-love-for-history-and-squirrels-became-enriched-at-lawnfield/#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Thomas Watson]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Sun, 24 Nov 2024 13:43:34 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Eliza Garfield]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Front Porch Campaign]]></category> <category><![CDATA[James A. Garfield]]></category> <category><![CDATA[James A. Garfield National Historic Site]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Lawnfield]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Life of Garfield Tour]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Lucretia Garfield]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Mentor Farm]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Mentor Ohio]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Mollie Garfield]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Reese Fiscelli]]></category> <category><![CDATA[The Garfield Trail]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Thomas Jefferson]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Thomas Jefferson bobble head]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://eyesofjefferson.com/?p=43841</guid> <description><![CDATA[My photographer was up and at ’em by the dawn’s early light on Saturday morning November 16. 2024. From my position alongside the television set in our room at the Holiday Inn Express in Mentor, Ohio, I watched as Tom…]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[ <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">My photographer was up and at ’em by the dawn’s early light on Saturday morning November 16. 2024. From my position alongside the television set in our room at the Holiday Inn Express in Mentor, Ohio, I watched as Tom quietly got ready to take on the day. He did his best to stay stealth as his wife, Vicki, and ten-year-old granddaughter, Reese Fiscelli, were still sound asleep.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">While my cameraman and I are accustomed to non-stop stimulation during our Presidential adventures, an incredible day like we experienced at Hiram College on Friday had put the two girls into history overload. But since the day’s first scheduled stop, which was the James A. Garfield National Historic Site, didn’t open until ten o’clock, we had more than enough time for Vicki and Reese to recharge their batteries.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">Although Vicki has accompanied my photographer and I on a countless number of trips since 2013, this ‘Life of Garfield Tour’ was Reese’s first adventure with her grandfather and me. I loved watching the fourth grader as she interacted with Tim Garfield and his friends during the previous day’s visit at Hiram College. And now, as Day Two was about to begin, I was anxious to see her reaction when we visit the other two sites left on the Garfield Trail, which was the President’s ‘Mentor Farm’ known as Lawnfield, and the Garfield Memorial in Lake View Cemetery.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">From the moment Tom’s wife rolled out of the sack around eight-fifteen until we left the hotel, it seemed as though “Nana” was moving in slow motion. I laughed to myself when my photographer kept mentioning she needed to pick up the pace, which was followed by, “We’re only two miles from the house. We have plenty of time to get there by ten o’clock. See Reese, this is what we have to put up with when we travel with your Papa.”</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">Finally, at 9:42am, we were in the Jeep and ready to rock and roll. Miraculously, everything seemed to be back on schedule, until I heard a voice from the driver’s seat say, “We need to find Reese something to eat, and they didn’t have free breakfast at that hotel. Please find a place where we can pick up a couple of bagels.” I nearly fell out of my camera case. But Tom kept his cool; he scoured the internet for a minute or so, and he set his GPS for a place called Bruegger’s Bagels, which was roughly five miles down the road.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">Once the two girls had their bagels in hand, we arrived at the James A. Garfield National Historic Site at 9:58am. That’s right – even with all of the foot-dragging, lollygagging, and a visit to an out-of-the-way bagel shop, we were still two minutes early. And in a sense, we were even earlier than that as the first tour of the home didn’t start until 10:15am.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">Reese shook with anticipation as our tour guide, Jeff, led us from the Visitor Center Museum to Lawnfield, the historic home of President James A. Garfield and his family. I was excited as well; after all, it had been over five years since my last visit to the historic home and I wondered what changes to the decor had been made to the interior.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">After moving his growing family out of the Hiram home, James Garfield purchased the large farmhouse in front of us in 1876. Garfield not only needed the extra room so he could teach his young sons about farming, but he also moved to a different county for political reasons as well. A year or so after moving in, Garfield had an additional eleven rooms added to the home to accommodate his ever-expanding family, which included his mother, Eliza. During the Presidential election of 1880, James conducted what became the first successful ‘Front Porch Campaign’ from the home, which became dubbed ‘Lawnfield’ by the media who camped out on the lawn to cover the campaign. </p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">On February 28, 1881, President-elect Garfield walked out of the front door of Lawnfield for the last time as he boarded a train for Washington and into the history books. Before he left, Garfield stood before a large and enthusiastic crowd of admirers and said, “What awaits me I cannot now speak of; but I shall carry to the discharge of duties that lie before me, to the problems and dangers I may meet, a sense of your confidence and your love, which will always be answered by my gratitude. Neighbors, friends, constituents… farewell.” James A. Garfield left his home, and Mentor, behind for good.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">Following the President’s death from an assassin’s bullet on September 19, 1881, Lucretia Garfield, now a 49-year-old widow, returned to her Mentor farmhouse where she continued to raise their children. Four years after the assassination, the former First Lady and her family added a Memorial Library wing to the home, which set a precedent for Presidential libraries. Mrs. Garfield lived on and off at Lawnfield for the rest of her life, which ended in California on March 14, 1918. Joseph Rudolph, who was Lucretia’s brother, lived in the home until his death in 1934. Two years later, the Garfield children donated the house and its furnishings to the Western Reserve Historical Society to use as a museum.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">Once we had followed Jeff into the home, I thought Reese was going to faint from excitement. At one point, I heard the ten-year-old say to her grandmother, “I can’t believe how big and beautiful this house is. I need to ask my daddy to build us a house like this one. It’s the most amazing home I’ve ever seen.”</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">There were a handful of rooms inside Lawnfield that were decorated for Christmas, including the Parlor and Memorial Library. But it was when we entered the decorated Dining Room that I nearly fell out of Tom’s hand from laughter. As we stood in the room where the Garfield’s ate their meals, Reese commented on the food on the Garfield’s table. Seconds later, I heard my photographer say, “I don’t think that’s a ham, Reese. I think that might be squirrel.” The youngster was stunned and replied, “Awwwww, don’t say that. I love squirrels.”</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">Since a photo is worth a thousand words, please take a moment to check out our morning at Lawnfield, as well as the Visitor Center Museum behind the home, with 37,000 words-worth of images.</p> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="572" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-79.jpg?resize=800%2C572&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43847" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-79.jpg?w=1800&ssl=1 1800w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-79.jpg?resize=300%2C214&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-79.jpg?resize=1024%2C732&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-79.jpg?resize=768%2C549&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-79.jpg?resize=1536%2C1097&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-79.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">James A. Garfield purchased his “Mentor Farm” in 1876, which consisted of 118 acres. Within a year, the Congressman added 11 rooms and an additional 40 acres of land.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="572" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-82.jpg?resize=800%2C572&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43849" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-82.jpg?w=1800&ssl=1 1800w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-82.jpg?resize=300%2C214&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-82.jpg?resize=1024%2C732&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-82.jpg?resize=768%2C549&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-82.jpg?resize=1536%2C1097&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-82.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">I’m standing on the impressive porch of Lawnfield. It was from this same porch where Congressman James Garfield delivered dozens of campaign speeches during the summer and fall of 1880, which helped him get elected as our 20th President.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="533" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/LAWNFIELD-FRONT-WITH-TJ.jpg?resize=800%2C533&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43907" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/LAWNFIELD-FRONT-WITH-TJ.jpg?w=1800&ssl=1 1800w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/LAWNFIELD-FRONT-WITH-TJ.jpg?resize=300%2C200&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/LAWNFIELD-FRONT-WITH-TJ.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/LAWNFIELD-FRONT-WITH-TJ.jpg?resize=768%2C512&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/LAWNFIELD-FRONT-WITH-TJ.jpg?resize=1536%2C1024&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/LAWNFIELD-FRONT-WITH-TJ.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">On October 25, 1880, Congressman Garfield stood on the porch behind me and delivered a speech to a large group of Black Civil War veterans. Garfield said, “You were not made free merely to be allowed to vote, but in order to enjoy an equality of opportunity in the race of life, and to stand equal before the law.”</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="1120" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-85-1.jpg?resize=800%2C1120&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43852" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-85-1.jpg?w=1286&ssl=1 1286w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-85-1.jpg?resize=214%2C300&ssl=1 214w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-85-1.jpg?resize=732%2C1024&ssl=1 732w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-85-1.jpg?resize=768%2C1075&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-85-1.jpg?resize=1097%2C1536&ssl=1 1097w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">After being inspired by ‘Lucretia Garfield’ the previous day at Hiram College, Reese wanted to stand in the footsteps of Mrs. Garfield on the porch of Lawnfield.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="928" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/JAG-ON-PORCH.jpg?resize=800%2C928&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43853" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/JAG-ON-PORCH.jpg?w=1380&ssl=1 1380w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/JAG-ON-PORCH.jpg?resize=259%2C300&ssl=1 259w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/JAG-ON-PORCH.jpg?resize=883%2C1024&ssl=1 883w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/JAG-ON-PORCH.jpg?resize=768%2C890&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/JAG-ON-PORCH.jpg?resize=1325%2C1536&ssl=1 1325w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">During the campaign of 1880, Congressman Garfield posed with his family on the porch of his “Mentor Farm”. Garfield was flanked by his mother Eliza and wife Lucretia, while 13-year-old daughter Mollie stood behind her parents.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="572" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-84.jpg?resize=800%2C572&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43854" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-84.jpg?w=1800&ssl=1 1800w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-84.jpg?resize=300%2C214&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-84.jpg?resize=1024%2C732&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-84.jpg?resize=768%2C549&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-84.jpg?resize=1536%2C1097&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-84.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">James Garfield once stood on this spot late in his campaign and said, “Ladies and gentlemen, all the doors of my house are open to you. The hand of every member of my family is outstretched to you. Our hearts greet you, and we ask you to come in.”</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="1120" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-80.jpg?resize=800%2C1120&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43855" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-80.jpg?w=1286&ssl=1 1286w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-80.jpg?resize=214%2C300&ssl=1 214w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-80.jpg?resize=732%2C1024&ssl=1 732w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-80.jpg?resize=768%2C1075&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-80.jpg?resize=1097%2C1536&ssl=1 1097w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">My photographer’s granddaughter took a moment to reflect on the historic porch where she stood. Now let’s follow Reese inside the home where we were welcomed into the world of James and Lucretia Garfield.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="1120" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-61.jpg?resize=800%2C1120&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43856" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-61.jpg?w=1286&ssl=1 1286w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-61.jpg?resize=214%2C300&ssl=1 214w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-61.jpg?resize=732%2C1024&ssl=1 732w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-61.jpg?resize=768%2C1075&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-61.jpg?resize=1097%2C1536&ssl=1 1097w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">This was the Entrance Hallway inside Lawnfield. During the 1880 campaign, Lucretia stood in this hallway and greeted visitors, including former President Ulysses S. Grant, who had come to see her husband.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="572" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-58.jpg?resize=800%2C572&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43857" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-58.jpg?w=1800&ssl=1 1800w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-58.jpg?resize=300%2C214&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-58.jpg?resize=1024%2C732&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-58.jpg?resize=768%2C549&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-58.jpg?resize=1536%2C1097&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-58.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">I’m standing in the Summer Bedroom used by James and Lucretia. The secretary desk in the corner was owned and used by the President.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="1120" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-60.jpg?resize=800%2C1120&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43859" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-60.jpg?w=1286&ssl=1 1286w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-60.jpg?resize=214%2C300&ssl=1 214w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-60.jpg?resize=732%2C1024&ssl=1 732w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-60.jpg?resize=768%2C1075&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-60.jpg?resize=1097%2C1536&ssl=1 1097w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Our tour guide, Jeff, said he believed this ornate hat rack in the Entrance Hallway was owned by the Garfield’s.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="572" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-62.jpg?resize=800%2C572&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43860" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-62.jpg?w=1800&ssl=1 1800w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-62.jpg?resize=300%2C214&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-62.jpg?resize=1024%2C732&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-62.jpg?resize=768%2C549&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-62.jpg?resize=1536%2C1097&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-62.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Decorated for Christmas, this room where I’m standing was the Parlor. In September 1880, James Garfield sat in this room with Ulysses S. Grant, Senator Roscoe Conklin, and Senator John Logan and “hammered-out” their differences within the Republican Party. The meeting was called ‘The Treaty of Mentor’.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="572" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-63.jpg?resize=800%2C572&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43861" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-63.jpg?w=1800&ssl=1 1800w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-63.jpg?resize=300%2C214&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-63.jpg?resize=1024%2C732&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-63.jpg?resize=768%2C549&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-63.jpg?resize=1536%2C1097&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-63.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The piano in the far corner of the Parlor was a 13th birthday present to daughter Mollie.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="572" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-64-1.jpg?resize=800%2C572&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43915" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-64-1.jpg?w=1800&ssl=1 1800w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-64-1.jpg?resize=300%2C214&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-64-1.jpg?resize=1024%2C732&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-64-1.jpg?resize=768%2C549&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-64-1.jpg?resize=1536%2C1097&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-64-1.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">I’m in the first-floor bedroom of Eliza Garfield, the President’s mother. Eliza was the first mother of a President to live in the White House with her son. There were seven images of James Garfield in this room.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="572" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-66-1.jpg?resize=800%2C572&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43916" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-66-1.jpg?w=1800&ssl=1 1800w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-66-1.jpg?resize=300%2C214&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-66-1.jpg?resize=1024%2C732&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-66-1.jpg?resize=768%2C549&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-66-1.jpg?resize=1536%2C1097&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-66-1.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The Garfield’s Dining Room table was outfitted with Christmas dinner. James often gave his kids spelling tests while the family sat at this table for dinner. This was the moment when my photographer asked Reese if she could spell “Squirrel Stew”.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="1120" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-67.jpg?resize=800%2C1120&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43864" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-67.jpg?w=1286&ssl=1 1286w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-67.jpg?resize=214%2C300&ssl=1 214w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-67.jpg?resize=732%2C1024&ssl=1 732w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-67.jpg?resize=768%2C1075&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-67.jpg?resize=1097%2C1536&ssl=1 1097w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The tiles around the Dining Room fireplace were original and painted by Lucretia Garfield and several of her children. The plates and dishes in the cabinet were used by the Garfield’s in the White House.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="572" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-68.jpg?resize=800%2C572&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43865" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-68.jpg?w=1800&ssl=1 1800w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-68.jpg?resize=300%2C214&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-68.jpg?resize=1024%2C732&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-68.jpg?resize=768%2C549&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-68.jpg?resize=1536%2C1097&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-68.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Once Jeff led us upstairs, our first stop was in the Memorial Library, which was added by Lucretia in 1885. The piano directly behind me belonged to the Garfield’s oldest son, Harry.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="572" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-69.jpg?resize=800%2C572&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43866" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-69.jpg?w=1800&ssl=1 1800w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-69.jpg?resize=300%2C214&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-69.jpg?resize=1024%2C732&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-69.jpg?resize=768%2C549&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-69.jpg?resize=1536%2C1097&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-69.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The ornated desk to my far left was a Wooton Desk, created for President Garfield by the Wooton Desk Company. Owner William Wooton had made similar desks for Ulysses S. Grant and Rutherford B. Hayes.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="572" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-70.jpg?resize=800%2C572&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43867" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-70.jpg?w=1800&ssl=1 1800w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-70.jpg?resize=300%2C214&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-70.jpg?resize=1024%2C732&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-70.jpg?resize=768%2C549&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-70.jpg?resize=1536%2C1097&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-70.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">I’m always impressed by a nice bust and the bust of James Garfield behind me was created by American artist Preston Powers and presented to the President’s widow following the assassination.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="1120" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-71.jpg?resize=800%2C1120&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43868" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-71.jpg?w=1286&ssl=1 1286w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-71.jpg?resize=214%2C300&ssl=1 214w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-71.jpg?resize=732%2C1024&ssl=1 732w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-71.jpg?resize=768%2C1075&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-71.jpg?resize=1097%2C1536&ssl=1 1097w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">I’m standing in the fireproof vault Lucretia had constructed in the Memorial Library. The wreath above me was sent to the family by Queen Victoria on behalf of the English people and displayed during President Garfield’s funeral. Lucretia had the wreath sent to Chicago where it was preserved in wax.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="1121" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-73.jpg?resize=800%2C1121&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43870" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-73.jpg?w=1285&ssl=1 1285w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-73.jpg?resize=214%2C300&ssl=1 214w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-73.jpg?resize=731%2C1024&ssl=1 731w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-73.jpg?resize=768%2C1076&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-73.jpg?resize=1097%2C1536&ssl=1 1097w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The area where the Christmas tree stood in front of the bay window was where a dual family wedding took place on June 14, 1888. Mollie Garfield married Joseph Stanley-Brown, and Harry Garfield married Belle Mason in the ceremony held in the Memorial Library.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="572" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-74.jpg?resize=800%2C572&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43871" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-74.jpg?w=1800&ssl=1 1800w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-74.jpg?resize=300%2C214&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-74.jpg?resize=1024%2C732&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-74.jpg?resize=768%2C549&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-74.jpg?resize=1536%2C1097&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-74.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">This upstairs bedroom was where the Garfield’s youngest sons, Irvin and Abram, slept. The boys were 8 and 10 years old when their father was elected President.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="572" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-75-1.jpg?resize=800%2C572&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43873" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-75-1.jpg?w=1800&ssl=1 1800w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-75-1.jpg?resize=300%2C214&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-75-1.jpg?resize=1024%2C732&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-75-1.jpg?resize=768%2C549&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-75-1.jpg?resize=1536%2C1097&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-75-1.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Now I’m in the Garfield’s Winter Bedroom, which was located on the second floor of Lawnfield. The portrait directly above me was of Eliza, who died at the age of three from diphtheria. The portrait on the far wall was Edward, who died before the age of two from whooping cough.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="572" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-76.jpg?resize=800%2C572&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43874" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-76.jpg?w=1800&ssl=1 1800w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-76.jpg?resize=300%2C214&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-76.jpg?resize=1024%2C732&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-76.jpg?resize=768%2C549&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-76.jpg?resize=1536%2C1097&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-76.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">When Lucretia returned to Lawnfield following the death of her husband, she used this room as her primary bedroom. </figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="572" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/REESE-MOLLIE-ROOM-1.jpg?resize=800%2C572&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43882" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/REESE-MOLLIE-ROOM-1.jpg?w=1800&ssl=1 1800w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/REESE-MOLLIE-ROOM-1.jpg?resize=300%2C214&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/REESE-MOLLIE-ROOM-1.jpg?resize=1024%2C732&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/REESE-MOLLIE-ROOM-1.jpg?resize=768%2C549&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/REESE-MOLLIE-ROOM-1.jpg?resize=1536%2C1097&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/REESE-MOLLIE-ROOM-1.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Tom’s granddaughter Reese was fascinated by Mollie Garfield, especially the size of her bedroom. Reese used her camera to snap this image of the room. (Photo by Reese Fiscelli)</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="572" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-78.jpg?resize=800%2C572&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43876" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-78.jpg?w=1800&ssl=1 1800w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-78.jpg?resize=300%2C214&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-78.jpg?resize=1024%2C732&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-78.jpg?resize=768%2C549&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-78.jpg?resize=1536%2C1097&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-78.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">I’m standing in the upstairs Snuggery, which was used as James Garfield’s office and study. The Congressman went to this room to escape the reporters, and he loved to sit in his favorite reading chair to relax with a good book.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="1120" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/LAWNFIELD-1.jpg?resize=800%2C1120&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43877" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/LAWNFIELD-1.jpg?w=1286&ssl=1 1286w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/LAWNFIELD-1.jpg?resize=214%2C300&ssl=1 214w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/LAWNFIELD-1.jpg?resize=732%2C1024&ssl=1 732w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/LAWNFIELD-1.jpg?resize=768%2C1075&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/LAWNFIELD-1.jpg?resize=1097%2C1536&ssl=1 1097w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">As our tour group returned to the first floor, Reese suggested she pose on the landing above the Reception Hall for a photo. This image was exactly how Reese had described what she wanted to her grandfather.</figcaption></figure></div> <p class="has-text-align-center has-large-font-size"><strong>**********</strong></p> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="1120" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/MUSEUM-5-1.jpg?resize=800%2C1120&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43884" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/MUSEUM-5-1.jpg?w=1286&ssl=1 1286w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/MUSEUM-5-1.jpg?resize=214%2C300&ssl=1 214w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/MUSEUM-5-1.jpg?resize=732%2C1024&ssl=1 732w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/MUSEUM-5-1.jpg?resize=768%2C1075&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/MUSEUM-5-1.jpg?resize=1097%2C1536&ssl=1 1097w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Inside the Visitor Center Museum, I posed next to a display which replicated the inauguration of James A. Garfield on March 4, 1881. Garfield was administered the oath by Chief Justice Morrison Waite.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full is-resized"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="533" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-OATH-OF-OFFICE.jpg?resize=800%2C533&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43904" style="width:840px;height:auto" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-OATH-OF-OFFICE.jpg?w=1678&ssl=1 1678w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-OATH-OF-OFFICE.jpg?resize=300%2C200&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-OATH-OF-OFFICE.jpg?resize=1024%2C682&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-OATH-OF-OFFICE.jpg?resize=768%2C511&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-OATH-OF-OFFICE.jpg?resize=1536%2C1022&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-OATH-OF-OFFICE.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">“I, James Abram Garfield, do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="1120" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-50-1.jpg?resize=800%2C1120&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43888" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-50-1.jpg?w=1286&ssl=1 1286w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-50-1.jpg?resize=214%2C300&ssl=1 214w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-50-1.jpg?resize=732%2C1024&ssl=1 732w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-50-1.jpg?resize=768%2C1075&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-50-1.jpg?resize=1097%2C1536&ssl=1 1097w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">I’m standing above the Bible used during the inauguration of President Garfield on March 4, 1881.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="572" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/MUSEUM-1-1.jpg?resize=800%2C572&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43887" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/MUSEUM-1-1.jpg?w=1800&ssl=1 1800w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/MUSEUM-1-1.jpg?resize=300%2C214&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/MUSEUM-1-1.jpg?resize=1024%2C732&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/MUSEUM-1-1.jpg?resize=768%2C549&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/MUSEUM-1-1.jpg?resize=1536%2C1097&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/MUSEUM-1-1.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">During the inauguration, this Bible was open to Proverbs 21:1 – the verse reads, “The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes”.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="812" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-57-4.jpg?resize=800%2C812&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43894" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-57-4.jpg?w=1675&ssl=1 1675w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-57-4.jpg?resize=296%2C300&ssl=1 296w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-57-4.jpg?resize=1009%2C1024&ssl=1 1009w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-57-4.jpg?resize=768%2C779&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-57-4.jpg?resize=1513%2C1536&ssl=1 1513w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-57-4.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The leather boots and top hat below me were worn by President Garfield.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="572" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-53.jpg?resize=800%2C572&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43895" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-53.jpg?w=1800&ssl=1 1800w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-53.jpg?resize=300%2C214&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-53.jpg?resize=1024%2C732&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-53.jpg?resize=768%2C549&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-53.jpg?resize=1536%2C1097&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-53.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">This rubber stamp of Garfield’s signature was used by the President.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="1120" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-55-1.jpg?resize=800%2C1120&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43914" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-55-1.jpg?w=1286&ssl=1 1286w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-55-1.jpg?resize=214%2C300&ssl=1 214w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-55-1.jpg?resize=732%2C1024&ssl=1 732w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-55-1.jpg?resize=768%2C1075&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-55-1.jpg?resize=1097%2C1536&ssl=1 1097w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The display I’m standing above featured a program for Garfield’s Inaugural Ball on March 4, 1881, as well as the President’s Inaugural Address inscribed by Rutherford B. Hayes.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="572" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-92.jpg?resize=800%2C572&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43898" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-92.jpg?w=1800&ssl=1 1800w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-92.jpg?resize=300%2C214&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-92.jpg?resize=1024%2C732&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-92.jpg?resize=768%2C549&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-92.jpg?resize=1536%2C1097&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-92.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">This haunting recreation featured the mortally wounded President Garfield lying in bed while First Lady Lucretia Garfield held a bedside vigil for her husband.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="572" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-91.jpg?resize=800%2C572&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43899" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-91.jpg?w=1800&ssl=1 1800w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-91.jpg?resize=300%2C214&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-91.jpg?resize=1024%2C732&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-91.jpg?resize=768%2C549&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-91.jpg?resize=1536%2C1097&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-91.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">After struggling for life for two months, Garfield left the White House for good on September 5, 1881. He was transported to Elberon, New Jersey in a specially cushioned rail car. This bed I’m standing alongside was designed for the President to lay on during transport, but he refused to use it.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="572" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-90.jpg?resize=800%2C572&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43900" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-90.jpg?w=1800&ssl=1 1800w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-90.jpg?resize=300%2C214&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-90.jpg?resize=1024%2C732&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-90.jpg?resize=768%2C549&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-90.jpg?resize=1536%2C1097&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-90.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">This well-worn field desk alongside me accompanied James Garfield through Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, and Mississippi as he served in the Western Theater of the American Civil War.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="1120" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-89.jpg?resize=800%2C1120&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43901" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-89.jpg?w=1286&ssl=1 1286w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-89.jpg?resize=214%2C300&ssl=1 214w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-89.jpg?resize=732%2C1024&ssl=1 732w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-89.jpg?resize=768%2C1075&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-89.jpg?resize=1097%2C1536&ssl=1 1097w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">It was a very somber moment for me when I stood above the top hat worn by President Garfield on the morning of July 2, 1881. The hat was returned to the White House after the assassination.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="571" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-SHOT.jpg?resize=800%2C571&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43902" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-SHOT.jpg?w=1106&ssl=1 1106w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-SHOT.jpg?resize=300%2C214&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-SHOT.jpg?resize=1024%2C731&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-SHOT.jpg?resize=768%2C549&ssl=1 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">This illustration depicts the moment just seconds after President Garfield was shot by Charles Guiteau at 9:30am on July 2, 1881 inside the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad Station in Washington D.C. </figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="572" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/MUSEUM-4.jpg?resize=800%2C572&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43903" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/MUSEUM-4.jpg?w=1800&ssl=1 1800w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/MUSEUM-4.jpg?resize=300%2C214&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/MUSEUM-4.jpg?resize=1024%2C732&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/MUSEUM-4.jpg?resize=768%2C549&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/MUSEUM-4.jpg?resize=1536%2C1097&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/MUSEUM-4.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Reese was also taken aback when she had a closeup look at President Garfield’s hat. This was the moment when the assassination became more than just a footnote in a history book for the ten-year-old.</figcaption></figure></div> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">At roughly 12:20pm, our time at Lawnfield had come to an end. To commemorate the visit, Vicki asked Reese what she wanted as a souvenir from the gift shop. The youngster didn’t hesitate – she selected a stuffed toy squirrel, which she named Mollie. “I’ll save one squirrel from becoming stew”, Reese said with a big smile.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">For me, the visit to the historic home was a memorable experience. After having met Tim Garfield the previous day, I was honored to stand in the footsteps of not only his great-great-grandfather who became President, but his great-grandfather, James R. Garfield, as well. I agreed with Reese when she said Lawnfield was one of the most beautiful homes she had ever seen.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">As beautiful as the interior was, filled with furnishings and belongings of which eighty percent were owned and used by the Garfield’s, it was the front porch I loved the most. When I stood there and looked out towards Mentor Road, I envisioned thousands of people standing in front of me. They were hooked on every word emitted from my resin mouth. Suddenly, it was as though I could hear the voice of Republican candidate Garfield as he spoke to his friends, neighbors, and countrymen who had come to his home.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">“Here are the school-fellows of twenty-eight years ago. Here are men and women who were my pupils twenty-five years ago… I see others who were soldiers in the old regiment which I had the honor to command… How can I forget all these things, and all that has followed? How can I forget…the people of Portage County, when I see men and women from all its townships standing at my door? I cannot forget these things while life and consciousness remain. The freshness of youth, the very springtide of life… all was with you, and of you, my neighbors, my friends, my cherished comrades… You are here, so close to my heart… whatever may befall me hereafter…”</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">To be Continued…</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size"><strong>** THIS POST IS DEDICATED TO REESE FISCELLI, WHOSE ENTHUSIASM AND LOVE FOR HISTORY HAS MADE HER PAPA PROUD. ANOTHER TORCH HAS BEEN PASSED! ** </strong></p> <figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="572" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/LAWNFIELD-2-1.jpg?resize=800%2C572&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43917" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/LAWNFIELD-2-1.jpg?w=1800&ssl=1 1800w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/LAWNFIELD-2-1.jpg?resize=300%2C214&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/LAWNFIELD-2-1.jpg?resize=1024%2C732&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/LAWNFIELD-2-1.jpg?resize=768%2C549&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/LAWNFIELD-2-1.jpg?resize=1536%2C1097&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/LAWNFIELD-2-1.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></figure> ]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://eyesofjefferson.com/318-a-ten-year-olds-love-for-history-and-squirrels-became-enriched-at-lawnfield/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>2</slash:comments> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">43841</post-id> </item> <item> <title>317: THE SPIRIT OF JAMES GARFIELD CAME TO LIFE AT HIRAM COLLEGE; THANKS TO THE EFFORTS OF TIM GARFIELD AND HIS FRIENDS</title> <link>https://eyesofjefferson.com/317-the-spirit-of-james-garfield-came-to-life-at-hiram-college-thanks-to-the-efforts-of-tim-garfield-and-his-friends/</link> <comments>https://eyesofjefferson.com/317-the-spirit-of-james-garfield-came-to-life-at-hiram-college-thanks-to-the-efforts-of-tim-garfield-and-his-friends/#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Thomas Watson]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Fri, 22 Nov 2024 00:18:54 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Andria Morningstar-Gray]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Buckingham Place]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Debbie Weinkamer]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Garfield-Robbins-Zimmerman House]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Hiram College]]></category> <category><![CDATA[James A. Garfield]]></category> <category><![CDATA[James Thompson]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Kathy Luschek]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Katie Buzard]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Koritansky Hall]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Lucretia Garfield]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Mecca Meeting House]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Peggy Painley]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Reese Fiscelli]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Tessa Laeli]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Thomas Jefferson]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Thomas Jefferson bobble head]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Tim Garfield]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Western Reserve Ecletic Institute]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://eyesofjefferson.com/?p=43752</guid> <description><![CDATA[The morning of Friday November 15, 2024 couldn’t have started better; but Tom, Vicki, their granddaughter Reese, and I knew the best was yet to come. One could cut the anticipation in our Jeep with a knife throughout the entire…]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[ <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">The morning of Friday November 15, 2024 couldn’t have started better; but Tom, Vicki, their granddaughter Reese, and I knew the best was yet to come. One could cut the anticipation in our Jeep with a knife throughout the entire 24-mile drive from the James A. Garfield Birth Site Park in Moreland Hills to Hiram, Ohio and that was all because of one person – Mr. Tim Garfield. The great-great-grandson of James A. Garfield had arranged to meet us at the first site, Hiram College’s Buckingham Place, and then spend the remainder of the day with the four of us as we followed in the footsteps of our 20th President.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">We were a little over ten minutes early for our eleven o’clock rendezvous time when Vicki pulled our vehicle into the long driveway of Buckingham Place, which was on the northern side of the expansive Hiram College campus. Since we were the first ones there, it gave my photographer extra time to capture images of the exterior of the historic home.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">Buckingham Place was built in 1852 as the home for Colonel John and Esther Buckingham in the newly established Western Reserve Eclectic Institute, now known as Hiram College. Because the home had seven bedrooms, the Buckingham’s transformed their residence into a dorm room for students at the college. The historic dwelling remained in the Buckingham family until 1935 when it was deeded to the college to serve as the President’s residence, a capacity of which it remained until 2011 when the home was transformed into an Alumni Welcome Center.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">But the reason for our visit didn’t have anything to do with the Presidents of Hiram College. Our tour did, however, center on a particular student at the Western Reserve Eclectic Institute who helped build the historic home in 1852 – and that was 20-year-old James Abram Garfield.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">The primary carpenter of the Buckingham’s new home was Deacon Zeb Rudolph, whose eldest daughter, Lucretia, was a student at the college and was very smitten with Garfield. Because of James’ work ethic and strength, Zeb hired Garfield to be his helper. And my gosh, what a valuable helper he was. Tradition has it that Garfield’s strength was so great that he tongue-and-grooved the oak plank flooring by himself, even though that task was always considered a two-man job – one to push and the other to pull the heavy plane.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">As Tom carried me around the front of the home where I posed for several photos, it was easy to see the historic home had fallen into some disrepair over the past decade or so. Just as my photographer snapped his final image of the exterior, two cars pulled into the driveway – our hosts had arrived at precisely eleven o’clock. It was show time!</p> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="572" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/BUCKINGHAM-1-3.jpg?resize=800%2C572&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43824" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/BUCKINGHAM-1-3.jpg?w=1800&ssl=1 1800w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/BUCKINGHAM-1-3.jpg?resize=300%2C214&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/BUCKINGHAM-1-3.jpg?resize=1024%2C732&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/BUCKINGHAM-1-3.jpg?resize=768%2C549&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/BUCKINGHAM-1-3.jpg?resize=1536%2C1097&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/BUCKINGHAM-1-3.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">I’m standing beneath the portico of Buckingham Place in Hiram, Ohio. For the past 172 years, this home has served as a family residence, housing for students, and the residence of many Hiram College Presidents.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="572" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-10-1.jpg?resize=800%2C572&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43825" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-10-1.jpg?w=1800&ssl=1 1800w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-10-1.jpg?resize=300%2C214&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-10-1.jpg?resize=1024%2C732&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-10-1.jpg?resize=768%2C549&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-10-1.jpg?resize=1536%2C1097&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-10-1.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">A decade ago, the home became the Alumni Welcome Center for the college, but today it sits empty – waiting for much-needed donations to restore the place back to its glory days.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="1120" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-12.jpg?resize=800%2C1120&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43756" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-12.jpg?w=1286&ssl=1 1286w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-12.jpg?resize=214%2C300&ssl=1 214w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-12.jpg?resize=732%2C1024&ssl=1 732w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-12.jpg?resize=768%2C1075&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-12.jpg?resize=1097%2C1536&ssl=1 1097w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">As I stood on the front portico of Buckingham Place, it was easy to envision 20-year-old James Garfield walking up the same steps to help his future father-in-law build this house.</figcaption></figure></div> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">When my photographer carried me around to the back of the house where Vicki was helping Reese put on her 1860s-style dress, the four of us met an enthusiastic woman who graciously volunteered to serve as our host at Buckingham Place. Peggy Painley is the Chief of Staff for the office of the Hiram College President and is an expert on the history of the two homes on our agenda – Buckingham Place, and the Garfield-Robbins-Zimmerman House, which was our next stop at noon.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">Moments after we were greeted by Peggy, I looked to my right and saw the door of the second vehicle open. I waited with bated breath, especially after I saw the SUV’s license plate, which read T GARF. Nearly 172 years after James A. Garfield had walked the grounds where we were standing, I got my first glimpse of the tall, bearded man who bore an uncanny resemblance to our 20th President.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">In my painted eyes, we were in the presence of United States Presidential Royalty. Tim Garfield was the great-great-grandson of President James A. Garfield, and the great-grandson of James Rudolph Garfield, who served as Secretary of the Interior during Theodore Roosevelt’s administration. At first, I wanted to bow my head and scream out, “We’re not worthy. We’re not worthy”, like Wayne Campbell and Garth Algar did when they met Alice Cooper in the movie <em>Wayne’s World</em>. But the stately-looking man, who sported tan trousers and a beige sweater, quickly put the four of us at ease with his calm demeanor and humble personality. As a matter of fact, Tim quickly took a liking to Reese and complimented the ten-year-old on her dress.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">Once inside the historic home, Peggy led our group through the two-story home as she explained the significance of each room. While the building holds a special place in the heart of Hiram College, it was the James Garfield connection that piqued my interest the most – especially the moment when Tom placed me on the oak flooring near the fireplace in the living room. As I stood on the floor and thought about the future President as he laid the boards in place one by one, I looked to the other side of the room and saw Tim Garfield standing on the same flooring. A flood of emotion streamed through my resin head – and I had to believe our host was feeling the same emotions as well.</p> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="1120" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-14-1.jpg?resize=800%2C1120&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43760" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-14-1.jpg?w=1286&ssl=1 1286w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-14-1.jpg?resize=214%2C300&ssl=1 214w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-14-1.jpg?resize=732%2C1024&ssl=1 732w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-14-1.jpg?resize=768%2C1075&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-14-1.jpg?resize=1097%2C1536&ssl=1 1097w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The oak floorboards where I’m standing inside Buckingham Place were tongue-and-grooved and installed by 20-year-old student James A. Garfield in 1852.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="1120" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-15-2.jpg?resize=800%2C1120&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43762" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-15-2.jpg?w=1286&ssl=1 1286w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-15-2.jpg?resize=214%2C300&ssl=1 214w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-15-2.jpg?resize=732%2C1024&ssl=1 732w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-15-2.jpg?resize=768%2C1075&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-15-2.jpg?resize=1097%2C1536&ssl=1 1097w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The James Garfield tribute hanging above the fireplace was dedicated to the man who was a student, teacher, and President of the Western Reserve Eclectic Institute.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="572" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/BUCKINGHAM-2.jpg?resize=800%2C572&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43763" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/BUCKINGHAM-2.jpg?w=1800&ssl=1 1800w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/BUCKINGHAM-2.jpg?resize=300%2C214&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/BUCKINGHAM-2.jpg?resize=1024%2C732&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/BUCKINGHAM-2.jpg?resize=768%2C549&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/BUCKINGHAM-2.jpg?resize=1536%2C1097&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/BUCKINGHAM-2.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">From my position on the floor, I couldn’t take my eyes off of Tim Garfield, who was standing on the same floorboards his famous ancestor had installed.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="1120" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/BUCKINGHAM-PLACE-REESE-PIC.jpg?resize=800%2C1120&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43764" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/BUCKINGHAM-PLACE-REESE-PIC.jpg?w=1286&ssl=1 1286w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/BUCKINGHAM-PLACE-REESE-PIC.jpg?resize=214%2C300&ssl=1 214w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/BUCKINGHAM-PLACE-REESE-PIC.jpg?resize=732%2C1024&ssl=1 732w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/BUCKINGHAM-PLACE-REESE-PIC.jpg?resize=768%2C1075&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/BUCKINGHAM-PLACE-REESE-PIC.jpg?resize=1097%2C1536&ssl=1 1097w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Tom’s granddaughter, Reese, did her best to capture a low-angle view of me standing on the floor. (Photo by Reese Fiscelli)</figcaption></figure></div> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">We had been inside Buckingham Place for roughly 45 minutes when I heard Peggy say to my photographer, “Are you ready to head for the GRZ House?” I think that’s the moment when my resin heart skipped a beat because I knew that house was the primary focus of our entire trip. Not only did James and Lucretia Garfield own that home from 1863 to 1872, but there’s also been alleged paranormal activity within its historic walls as well. While I ain’t ‘fraid of no ghosts, it didn’t matter – the spirits who still go bump in the night on Hinsdale Street have been reported to be very friendly. And that was important since we had a very impressionable ten-year-old girl in our tour group, and she didn’t need to be afraid. As a matter of fact, I overhead Tom mention to his wife he wasn’t going to tell Reese about the possibility of the Garfield House being haunted – he wanted to see if the youngster experienced any paranormal activity on her own.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">At roughly 12 noon, we arrived at the Garfield-Robbins-Zimmerman House, which was located on Hinsdale Street next to Hiram College’s Henry Hall. With me tucked comfortably inside Tom’s camera case, our small group followed Peggy Painley into the home through the backdoor. Upon Tim Garfield’s suggestion, we headed through the entire house, bypassing the modern addition, and we began our tour in the original living room of the home. I had to admit, my senses were on high alert for anything out of the ordinary; but nothing ever happened – at least to me or my photographer.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">The historic house was built in 1853 for the original owner Horace Brown. Nine years later, in November 1862, Brown rented the house to the newly elected Congressman from Ohio, James Garfield, and his wife Lucretia. Before he got involved in politics, James became a self-taught lawyer; plus, he was also an instructor at the college and served as its President until the outbreak of the Civil War.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">The Garfield’s loved the place and purchased the home in April 1863, while the Congressman/General was still in battle during the Civil War. By December 1863, General Garfield resigned his commission and took his seat in the United States House of Representatives. Suring his early years in Congress, at the end of the Civil War, Garfield was a radical Republican and supported a movement to exile or execute Confederate leaders. And while he reluctantly supported President Lincoln’s re-election, Garfield refused to campaign for Honest Abe.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">Even though Congressman Garfield lived in a rented house on Washington’s I Street, alongside Franklin Park, he did his best to return to Hiram whenever possible. As a matter of fact, three of the Garfield’s first five children were born in the house on Hinsdale Street, including James Rudolph Garfield, the great-grandfather of our host, Tim Garfield.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">The Garfield children adored their father, who did his best to provide them everything he didn’t have as a child himself. In 1892, daughter Mollie wrote an article in ‘The Youth’s Companion’ where she began by saying, “My father was not only our guide and counsellor; he was our comrade. He was interested in all we were thinking about and doing. He was the director of our work, the willing sharer of our play.” </p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">At one point during our visit, Tom set me down on the original living room floor. A minute or two later, I saw Tim standing nearby as he talked with my photographer. Then I had an epiphany; the revelation struck me like nothing before. At that moment, as I looked up at the 72-year-old Automobile Service Manager from Twinsburg, Ohio, I thought to myself, “The last Garfield to stand where Tim is standing was James A. Garfield himself.” That immediately sent shivers up and down my stainless-steel spine.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">But what struck me as even more phenomenal, and I know my photographer felt the same way, was the way Tim interacted with Reese. Mr. Garfield made the youngster feel special, and I know in my resin heart Tim’s great-great-grandfather would’ve been very proud. And for some strange reason, I felt James was there as he watched our every move – and he definitely approved.</p> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="572" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-27-1.jpg?resize=800%2C572&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43831" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-27-1.jpg?w=1800&ssl=1 1800w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-27-1.jpg?resize=300%2C214&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-27-1.jpg?resize=1024%2C732&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-27-1.jpg?resize=768%2C549&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-27-1.jpg?resize=1536%2C1097&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-27-1.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">James and Lucretia Garfield lived in the house behind from 1862 until they sold the place in 1872.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="572" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-31-1.jpg?resize=800%2C572&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43832" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-31-1.jpg?w=1800&ssl=1 1800w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-31-1.jpg?resize=300%2C214&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-31-1.jpg?resize=1024%2C732&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-31-1.jpg?resize=768%2C549&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-31-1.jpg?resize=1536%2C1097&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-31-1.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Three of the Garfield’s first five children were born in this house, including James Rudolph Garfield, who became the Secretary of the Interior in the Theodore Roosevelt administration.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="572" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-32-1.jpg?resize=800%2C572&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43833" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-32-1.jpg?w=1800&ssl=1 1800w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-32-1.jpg?resize=300%2C214&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-32-1.jpg?resize=1024%2C732&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-32-1.jpg?resize=768%2C549&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-32-1.jpg?resize=1536%2C1097&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-32-1.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">As I stood in front of the historic Garfield home, I couldn’t wait to go inside where I wanted to stand in the footsteps of James A. Garfield; and experience some paranormal activity at the same time.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="572" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-19.jpg?resize=800%2C572&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43788" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-19.jpg?w=1800&ssl=1 1800w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-19.jpg?resize=300%2C214&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-19.jpg?resize=1024%2C732&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-19.jpg?resize=768%2C549&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-19.jpg?resize=1536%2C1097&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-19.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">When my photographer set me on top of the baby grand piano, I had hoped a spirit might tickle some ivories. The only thing tickled was Reese when Tim asked her to pose alongside me.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="572" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-17.jpg?resize=800%2C572&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43776" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-17.jpg?w=1800&ssl=1 1800w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-17.jpg?resize=300%2C214&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-17.jpg?resize=1024%2C732&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-17.jpg?resize=768%2C549&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-17.jpg?resize=1536%2C1097&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-17.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">I love posing on fireplace mantels because they are usually original to the home. Did the future President ever light a stogie from a burning ember in this fireplace?</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="572" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-18.jpg?resize=800%2C572&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43777" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-18.jpg?w=1800&ssl=1 1800w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-18.jpg?resize=300%2C214&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-18.jpg?resize=1024%2C732&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-18.jpg?resize=768%2C549&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-18.jpg?resize=1536%2C1097&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-18.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">It was at this moment, as I looked at Tim Garfield standing nearby, when I thought about his famous ancestor standing on the same hardwood floor.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="572" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-20.jpg?resize=800%2C572&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43778" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-20.jpg?w=1800&ssl=1 1800w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-20.jpg?resize=300%2C214&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-20.jpg?resize=1024%2C732&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-20.jpg?resize=768%2C549&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-20.jpg?resize=1536%2C1097&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-20.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">I can’t take my painted eyes off a good bust and the bay window in the Garfield House was filled with Presidential busts.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="572" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-21.jpg?resize=800%2C572&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43779" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-21.jpg?w=1800&ssl=1 1800w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-21.jpg?resize=300%2C214&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-21.jpg?resize=1024%2C732&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-21.jpg?resize=768%2C549&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-21.jpg?resize=1536%2C1097&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-21.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">When Peggy led our group up the staircase to this upstairs bedroom, Tim believed this may have been the Master Bedroom where his great-great-grandfather and grandmother once slept. I couldn’t believe my luck when Tom placed me in an original antique chamber pot.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="572" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-22.jpg?resize=800%2C572&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43780" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-22.jpg?w=1800&ssl=1 1800w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-22.jpg?resize=300%2C214&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-22.jpg?resize=1024%2C732&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-22.jpg?resize=768%2C549&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-22.jpg?resize=1536%2C1097&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-22.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">I’m standing on the floor of a second bedroom in the upstairs of the GRZ House.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="572" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-24.jpg?resize=800%2C572&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43781" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-24.jpg?w=1800&ssl=1 1800w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-24.jpg?resize=300%2C214&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-24.jpg?resize=1024%2C732&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-24.jpg?resize=768%2C549&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-24.jpg?resize=1536%2C1097&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-24.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Reese and I took a moment to pose in a pair of antique chairs. While the pieces of furniture looked cool and were very old, they were never owned by the Garfield family.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="1120" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-26.jpg?resize=800%2C1120&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43782" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-26.jpg?w=1286&ssl=1 1286w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-26.jpg?resize=214%2C300&ssl=1 214w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-26.jpg?resize=732%2C1024&ssl=1 732w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-26.jpg?resize=768%2C1075&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-26.jpg?resize=1097%2C1536&ssl=1 1097w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">No trip would be complete without me posing with a group of bobbleheads. In this image, I’m sandwiched between my doppelganger and George W. Bush.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="572" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/REESE-DOOR-BELL.jpg?resize=800%2C572&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43785" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/REESE-DOOR-BELL.jpg?w=1800&ssl=1 1800w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/REESE-DOOR-BELL.jpg?resize=300%2C214&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/REESE-DOOR-BELL.jpg?resize=1024%2C732&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/REESE-DOOR-BELL.jpg?resize=768%2C549&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/REESE-DOOR-BELL.jpg?resize=1536%2C1097&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/REESE-DOOR-BELL.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Reese was extremely proud to have guessed the purpose of the backdoor’s chain. It was to ring the doorbell. To celebrate her wisdom, the ten-year-old snapped this image. (Photo by Reese Fiscelli)</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="572" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/TIM-AND-REESE.jpg?resize=800%2C572&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43784" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/TIM-AND-REESE.jpg?w=1800&ssl=1 1800w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/TIM-AND-REESE.jpg?resize=300%2C214&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/TIM-AND-REESE.jpg?resize=1024%2C732&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/TIM-AND-REESE.jpg?resize=768%2C549&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/TIM-AND-REESE.jpg?resize=1536%2C1097&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/TIM-AND-REESE.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Tim Garfield and Reese Fiscelli posed on the porch of the Garfield-Robbins-Zimmerman House. At first, I thought they looked like the real James and Lucretia Garfield. In reality, James stood 6′ 0″ tall, while his wife Lucretia measured 5’3″ in height.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="572" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-PORCH-POST-1.jpg?resize=800%2C572&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43836" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-PORCH-POST-1.jpg?w=1800&ssl=1 1800w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-PORCH-POST-1.jpg?resize=300%2C214&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-PORCH-POST-1.jpg?resize=1024%2C732&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-PORCH-POST-1.jpg?resize=768%2C549&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-PORCH-POST-1.jpg?resize=1536%2C1097&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-PORCH-POST-1.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Alone with my thoughts on the porch before our group headed for lunch, I wondered if I would see a curtain move, or a face looking out from behind the glass. But that never happened.</figcaption></figure></div> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">During our tour of the home, which lasted about 40 minutes or so, Tom and I got to know Tim Garfield a bit better. The first thing I realized was how humble the man was, even though his bloodline flows through our history books. I listened as Tim said, “My great-great-grandfather, as President, was known for one thing – and that’s for being assassinated. He wasn’t in office long enough to get anything accomplished.”</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">Then our host paused, and said, “But the more I’ve read and researched about the man, the more I realized how much more he did besides being elected President. He was a teacher, an amazing orator, a man of faith, and we still feel his impact at Hiram College today. My great-great-grandfather served our country during the Civil War, and he also served our nation in Congress for over fifteen years. And most importantly, at least in my eyes, was the fact he helped raise some pretty incredible children who went on to do some great things in their own right. Because of all those factors, that’s the reason we started <em>The Garfield Trail;</em> it was to keep James A. Garfield’s amazing legacy alive for future generations, such as Reese.”</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">Near the tail-end of our visit, while the others were in a separate room in the house, my photographer pulled Peggy aside to ask her about the alleged paranormal activity in the home that had been reported in the past. Tom wanted to keep his question on the downlow as not to frighten his granddaughter. Peggy smiled and said, “It’s all true. I’ve never personally experienced anything in this house, but I know others who have. As a matter of fact, there are a lot of buildings in Hiram that are filled with paranormal activity; my office included. But the good thing is – the spirits are very friendly. They don’t do anything to harm anyone; they just let you know they’re still around.” And with that, we met up with the others and headed outside.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">Before we went to lunch, Mr. Garfield took a moment to pose with his newfound ten-year-old admirer on the porch of the historic home. It was a touching moment; one that will go down in the annals of my travels. After all, Tim Garfield was the first direct descendent of a President my photographer had ever met in person – and his granddaughter Reese got the opportunity to meet one on her first-ever historical trip. And the funny thing was, she wouldn’t have been able to experience any of it had she gone to school that day instead of traveling with us.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">Back in the Jeep, Vicki followed Tim’s vehicle as he led us to the Kennedy Center. No, this wasn’t the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts; that building is in Washington D.C. This Kennedy Center happens to be the epicenter of student activity at Hiram College, and it was where the Kennedy Center Bistro was located, which was where Mr. Garfield had arranged for us to have lunch.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">Once inside the Bistro, Tim introduced us to three folks from Hiram College who graciously took time to join us for lunch. The first was James Thompson, who’s the Professor of Political Science at the college and the Director of the James A. Garfield Center for Public Leadership. James was escorted by two women, Katie Buzard and Tessa Leali, both of whom were Major Gift Officers for the college.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">While I listened to my photographer converse with Thompson as the pair discussed political topics, the highlight for me was watching James interact with Tom’s granddaughter. The professor used his passionate and energetic teaching style, and tested Reese’s Presidential knowledge; while at the same time, the youngster munched on a chicken wrap. I had to admit, I was impressed with the kid’s knowledge, especially since she’s been interested in history for only the past year or so.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">There was one thing Thompson mentioned that really stuck with me, and I know my photographer agreed with James’ philosophy, and that was when James said he was trying to train his students to have civil conversations when the topic was centered around politics. He said there is too much anger in our country today when it comes to the political arena, and his goal was to help change that mindset – even if it’s one person at a time.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">With full stomachs, and with even fuller minds, our group bid farewell to Katie and Tessa and followed Tim and James on foot to our next stop – Koritansky Hall. Today, Koritansky Hall is used as a college classroom for political science. As a matter of fact, James Thompson’s office was located in the building’s basement, nearly next door to the office of our host Kathy Luschek, who is the Associate Director of the Garfield Institute.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">The historic building I saw standing in front of me was built in 1842 as the Mecca Community Church in Mecca, Ohio. That white, wooden structure had a huge connection with James A. Garfield, which was right up my alley. It turned out Garfield, who later became known as The Preacher President, once delivered sermons at that church in Mecca in the late 1850s or early 1860s.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">Due to its Garfield connection, Hiram College purchased the building in 2007; they had it disassembled a year later and then had the building moved 25 miles west to the college campus in Hiram where it was painstakingly reassembled board by board before being dedicated as the James A. Garfield Meeting House in 2009. On May 12, 2012, the meeting house was renamed Koritansky Hall in honor of Hiram’s Political Science Professor John C. Koritansky.</p> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="1120" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-44-1.jpg?resize=800%2C1120&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43795" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-44-1.jpg?w=1286&ssl=1 1286w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-44-1.jpg?resize=214%2C300&ssl=1 214w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-44-1.jpg?resize=732%2C1024&ssl=1 732w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-44-1.jpg?resize=768%2C1075&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-44-1.jpg?resize=1097%2C1536&ssl=1 1097w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">I’m standing in front of Koritansky Hall on the campus of Hiram College. Built in 1842, this historic meeting house originally stood in Mecca, Ohio until 2007 and is now part of James A. Garfield’s legacy in Hiram.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="1120" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-37.jpg?resize=800%2C1120&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43796" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-37.jpg?w=1286&ssl=1 1286w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-37.jpg?resize=214%2C300&ssl=1 214w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-37.jpg?resize=732%2C1024&ssl=1 732w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-37.jpg?resize=768%2C1075&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-37.jpg?resize=1097%2C1536&ssl=1 1097w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">When Tom placed me on a table inside the historic building, it was easy to see the original oak support beams throughout the structure. And since that church was constructed in 1842, I figured the trees which the beams had been cut from were alive when the Declaration of Independence was signed.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="1120" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-39.jpg?resize=800%2C1120&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43797" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-39.jpg?w=1286&ssl=1 1286w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-39.jpg?resize=214%2C300&ssl=1 214w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-39.jpg?resize=732%2C1024&ssl=1 732w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-39.jpg?resize=768%2C1075&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-39.jpg?resize=1097%2C1536&ssl=1 1097w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">As I posed for another photo, I had the feeling there was a Garfield standing near me. And there was!</figcaption></figure></div> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">Once Kathy had led our group into the historic structure through the basement-level office area, the director took us on a tour of the meeting house itself. Although the building featured an upper loft, which was used as an area for students to kick back and relax, the lower grand hall was filled with tables where the students learned political science from James Thompson.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">But during our visit, I saw more than just a classroom. I looked at the original oak wooden beams and knew if they could talk, they would tell a story of a future President’s faith inside that building. As I stood on a table and envisioned James Garfield preaching to the Mecca congregation, his great-great-grandson came into the room and silently took his place.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">Then she appeared, almost out of thin air. Even though we didn’t experience any apparitions at the GRZ House, I wondered if this one had followed us to Koritansky Hall. The mysterious woman walked silently across the wooden floor before she slowly turned to face her audience. The woman, who stood roughly 5′ 3″ tall, wore a black dress, black hat, and she carried a small, black handbag. I noticed a small, round Red Cross pin on her right lapel; and a broach with President Garfield’s likeness was pinned at the woman’s neckline. At first, I thought the lady was looking at me through her small, oval-shaped wire-rimmed glasses. But once again, I took a back seat to a cute ten-year-old girl. Suddenly, I noticed a shy grin appear on the woman’s face; she looked at Reese and said, “Hello, I’m Lucretia Garfield. Who may I have the pleasure of meeting?” By the look on the youngster’s face, especially when I saw her mouth drop open in total awe, I knew my photographer’s granddaughter was instantly star-struck. Reese loves learning about the Presidents, but she loves learning and hearing stories about the women in history equally as much – and I think that’s very cool.</p> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="1120" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/LUCRETIA-FROM-VIDEO-1.jpg?resize=800%2C1120&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43800" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/LUCRETIA-FROM-VIDEO-1.jpg?w=1286&ssl=1 1286w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/LUCRETIA-FROM-VIDEO-1.jpg?resize=214%2C300&ssl=1 214w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/LUCRETIA-FROM-VIDEO-1.jpg?resize=732%2C1024&ssl=1 732w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/LUCRETIA-FROM-VIDEO-1.jpg?resize=768%2C1075&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/LUCRETIA-FROM-VIDEO-1.jpg?resize=1097%2C1536&ssl=1 1097w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Lucretia Garfield, portrayed by historian Debbie Weinkamer, had a great look on her face when she talked about Teddy Roosevelt’s visit to her Mentor Farm, which actually happened on September 27, 1914.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="572" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/11-MECCA-CHURCH-2.jpg?resize=800%2C572&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43829" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/11-MECCA-CHURCH-2.jpg?w=1800&ssl=1 1800w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/11-MECCA-CHURCH-2.jpg?resize=300%2C214&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/11-MECCA-CHURCH-2.jpg?resize=1024%2C732&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/11-MECCA-CHURCH-2.jpg?resize=768%2C549&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/11-MECCA-CHURCH-2.jpg?resize=1536%2C1097&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/11-MECCA-CHURCH-2.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Reese wanted to capture the moment when Lucretia stood at the pulpit to pose for a picture. (Photo by Reese Fiscelli)</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="1120" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-40-1.jpg?resize=800%2C1120&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43837" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-40-1.jpg?w=1286&ssl=1 1286w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-40-1.jpg?resize=214%2C300&ssl=1 214w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-40-1.jpg?resize=732%2C1024&ssl=1 732w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-40-1.jpg?resize=768%2C1075&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-40-1.jpg?resize=1097%2C1536&ssl=1 1097w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Reese was all smiles when she met former First Lady Lucretia Garfield inside the Mecca Church.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="1120" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-41.jpg?resize=800%2C1120&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43802" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-41.jpg?w=1286&ssl=1 1286w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-41.jpg?resize=214%2C300&ssl=1 214w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-41.jpg?resize=732%2C1024&ssl=1 732w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-41.jpg?resize=768%2C1075&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-41.jpg?resize=1097%2C1536&ssl=1 1097w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Earlier in the day, I had been held in the hands of Tim Garfield. Inside the Mecca Church, I found my way into the hands of Tim’s great-great-grandmother, Lucretia Garfield.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="572" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-46.jpg?resize=800%2C572&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43805" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-46.jpg?w=1800&ssl=1 1800w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-46.jpg?resize=300%2C214&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-46.jpg?resize=1024%2C732&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-46.jpg?resize=768%2C549&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-46.jpg?resize=1536%2C1097&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-46.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Before we left the grounds where Koritansky Hall stood, I took a moment to pose with the sandstone sculpture of James A. Garfield, who was wearing sunglasses on an overcast afternoon.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="1120" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-45.jpg?resize=800%2C1120&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43806" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-45.jpg?w=1286&ssl=1 1286w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-45.jpg?resize=214%2C300&ssl=1 214w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-45.jpg?resize=732%2C1024&ssl=1 732w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-45.jpg?resize=768%2C1075&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-45.jpg?resize=1097%2C1536&ssl=1 1097w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">This statue of Garfield became famous in 2009 when unknown assailants decapitated the 20th President. When the head was found after an intense investigation, Garfield’s “melon” was reattached and now contains a GPS tracking chip to discourage copycat vandals.</figcaption></figure></div> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">During the twenty minutes or so Lucretia stood and talked with our group, I looked to my left and saw Reese sitting next to her grandfather. The funny thing was – I couldn’t tell which one was more awestruck. To be honest, so was I. Debbie has an incredible gift, and that was to bring this relatively unknown woman to life in such a way that made it feel like we were transported back in time to 1910. The portrayal made us realize what an intelligent and strong woman Lucretia was, and how she taught her children and grandkids to have a hopeful outlook on life – even after the tragic death of her husband. But the one nugget of information Lucretia had shared with Reese that took the youngster aback was when Mrs. Garfield shared her secret of the President’s favorite meal, one which James preferred when Lucretia cooked for him at home. When Reese heard the words “squirrel stew” come out of Lucretia’s mouth, the ten-year-old let out a slight gasp in disgust. As for me, I envisioned the Garfield boys, Hal, James, Irvin, and Abram, as they set peanuts out as bate for their father’s stew.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">As the hands on the clock moved closer to the three o’clock hour, Tim finished our visit at Koritansky Hall by telling a story about the sandstone sculpture of his great-great-grandfather which was erected in 2009 in the courtyard just outside the historic meeting house. Shortly after the statue was put in place, the President’s head was severed from his neck, and there were no clues as to who the perpetrators were. Was it a student prank? Were the assailants from another town? After months of head-scratching by local officials, word leaked out as to the head’s whereabouts, and it finally made its way back onto the shoulders of our 20th President. In an effort to discourage thieves from committing a copycat crime, a GPS tracking chip was embedded into the head. I laughed and thought to myself, “It’s one thing to get ahead in school, but not at the expense of James A. Garfield.”</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">Our final stop of the day was scheduled for the Hiram College Library where Tim had arranged a behind-the-scenes tour of the school’s archives, which he said contained some interesting artifacts associated with his famous ancestor. Since the library was located across the street from Koritansky Hall, our entire group, which consisted of Tim Garfield, Kathy Luschek, Lucretia Garfield, Tom, Vicki, Reese, and of course, me, made the short pilgrimage to the large, brick building where we met up with Library Director Andria Morningstar-Gray.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">Once we had made it to the coveted archival room inside a section of the library, Andria went to work as she showed us a very impressive display of artifact associated with our 20th President. And let me tell you, my resin jaw nearly dropped to the floor when I saw what Andria had set out for us.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">After we examined some original Garfield family lithographs, Andria brought out the heavy artillery, which included a silver water pitcher that was gifted to James Garfield by a hose brigade during his 1880 Presidential campaign. Then the Director pulled out an original 1880 campaign button, which featured an image of Garfield on the front. </p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">One of the highlights for me, however, was when Andria opened up a large book filled with newspaper clippings that documented Garfield’s assassination and the trial of his assassin. I watched in wonderment as Tim and Reese examined each page of the ancient folio that was impeccably constructed by someone who had an obvious passion for the murdered 20th President.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">As awesome as all of the artifacts were, the pièce de résistance for me came when Tom placed me next to a handwritten letter signed by the main man himself. It turned out Garfield had penned a ‘Farewell’ letter to the college, which was dated June 24, 1853. Even though the letter was over 170 years old, I was able to read every eloquently inscribed word on the single sheet of paper, which began with “Farewell”, and continued with, “The time has arrived when our sojourn together for many bright days must now draw to a close.”</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">James Garfield had a rough, tough, and strong side, but he also had a soft, tender side as well; and that was very evident in his heartfelt letter to the Western Reserve Eclectic Institute – a place where he studied, taught, preached, and called home for well over a decade.</p> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="1120" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/LIBRARY-3.jpg?resize=800%2C1120&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43811" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/LIBRARY-3.jpg?w=1286&ssl=1 1286w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/LIBRARY-3.jpg?resize=214%2C300&ssl=1 214w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/LIBRARY-3.jpg?resize=732%2C1024&ssl=1 732w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/LIBRARY-3.jpg?resize=768%2C1075&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/LIBRARY-3.jpg?resize=1097%2C1536&ssl=1 1097w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">This silver water pitcher was gifted to James Garfield in October 1880 during his Presidential campaign by a Chambersburg, Pennsylvania hose brigade. </figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="1121" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/LIBRARY-4.jpg?resize=800%2C1121&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43812" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/LIBRARY-4.jpg?w=1285&ssl=1 1285w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/LIBRARY-4.jpg?resize=214%2C300&ssl=1 214w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/LIBRARY-4.jpg?resize=731%2C1024&ssl=1 731w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/LIBRARY-4.jpg?resize=768%2C1076&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/LIBRARY-4.jpg?resize=1097%2C1536&ssl=1 1097w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Library Director Andria Morningstar-Gray turned the pages of the historic folio as Reese and Tim Garfield carefully examine the contents. That large book, which was impeccably put together and preserved, made a huge impact on Tom’s granddaughter.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="1120" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/LIBRARY-1.jpg?resize=800%2C1120&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43813" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/LIBRARY-1.jpg?w=1286&ssl=1 1286w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/LIBRARY-1.jpg?resize=214%2C300&ssl=1 214w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/LIBRARY-1.jpg?resize=732%2C1024&ssl=1 732w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/LIBRARY-1.jpg?resize=768%2C1075&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/LIBRARY-1.jpg?resize=1097%2C1536&ssl=1 1097w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Standing next to an original hand-written letter penned by James A. Garfield was a moment I’ll never forget. And when I read some of his eloquent words, a small tear formed in the corner of my painted eye.</figcaption></figure></div> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">Our visit with Andria, as well as with the historic artifacts in the college library archives, had drawn to a close and it was time for my family to say their goodbyes to our incredible hosts. It was a sad moment for me when Reese walked over to where Lucretia and Tim were standing, and I saw the ten-year-old give each one a huge hug. There was no doubt Reese had developed a bond with both of them; and it was a connection – a conduit from the past to the present – the youngster will never forget.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">Suddenly, out of nowhere, Tim Garfield handed Reese and Tom colorful bags filled with souvenirs and mementos associated with his famous great-great-grandfather – including a James A. Garfield bobble head. At first, I was a bit jealous – I felt like a child whose parents bring home a newborn sibling. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized what an amazing gesture that was. It was a President Garfield bobble head, gifted to my photographer by the President’s great-great-grandson. It doesn’t get much better than that – although Reese thought her gifts, particularly the two books, were great as well; especially after the youngster asked Lucretia and Tim to sign the two biographies.</p> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="572" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/BOBBLE-HEADS.jpg?resize=800%2C572&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43815" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/BOBBLE-HEADS.jpg?w=1800&ssl=1 1800w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/BOBBLE-HEADS.jpg?resize=300%2C214&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/BOBBLE-HEADS.jpg?resize=1024%2C732&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/BOBBLE-HEADS.jpg?resize=768%2C549&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/BOBBLE-HEADS.jpg?resize=1536%2C1097&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/BOBBLE-HEADS.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Perhaps I should be concerned about hanging around with these four guys!</figcaption></figure></div> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">It was after four o’clock in the afternoon and our time at Hiram College had come to an end. Tom, Vicki, Reese, and I had just spent over five hours with some of the friendliest, warmest, kindest, and welcoming folks we’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting. All of our hosts had rolled out the red carpet for us during the visit and they made us feel very special.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">After a final goodbye, hug, and handshake with Tim Garfield in the Kennedy Center parking lot, our host disappeared inside the vehicle with the Ohio license plate T GARF.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">We had a 40-mile drive from the college to our hotel in Mentor; and at one point during the journey northward through the mist and the day’s last sunlight, I listened as my photographer mentioned to his granddaughter that he heard the Garfield House was haunted. Tom hadn’t said a word to her before that as he didn’t want the child to be afraid to go inside the home. But as soon as my cameraman mentioned possible ghosts, Reese shocked her grandparents by saying, “That explains the two knocks I heard in the dining room. I was watching you, and Tim, and Miss Peggy all talking in the middle of the room when suddenly I heard two distinct knocks on the doorway closest to me – and there wasn’t anyone standing near it.” </p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">When I heard Reese recount her experience in the GRZ House, I was a little jealous; and I think Tom was as well. The two of us had hoped for an unexplained encounter, but that never happened. At the end of the day, however, the two of us were glad the experience didn’t seem to faze the young girl whatsoever.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">At about 5:30pm, Vicki pulled into the parking lot of the Holiday Inn Express in Mentor. We were in close proximity to the first scheduled site in the morning, as the Garfield’s home, known as Lawnfield, was only two miles down the road. After my photographer’s wife registered in the hotel’s lobby, the four of us went to our room where Tom immediately set me alongside the television set. While my photographer ordered a Papa Johns pizza delivery, Vicki and Reese donned their swimsuits and went to the pool.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">After dinner, it was easy to see my three companions were exhausted from a long day of travel. By seven-thirty, Tom had extinguished the lights in the room and everyone, but me, was fast asleep. Alone in the darkness with my thoughts, my head was filled with a countless number of highlights from our time in Hiram. The unbelievable part, at least for me, was how one small email sent by my photographer, where he asked permission for us to visit one home, resulted in us meeting eight amazing people who brought James A. Garfield to life for us in a most special way.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">While I looked forward to Saturday morning’s tour of Lawnfield, as well our return trip to Lake View Cemetery for my sixth visit to the Garfield Memorial, there was no way possible for anything to top what the four of us experienced that Friday in Hiram, Ohio. Unless, of course, President Garfield made an appearance himself.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size"><strong>** THIS POST IS DEDICATED TO TIM GARFIELD & HIS FRIENDS, PEGGY PAINLEY, JAMES THOMPSON, KATIE BUZARD, TESSA LEALI, KATHY LUSCHEK, ANDRIA MORNINGSTAR-GRAY, AND LUCRETIA GARFIELD FOR THEIR TIME, HOSPITALITY, AND GENEROSITY DURING OUR VISIT TO HIRAM **</strong></p> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="1120" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-30.jpg?resize=800%2C1120&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43790" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-30.jpg?w=1286&ssl=1 1286w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-30.jpg?resize=214%2C300&ssl=1 214w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-30.jpg?resize=732%2C1024&ssl=1 732w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-30.jpg?resize=768%2C1075&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-30.jpg?resize=1097%2C1536&ssl=1 1097w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></figure></div> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size"><strong>*NOTE* IF YOU, OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW, IS INTERESTED IN DONATING MONEY TO A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION, PLEASE CONSIDER SENDING A DONATION TO HELP RESTORE THE GARFIELD-ROBBINS-ZIMMERMAN HOUSE IN HIRAM, OHIO. HELP KEEP THE SPIRIT OF JAMES A. GARFIELD ALIVE! </strong></p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size"><strong>Donations earmarked for GRZ Restoration at www.garfieldtrail.org Thank You!</strong></p> ]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://eyesofjefferson.com/317-the-spirit-of-james-garfield-came-to-life-at-hiram-college-thanks-to-the-efforts-of-tim-garfield-and-his-friends/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>4</slash:comments> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">43752</post-id> </item> <item> <title>316: IN MORELAND HILLS, I FOUND PEACE WITH REESE AT THE START OF OUR ‘LIFE OF GARFIELD TOUR’</title> <link>https://eyesofjefferson.com/316-in-moreland-hills-i-found-peace-with-reese-at-the-start-of-our-life-of-garfield-tour/</link> <comments>https://eyesofjefferson.com/316-in-moreland-hills-i-found-peace-with-reese-at-the-start-of-our-life-of-garfield-tour/#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Thomas Watson]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Mon, 18 Nov 2024 22:32:46 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category> <category><![CDATA[James A Garfield]]></category> <category><![CDATA[James A Garfield Birth Site Park]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Life of Garfield Tour]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Moreland Hills Ohio]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Reese Fiscelli]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Thomas Jefferson]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Thomas Jefferson bobble head]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://eyesofjefferson.com/?p=43730</guid> <description><![CDATA[After I had returned from a trip to Kansas City, Missouri on August 5th, I was placed alongside my bobble head friends where we endured the agony of watching and listening to an endless number of political advertisements on television.…]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[ <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">After I had returned from a trip to Kansas City, Missouri on August 5th, I was placed alongside my bobble head friends where we endured the agony of watching and listening to an endless number of political advertisements on television. As a matter of fact, the misery of those ads continued for exactly three months, and I heard the words immigrants, transgenders, border czar, and Bidenomics so many times I felt like I wanted to scarf-down a Springfield dog or cat myself.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">But in the midst of all the mudslinging, name calling, and down-right lies on television, my photographer decided we needed to take one final trip in 2024 to quench our Presidential thirst. Tom also felt there was no better way to end our twelfth year of traveling together than to try and gain access to a home that’s been on our bucket list since we first saw the exterior on August 17, 2015. Yes, I’m talking about the two-and-one-half story home in Hiram, Ohio which was owned by James and Lucretia Garfield from 1863 to 1874.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">While half of me had hoped Tom could get permission for us to visit the interior of what’s known today as the Garfield-Robbins-Zimmerman House in Hiram, the other half of me was more apprehensive because of the building’s alleged paranormal activity over the years. I love standing in the footsteps of our Presidents. But in that house, there was a chance I might meet one of them, whether I was ready or not.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">On October 28, 2024, my photographer set the trip’s wheels in motion when he sent an email to a group known as Garfield Trail Ohio. That non-profit organization preserves and promotes the legacy of James A. Garfield and his family at four historic sites in Northeast Ohio – the Garfield birth site in Moreland Hills; Hiram College, where James attended school, preached, married, taught, and began his political career; Lawnfield, which was Garfield’s historic farm in Mentor; and of course, the President’s final resting place in Cleveland’s Lake View Cemetery.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">Before that sunny, but cool, Monday afternoon in Michigan was over, my photographer had received a response to his request, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen him giddier. He looked like a guy who just found a Coupe de Ville hiding in the bottom of a Cracker Jack box. Not only did it look like we might get inside the Hiram home, but the email came from President Garfield’s great-great grandson Tim Garfield, who’s also the Executive Director of the Garfield Trail. I was as stunned as my camera guy because it appeared we were going to meet a direct descendant of the Preacher President, who happens to be one of our favorites.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">Election Day 2024 turned out to be a day that will live in infamy, and not because of Donald J. Trump. That afternoon, roughly seven hours after my photographer and his wife exercised their right to vote, Tim Garfield sent my cameraman the itinerary and official confirmation for our visit, which was scheduled to kick-off at eleven o’clock on the morning of November 15th. Mr. Garfield had arranged for us to visit four places associated with Hiram College – Buckingham Place, the Garfield-Robbins-Zimmerman House, Koritansky Hall (Mecca Church), and last but not least, the Garfield Archives inside the Hiram College Library. Garfield also arranged for some very prestigious folks from the college to serve as our hosts during our visit as well. And for the icing on the cake, Tim also mentioned we’d be visited by Lucretia Garfield herself at some point during our visit.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">Tom’s alarm rang at 4:00am on Friday November 15, 2024, which meant we were less than two hours from heading out on our final trip of the year. One change to the original plans; Bob Moldenhauer was unable to make the trip. Taking Bob’s place on that two-day adventure, however, was my photographer’s wife Vicki and their ten-year-old granddaughter Reese Fiscelli, who has recently found a passion for American history after she portrayed Betsy Ross for a third-grade school project in 2023. As a matter of fact, Reese donned a black 1860s-style dress and portrayed Mary Todd Lincoln for Halloween this year.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">After Tom carefully placed me inside the padded camera case, he set the case alongside Reese in the backseat of our Jeep Grand Cherokee moments before Vicki backed out of our driveway at precisely 5:41am. Even though it was still over an hour before sunrise, it was easy to tell the sky was overcast and there was a threat of rain in the air. And by the time my photographer’s wife was exceeding the speed limit on the Ohio Turnpike, the threat of rain became a reality. All we could do was hope the drizzle would stop by the time we made it to our first site – which was the James A. Garfield Birth Site Park in Moreland Hills, Ohio.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">It was a minute before nine-thirty when Vicki navigated the Jeep into a parking place across the lot from the office of the Moreland Hills mayor. After Tom handed Reese his secondary camera for her to use, the ten-year-old danced along the brick pathway that led visitors towards the replica log cabin. I laughed to myself because I thought Reese looked like Dorothy on her way to see the wizard. And in a sense, she WAS Dorothy – this was Reese’s first-ever visit to a Presidential site, and she was on her way to the Emerald City with Vicki the lioness, Tom the brainless straw guy, and me, the stainless-steel and resin-hearted bobble head.</p> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="572" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-1.jpg?resize=800%2C572&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43733" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-1.jpg?w=1800&ssl=1 1800w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-1.jpg?resize=300%2C214&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-1.jpg?resize=1024%2C732&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-1.jpg?resize=768%2C549&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-1.jpg?resize=1536%2C1097&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-1.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The 20′ by 30′ log cabin behind me was built in 1999 near the location where President James Garfield was born on November 19, 1831.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="572" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-2.jpg?resize=800%2C572&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43734" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-2.jpg?w=1800&ssl=1 1800w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-2.jpg?resize=300%2C214&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-2.jpg?resize=1024%2C732&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-2.jpg?resize=768%2C549&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-2.jpg?resize=1536%2C1097&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-2.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">I’m standing on one of the three windows in the cabin, which not only represented the cabin where Garfield was born, but it was also built from logs once used in a 1830s -1840s horse barn.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="572" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-3.jpg?resize=800%2C572&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43735" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-3.jpg?w=1800&ssl=1 1800w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-3.jpg?resize=300%2C214&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-3.jpg?resize=1024%2C732&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-3.jpg?resize=768%2C549&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-3.jpg?resize=1536%2C1097&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-3.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">From my position on the window ledge, I saw Reese out of the corner of my painted eyes as she tried to take her first images with Tom’s camera. For me, it was an honor to see the young ten-year-old so interested in Presidential and American history. As a bonus, she’s following in the footsteps of her “Papa”.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="572" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-3.1.jpg?resize=800%2C572&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43736" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-3.1.jpg?w=1800&ssl=1 1800w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-3.1.jpg?resize=300%2C214&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-3.1.jpg?resize=1024%2C732&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-3.1.jpg?resize=768%2C549&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-3.1.jpg?resize=1536%2C1097&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-3.1.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">This was one of the first images Reese captured with her camera on Friday morning. It’s hard to see, but I was beaming with pride! (Photo by Reese Fiscelli)</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="1120" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/BIRTHSITE-3.jpg?resize=800%2C1120&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43738" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/BIRTHSITE-3.jpg?w=1286&ssl=1 1286w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/BIRTHSITE-3.jpg?resize=214%2C300&ssl=1 214w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/BIRTHSITE-3.jpg?resize=732%2C1024&ssl=1 732w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/BIRTHSITE-3.jpg?resize=768%2C1075&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/BIRTHSITE-3.jpg?resize=1097%2C1536&ssl=1 1097w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The life-sized bronze statue of a youthful James Garfield, with books in one hand and a farming hoe in the other, accurately depicted one of the hardest working young men who would later become President. </figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="572" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-8.jpg?resize=800%2C572&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43737" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-8.jpg?w=1800&ssl=1 1800w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-8.jpg?resize=300%2C214&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-8.jpg?resize=1024%2C732&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-8.jpg?resize=768%2C549&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-8.jpg?resize=1536%2C1097&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-8.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Due to his work ethic, his intelligence, and his dedication to our country, James A. Garfield is one of my favorite Presidents. I only hoped the snot droplet running from his nose didn’t land in my resin hair.</figcaption></figure></div> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">In my eyes, this was hallowed ground we were walking on. This land was not only where James Abram Garfield was born on November 19, 1831, but it was also where his legend took shape – even though it began with tragedy. In May 1833, a fire engulfed the woods near their cabin and the future President’s father, Abram Garfield, managed to extinguish the blaze before it destroyed their farm. Days later, the elder Garfield fell ill with a fever and died – leaving James fatherless before his second birthday.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">We had spent about ten minutes admiring the replica cabin when Tom pointed the way to the trail which led to the actual birth site. The first thing I noticed was how much the entire park had changed. During my last visit on May 19, 2019, my photographer and Bob Moldenhauer took me along a rugged path into the woods where the three of us went on a “wild goose chase” in search of the boulder which marked the precise birth site.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">Since our visit over five years ago, the Garfield Trail organization spearheaded a project and had a wooden walkway constructed that led to the birth site marker. As Tom carried me along the wooden walkway, which was still damp from the morning rain, the incredible silence was broken only by an occasional automobile speeding past on the nearby highway. </p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">When we reached the end of the wooden path, I saw the same boulder I had stood on in 2019. Now, everything looked different. Gone were the brush and a few trees which nearly obscured the marker five year ago; plus, some of the wild foliage was replaced with a well-defined outline of the 20′ by 30′ cabin where James Garfield was born. The organization also added a handful of informational signs which told the story of the Garfield’s time in Moreland Hills. </p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">Even though archeologists never unearthed any artifacts from the site, they were confident the ground where my photographer set me in the damp grass and leaves was in fact where the Abram Garfield had built his cabin in 1829. Even after Abram died in the cabin in 1833, the family lived at that farm for another 13 years before the Garfield’s moved away.</p> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="572" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-7.jpg?resize=800%2C572&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43741" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-7.jpg?w=1800&ssl=1 1800w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-7.jpg?resize=300%2C214&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-7.jpg?resize=1024%2C732&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-7.jpg?resize=768%2C549&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-7.jpg?resize=1536%2C1097&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-7.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The birth site marker was located roughly one-quarter mile north of the replica cabin, which I saw in the distance from the hiking trail bridge that spanned a small creek.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="572" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-4.jpg?resize=800%2C572&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43742" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-4.jpg?w=1800&ssl=1 1800w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-4.jpg?resize=300%2C214&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-4.jpg?resize=1024%2C732&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-4.jpg?resize=768%2C549&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-4.jpg?resize=1536%2C1097&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-4.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">For Tom, Vicki, Reese, and me, it was great to start our ‘Life of Garfield Tour’ at his birthplace near Moreland Hills, Ohio. The boulder I’m standing on in this image was placed at the birth site to mark the 100th anniversary of President Garfield’s birth.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="498" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/DRAWING-CABIN.jpg?resize=800%2C498&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43746" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/DRAWING-CABIN.jpg?w=1800&ssl=1 1800w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/DRAWING-CABIN.jpg?resize=300%2C187&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/DRAWING-CABIN.jpg?resize=1024%2C638&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/DRAWING-CABIN.jpg?resize=768%2C478&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/DRAWING-CABIN.jpg?resize=1536%2C957&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/DRAWING-CABIN.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">This is an 1896 pen and ink depiction of President Garfield’s birthplace.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="571" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-MARKER-2019.jpg?resize=800%2C571&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43745" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-MARKER-2019.jpg?w=1800&ssl=1 1800w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-MARKER-2019.jpg?resize=300%2C214&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-MARKER-2019.jpg?resize=1024%2C731&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-MARKER-2019.jpg?resize=768%2C548&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-MARKER-2019.jpg?resize=1536%2C1097&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-MARKER-2019.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">This image of me standing on the same boulder was taken by my photographer on May 19, 2019. It’s easy to see some of the changes that were made in the past five years.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="572" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/BIRTHSITE-1.jpg?resize=800%2C572&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43743" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/BIRTHSITE-1.jpg?w=1800&ssl=1 1800w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/BIRTHSITE-1.jpg?resize=300%2C214&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/BIRTHSITE-1.jpg?resize=1024%2C732&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/BIRTHSITE-1.jpg?resize=768%2C549&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/BIRTHSITE-1.jpg?resize=1536%2C1097&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/BIRTHSITE-1.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">When James Garfield was born here on November 19, 1831, his mother said of her newborn son, “The largest Babe I ever had, he looked like a red Irishman.” Not only did the future President weigh ten pounds at birth, but he also had a massive head and torso with short, stubby legs.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="572" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-6.jpg?resize=800%2C572&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43744" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-6.jpg?w=1800&ssl=1 1800w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-6.jpg?resize=300%2C214&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-6.jpg?resize=1024%2C732&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-6.jpg?resize=768%2C549&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-6.jpg?resize=1536%2C1097&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/GARFIELD-6.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Did the future President learn to walk on the same spot where I’m standing in this photo. Or was this area where he learned to read at the age of three. One thing was for certain, the spirt of James Abram Garfield was very evident at this site and I believe he kept me from tipping over amongst the wet leaves and foliage. </figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="572" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/REECE-AT-BIRTHSITE.jpg?resize=800%2C572&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-43748" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/REECE-AT-BIRTHSITE.jpg?w=1800&ssl=1 1800w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/REECE-AT-BIRTHSITE.jpg?resize=300%2C214&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/REECE-AT-BIRTHSITE.jpg?resize=1024%2C732&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/REECE-AT-BIRTHSITE.jpg?resize=768%2C549&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/REECE-AT-BIRTHSITE.jpg?resize=1536%2C1097&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/REECE-AT-BIRTHSITE.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Reese curbed her enthusiasm for a moment to pose at her first-ever Presidential site. Although she looked cute as a button at the Garfield birth site, Reese waited for our visit to Hiram College before she brought out the “heavy artillery” of cuteness she had saved for our host, Tim Garfield.</figcaption></figure></div> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">When Tom placed me in the leaf-filled vegetation within the outline of the cabin site, I was immediately overcome by where I was standing. For it was here where young James first learned to walk at nine months of age; and a month later, the boy was climbing ladders. Garfield was intelligently advanced; so much so, in fact, the lad was reading as a three-year-old. In comparison, President Andrew Johnson was married before he could read. </p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">Fatherless before the age of two, James Garfield grew up in poverty and his early childhood on the farm was anything but easy – even though his mother, Eliza, did her best to coddle her son. Off the farm, however, it was a completely different story. Garfield once recalled, “I was made the ridicule and sport of boys that had father and enjoyed the luxuries of life.” </p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">I looked at the land surrounding me and it was easy to see the accident-prone youngster cutting himself with an axe as he chopped-down a tree or falling on his face while doing his chores. And when the teenager’s dreams of becoming a sailor were dashed when the boy fell overboard fourteen times while working on the canal, that might have a been a blessing in disguise. One day, Garfield became ill with a fever and returned home to get better – all with the goal of someday making it to the sea. That was when Eliza stepped in, and with the help of a local teacher, convinced James to resume his education instead.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">While James A. Garfield never had a chance to excel in the White House and was, quite frankly, most famous for being the first President after Abraham Lincoln to be assassinated, it was his rags-to-riches story that intrigued me the most. Unlike JFK, the two Roosevelts, and Donald Trump, who were all born with silver spoons in their mouths, Garfield used his gifted mind, unwavering integrity, and impeccable work ethic to rise up from the ashes of poverty and climb the political ladder to the White House after a heroic stint in the Civil War.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">Although it had been an incredible experience for Tom and me to revisit the birth site of President Garfield, the moment was made even more special when we saw the enthusiasm, excitement, and passion on Reese’s face. Although Tom celebrated his August 19th birthday by taking his ten-year-old granddaughter to Henry Ford Museum where the ten-year-old got a close-up look at Lincoln’s rocking chair from Ford’s Theater, JFK’s limo from Dallas, and Rosa Parks bus, the Garfield Birth Site Park was her first-ever actual Presidential site. During our entire visit, I thought Reese would need plastic surgery to remove the huge ear-to-ear grin from her face.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">I laughed to myself when I heard Reese say to her grandfather as we made our way back to the Jeep, “Papa, this place was really cool.” Tom replied, “Reesey, you ain’t seen nothing yet. The birth site was good, but all you really saw was a huge boulder and a replica log cabin. Of the four places you’re going to visit in the next day or so, this will be the least impressive of them all. Everything else will blow you away!”</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">Once we had returned to the Jeep, the four us were ready to make the 24-mile journey to Hiram, Ohio where we had an eleven o’clock appointment with history. Hiram College was where James Garfield had once lived, learned, loved, lectured and left his legacy. I couldn’t wait to stand in his footsteps, and I was definitely antsy to meet the President’s flesh-and-blood legacy as well. That’s right, Tom, Vicki, Reese, and I were about to shake hands with the President’s great-great grandson. And to think, I never imagined anything could top the moment when Congresswoman Lisa McClain kissed me on the nose inside the Capitol Building. But now, I was about to meet a Garfield. Tim Garfield, that is!</p> <p></p> <p></p> ]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://eyesofjefferson.com/316-in-moreland-hills-i-found-peace-with-reese-at-the-start-of-our-life-of-garfield-tour/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>6</slash:comments> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">43730</post-id> </item> <item> <title>169: “JERRY’S WORLD” WAS OUT OF THIS WORLD</title> <link>https://eyesofjefferson.com/169-jerrys-world-was-out-of-this-world/</link> <comments>https://eyesofjefferson.com/169-jerrys-world-was-out-of-this-world/#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Thomas Watson]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Tue, 04 Jan 2022 19:00:37 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Anthony Fiscelli]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Ashley Fiscelli]]></category> <category><![CDATA[AT&T Stadium]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Ballpark in Arlington]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Betty Lynn]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Bill Johnson]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Brooke Fiscelli]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Cowboys vs Aliens]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Dak Prescott]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Dallas Cowboys]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Ezekiel Elliott]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Globe Life Field]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Kim Johnson]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Lyla]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Nolan Ryan]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Paradise Farm]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Reese Fiscelli]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Riggins Johnson]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Rusty]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Sally Knight]]></category> <category><![CDATA[The Andy Griffith Show]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Thelma Lou]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Thomas Jefferson]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Thomas Jefferson bobble head]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Tom Brady]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Tyra]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Vicki Watson]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://eyesofjefferson.com/?p=10721</guid> <description><![CDATA[Our last full day in Plano, Texas began at 7:15am on Wednesday October 20, 2021. That day’s agenda had our group headed for the Fort Worth Stockyards where we’d watch their famous cattle drive, which was held twice daily –…]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[ <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">Our last full day in Plano, Texas began at 7:15am on Wednesday October 20, 2021. That day’s agenda had our group headed for the Fort Worth Stockyards where we’d watch their famous cattle drive, which was held twice daily – first at 11:30am and the day’s last drive at 4:00pm. My COBS-infested photographer suggested we needed to leave Bill and Kim’s house no later than 10:15 to ensure we had enough time to make the 45-mile drive, find parking, and get in position to watch the cattle drive. I knew for a fact that Tom didn’t want to miss that first drive and be forced to stay at the stockyards until four o’clock.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">The two of us were downstairs and ready to roll at nine o’clock. But we were the only ones. After 45 minutes of watching the others lollygag, Tom calming mentioned to his daughter Ashley that we needed to be on the road by 10:15. That forced my photographer’s “Mini Me” 35-year-old daughter to snap back with a dozen excuses as to the reasons they had dragged their feet for over an hour. I wasn’t surprised and I don’t think Tom was either – the two of us have tagged it as “The Fiscelli Factor”. But on that morning, my camera guy had his fill of the dilly-dallying. When the group was finally ready to depart for Fort Worth at 10:45am, which was a half-hour late, Tom decided to boycott the trip rather than fight with his daughter the entire day. Both were stubborn and had “locked horns” all morning. I just sat back and laughed. I was happy we weren’t going to Fort Worth. However, I didn’t want to sit around the house all day either. I wanted Tom to take me back to Dealey Plaza in Anthony’s rented Jeep. Unfortunately for me, that didn’t happen.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">So, what does a fat guy, a bobble head, and a small morkie do all day when they’re left alone in a mansion? We sat and watched television; even though we were only twenty miles from the Kennedy assassination site. Oh, Tom had lunch and played a little bit with Riggins; but for the most part we watched “The Andy Griffith Show” and a movie called “Cowboys vs. Aliens”. When those were finished, Tom, Riggs, and I played Reese’s favorite game called ‘Take A Nap’. That particular game was invented by my photographer shortly after his grandkids were able to walk and talk.</p> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="533" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4029-2.jpg?resize=800%2C533&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10724" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4029-2.jpg?w=6000&ssl=1 6000w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4029-2.jpg?resize=300%2C200&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4029-2.jpg?resize=768%2C512&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4029-2.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4029-2.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4029-2.jpg?w=2400&ssl=1 2400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">After the group left for Fort Worth, Tom had me pose on the stoop of Bill and Kim Johnson’s home in Plano, Texas.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="995" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/RIGGS-2.jpeg?resize=800%2C995&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10725" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/RIGGS-2.jpeg?w=2519&ssl=1 2519w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/RIGGS-2.jpeg?resize=241%2C300&ssl=1 241w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/RIGGS-2.jpeg?resize=768%2C956&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/RIGGS-2.jpeg?resize=823%2C1024&ssl=1 823w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/RIGGS-2.jpeg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/RIGGS-2.jpeg?w=2400&ssl=1 2400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Riggins tried to share his treat with my photographer rather than watch “The Andy Griffith Show”.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="603" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/THELMA-LOU-2-2.png?resize=800%2C603&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10727" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/THELMA-LOU-2-2.png?w=1000&ssl=1 1000w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/THELMA-LOU-2-2.png?resize=300%2C226&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/THELMA-LOU-2-2.png?resize=768%2C579&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/THELMA-LOU-2-2.png?resize=120%2C90&ssl=1 120w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Tom captured this image from a Season 5 episode of The Andy Griffith Show titled “Man in the Middle”. My photographer and I were saddened when we saw Thelma Lou (at right) actress Betty Lynn had died at the age of 95 just four days earlier on October 16, 2021.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="519" height="640" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/THELMA-LOU-3-2.jpg?resize=519%2C640&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10732" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/THELMA-LOU-3-2.jpg?w=519&ssl=1 519w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/THELMA-LOU-3-2.jpg?resize=243%2C300&ssl=1 243w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 519px) 100vw, 519px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Betty Lynn 1926 – 2021</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="533" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/ALIENS-2-2.jpg?resize=800%2C533&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10726" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/ALIENS-2-2.jpg?w=1400&ssl=1 1400w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/ALIENS-2-2.jpg?resize=300%2C200&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/ALIENS-2-2.jpg?resize=768%2C512&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/ALIENS-2-2.jpg?resize=1024%2C682&ssl=1 1024w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Two hours of our alone time was spent watching the movie “Cowboys vs. Aliens” which starred Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, and Olivia Wilde. In my mind, that was still much better than watching “Tom vs. Ashley” in Fort Worth.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="660" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_3739-2.jpg?resize=800%2C660&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10728" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_3739-2.jpg?w=3519&ssl=1 3519w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_3739-2.jpg?resize=300%2C247&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_3739-2.jpg?resize=768%2C634&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_3739-2.jpg?resize=1024%2C845&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_3739-2.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_3739-2.jpg?w=2400&ssl=1 2400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Just as Tom wanted to lay down to play “Take A Nap”, Riggins wanted my photographer to play “Mister Wienerman” with him.</figcaption></figure></div> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">The clan returned from Fort Worth at roughly five o’clock. I thought for sure Tom and Ash’s conflict would resume as soon as they walked through the door, especially when my photographer’s daughter said: “We got there in time to see the cattle drive at eleven-thirty. I told you we had plenty of time.” Tom replied in a semi-sarcastic tone: “You got lucky – Kim must’ve driven!”</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">When Bill came home from work a short time later, he had brought dinner with him. The feast came from a local Mexican restaurant in Plano and from what I could see, it was fit for a king. My photographer and his wife enjoy authentic Mexican food, which they usually get from the local Taco Bell in St. Clair. Sally Knight, Kim’s mom and Vicki’s aunt, joined us for dinner as well. Sally knew it was our last night in Plano, and she wanted to say her goodbyes. Our entire group talked, and laughed, and shared stories one last time. As for Riggs and me, we sat back and watched; although the morkie waited for someone to drop a gob of taco meat. I noticed the pooch stayed close to where Reese and Brooke were eating. </p> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="640" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4020-2.jpg?resize=800%2C640&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10733" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4020-2.jpg?w=3437&ssl=1 3437w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4020-2.jpg?resize=300%2C240&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4020-2.jpg?resize=768%2C614&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4020-2.jpg?resize=1024%2C819&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4020-2.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4020-2.jpg?w=2400&ssl=1 2400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Kim Johnson, Sally Knight, and Vicki Watson posed together during our final night in Plano. I wanted to photo-bomb the image, but I knew my photographer’s wife would be peeved. After all, she didn’t want me in the group photo at Babe’s on Monday night.</figcaption></figure></div> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">Everyone settled down for the night at roughly 10:30pm. When Tom placed me on the nightstand, I stood there and thought about how we wasted the entire day. Don’t get me wrong – I love “The Andy Griffith Show”. But I love the JFK sites in Dallas even more. Had my resin leg not been permanently attached to my base, I would’ve kicked Tom right in the keister for not taking me back to Dealey Plaza. But then it dawned on me why he chose to stay in Plano. My photographer knew there was a huge additional charge for tolls on Anthony’s rented Jeep and he simply didn’t want to rack-up a ton of extra charges for the Fiscelli’s. That made sense to me and helped clear my resin mind for the remainder of the night. I had one final thought: How did I ever get hooked up with such a cheapskate?</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-large-font-size"><strong>**********</strong></p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">Tom’s alarm went off at seven o’clock on Thursday morning October 21, 2021. It was moving day. That meant for the first time since Monday, all of our belonging would once again get stowed away in the Jeep. I knew my photographer had arranged for our entire group to tour AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas at 11:00am. I also knew with “The Fiscelli Factor” still in effect, we’d be lucky to get to the home of the Dallas Cowboys on time. And I was almost right. By the time everyone got ready, got the two Jeep’s packed, sorted out who was riding with whom, strapped the kids into their car seats, it was a few minutes after ten o’clock when we started to roll. After what seemed to be an eternity to get to Arlington, we pulled into the stadium’s parking lot at precisely 10:50am. I nearly fainted – we were ten minutes early. </p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">AT&T Stadium was first known as Cowboy Stadium when it opened in 2009 and it stayed that way until Jerry Jones sold the naming rights in 2013. Prior to its grand opening, fans in the Dallas area had some great suggestions for a name; including “Jerry’s World”, the “Death Star”, “The Palace in Dallas”, “Cowboys Cathedral”, and “Jerrassic Park”. The first event held in Cowboys Stadium was a country and western concert on June 6, 2009 that featured Blake Shelton, Reba McEntire, Lee Ann Womack, and George Straight. My photographer and I figured KISS had never played there as the top of the dome wasn’t scorched and the exterior windows weren’t cracked. </p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">From the outside, the retractable-domed stadium resembled a giant spaceship that had landed near the Ballpark in Arlington. When we went indoors, it was the largest stadium I had ever set foot in. As a matter of fact, it’s the largest domed stadium in the world and the largest enclosed stadium in the NFL. In 2009, when Cowboys Stadium opened, it boasted the World’s Largest HD Video Display on its massive, suspended overhead board. When the Cowboys hosted the New York Giants for the 2009 regular season opener, 105,121 fans crammed into the stadium to watch the game. </p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">During our 90-minute tour, we visited nearly every aspect of “Jerry’s World”, including a private luxury suite, the Dallas Cowboys locker room, and of course, the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders locker room. But best of all, we spent over twenty minutes frolicking around on the football field. When Tom placed me in the middle of the giant blue star on the 50-yard line, I couldn’t believe where I was standing. Some of the greatest athletes who’ve ever donned an NFL uniform have played where I was at, including my favorite player, Tom Brady. There was one hilarious moment on the field when Tom and Anthony threw passes to each other with a borrowed football. The first handful of passes my photographer threw went less than ten yards and they were extremely inaccurate. At first, I thought he was doing an impression of Ben Roethlisberger; but it turned out Tom’s arm just “ain’t what it used to be”. When Tom and his son-in-law played catch, I noticed how the bright glare from the windows at both ends of the stadium made the thrown ball difficult to see. Whether you’re a Dallas Cowboys fan or not, please take a moment and take a tour of AT&T stadium through the lens of my photographer’s camera.</p> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="600" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC01404-2.jpg?resize=800%2C600&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10735" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC01404-2.jpg?w=4320&ssl=1 4320w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC01404-2.jpg?resize=300%2C225&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC01404-2.jpg?resize=768%2C576&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC01404-2.jpg?resize=1024%2C768&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC01404-2.jpg?resize=120%2C90&ssl=1 120w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC01404-2.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC01404-2.jpg?w=2400&ssl=1 2400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">With the movie “Cowboys vs Aliens” still fresh in my mind, I thought I was standing near an alien spacecraft until I saw the words “AT&T Stadium” on the massive structure.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="533" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4039-2.jpg?resize=800%2C533&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10736" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4039-2.jpg?w=6000&ssl=1 6000w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4039-2.jpg?resize=300%2C200&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4039-2.jpg?resize=768%2C512&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4039-2.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4039-2.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4039-2.jpg?w=2400&ssl=1 2400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">I nearly gasped when I saw the Cowboys playing field for the first time.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="1106" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4055-2.jpg?resize=800%2C1106&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10737" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4055-2.jpg?w=3973&ssl=1 3973w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4055-2.jpg?resize=217%2C300&ssl=1 217w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4055-2.jpg?resize=768%2C1062&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4055-2.jpg?resize=741%2C1024&ssl=1 741w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4055-2.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4055-2.jpg?w=2400&ssl=1 2400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">As she stared at the artificial playing surface below, Reese Fiscelli wished she’d get the chance to do cartwheels on the field. A short time later, her wish was granted.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="600" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC01393-2.jpg?resize=800%2C600&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10763" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC01393-2.jpg?w=4320&ssl=1 4320w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC01393-2.jpg?resize=300%2C225&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC01393-2.jpg?resize=768%2C576&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC01393-2.jpg?resize=1024%2C768&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC01393-2.jpg?resize=120%2C90&ssl=1 120w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC01393-2.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC01393-2.jpg?w=2400&ssl=1 2400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">I couldn’t believe the size of the video board above the field.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="539" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4069-2.jpg?resize=800%2C539&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10739" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4069-2.jpg?w=5892&ssl=1 5892w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4069-2.jpg?resize=300%2C202&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4069-2.jpg?resize=768%2C517&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4069-2.jpg?resize=1024%2C690&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4069-2.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4069-2.jpg?w=2400&ssl=1 2400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Through the windows at one end of the stadium, I got to see the “spaceship’s landing gear”. In the distance were the two Texas Rangers baseball stadiums. The Ballpark in Arlington was on the left, while the new stadium, called Globe Life Field, was to the right. </figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="533" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4077-2.jpg?resize=800%2C533&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10740" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4077-2.jpg?w=5825&ssl=1 5825w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4077-2.jpg?resize=300%2C200&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4077-2.jpg?resize=768%2C512&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4077-2.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4077-2.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4077-2.jpg?w=2400&ssl=1 2400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">We headed for the place where every bobble head in America would want to visit – the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders locker room.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="600" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC01395-2.jpg?resize=800%2C600&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10741" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC01395-2.jpg?w=4320&ssl=1 4320w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC01395-2.jpg?resize=300%2C225&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC01395-2.jpg?resize=768%2C576&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC01395-2.jpg?resize=1024%2C768&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC01395-2.jpg?resize=120%2C90&ssl=1 120w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC01395-2.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC01395-2.jpg?w=2400&ssl=1 2400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">I was absolutely speechless throughout my entire visit to the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders locker room. And what could I say? “Hip, hip, hooray. Give me JFK?”</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="463" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DALLAS-COWBOY-5-3.jpg?resize=800%2C463&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10744" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DALLAS-COWBOY-5-3.jpg?w=2048&ssl=1 2048w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DALLAS-COWBOY-5-3.jpg?resize=300%2C173&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DALLAS-COWBOY-5-3.jpg?resize=768%2C444&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DALLAS-COWBOY-5-3.jpg?resize=1024%2C592&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DALLAS-COWBOY-5-3.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"> On New Year’s Eve, several members of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders met with the cheerleaders from the University of Cincinnati before the 2021 Sugar Bowl.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="1353" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4080-2.jpg?resize=800%2C1353&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10745" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4080-2.jpg?w=2117&ssl=1 2117w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4080-2.jpg?resize=177%2C300&ssl=1 177w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4080-2.jpg?resize=768%2C1299&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4080-2.jpg?resize=605%2C1024&ssl=1 605w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4080-2.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">What was that lonesome cowboy looking at?</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="948" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4085-2.jpg?resize=800%2C948&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10746" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4085-2.jpg?w=2473&ssl=1 2473w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4085-2.jpg?resize=253%2C300&ssl=1 253w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4085-2.jpg?resize=768%2C911&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4085-2.jpg?resize=864%2C1024&ssl=1 864w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4085-2.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4085-2.jpg?w=2400&ssl=1 2400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader try-outs went very well; especially with Brooke’s tongue helping with her balance.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="1342" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4099-2.jpg?resize=800%2C1342&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10747" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4099-2.jpg?w=2852&ssl=1 2852w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4099-2.jpg?resize=179%2C300&ssl=1 179w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4099-2.jpg?resize=768%2C1289&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4099-2.jpg?resize=610%2C1024&ssl=1 610w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4099-2.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4099-2.jpg?w=2400&ssl=1 2400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Ashley, who was a St. Clair High School cheerleader in the early 2000s, posed with Reese near Ashlinn’s locker.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="990" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC01396-2.jpg?resize=800%2C990&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10764" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC01396-2.jpg?w=3240&ssl=1 3240w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC01396-2.jpg?resize=242%2C300&ssl=1 242w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC01396-2.jpg?resize=768%2C951&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC01396-2.jpg?resize=827%2C1024&ssl=1 827w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC01396-2.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC01396-2.jpg?w=2400&ssl=1 2400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Through this hallway walk the most famous cowboys in Texas. And the richest ones, too!</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="618" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4113-2.jpg?resize=800%2C618&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10749" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4113-2.jpg?w=5062&ssl=1 5062w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4113-2.jpg?resize=300%2C232&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4113-2.jpg?resize=768%2C594&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4113-2.jpg?resize=1024%2C792&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4113-2.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4113-2.jpg?w=2400&ssl=1 2400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Even though he played for the Ohio State Buckeyes in college, it still felt pretty cool to stand in Ezekiel Elliott’s locker</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="595" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4115-2.jpg?resize=800%2C595&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10750" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4115-2.jpg?w=3162&ssl=1 3162w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4115-2.jpg?resize=300%2C223&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4115-2.jpg?resize=768%2C571&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4115-2.jpg?resize=1024%2C761&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4115-2.jpg?resize=120%2C90&ssl=1 120w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4115-2.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4115-2.jpg?w=2400&ssl=1 2400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">For the past five years, Elliott has been one of the biggest stars in the NFL. If my right arm could move, I’d recreate Zeke’s famous trademark “feed me” gesture.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="500" height="249" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DALLAS-COWBOY-6.gif?resize=500%2C249&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10751"/></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="533" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4122-2.jpg?resize=800%2C533&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10752" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4122-2.jpg?w=6000&ssl=1 6000w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4122-2.jpg?resize=300%2C200&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4122-2.jpg?resize=768%2C512&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4122-2.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4122-2.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4122-2.jpg?w=2400&ssl=1 2400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">My photographer and I had one final look at an empty Dallas Cowboys locker room.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="1132" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4127-2.jpg?resize=800%2C1132&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10753" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4127-2.jpg?w=3910&ssl=1 3910w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4127-2.jpg?resize=212%2C300&ssl=1 212w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4127-2.jpg?resize=768%2C1087&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4127-2.jpg?resize=724%2C1024&ssl=1 724w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4127-2.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4127-2.jpg?w=2400&ssl=1 2400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">“I’d like to thank the Dallas Cowboys for giving me this chance to stand where coaches and players usually field tough questions from the media after games.”</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="745" height="560" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DALLAS-COWBOY-9-2.jpg?resize=745%2C560&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10754" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DALLAS-COWBOY-9-2.jpg?w=745&ssl=1 745w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DALLAS-COWBOY-9-2.jpg?resize=300%2C226&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DALLAS-COWBOY-9-2.jpg?resize=120%2C90&ssl=1 120w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 745px) 100vw, 745px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott faced the media after their 56-14 record-setting win over the Washington Football Team on Sunday Night Football.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="533" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4134-2.jpg?resize=800%2C533&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10755" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4134-2.jpg?w=6000&ssl=1 6000w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4134-2.jpg?resize=300%2C200&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4134-2.jpg?resize=768%2C512&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4134-2.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4134-2.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4134-2.jpg?w=2400&ssl=1 2400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">On the day we were at AT&T Stadium, this area was set up for a banquet. On Game Day, the Dallas Cowboys walk through this area from their locker room to the field.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="620" height="404" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DALLAS-COWBOY-3-2.jpg?resize=620%2C404&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10765" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DALLAS-COWBOY-3-2.jpg?w=620&ssl=1 620w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DALLAS-COWBOY-3-2.jpg?resize=300%2C195&ssl=1 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 620px) 100vw, 620px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The Dallas Cowboys head for the field on Game Day!</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="600" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC01401-2.jpg?resize=800%2C600&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10756" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC01401-2.jpg?w=4320&ssl=1 4320w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC01401-2.jpg?resize=300%2C225&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC01401-2.jpg?resize=768%2C576&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC01401-2.jpg?resize=1024%2C768&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC01401-2.jpg?resize=120%2C90&ssl=1 120w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC01401-2.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC01401-2.jpg?w=2400&ssl=1 2400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Finally, I’m on the field at AT&T Stadium! Tom Brady has played on this field a couple of times in the past and his teams have never lost there.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="521" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DALLAS-COWBOY-2-2.jpg?resize=800%2C521&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10768" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DALLAS-COWBOY-2-2.jpg?w=4938&ssl=1 4938w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DALLAS-COWBOY-2-2.jpg?resize=300%2C196&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DALLAS-COWBOY-2-2.jpg?resize=768%2C500&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DALLAS-COWBOY-2-2.jpg?resize=1024%2C667&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DALLAS-COWBOY-2-2.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DALLAS-COWBOY-2-2.jpg?w=2400&ssl=1 2400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Tom Brady of the New England Patriots dropped back to pass against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium on October 11, 2015. The Patriots defeated the Cowboys 30-6.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="850" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4173-2.jpg?resize=800%2C850&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10758" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4173-2.jpg?w=3060&ssl=1 3060w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4173-2.jpg?resize=282%2C300&ssl=1 282w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4173-2.jpg?resize=768%2C816&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4173-2.jpg?resize=964%2C1024&ssl=1 964w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4173-2.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4173-2.jpg?w=2400&ssl=1 2400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">“The Fiscelli Factor” on the Dallas Cowboys star. I had to wait for them to finish before I had my chance to stand there.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="560" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DALLAS-COWBOY-1-2.jpeg?resize=800%2C560&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10766" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DALLAS-COWBOY-1-2.jpeg?w=2848&ssl=1 2848w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DALLAS-COWBOY-1-2.jpeg?resize=300%2C210&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DALLAS-COWBOY-1-2.jpeg?resize=768%2C537&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DALLAS-COWBOY-1-2.jpeg?resize=1024%2C717&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DALLAS-COWBOY-1-2.jpeg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DALLAS-COWBOY-1-2.jpeg?w=2400&ssl=1 2400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Ezekiel Elliott carried the ball across the star during a game against the Carolina Panthers on October 3, 2021. Eighteen days later, I stood on that same star.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="533" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4226-2.jpg?resize=800%2C533&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10760" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4226-2.jpg?w=5769&ssl=1 5769w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4226-2.jpg?resize=300%2C200&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4226-2.jpg?resize=768%2C512&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4226-2.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4226-2.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4226-2.jpg?w=2400&ssl=1 2400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">I felt so small as I stood on the Dallas star.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="556" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DALLAS-COWBOY-4-2.jpg?resize=800%2C556&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10767" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DALLAS-COWBOY-4-2.jpg?w=1024&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DALLAS-COWBOY-4-2.jpg?resize=300%2C209&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DALLAS-COWBOY-4-2.jpg?resize=768%2C534&ssl=1 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Quarterback Dak Prescott made a “Heisman move” against the New York Giants on September 10, 2017. It’s a good thing I wasn’t standing on the star at that moment.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="557" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4235-2.jpg?resize=800%2C557&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10761" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4235-2.jpg?w=5360&ssl=1 5360w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4235-2.jpg?resize=300%2C209&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4235-2.jpg?resize=768%2C534&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4235-2.jpg?resize=1024%2C712&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4235-2.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4235-2.jpg?w=2400&ssl=1 2400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">One of the many tidbits I learned on the tour was the point of the star, located behind me, points towards the Cowboys’ sideline.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="978" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4210-2.jpg?resize=800%2C978&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10770" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4210-2.jpg?w=2449&ssl=1 2449w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4210-2.jpg?resize=245%2C300&ssl=1 245w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4210-2.jpg?resize=768%2C939&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4210-2.jpg?resize=838%2C1024&ssl=1 838w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4210-2.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Brooke did her best impression of Tom Brady when he beat the Cowboys. Thankfully, Brady had a little bit more arm strength, and accuracy, when he threw the ball.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="629" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4251-2.jpg?resize=800%2C629&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10762" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4251-2.jpg?w=4655&ssl=1 4655w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4251-2.jpg?resize=300%2C236&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4251-2.jpg?resize=768%2C604&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4251-2.jpg?resize=1024%2C805&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4251-2.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4251-2.jpg?w=2400&ssl=1 2400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">We did notice a couple of stragglers as they made their way across the field. </figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="576" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4195-2.jpg?resize=800%2C576&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10772" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4195-2.jpg?w=2682&ssl=1 2682w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4195-2.jpg?resize=300%2C216&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4195-2.jpg?resize=768%2C553&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4195-2.jpg?resize=1024%2C738&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4195-2.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4195-2.jpg?w=2400&ssl=1 2400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Reese got her wish when the three Fiscelli girls performed consecutive cartwheels from the 50-yard line to the end zone.</figcaption></figure></div> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">Our visit to “Jerry’s World” couldn’t have gone better; even though Bill Johnson had joined us late. Nothing in the stadium seemed to be off-limits, although we never made it inside Jerry Jones’ private box. We did see three cowboys on our tour, albeit none of them were Dak Prescott, Ezekiel Elliott, or Cee Dee Lamb. As a matter of fact, they weren’t “Dallas Cowboys” at all; they were regular tourists, just like the nine of us. I still couldn’t ignore the fact how much AT&T Stadium looked like a gigantic alien spaceship. So much so, in fact, I thought perhaps we’d embark on an intergalactic voyage as soon as the Earthlings, and bobble heads, had boarded. </p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">When our tour had ended and the spaceship landed back on Earth, our group quickly emerged from the silver saucer. Instead of hearing anyone say: “Take me to your leader”, however, I thought I heard Vicki or Kim say: “Take me to get some lunch”. Our caravan of three vehicles followed one another to a large complex located less than a half mile from AT&T Stadium. The shopping complex was called ‘Texas Live!’ and it was situated directly between the two baseball stadiums – the old Ballpark in Arlington and the new stadium called Globe Life Field. The mall was filled with a handful of “big name” eateries including “Guy Fieri’s Taco Joint”, HOF catcher Ivan Rodriguez’s “Pudge’s Pizza”, and “Troy’s”, which was a high-end sports bar opened by quarterback Troy Aikman. Some of those places weren’t open at one-thirty in the afternoon, so we were forced to dine at the exquisite “Live! Arena” that featured a menu fit for a king. Okay, maybe it was fit for the king’s jester instead. I laughed to myself when all five girls ordered fried chicken strips, while the guys had a unique smorgasbord of burgers. As for me, I just sat back and watched the feeding frenzy; the entire time I wondered when I’d get to see another Presidential site.</p> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="551" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4271-2.jpg?resize=800%2C551&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10778" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4271-2.jpg?w=5786&ssl=1 5786w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4271-2.jpg?resize=300%2C206&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4271-2.jpg?resize=768%2C529&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4271-2.jpg?resize=1024%2C705&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4271-2.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4271-2.jpg?w=2400&ssl=1 2400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Now called Choctaw Stadium, this was once the Ballpark in Arlington; home of the Texas Rangers from 1994 to 2019.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="554" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4267-2.jpg?resize=800%2C554&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10779" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4267-2.jpg?w=5338&ssl=1 5338w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4267-2.jpg?resize=300%2C208&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4267-2.jpg?resize=768%2C532&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4267-2.jpg?resize=1024%2C709&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4267-2.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4267-2.jpg?w=2400&ssl=1 2400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">A bronze statue to legendary Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan stood in the shadow of Globe Life Field, home ballpark of the Texas Rangers for the past two years.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="1123" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4263-2.jpg?resize=800%2C1123&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10780" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4263-2.jpg?w=3973&ssl=1 3973w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4263-2.jpg?resize=214%2C300&ssl=1 214w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4263-2.jpg?resize=768%2C1078&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4263-2.jpg?resize=730%2C1024&ssl=1 730w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4263-2.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4263-2.jpg?w=2400&ssl=1 2400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Tom tried to find a place for me to pose on the bronze statue of Ryan, but the sculpture was too smooth and slippery to stand on.</figcaption></figure></div> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">Located exactly 102 miles from AT&T Stadium was our final stop of the day; and it was one that promised to be pure paradise. We were headed back to ‘Paradise Farm’ near Streetman, Texas that’s been Bill and Kim Johnson’s home-away-from-home for the past several years. The impressive farm was also home to three longhorns named Rusty, Lyla, and Tyra that I had met in 2019.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">Early afternoon traffic was heavy and hectic on the southern outskirts of Dallas. But once we left the suburbs and headed south on I-45, it was smooth sailing for the remainder of the nearly two-hour drive. It would’ve taken less time, but Vicki and Kim needed a bathroom and snack break at a huge highway service center called Buc-ee’s near Ennis, Texas. Kim had decided to ride with my photographer and his wife, while Bill Johnson returned to their Plano house to pick up Riggins. As far as the Fiscelli’s; they passed us a mile or two from AT&T Stadium and they left us in their dust. Tom drove a bit more cautiously because he’s old and the ‘Family Truckster’ was involved in an accident during the previous week. Anthony, on the other hand, drove his rental Jeep like he stole it. I thought to myself: “The Fiscelli’s take forever to get moving, but once they do, they go like a bat out of hell.”</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">After what seemed to be the longest hundred miles in history, we arrived at Paradise Farm at roughly 4:45pm. But before we could unpack the two Jeeps, it was time to get reacquainted with the three longhorns. For Reese and Brooke, who only see large animals in a zoo, they had their first up close and personal look at Rusty, Lyla, and Tyra.</p> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="524" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4279-3.jpg?resize=800%2C524&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10783" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4279-3.jpg?w=5485&ssl=1 5485w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4279-3.jpg?resize=300%2C196&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4279-3.jpg?resize=768%2C503&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4279-3.jpg?resize=1024%2C670&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4279-3.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4279-3.jpg?w=2400&ssl=1 2400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Lyla, who gored my photographer’s arm in 2019, had that crazed look in her eyes like she wanted to get him again.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="557" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4284-2.jpg?resize=800%2C557&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10784" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4284-2.jpg?w=3457&ssl=1 3457w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4284-2.jpg?resize=300%2C209&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4284-2.jpg?resize=768%2C534&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4284-2.jpg?resize=1024%2C712&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4284-2.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4284-2.jpg?w=2400&ssl=1 2400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Bill Johnson taught Reese how to give snacks to the longhorns safely. In this image, Tyra gently licked the youngster’s fingers for the treat.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="636" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4320-3.jpg?resize=800%2C636&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10791" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4320-3.jpg?w=3025&ssl=1 3025w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4320-3.jpg?resize=300%2C238&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4320-3.jpg?resize=768%2C610&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4320-3.jpg?resize=1024%2C813&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4320-3.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4320-3.jpg?w=2400&ssl=1 2400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">One close look at Tyra’s tongue and Brooke wanted nothing more to do with feeding the longhorns.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="509" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4347-2.jpg?resize=800%2C509&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10787" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4347-2.jpg?w=5132&ssl=1 5132w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4347-2.jpg?resize=300%2C191&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4347-2.jpg?resize=768%2C488&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4347-2.jpg?resize=1024%2C651&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4347-2.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4347-2.jpg?w=2400&ssl=1 2400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Nana Vicki with Brooke as they admired the longhorns. From left was Tyra, Rusty, and Lyla.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="544" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4380-2.jpg?resize=800%2C544&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10788" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4380-2.jpg?w=4391&ssl=1 4391w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4380-2.jpg?resize=300%2C204&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4380-2.jpg?resize=768%2C522&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4380-2.jpg?resize=1024%2C697&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4380-2.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4380-2.jpg?w=2400&ssl=1 2400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">With calm demeaner and his way with children, Bill talked Brooke into petting Tyra’s head.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="545" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4335-2.jpg?resize=800%2C545&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10790" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4335-2.jpg?w=4741&ssl=1 4741w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4335-2.jpg?resize=300%2C204&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4335-2.jpg?resize=768%2C523&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4335-2.jpg?resize=1024%2C697&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4335-2.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4335-2.jpg?w=2400&ssl=1 2400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">At one point while she fed Tyra, Reese got a great look at the longhorn’s teeth.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="571" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4418-3.jpg?resize=800%2C571&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10794" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4418-3.jpg?w=1185&ssl=1 1185w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4418-3.jpg?resize=300%2C214&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4418-3.jpg?resize=768%2C548&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4418-3.jpg?resize=1024%2C731&ssl=1 1024w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"> As the day turned into dusk, my photographer saw a young buck in the back yard of the farmhouse. </figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="1200" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4432-2.jpg?resize=800%2C1200&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10795" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4432-2.jpg?w=4000&ssl=1 4000w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4432-2.jpg?resize=200%2C300&ssl=1 200w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4432-2.jpg?resize=768%2C1152&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4432-2.jpg?resize=683%2C1024&ssl=1 683w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4432-2.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4432-2.jpg?w=2400&ssl=1 2400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Shortly after this image was captured, Brooke began to feel ill. Ashley and Kim had already been affected by the same ailment and were in the house. Was the nausea caused by the chicken strips from Live! Arena? Or did Reese inadvertently share the bug she had a few days earlier?</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="613" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4446-2.jpg?resize=800%2C613&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10796" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4446-2.jpg?w=4214&ssl=1 4214w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4446-2.jpg?resize=300%2C230&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4446-2.jpg?resize=768%2C588&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4446-2.jpg?resize=1024%2C784&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4446-2.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4446-2.jpg?w=2400&ssl=1 2400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">With Kim, Ash, and Brooke down for the count, Riggs was confused by all of the human ailments. It was as though I could read the little morkie’s mind: “I lick my own butt a hundred times a day and never get sick. Now feed me a chicken strip.”</figcaption></figure></div> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">An hour or so after we arrived at the farm, our family fun was put on temporary hold when Ashley and Kim suddenly fell ill. Then it was Brooke’s turn to worship at the altar of the “porcelain god”. No one knew for sure what had caused the sudden onset of nausea, but one thing was for certain, it was likely not COVID-19. That virus was deemed to be nonexistent in Texas by a certain female medical expert with the last name of Johnson. Their sudden illnesses were likely caused by residual germs from Reese, since she was sick a few days earlier. Or it could’ve been possible food poisoning from tainted chicken strips – even though Vicki and Reese had eaten the same food at the same time from the same place.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">Another catastrophe plagued our first day on the farm when wasps had infiltrated the guest house where the Fiscelli’s were scheduled to stay. That meant only one thing: All eight people, along with Riggs and me, would spend the night in the three-bedroom farmhouse. After dinner, some of the folks watched the Browns defeat the Broncos 17-14 on Thursday Night Football – although Ash and Kim hadn’t left the confines of their rooms since the onset of their nausea. When the TV was turned off just before midnight, Tom made his way into the bedroom where Vicki was already fast asleep. It was at that moment when my photographer realized there was no room in the inn; both Reese and Brooke were in bed with their Nana. I had to admit, I thought the look on Tom’s face was priceless when he returned to the living area and curled up on the couch.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">Throughout that first night, I stood on a table across the room from where Tom slept. My night was far from peaceful, however. As hard as I tried to think about our next day’s scheduled adventure to the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library, my attention was focused on the back window. I thought I heard mysterious noises that seemed to originate from the pitch-black backyard. I was scared to death and did my best to ignore the rustling sound. But that was impossible. I knew for sure, at least in my mind, Sasquatch would appear in that window at any moment, and I was helpless to do anything about it. As a last resort, I played the song “Dominique” over and over inside my head in an attempt to drown-out the outdoor disturbance. And it worked. It seemed as though Squatch hated that song as much as Vicki did.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size"><strong>** This post is dedicated to a woman I’ve known and admired for many years – Ms Sally Knight</strong> **</p> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="640" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4024-2.jpg?resize=800%2C640&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10798" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4024-2.jpg?w=2949&ssl=1 2949w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4024-2.jpg?resize=300%2C240&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4024-2.jpg?resize=768%2C615&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4024-2.jpg?resize=1024%2C819&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4024-2.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/DSC_4024-2.jpg?w=2400&ssl=1 2400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></figure></div>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://eyesofjefferson.com/169-jerrys-world-was-out-of-this-world/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>2</slash:comments> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">10721</post-id> </item> <item> <title>166: AMERICAN GIRLS INSTEAD OF JFK? SAY IT AIN’T SO!</title> <link>https://eyesofjefferson.com/166-american-girls-instead-of-jfk-say-it-aint-so/</link> <comments>https://eyesofjefferson.com/166-american-girls-instead-of-jfk-say-it-aint-so/#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Thomas Watson]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Tue, 28 Dec 2021 04:45:35 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category> <category><![CDATA[American Girl Boutique and Bistro]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Anthony Fiscelli]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Ashley Fiscelli]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Babe's Chicken Dinner House]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Bill Johnson]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Brooke Fiscelli]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Cameron Johnson]]></category> <category><![CDATA[First United Methodist Church Midland Texas]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Frisco Texas]]></category> <category><![CDATA[George and Laura Bush wedding]]></category> <category><![CDATA[George W. Bush]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Kim Johnson]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Laura Bush childhood home]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Laura Welch]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Martie Coleman]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Midland Texas]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Plano Texas]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Reese Fiscelli]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Riggins Johnson]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Ryan Johnson]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Sally Knight]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Thomas Jefferson]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Thomas Jefferson bobble head]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://eyesofjefferson.com/?p=10554</guid> <description><![CDATA[The tenth day of our trip began at 6:00am when Tom’s alarm sounded. It was Sunday October 17, 2021 and we were still in Midland, Texas. But not for long. I heard my photographer mention as soon as we saw…]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[ <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">The tenth day of our trip began at 6:00am when Tom’s alarm sounded. It was Sunday October 17, 2021 and we were still in Midland, Texas. But not for long. I heard my photographer mention as soon as we saw Laura Bush’s childhood home and the Methodist Church, we would begin the long journey eastward towards the Dallas-Fort Worth area. The three of us were scheduled to meet Anthony, Ashley and the girls at the American Girl store in Dallas at 10am on Monday. We also had reservations for lunch at noon inside the store.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">We were out of the hotel and on our way to the first site, which was located roughly five miles from the Hilton Garden Inn. It was just after eight o’clock when we arrived at the three-bedroom ranch-style home where Laura Welch had lived with her parents from 1961 to 1963. My photographer and I were thrilled to visit the childhood home of one of our favorite First Lady’s, even though some of Laura’s most troubling and darkest times occurred there. As I stood in front of the modest home, thoughts once again filled my resin head about her automobile accident. After the tragedy that claimed the life of Michael Dutton Douglas on November 6, 1963, that home in front of me was filled with grief. In my mind, I couldn’t image the impact the accident had on the health of Laura Welch. While her minor physical injuries healed within weeks, her mental wounds never fully healed. Laura once wrote about growing up in Midland as “a place of ice cream sundaes and Saturday morning pony rides.” That all went away on that dark November night in ’63.</p> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="591" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC01325-2.jpg?resize=800%2C591&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10560" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC01325-2.jpg?w=4221&ssl=1 4221w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC01325-2.jpg?resize=300%2C222&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC01325-2.jpg?resize=768%2C567&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC01325-2.jpg?resize=1024%2C756&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC01325-2.jpg?resize=120%2C90&ssl=1 120w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC01325-2.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC01325-2.jpg?w=2400&ssl=1 2400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Future First Lady Laura Bush lived in this house in Midland, Texas with her parents Harold and Jenna Welch from 1961 to 1963.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="510" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/BUSH-LAURA-HIGH-SCHOOL-PHOTO-2.jpg?resize=800%2C510&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10573" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/BUSH-LAURA-HIGH-SCHOOL-PHOTO-2.jpg?w=1380&ssl=1 1380w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/BUSH-LAURA-HIGH-SCHOOL-PHOTO-2.jpg?resize=300%2C191&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/BUSH-LAURA-HIGH-SCHOOL-PHOTO-2.jpg?resize=768%2C490&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/BUSH-LAURA-HIGH-SCHOOL-PHOTO-2.jpg?resize=1024%2C653&ssl=1 1024w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Laura Welch graduated from Robert E. Lee High School in Midland, Texas in 1964. When I look at Laura’s senior picture, I was surprised she was still unattached in 1977; which was when George W met her at a neighbor’s backyard barbecue. </figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="600" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC01327-2.jpg?resize=800%2C600&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10561" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC01327-2.jpg?w=4320&ssl=1 4320w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC01327-2.jpg?resize=300%2C225&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC01327-2.jpg?resize=768%2C576&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC01327-2.jpg?resize=1024%2C768&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC01327-2.jpg?resize=120%2C90&ssl=1 120w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC01327-2.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC01327-2.jpg?w=2400&ssl=1 2400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Seventeen-year-old Laura Welch recovered from her physical injuries inside this house after her tragic 1963 car accident that claimed the life of a friend and classmate.</figcaption></figure></div> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">Laura Bush had confessed in her book ‘<em>Spoken from the Heart</em>‘ that after the 1963 car accident, she had lost her faith for many, many years. But after she met George W. Bush at a mutual friend’s backyard barbecue in Midland, Texas, her faith in Devine Intervention must’ve changed. On November 5, 1977, which was just three months after they met, 31-year-old Laura Welch exchanged wedding vows with the future 43rd President in the First United Methodist Church in Midland. That was the same church Laura had been baptized in as a child. </p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">The Methodist church was located only three miles from Laura’s childhood home, and it took less than five minutes to make the journey – partially because the Midland streets on that particular Sunday morning were nearly empty. When we arrived at the large church along Main Street, I was shocked to see attendants directing traffic into some of the parking lots. Those couple of men had also placed traffic cones in the middle of the street as well. Tom hurriedly carried me to the front of the church as he wanted to capture our images without others in the photo. After he took the last photo and the two of us were headed back to the Jeep, the most amazing thing happened: My photographer started talking with an usher who stood at the church entrance. When he mentioned to the woman that we were from Michigan and the reason for our visit was to see George Bush sites, she asked Tom whether or not he wanted to go inside the chapel where George and Laura had tied the knot in 1977. I was stunned. I knew my camera guy was content with his exterior photos; he also never dreamt of going inside the church – especially on a Sunday morning. However, when Martie Coleman graciously made the invitation, Tom couldn’t say “Yes” fast enough. </p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">Ms. Coleman led us into a section of the church and then through another doorway where we arrived in a smaller, dark chapel. We could see daylight through the beautiful stained-glass window above the altar, but that was all. Martie searched roughly five minutes for the light switch, but she came up empty-handed. After Tom assured the friendly usher that his camera’s flash would provide adequate lightly, the three of us walked down the aisle to the altar. Before I could say “I do”, I found myself standing in the same place where George Walker Bush married Laura Lane Welch on November 5, 1977. Due to the extreme darkness inside the chapel, Tom’s camera had difficulty with the metering and automatic focus of the intended image – which was me standing on the altar. As a matter of fact, I grew very nervous when several photo attempts had failed – I thought for sure we might be out of luck. Then out of nowhere the camera’s flash fired; thankfully my eyes were open. But then again, my eyes are always open as they’re painted onto my face.</p> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="600" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC01329-2.jpg?resize=800%2C600&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10564" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC01329-2.jpg?w=4320&ssl=1 4320w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC01329-2.jpg?resize=300%2C225&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC01329-2.jpg?resize=768%2C576&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC01329-2.jpg?resize=1024%2C768&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC01329-2.jpg?resize=120%2C90&ssl=1 120w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC01329-2.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC01329-2.jpg?w=2400&ssl=1 2400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">I’m standing outside of the First United Methodist Church in Midland, Texas.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="600" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC01332-2.jpg?resize=800%2C600&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10565" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC01332-2.jpg?w=4320&ssl=1 4320w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC01332-2.jpg?resize=300%2C225&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC01332-2.jpg?resize=768%2C576&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC01332-2.jpg?resize=1024%2C768&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC01332-2.jpg?resize=120%2C90&ssl=1 120w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC01332-2.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC01332-2.jpg?w=2400&ssl=1 2400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The caution cones in the middle of Main Street bought my photographer enough time to capture some of his images without the fear of getting hit by a car.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="600" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC01334-2.jpg?resize=800%2C600&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10566" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC01334-2.jpg?w=4320&ssl=1 4320w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC01334-2.jpg?resize=300%2C225&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC01334-2.jpg?resize=768%2C576&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC01334-2.jpg?resize=1024%2C768&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC01334-2.jpg?resize=120%2C90&ssl=1 120w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC01334-2.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC01334-2.jpg?w=2400&ssl=1 2400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Laura Welch was baptized inside this church when she was a child. At the age of 31, she married George W. Bush during a small ceremony in an older part of the church to the right.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="1200" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3576-2.jpg?resize=800%2C1200&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10567" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3576-2.jpg?w=3847&ssl=1 3847w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3576-2.jpg?resize=200%2C300&ssl=1 200w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3576-2.jpg?resize=768%2C1152&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3576-2.jpg?resize=683%2C1024&ssl=1 683w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3576-2.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3576-2.jpg?w=2400&ssl=1 2400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Martie Coleman, a church usher, told my photographer and I that George and Laura would’ve stood where I’m standing when they exchanged their wedding vows on November 5, 1977.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="770" height="962" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/BUSH-WEDDING-1-2.jpg?resize=770%2C962&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10570" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/BUSH-WEDDING-1-2.jpg?w=770&ssl=1 770w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/BUSH-WEDDING-1-2.jpg?resize=240%2C300&ssl=1 240w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/BUSH-WEDDING-1-2.jpg?resize=768%2C960&ssl=1 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 770px) 100vw, 770px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">George W and Laura Bush on their wedding day. I love this photo of two Presidents and two First Ladies. Had my photographer known about this image when we were there, I’m certain I would’ve stood in the same spot as George W – if we had seen it in the dark, that is.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="555" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3578-2.jpg?resize=800%2C555&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10568" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3578-2.jpg?w=5419&ssl=1 5419w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3578-2.jpg?resize=300%2C208&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3578-2.jpg?resize=768%2C532&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3578-2.jpg?resize=1024%2C710&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3578-2.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3578-2.jpg?w=2400&ssl=1 2400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">As a bobble head, I’m not much of a romanticist; but the fact that George and Laura were married only three months after meeting was an incredible love story. And their amazing story continues today!</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="1202" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3580-2.jpg?resize=800%2C1202&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10569" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3580-2.jpg?w=2628&ssl=1 2628w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3580-2.jpg?resize=200%2C300&ssl=1 200w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3580-2.jpg?resize=768%2C1154&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3580-2.jpg?resize=681%2C1024&ssl=1 681w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3580-2.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3580-2.jpg?w=2400&ssl=1 2400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Thanks to Martie Coleman, I stood where Laura had become a Bush. There’s no doubt in my mind, George and Laura’s union in matrimony saved both of their lives. I couldn’t imagine a world without them, or Jenna, in it.</figcaption></figure></div> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">Twenty minutes later, Tom and I returned to the Jeep where Vicki waited for us. I thought for sure his wife would be shocked when my photographer told her the story of where we had just been, but she wasn’t. All Vicki said was: “I swear, there isn’t a place you can’t talk your way in to.” But thanks to Martie Coleman, who happened to be in the right place at the right time, Tom didn’t need to talk his way into that church. Instead, the two of us were invited inside; and that was Southern hospitality at its finest.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">It was a few minutes before nine o’clock when we left Midland behind and began our journey eastward across the state of Texas. From an opening in the camera case, I was able to see out the Jeep’s side window where I saw nearly the same scenery as I did in New Mexico and Wyoming – although we passed more small towns and larger cities in Texas. At one point, I overheard my photographer talk about that day’s NASCAR race, which was held at Texas Motor Speedway just 20 miles north of Fort Worth. I knew in my mind that Tom hemmed and hawed a few times over the three of us attending the Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 500 in person, but he opted to stay away. He never explained his decision, although I suspected some of his hesitation was due to the expected large crowd and the fact a lot of Texans had downplayed the pandemic from the onset – or at least that’s what Tom had heard on CON (Cable Opinion Network). Ironically, our own state had a lower vaccination rate than the Lone Star State.</p> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="492" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/TEXAS-WIND-TURBINE-2-2.jpg?resize=800%2C492&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10608" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/TEXAS-WIND-TURBINE-2-2.jpg?w=1001&ssl=1 1001w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/TEXAS-WIND-TURBINE-2-2.jpg?resize=300%2C184&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/TEXAS-WIND-TURBINE-2-2.jpg?resize=768%2C472&ssl=1 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The area near Sweetwater, Texas seemed to be a breeding ground for “Three-armed eyesores”.</figcaption></figure></div> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">After four-and-a-half grueling hours on the road, where the boredom was broken only by thousands of what Tom has named “Three-armed eyesores” (wind turbines), we arrived at Buffalo Wild Wings in Keller, Texas. Even though hundreds of other hungry sports fans had the same idea, the three of us were seated in a booth where we watched the start of the NASCAR race and the early NFL games. There were two things I found strange with my photographer’s “game plan” that day. First, he doesn’t care to eat at Buffalo Wild Wings, even though Vicki enjoys their cuisine. And second, we were only 14 miles south of the racetrack. Had we hurried, we could’ve been cheering for Kyle Busch in the grandstands at Texas Motor Speedway instead of seated in a cramped booth at B-Dubs where the food is terrible.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">When my companions finished their food, I overheard Tom mention the football games and the race were hard to enjoy because the dozens of television sets were so close together. He said the large number of screens, combined with the loud crowd, had become a distraction. My photographer suggested we leave and spend some time at the antique mall we had passed on our way into Keller. </p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">While Lone Star Antiques in nearby Haltom City, Texas was huge and filled with treasures, my companions managed to peruse the entire place in about 45 minutes. Like the shops they had visited in Midland and Odessa, my friends came up empty handed. In my mind, Tom and Vicki had either become very picky or they had their sights set on the antique fair slated a week later in Round Top. Before we left the antique mall parking lot, my photographer’s wife found a good price for a room at the La Quinta Inn & Suites in Hurst, Texas, which was just five miles away.</p> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="511" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3582-2.jpg?resize=800%2C511&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10580" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3582-2.jpg?w=5194&ssl=1 5194w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3582-2.jpg?resize=300%2C192&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3582-2.jpg?resize=768%2C491&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3582-2.jpg?resize=1024%2C654&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3582-2.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3582-2.jpg?w=2400&ssl=1 2400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">From my position next to our room’s TV set at the La Quinta Inn, I watched as Martin Truex, Jr. hit the wall and skidded into the infield with only 14 laps left in the race. At that moment, I only had one thought: “I’m glad that wasn’t Kyle Busch’s racecar!”</figcaption></figure></div> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">By 5:30pm, my companions were unpacked and kicked-back in our room. Tom had placed me alongside the television set where I watched the last stage of the Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 500; which was eventually won by Kyle Larson instead of Kyle Busch. The Candyman had finished eighth. Just before the Sunday Night Football game between Seattle and Pittsburgh began, Vicki received a phone call that put a damper on the rest of the evening. My photographer’s wife was informed by Ashley that her seven-year-old daughter Reese had been sick the entire day and their trip to Texas was in jeopardy. Ash mentioned they planned to spend the night at a hotel near Metro Airport in Detroit, but if Reese wasn’t better by morning, her and Anthony would pull the plug on their flight to Dallas. In my mind, I knew it was terrible that Reese was sick. The first thing that popped into my spring-filled hallow head was COVID – and all I could do was hope it wasn’t. On the flip side of the coin, however, I also knew Tom and Vic’s grandkids were the only reason the three of us were scheduled to stop at the Dallas American Girl store on Monday morning. If they can’t make it, then maybe Tom will take me to Dealey Plaza instead.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">I knew Tom and his wife were tired, especially when the lights were turned out at 8:30pm. We had been on the road for ten days and that was the earliest my companions had gone to bed since we left Michigan. As I stood in the darkness and watched over the room, my thoughts should’ve been focused on Reese. But they weren’t. The only thing on my mind was the fact we were less than ten miles from the historic Hotel Texas in Fort Worth where John F. Kennedy spent the final night of his life. Had my photographer not been such a cheapskate, I could’ve spent the night there as well. What’s an extra hundred bucks when it comes to Presidential history?</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-large-font-size"><strong>**********</strong></p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">Monday October 18, 2021 began on a good note – a text arrived that said Reese felt better and the Fiscelli’s were on the plane headed to Dallas. That meant only one thing, at least in my mind: I was about to hang out with hundreds of girls who had something in common with me – we were all made in China! Tom and Vic moved slowly that morning, which was okay because we had some extra time to kill. The American Girl store, located in North Dallas, was less than 30 miles from our hotel and we had over two hours to make our ten o’clock rendezvous time with Anthony and Ashley.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">Traffic was moderate and the weather was perfect during our journey to North Dallas. Fifteen minutes after we passed DFW International Airport, where the Fiscelli’s were scheduled to land at any time, I saw signs for another airport; one that was very familiar to me. It turned out we were less than five miles from Dallas Love Field, which was where JFK had embarked on his fateful motorcade ride through the streets of Dallas and into the history books. It was painful for me to be so close to the Kennedy assassination sites but forced to hobnob with some Chinese-made chicks. My saving grace was knowing that during our three-day stay in Plano, my photographer planned on taking me to Dealey Plaza. After all, he had an appointment to tour the historic Texas Theater on Tuesday afternoon. </p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">We arrived in the parking structure, which was adjacent to the American Girl Boutique and Bistro, at 9:50am. However, in typical Fiscelli fashion, Anthony and Ashley didn’t get there until 10:20 – they were twenty minutes late. Ironically, their rental vehicle was a Jeep Grand Cherokee as well; and it was the same color as ours. Reese and Brooke were excited to get inside the store. They couldn’t hide the huge smiles on their faces, except when they wore their masks. To them, Texas meant one thing: American Girl. Although the young girls were excited to meet Bill and Kim Johnson; and Vic’s Aunt Sally; and to see the farm where the longhorns lived; Reese and Brooke had anticipated that doll store for months. Please take a moment and relive a moment in history through Tom’s photos. No, not Presidential history. I’m talking American Girl history in the lives of Reese and Brooke Fiscelli; two American girls growing up in the heart land. </p> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="622" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC01338-2.jpg?resize=800%2C622&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10582" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC01338-2.jpg?w=4024&ssl=1 4024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC01338-2.jpg?resize=300%2C233&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC01338-2.jpg?resize=768%2C597&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC01338-2.jpg?resize=1024%2C796&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC01338-2.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC01338-2.jpg?w=2400&ssl=1 2400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">I’m standing outside of the American Girl Boutique and Bistro in North Dallas, Texas. Inside that building were thousands of American Girl dolls who were made in China – just like me.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="1216" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3584-2.jpg?resize=800%2C1216&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10583" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3584-2.jpg?w=3133&ssl=1 3133w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3584-2.jpg?resize=197%2C300&ssl=1 197w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3584-2.jpg?resize=768%2C1168&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3584-2.jpg?resize=673%2C1024&ssl=1 673w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3584-2.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3584-2.jpg?w=2400&ssl=1 2400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Tom and Vic’s grandkids, Brooke (left) and Reese Fiscelli, posed before entering what my photographer called “Heaven on Earth for little girls and financial purgatory for the parents.”</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="757" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3592-3.jpg?resize=800%2C757&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10586" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3592-3.jpg?w=2934&ssl=1 2934w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3592-3.jpg?resize=300%2C284&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3592-3.jpg?resize=768%2C727&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3592-3.jpg?resize=1024%2C969&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3592-3.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3592-3.jpg?w=2400&ssl=1 2400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Once inside the American Girl store, Reese was all smiles. And it was a smile that featured a loose front tooth as well.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="613" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3612-2.jpg?resize=800%2C613&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10588" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3612-2.jpg?w=4597&ssl=1 4597w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3612-2.jpg?resize=300%2C230&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3612-2.jpg?resize=768%2C588&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3612-2.jpg?resize=1024%2C784&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3612-2.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3612-2.jpg?w=2400&ssl=1 2400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">With thousands of dolls and accessories to choose from, three-year-old Brook had the time of her life in the arms of her dad.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="713" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3632-2.jpg?resize=800%2C713&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10589" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3632-2.jpg?w=3490&ssl=1 3490w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3632-2.jpg?resize=300%2C268&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3632-2.jpg?resize=768%2C685&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3632-2.jpg?resize=1024%2C913&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3632-2.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3632-2.jpg?w=2400&ssl=1 2400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Reese and Brooke were like kids in a candy store. Wait a minute, they were kids in a doll store – and that was better yet!</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="646" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3640-2.jpg?resize=800%2C646&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10590" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3640-2.jpg?w=4167&ssl=1 4167w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3640-2.jpg?resize=300%2C242&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3640-2.jpg?resize=768%2C620&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3640-2.jpg?resize=1024%2C827&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3640-2.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3640-2.jpg?w=2400&ssl=1 2400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Armed with their credit cards, Anthony and Ashley assessed the “damages”. And of course, Nana Vicki had some stuff, too. All I could say was “cha-ching!”</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="664" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3666-2.jpg?resize=800%2C664&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10591" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3666-2.jpg?w=4436&ssl=1 4436w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3666-2.jpg?resize=300%2C249&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3666-2.jpg?resize=768%2C637&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3666-2.jpg?resize=1024%2C850&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3666-2.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3666-2.jpg?w=2400&ssl=1 2400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">No visit to the American Girl Boutique and Bistro would be complete without lunch. I laughed when I overheard my thrifty photographer say: “I’m surprised the food in this doll store was reasonably priced and it actually tasted pretty good.”</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="705" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3671-2.jpg?resize=800%2C705&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10592" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3671-2.jpg?w=4296&ssl=1 4296w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3671-2.jpg?resize=300%2C264&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3671-2.jpg?resize=768%2C676&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3671-2.jpg?resize=1024%2C902&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3671-2.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3671-2.jpg?w=2400&ssl=1 2400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">I took a moment to meet Brooke’s new doll, Maryellen Larkin, who was a 50’s girl. Maryellen was introduced as an American Girl in 2015.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="1099" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3682-2.jpg?resize=800%2C1099&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10593" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3682-2.jpg?w=3660&ssl=1 3660w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3682-2.jpg?resize=218%2C300&ssl=1 218w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3682-2.jpg?resize=768%2C1055&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3682-2.jpg?resize=745%2C1024&ssl=1 745w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3682-2.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3682-2.jpg?w=2400&ssl=1 2400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">I knew the American Girl store would be a great place to pick up chicks. Unfortunately for me, all of the girls were way too tall!</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="744" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3694-2.jpg?resize=800%2C744&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10594" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3694-2.jpg?w=3193&ssl=1 3193w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3694-2.jpg?resize=300%2C279&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3694-2.jpg?resize=768%2C714&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3694-2.jpg?resize=1024%2C952&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3694-2.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3694-2.jpg?w=2400&ssl=1 2400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Ashley and Brooke watched as Maryellen got her hair done by an official American Girl stylist for the low-low price of $25.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="1123" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3702-2.jpg?resize=800%2C1123&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10595" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3702-2.jpg?w=3215&ssl=1 3215w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3702-2.jpg?resize=214%2C300&ssl=1 214w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3702-2.jpg?resize=768%2C1078&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3702-2.jpg?resize=730%2C1024&ssl=1 730w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3702-2.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3702-2.jpg?w=2400&ssl=1 2400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Reese held her new doll, Joss Kendrick, a few minutes after Joss got a new doo! That doll made her American Girl debut in 2020; just like COVID. Ironically, both originated in China!</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="1191" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3699-2.jpg?resize=800%2C1191&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10596" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3699-2.jpg?w=2972&ssl=1 2972w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3699-2.jpg?resize=201%2C300&ssl=1 201w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3699-2.jpg?resize=768%2C1144&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3699-2.jpg?resize=688%2C1024&ssl=1 688w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3699-2.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3699-2.jpg?w=2400&ssl=1 2400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Brooke posed with Maryellen Larkin just outside the American Girl hair salon. Unlike the doll, Brooke doesn’t need a stylist to put curls in her hair.</figcaption></figure></div> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="1079" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3716-2.jpg?resize=800%2C1079&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10597" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3716-2.jpg?w=2503&ssl=1 2503w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3716-2.jpg?resize=222%2C300&ssl=1 222w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3716-2.jpg?resize=768%2C1036&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3716-2.jpg?resize=759%2C1024&ssl=1 759w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3716-2.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3716-2.jpg?w=2400&ssl=1 2400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Reese and Brooke left the American Girl store hand-in-hand while their parents searched for a second job to pay for the experience.</figcaption></figure></div> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">Four hours after we arrived at the American Girl Boutique and Bistro in North Dallas, the six of us headed back to our vehicles. While Reese and Brooke had gained some extra weight with their new dolls and some accessories, Anthony weighed a bit less after the visit. Well, maybe it was his wallet that had shed a few pounds. While the Fiscelli girl’s big moment had come and gone, Vicki was extremely excited for our next stop – her cousin Kim Johnson’s home in Plano, Texas. I was thrilled to see Bill and Kim as well; it was my third visit to their home in Plano and I can’t ever remember meeting folks as friendly and hospitable as the Johnsons. I was also looking forward to seeing Kim’s mother, Sally Knight, as well. Sally’s a huge follower of my travels and has been a huge supporter since the two of us met in March of 2014.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">When we arrived at the Johnson’s homestead, Kim met us at the door with little Riggins in her arms. The small morkie, who was named after running back Tim Riggins from the TV series ‘Friday Night Lights’, was as cute as I had remembered. Riggs had one of his “Mister Wienerman” toys clutched tightly in his mouth, which made him all the more adorable.</p> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="1157" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3724-2.jpg?resize=800%2C1157&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10600" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3724-2.jpg?w=3375&ssl=1 3375w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3724-2.jpg?resize=207%2C300&ssl=1 207w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3724-2.jpg?resize=768%2C1111&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3724-2.jpg?resize=708%2C1024&ssl=1 708w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3724-2.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3724-2.jpg?w=2400&ssl=1 2400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">We were greeted by Kim and Riggins; and of course, “Mister Wienerman”.</figcaption></figure></div> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">After both Jeeps were unpacked for our three-night stay in Plano, everyone kicked back and got to know each other. It was the first time Kim and Bill had met Anthony and the girls; and it was a long time since they had seen Ashley. Our group had waited for Sally to arrive before we headed to dinner at a place called ‘Babe’s Chicken Dinner House’ in nearby Frisco. When Ryan and Cameron Johnson, two of Kim and Bill’s three sons, met our group at Babe’s, the feeding frenzy was on. Babe’s is famous for serving the most amazingly delicious fried chicken in all of Texas; and best of all, they serve it “Family Style”. That meant my gluttonous photographer wouldn’t walk away hungry. After our dinner was finished, the fourteen of us posed for a family photo next to the 1920s Hart Parr tractor in front of the eatery. </p> <div class="wp-block-image"> <figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="800" height="567" src="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3729-3.jpg?resize=800%2C567&ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-10602" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3729-3.jpg?w=2753&ssl=1 2753w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3729-3.jpg?resize=300%2C212&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3729-3.jpg?resize=768%2C544&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3729-3.jpg?resize=1024%2C725&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3729-3.jpg?w=1600&ssl=1 1600w, https://i0.wp.com/eyesofjefferson.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/DSC_3729-3.jpg?w=2400&ssl=1 2400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Our group family photo outside of Babe’s in Frisco, Texas. Pictured from left was Cameron, Bill, Ryan, and Kim Johnson. In the center was Sally Knight. Ashley and Anthony Fiscelli stood next to Vicki, my photographer and me. In the front were the little ones – Reese with her baby Joss and Brooke with Maryellen. The only one missing was Riggins. </figcaption></figure></div> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">Back at the Johnson’s in Plano, everyone sat back and reminisced about the past. I listened as hilarious yarns were spun that centered on the family. And as usual, some of the barbs were aimed directly at my photographer. For some reason, everyone seems to always compare him to Clark Griswold; but I don’t see it. Tom isn’t nearly as intelligent, graceful, or adept as Clark.</p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">At 11:00pm, Tom carried me up to a second-floor bedroom where the two of us spent the night. Vicki, on the other hand, planned on sharing her comfortable bed with Reese and Brooke in a separate upstairs bedroom. But her plan quickly fell apart as the two girls ended up sprawled-out on the bed, while my photographer’s wife slept on a floor-level mattress in a nearby nook. </p> <p class="has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size">Throughout the night, all I could think about was the Kennedy assassination. It was as though the Zapruder film played over and over in my head. Dealey Plaza is my favorite Presidential site to visit, and I knew Tom was headed there in the morning. My photographer also asked Anthony and Bill to ride “shotgun” with him; especially after Sally mentioned how dangerous the Oak Cliff section of Dallas was. After Sally’s remark, I thought to myself: “How dangerous can Oak Cliff be? After all, Lee Harvey Oswald and Clyde Barrow once lived there!” Then it dawned on me – Dennis Rodman had lived in Oak Cliff as well. Now that made me nervous! </p> ]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://eyesofjefferson.com/166-american-girls-instead-of-jfk-say-it-aint-so/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>2</slash:comments> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">10554</post-id> </item> </channel> </rss>