The President Woodrow Wilson House
“You are not here merely to make a living. You are here in order to enable the world to live more amply, with greater vision, with a finer spirit of hope and achievement. You are here to enrich the world, and you impoverish yourself if you forget the errand.”
~ President Woodrow Wilson ~
I have always taken umbrage with President Wilson’s treatment of suffragettes; I well remember the first time I saw photographs of women being forced fed with an animal funnel, in prisoned by the President, for protesting their lack of a right to vote; and I am not a fan of the power of the United Nations, an idea birthed by the President; however, there are certainly elements of his philosophy and administration worth admiring – though that is not why I went to see his house – I simply enjoy touring presidential sites, and his home was not an exception to that pleasure.
My favorite part about touring President Wilson’s house, in Washington, D.C., on Embassy Row, was that our tour guide let me touch the things in the kitchen; and seeing the butler’s pantry, which displayed all of the President’s and Mrs. Wilsons china – there was also an atrium that I found absolutely delightful!
President Wilson is the only president to have a home in the District of Columbia, which was purchased closely before he left the White House, and is the home where he died, on February 3, 1924.
His second wife, Edith lived in the house until her death on December 28, 1961, and bequeathed it to the National Trust for Historic Preservation, thus it has been impeccably preserved and contains such treasures as the Presidents top hat, the one you see him wearing in so many famous photographs.
Of the many Presidential sites which I have been privileged to visit, I must say this was one of the most intimate, over flowing with personal items and great access – I also really enjoyed the tour guide!
If you are in Washington, D. C., though not a site on or near the Mall, the trek is well worth making.
All photos from the Woodrow Wilson House copyright Wilson House
