As a boy, I went on a field trip to Eisenhower’s house in Abilene, and came away with the idea that he was the quintessential exemplar of what we imagined were our Midwestern virtues: upright, honest, plain-spoken, courageous, no drama. Later, when I started reading history books, I found it amusing that the people he had to deal with in WWII (Montgomery and Patton, for two) could just make him lose his s*t. But I admired him for tolerating and getting the best out of these pains-in-the-ass. I also found it kind of intriguing that he could have a little thing with Kay Summersby out of sight of his virtuous Midwestern wife. The guy had some hot sauce in his oatmeal.
The coast-to-coast highway system that us Americans all take for granted is called the Eisenhower Interstate System for a reason. When he was a major, after WWI, he led a motor expedition through Darkest America to demonstrate the military need for better highways. There were no road signs, most of it wasn’t paved, the trucks broke down, and it took months to get to California. His point was made. When he was older, and had a chance to to something about it, he did.
It seems to have helped his career. He was always known as a comer in an army that was small and stifling and boring after the War to End All Wars. He didn’t rocket to the top over many other candidates for nothing.
I enjoyed this very much. Maybe I am jaded, but when I visit one, I always try to find out where the money to build it came from. I’m always pleased when I can find any museums that present a balanced look at the subject. Hmmm, I wonder what the Trump museum will be like. Thank you for bringing this to us.
Thank you, Adi! It's always an excellent question to ask about the money. Every museum has built in biases, no question, and money is almost always an issue. Presidential museums are especially fun because they're more blatant than most. The Smithsonian, meanwhile, always seems to end up in a pickle over something or other. When, in 1994, a time of great culture wars, the Air and Space Museum proposed exhibiting the Enola Gay (the airplane that dropped the first atomic bomb) inviting visitors to consider different viewpoints, including those of people who urged Truman not to use it, there was a public outcry. This reminds me I need to go back to the Nixon Library (couldn't fit it in last time) to see how it looks now . . .
I loved your summary, Annette. I've often wondered about where the lines were between myth and ordinary man. It's a perfect example of your phrase, "the past doesn’t change, but history does."
His story has been central to this branch of our family history because of his tie to the local newspaper editor, Charlie Harger (or sometimes C.M. Harger, for Charles Moreau Harger). As a young boy, he and his family moved out to Kansas from Seneca Castle, NY. The farm failed (or so goes the myth), and the family moved to Abilene.
Fast forward a few years, and my great-grandfather started as a cub reporter for the Abilene Reflector-Chronicle newspaper. Push forward a few years more, and he's promoted to editor, moved into a big house, and raised a family. His daughter, my grandmother, attended school in Abilene, and by the time she was in high school, she was a classmate of young Ike. I know they stayed in touch, but most of the connection was through her dad.
When Ike needed a side hustle, he got one as a stock boy at the Reflector-Chronicle (again, according to our family lore). Later, when Ike wanted to go to West Point, he asked my grandfather for a recommendation, which it seems he delivered. Their correspondence continued for decades, with some engaging (and strangely charming) letters exchanged during the War and the presidency. Most of those letters are now held in the Library, but the more personal ones are part of our family collection.
Barbara, thank you so much for the wonderful family stories! Testimony to how family history reveals how we're connected. And what fun that Ike and your grandad kept in touch.
P.S. I bet the farm did fail -- farming on the prairie was (is?) a nightmare.
Haha, that's kind of you to say. It is pretty remarkable. One of those stories I didn't quite believe till I saw the letters.
As for the farm, no kidding. To the best of my knowledge, these individuals were schoolteachers and had no business thinking they could run a farm. I have yet to find exactly where the plot of land was (and who it was taken from...)
As a boy, I went on a field trip to Eisenhower’s house in Abilene, and came away with the idea that he was the quintessential exemplar of what we imagined were our Midwestern virtues: upright, honest, plain-spoken, courageous, no drama. Later, when I started reading history books, I found it amusing that the people he had to deal with in WWII (Montgomery and Patton, for two) could just make him lose his s*t. But I admired him for tolerating and getting the best out of these pains-in-the-ass. I also found it kind of intriguing that he could have a little thing with Kay Summersby out of sight of his virtuous Midwestern wife. The guy had some hot sauce in his oatmeal.
The coast-to-coast highway system that us Americans all take for granted is called the Eisenhower Interstate System for a reason. When he was a major, after WWI, he led a motor expedition through Darkest America to demonstrate the military need for better highways. There were no road signs, most of it wasn’t paved, the trucks broke down, and it took months to get to California. His point was made. When he was older, and had a chance to to something about it, he did.
It seems to have helped his career. He was always known as a comer in an army that was small and stifling and boring after the War to End All Wars. He didn’t rocket to the top over many other candidates for nothing.
Thanks for the comment, Rock! I gather there's much doubt that he actually had an affair with Kay Summersby, which I hope isn't too disappointing!
Well, the only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about :)
I enjoyed this very much. Maybe I am jaded, but when I visit one, I always try to find out where the money to build it came from. I’m always pleased when I can find any museums that present a balanced look at the subject. Hmmm, I wonder what the Trump museum will be like. Thank you for bringing this to us.
Thank you, Adi! It's always an excellent question to ask about the money. Every museum has built in biases, no question, and money is almost always an issue. Presidential museums are especially fun because they're more blatant than most. The Smithsonian, meanwhile, always seems to end up in a pickle over something or other. When, in 1994, a time of great culture wars, the Air and Space Museum proposed exhibiting the Enola Gay (the airplane that dropped the first atomic bomb) inviting visitors to consider different viewpoints, including those of people who urged Truman not to use it, there was a public outcry. This reminds me I need to go back to the Nixon Library (couldn't fit it in last time) to see how it looks now . . .
I loved your summary, Annette. I've often wondered about where the lines were between myth and ordinary man. It's a perfect example of your phrase, "the past doesn’t change, but history does."
His story has been central to this branch of our family history because of his tie to the local newspaper editor, Charlie Harger (or sometimes C.M. Harger, for Charles Moreau Harger). As a young boy, he and his family moved out to Kansas from Seneca Castle, NY. The farm failed (or so goes the myth), and the family moved to Abilene.
Fast forward a few years, and my great-grandfather started as a cub reporter for the Abilene Reflector-Chronicle newspaper. Push forward a few years more, and he's promoted to editor, moved into a big house, and raised a family. His daughter, my grandmother, attended school in Abilene, and by the time she was in high school, she was a classmate of young Ike. I know they stayed in touch, but most of the connection was through her dad.
When Ike needed a side hustle, he got one as a stock boy at the Reflector-Chronicle (again, according to our family lore). Later, when Ike wanted to go to West Point, he asked my grandfather for a recommendation, which it seems he delivered. Their correspondence continued for decades, with some engaging (and strangely charming) letters exchanged during the War and the presidency. Most of those letters are now held in the Library, but the more personal ones are part of our family collection.
Again, thank you for the side-dish of context.
Barbara, thank you so much for the wonderful family stories! Testimony to how family history reveals how we're connected. And what fun that Ike and your grandad kept in touch.
P.S. I bet the farm did fail -- farming on the prairie was (is?) a nightmare.
Haha, that's kind of you to say. It is pretty remarkable. One of those stories I didn't quite believe till I saw the letters.
As for the farm, no kidding. To the best of my knowledge, these individuals were schoolteachers and had no business thinking they could run a farm. I have yet to find exactly where the plot of land was (and who it was taken from...)