The Tennessee State Capitol was completed in 1859.Statue of Andrew Jackson on the grounds of the state capitol. Tennessee was home to three presidents – Jackson (7th), James K. Polk (11th) and Andrew Johnson (17th).President James K. Polk and First Lady Sara Polk are buried on the grounds of the state capitol.Statue of President Andrew Johnson.Liberty Bell replica.Senate chamber.House chamber.Tennessee State Supreme Court chamber.Portrait of significant Tennesseans.Andrew Jackson.Andrew Jackson. He is so popular he gets two busts in the capitol!Andrew Jackson.James K. Polk.James K. Polk.Andrew Johnson.Andrew Johnson.David Crockett, Tennessee native and hero of the Alamo.Cordell Hull, the longest-serving Secretary of State in US history. He served for 11 years under President Franklin D. Roosevelt during most of World War II.Sampson W. Keeble, first African American elected to the Tennessee state legislature.
Our 11th president, James Knox Polk, lived in his parents’ home here from 1818-1824, until he got married.Furnishings from the period, not necessarily owned by James Polk.This table was owned by the Polks.President James K. Polk, 1845.President James K. Polk, 1849. Quite a bit of aging in 4 years.He campaigned and was elected on specific issues and promises, and he delivered what he promised, much like President Donald J. Trump did.
Statue of George Washington in front of capitol stepsThe rotundaHouse of Representatives chamberSenate chamberView of the lobby from the second floorStairs to the second floorBust of Robert E. LeeThere were four South Carolinians who signed the US Constitution. They are honored with plaques inside the capitol. Pierce Butler…Charles Cotesworth Pinckney…Charles Pinckney……and John RutledgeBattle of Cowpens by William Ranney“Marion’s Camp”, General Francis MarionOne of several paintings in the capitol showing battles of the Revolutionary War. There were more battles in South Carolina during that war than any other state. The American victory at Cowpens in 1781 is considered the turning point of the war in the South and was an important step toward victory at Yorktown. “Angel of Marie’s Heights”. Sergeant Richard Kirkland of South Carolina became famous during the Battle of Fredericksburg in December 1862 when he broke ranks to give water to Union soldiers who were gasping and screaming in agony. A sculpture in Fredericksburg marks this event.
Gerald R. Ford, our 38th President, is the only president born in Nebraska. He was born July 14, 1913. His birth name was Leslie Lynch King Jr. His father was very abusive to his mother, so she left him and moved to Michigan. When she married Gerald Ford, her son took his name.President Ford is the only president who was not elected, either as President or Vice President. He was named Vice President under President Nixon after Spiro Agnew resigned, then became President when Nixon resigned in 1974.Bust of President Ford.Bust of First Lady Betty Ford.The house in which President Ford was born no longer exists. This is a model of the house.President Ford was perhaps our most athletic president. Here is his presidential golf bag.
Harry S Truman, our 33rd President, was born in Missouri in 1884. He became president upon Franklin D. Roosevelt’s death on April 12, 1945. He was elected on his own as president in 1948, and served until 1953.President Truman greets you as you enter the museum.Truman served in World War I as Captain.After the war, Truman opened a men’s clothing store in downtown Kansas City.Harry and Bess’ wedding announcement.Truman served in the Senate from 1935 until he became Vice President in 1945.This is the Bible that was used when Truman was sworn into office as President.Interestingly, as Vice President, Truman had only met with President Roosevelt twice prior to FDR’s death, and Truman was totally unaware of the atomic bomb the US had been developing. He made the decision to drop the bombs on Japan, ending World War II.Letter written on rice paper from President Chiang Kai-shek of the Republic of China to President Truman.After the war, our attention turned to the developing threat from Communist Soviet Union.With the Soviet blockade of West Berlin, President Truman ordered supplies dropped in via airplane, the “Berlin Airlift”, delivering billions of pounds of food and supplies to the people.On May 14, 1948, the state of Israel declared itself an independent nation. President Truman issued a “de facto” recognition of the new state. In 1949, following the first elections in Israel, the US officially recognized them as a nation.Ancient pottery vessels gifted to Truman. The footed vase dates from 2000 to 1800 BC. The rounded base pitcher dates from the time of the Jewish Kings 1000 to 800 BC. The long-necked cruet served as a wine decanter in the first century AD.Israeli Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion gifted this menorah to President Truman in 1951, It dates back to at least 1767, when it was donated to a synagogue in Germany.Because of low approval numbers, much of America was sure Truman would lose the election of 1948, so much so that some newspapers printed the headlines before the results were in!Many of President Truman’s Square Deal programs were not enacted into law.Korea became hot.We went to war in Korea. President Truman skirted the Constitutional requirement for Congress to declare war by calling the war “police action”. Congress has not declared war since World War II, even though our military has been at war numerous times. This precedent started with the Korean War.President Truman’s most famous quote.The Truman’s White House china.President Truman spent time at the “Truman Little White House” in Key West FL.Exact replica of President Truman’s Oval Office.The stages of Truman’s life…1950 Lincoln Cosmopolitan used during the Truman administration.Truman’s post-presidency office.President Harry and First Lady Bess Truman’s graves.
