By Amelia Jewett ‘27
Presidents Day started and continues as a celebration of Washington’s Birthday which occurs on February 22nd. While today it is recognized universally as President’s Day, it is still officially known as Washington’s Birthday by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the Federal Government. It became an occasion to honor all those who served as presidents of the United States in 1970 on the third Monday of February. In honor of the recent holiday, here is a list of fun facts about our presidents:
- James Maddison was the shortest president at 5’4, while Abraham Lincoln was the tallest at 6’4
- Refusing to wear his coat while giving the longest inaugural speech in history, William Henry Harrison contracted pneumonia and had the shortest presidency, dying after 32 days in office.
- John Tyler left the presidency in 1845 and yet still has a grandson alive today.
- Richard Nixon proposed to his wife on the day they met.
- Martin Vann Buren, nicknamed Old Kinderhook, invented the term OK.
- John and Abigail Adams had a dog named Satin.
- Grover Cleveland got married in the White House to a woman who was 28 years his junior.
- Theodore Rosevelt had 6 children whose pets included a small bear named Jonathon Edwards, a lizard named Bill, 5 guinea pigs, a pig named Maude, a badger named Josiah, a blue macaw, a barren speckled hen, a one-legged rooster, a barn owl, a hyena, peter the rabbit and a pony name Algonquin.
- Washington’s fake teeth were actually made out of hippopotamus ivory, bone, animal and human teeth, lead, brass screws, and gold wire.
- John Adams and Thomas Jefferson visited Shakespeare’s home together.
- Thomas Jefferson invented the swivel chair.
- John Quincy Adams was the first president to be photographed.
- Andrew Jackson was involved in an estimated 100 duels.
- Lincoln was the first president to be put on a coin.
- Jimmy Carter was the first president to be born in a hospital, in 1924.
- Franklin D. Roosevelt was related to a total of 11 presidents, through blood and marriage.
- Ulysses S. Grant was given a 20 dollar speeding ticket for riding his horse and buggy too fast.
- James Buchanan was the only president not to be married.
- Teddy Rosevelt was shot in the chest while about to begin a campaign speech and then proceeded to give an 84-minute speech.
- Richard Nixon’s favorite snack was cottage cheese with ketchup.
