Time in Office: January 1989 to January 1993
Terms: One
Birthday: June 12, 1924
Birth Place: Milton, Massachusetts

Notes:
~ A school leader at Phillips Academy
~ Parachuted out of his burning plane during World War II
~ Flew 58 combat missions during World War II
~ Graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Yale in 2 and a half years instead of 4
~ A millionaire by the age of 42
~ Two terms as US Vice President (under Reagan)
~ Was acting President for 8 hours during a Reagan surgery
~ One son was US President, another is Governor of Florida
~ Director of the CIA
~ Awarded the Medal of Freedom in 2011

The 41st President of the United States, George Herbert Walker Bush was born in 1924 in the town of Milton, Massachusetts. Soon after George’s birth, the family moved to Greenwich, Connecticut where he attended the Greenwich Country Day School and Phillips Academy – Andover, Massachusetts. George was a well-rounded student – playing both basketball and baseball – along with being president of his senior class and a active member of the school’s newspaper.

George was accepted to Yale but when he graduated from Phillips Academy in 1942 he instead entered the Navy and World War II. Commissioned in 1943 as an Ensign and aviator in the US Naval Reserve in Chorpus Christi, Texas, Bush began his Naval career 3 days before his 19th birthday.

Flying missions off the aircraft carrier San Jacinto, Bush had to once abandon his burning aircraft and spend 4 hours on the sea in a lifeboat waiting for rescue. Bush took part in missions in the Bonin Islands and the Phillipines.

Reassigned to the naval base in Norfolk, Virginia and then to a naval air station in Michigan, Ltjg (junior grade) Bush was honorably discharged September 1945.

Earlier in 1945 George Bush had married Barbara Pierce and had finally begun his time at Yale. He was captain of the baseball team and was elected president of his fraternity. He graduated in 1948 and moved his family to West Texas to take a job as a sales clerk at an oil company where his father was on the board of directors.

Bush started his own oil company in 1951. He moved company operations from Midland, Texas to Houston, and by the time Bush began to pursue his political ambitions in 1966, he was the company’s chairman and a millionaire. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 1966, was appointed by Nixon as Ambassador to the United Nations in 1971, and by President Ford as Chinese envoy. In 1976 Ford appointed Bush Director of the Central Intelligence Agency.

Deciding to run for President in the 1980 election, George’s unsuccessful campaign took him some 250,000 miles to over 850 political events. Feeling discouraged, he sold his home in Houston and bought his Grandfather’s estate in Kennebunkport, Maine. He was soon selected for the Vice Presidential spot by Ronald Reagan – the Republican party’s eventual winner. After serving two terms as Vice President, George H. W. Bush was elected President in the 1988 US election – taking office January 1989.

Bush was busy during his Presidency dealing with political upheaval in Panama, the Soviet Union after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the NAFTA agreement, civil war in Somalia, and the Gulf War. He was a frequent traveler. International trips for the President were enhanced by his receipt of the new Boeing 747s – which technological advances enabled him to function as if he were at the White House while traveling. Bush was defeated in the Presidential Election of 1992 by Bill Clinton.

Presidential Travel

1989
~Canada ~Japan ~People’s Republic of China ~Korea
~Italy ~Vatican City ~Belgium(2x) ~Federal Republic of Germany
~United Kindgom ~Poland ~Hungary ~France(2x) ~ The Netherlands
~Costa Rica ~Malta

1990
~Columbia ~Canada ~United Kingdom ~Finland ~Czechoslovakia
~Germany ~France ~Saudi Arabis ~Egypt ~Switzerland ~Mexico
~Brazil ~Uraguay ~Argentina ~Chile ~Venezuela

1991
~Canada(2x) ~France(2x) ~United Kingdom(2x) ~Greece ~Turkey
~USSR ~Spain ~Italy ~Vatican City ~The Netherlands

1992
~Australia ~Singapore ~Korea ~Japan ~Panama ~Brazil
~Poland ~Germany ~Finland ~Saudi Arabia ~Somalia ~Russia
~France

++ 2011 hourly costs to US taxpayers for Presidential travel on Air Force One?

$181,000 per hour.

Bush and his wife live in Houston and at their estate in Maine. George holds his own fishing tournament at Islamorada in the Florida Keys.

In November 1997 the George Bush Presidential Library opened on the Texas A&M campus – College Station, Texas. Bush continues to make public appearances and in 2009 was with his son, then President George W. Bush, at the commissioning of the aircraft supercarrier bearing his name.

Former: President Ronald W. Reagan
Next : Bill Clinton

Time in Office: January 1977 to January 1981
Terms: One
Birthday: October 1, 1924
Birth Place: Plains, Georgia

Notes:

~ First President born in a hospital
~ Gift student and star basketball player
~ Served in the US Navy as a Lieutenant – 1946 to 1953
~ Assisted with the shutdown of the Chalk River Nuclear Reactor
~ Created the Departments of Energy and Education
~ Returned the Panama Canal Zone to Panama
~ Founded the Carter Center in 1982
~ Winner of the Nobel Peace Prize
~ Key figure in the Habitat for Humanity project

James Earl Carter Jr – forever it seems known as “Jimmy,” was born October 1, 1924 in a hospital near Plains, Georgia. His father was a successful local business leader and his mother, a nurse. He was the eldest of four children.

A gifted student who loved to read, Carter attended Plains High School and then enrolled at Georgia Southwestern College.

After taking some additional math courses at Georgia Tech, Jimmy was accepted at the US Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, 1943. He married Rosalynn Smith in 1946.

Carter applied to the US Navy’s new nuclear submarine program and was based in Schenectady, New York. He was sent to Canada’s Chalk River Laboratory in 1952, the site of a (partial) nuclear reactor meltdown. This experience shaped his views of nuclear power and after the death of his father in 1953, Carter resigned from the Navy and returned to Plains to run the family business.

While successfully managing and expanding the family’s peanut farming business, Carter began to take part in local boards until his election to the State Senate in 1961. By 1966, he declined a return to the Senate in order to seek election as Governor of Georgia – he was not successful. A second run was successful and by January 1971 he was Governor.

Although almost an unknown to the majority of American voters prior to the Presidential campaign of 1976, thanks to the media’s focus on this political “underdog,” along with the support of Christian voters, and his reputation of NOT being a political insider, (remember Watergate!) Jimmy Carter was elected President of the United States.

Travel to the following countries, by year, was taken by Jimmy Carter during his Presidency:

1977
~United Kingdom ~Switzerland ~Poland ~Iran

1978
~Iran ~India ~Saudi Arabia ~Egypt ~France ~Belgium ~Venezuela
~Brazil ~Nigeria ~Liberia ~Panama ~Germany

1979
~France ~Mexico ~Israel ~Egypt (twice) ~Austria ~Japan
~Korea

1980
~Italy ~Yugoslavia ~Spain ~Portugal ~Japan

Presidential Travel

As President, Jimmy had little time for vacations. He liked to head home to Plains, visit St. Simons Island, Georgia, and most “downtime” might find him relaxing while fishing.

President Carter was defeated in his run for re-election in 1980 by Ronald Reagan. During his Presidency, Jimmy Carter traveled some 224,668 miles. President Carter’s last trip aboard Air Force One (SAM 27000) was to Germany to meet and welcome home the 52 American hostages that had been held captive in Iran.

Like most Presidents before him, Carter remained – and this case, remains – very active in politics after the Presidency.

Through his work at The Carter Center with his wife Rosalynn, politics, and other humanitarian causes, former President Carter is the first President we’ve covered during our travels that is still alive and now at the age of 87, is still working.

As you can see from this 2008 photo taken when President Carter was 83, “move or it lose it” seems to be working for this President!

Check out some of the links below to find out what this former President has been up to since 1981.

Links:

Jimmy Carter Library and Museum
President Jimmy Carter – The Miller Center
Habitat for Humanity

Prior: President Gerald Ford
Next: Ronald Reagan

Time in Office: August 1974 to January 1977
Terms: One +
Birthday: July 14, 1913
Birth Place: Omaha, Nebraska
Date of Death: December 28, 2006
Place of Death: At his home – Rancho Mirage, California
Buried: Grand Rapids, Michigan

Notes:

~ Didn’t meet his biological father until he was 17
~ An Eagle Scout
~ An excellent athlete and football player
~ An avid golfer – once shot a hole-in-one
~ Turned down offers to play in the NFL
~ Was a member of the Freemasons
~ Never elected to be either President or Vice President
~ Made the first visit of a sitting US President to Japan
~ Survived two assassination attempts
~ Longest-lived US President – 93 years, 165 days
~ Was the last surviving member of the Warren Commission

Quote: “The length of one’s days matters less than the love of one’s family and friends.”

I felt a bit sorry for Gerald Ford. The man tripped once in 1975 while heading down the stairs of Air Force One and was forever after “bullied” by the Press and the media as a “klutz.” How likely is it that the only US President ever drafted by the NFL while in college was a “klutz”?

Gerald Rudolph Ford, Jr., America’s 38th President, was born Leslie Lynch King, Jr in Omaha, Nebraska – 1913. His mother divorced his father, remarried in 1916, and although “Leslie” was never formally adopted by his new stepfather, his name was legally changed in 1935. He was raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan where he was an Eagle Scout and captain of his high school football team.

Gerald attended the University of Michigan, played football – where he was scouted by NFL recruiters – and washed dishes to pay his college expenses. Ford applied to and was eventually accepted at Yale Law School in 1938. He graduated and began practicing law in 1941, but due to World War II in 1942, he enlisted in the Navy. He reported for duty at Annapolis, attended further traning in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and then served with distinction aboard the carrier USS Monterey. He finished out his military career as an instructor and on staff in California and Illinois. He resigned June 1946.

In 1948 Gerald married the former model and dancer, Elizabeth Bloomer Warren and over the next 9 years they had 4 children – 3 sons and one daughter. This coincided with his first election as Representative – a role he held for the next 25 years.

In 1963 he was appointed to the Warren Commission which investigated the assassination of John F. Kennedy. He also served as House Minority Leader from 1965 to 1973.

In October 1973 the then Vice President, Spiro Agnew, was forced to resign on bribery charges he faced as Governor of Maryland, Ford was selected to replace him. While the Ford family was still waiting to be moved into the Vice President’s residence, “Watergate” erupted and Ford was told to prepare himself to take over as President. When Nixon resigned August 1974, Gerald R. Ford, never voted in as Vice President, became the 38th President of the United States.

Countries visited by Gerald Ford in 1974: (He first visited China in 1972.)

~ Mexico ~Japan ~Korea ~USSR ~France ~Belgium ~Spain ~Austria

In 1975:

~Belgium ~Spain ~Austria ~Italy ~Germany ~Poland ~Finland ~Romania ~France ~China ~Indonesia ~Phillipines

He stayed in the United States for all of 1976.

Ford faced many trials as President – from the controversy over the Nixon pardon to a crushing economy. Add to this a swine flu epidemic, the ending of the Vietnam War, and the subsequent management of final evacuations. Ford was a somewhat reluctant candidate in the 1976 Presidential election which he lost to Jimmy Carter.

Ford’s Presidential Travel

After his Presidency, Gerald Ford remained politically active, briefly considered a run for the Presidency in 1980, and was also considered as a Vice Presidential candidate to Ronald Reagan in that same year.

The Ford family was energetic and athletic. Deep-sea fishing in the Bahamas; skiing in Vail, Colorado and in Utah, and for the President – golf and tennis.

Gerald Ford is the one and only President I’ve seen in person. I attended the Bing Crosby National Pro-Am Golf Tournament in Pebble Beach, California in 1977 where President Ford was playing. A ball he hit landed within 5 feet of where I was standing. As he walked up to take his next shot he said, “Excuse me for temporarily blocking your view.” There’s even a YouTube available of this 34-year old golf event believe it or not!

President Gerald R. Ford died December 26, 2006 of arteriosclerosis. He was 93. He was buried at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum. His wife Betty died July 8 2011, also aged 93, and is buried alongside her husband.

Links:

Ford Presidential Library and Museum
Gerald R. Ford International Airport
President Ford’s Daily Diaries
Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy
The Betty Ford Center

Next: America’s 39th President – James Earl Carter
Prior: Richard M. Nixon, 37th President of the United States

Time in Office: January 1969 to August 1974
Terms: One +
Birthday: January 9, 1913
Birth Place: Yorba Linda, California
Date of Death: April 22, 1994
Place of Death: Cornell Medical Center, Manhattan, New York
Buried: Yorba Linda, California

Notes:

~ An avid walker
~ Played several musical instruments
~ “President” of his 8th grade class
~ Won numerous debating awards
~ Wrote the bestselling book “Six Crises” (1962)
~ Served 8 years as Vice President
~ First incumbent President to visit the People’s Republic of China
~ Established the Environmental Protection Agency
~ Wrote 10 books during his retirement

The 37th President of the United States, Richard Milhouse Nixon was born in a small farmhouse built by his father but was raised mainly in nearby Whittier, California.

Having moved and then transferring schools in his early years, Nixon graduated 3rd in his class from Whittier High School and was offered a grant to Harvard. He was unable to accept due to family responsibilities and instead attended Whittier College – graduating in 1934. Richard received a full scholarship to Duke University School of Law (North Carolina,) where he graduated near the top of his class in 1937.

Nixon had hoped to work for the FBI but instead found himself practicing law back in Whittier. Cast in a local theater production, Nixon met Thelma “Pat” Ryan whom he married in 1940. In 1942 Nixon accepted a job in Washington, DC and later in that same year he joined the US Navy – serving stateside and in the South West Pacific theater. He resigned from the Navy in 1946.

Most of the next 30+ years Nixon’s life was totally involved in politics. His political career began with his election to the US House of Representatives – January 1947 to December 1950. He was then elected US Senator from California – December 1950 to January 1953. Later in January 1953 he became the 36th Vice President of the United States – a office he held until January 1961.

From 1961 to 1967, Nixon traveled to Europe with his family, meeting with leaders in an unofficial capacity. He moved his family to New York where he was senior partner in the law firm Nixon, Mudge, Rose, Guthrie & Alexander. Nixon had stated that he was not interested in a run for President and seemed disillusioned by politics but by the end of 1967 he had changed his mind and by January 20, 1969 he was President. He was re-elected in 1972 and impeached August 1974. Nixon is the only President ever forced to resign while in office.

Nixon – “Traveling Man”

It gets more difficult to cover Presidential travel now that Air Force One and air travel are the main means of transportation. Current era Presidents, unlike Jefferson and Jackson who got around either on horseback, by carriage, or by slow, ocean-going vessels – can and do visit several countries in the same week. As example, President Nixon visited the following countries in the year 1969 alone:

~ Belgium ~ UK ~ Italy ~ Germany ~ France ~ Indonesia ~ Phillipines ~ Thailand
~ Viet Nam ~ Pakistan ~ Romania ~ Mexico

In 1970, Nixon visited:

~Mexico ~Italy ~Yugoslavia ~Spain ~UK ~Ireland ~France ~Portugal ~Bermuda
~China ~Canada ~Austria ~USSR ~Iran ~Poland ~Iceland ~Egypt ~Saudi Arabia
~Israel ~Jordan ~Belgium

The purpose of most Presidential travel is State or “official visits,” or to attend memorial services for foreign dignitaries. Use of the radio call sign “Air Force One” began in 1953 when a plane carrying President Dwight Eisenhower had a near miss with a commercial plane using a prior, similar call sign. “Air Force One” is now notification to air traffic control as a plane transporting the President of the United States.

Flying via Air Force One, which Nixon named “The Spirit of ’76″ is now “standard procedure” for US Presidents. One of the two planes used during this timeframe was a Boeing 707 – tail number “26000″ which also flew John F. Kennedy to Dallas in 1963.

The U. S. S. Sequoia, placed in service in 1920, has been used by Presidents including Nixon – who played the piano while onboard. The Sequoia is docked near Washington, DC and is open for tours and even rentals! The Sequoia was possibly the first handicapped-accessible boat since it was outfitted to provide wheelchair access for Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Vacations and time off were spent at Camp David, Maryland. President Nixon used Camp David as much as his 5 predecessors combined. Nixon also spent much time at the “Florida White House” which was his private compound on Key Biscayne, Florida and which he visited more than 50 times while in office between 1969 and 1974.

“La Casa Pacifica” (The Pacific House), which overlooked the beach in San Clemente, California was also known as the “Western White House.” The home is now a private residence and closed to the public.

Time magazine reported that some $10.5 million tax dollars went in to the “refurbishment” of these two estates. The Key Biscayne property had a floating helicopter pad…and you can now rent it yourself…maybe for your next vacation?

Nixon suffered a severe stroke while at his home in New Jersey, April 1994. He died April 22, 1994 at the age of 81. His funeral was attended by 5 living Presidents. Nixon is buried next to his wife Pat – who had died in 1993, at the Nixon Library and Birthplace. He was survived by his two daughters, Tricia and Julie.

Links:

Nixon Library & Birthplace
An essay on Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon – The Politician
Nixon’s Resignation Speech

Prior President: Lyndon B. Johnson
Next: Gerald R. Ford

The Traveling with the Presidents Series.

Time in Office: November 1963 to January 1969
Terms: One +
Birthday: August 27, 1908
Birth Place: Stonewall, Texas
Date of Death: January 22, 1973
Place of Death: At his ranch – Stonewall, Texas
Buried: Family cemetery – Lyndon B. Johnson National Park, Stonewall, Texas.

Notes:

~ Edited his high school’s paper
~ First candidate to campaign by helicopter
~ Had a first, severe heart attack at age 47
~ Guided the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1957
~ Liked to get drunk and drive vehicles around his ranch

Quote: “I have learned that only two things are necessary to keep one’s wife happy. First, let her think she’s having her own way. And second, let her have it.”

America’s 36th President, Lyndon Baines Johnson may have been born to humble beginnings, but this energetic and ambitious young man would become one of only four people ever to hold office as a Representative, a Senator, a Vice President, and as President of the United States.

“LBJ” as he was known, was born in 1908 in a small farmhouse on the Perdanales River near Johnson City, Texas – named for one of his forebearers. Holding his first elected office as President of his Junior Class in high school, Johnson graduated in 1924 having taken part in debate, public speaking and America’s favorite pastime – baseball. Graduating from Southwest Texas Teacher’s College in 1930, Johnson honed his public speaking skills and was a informed and persuasive speaker – even conducting a class on the subject at Sam Houston High School. With his background in speaking and debate, and a father who had held 5 terms as a Texas legislator, Johnson entered politics as a congressional aide. In 1935 he was appointed head of the Texas National Youth Administration and from 1937 to 1941 he was the elected representative of Texas’ 10th Congressional district.

LBJ married Claudia Alta Taylor in 1934. With his marriage to Miss Taylor, conveniently and already nicknamed “Lady Bird” – Lyndon would begin his “LBJ” naming convention with his daughters Lynda Bird Johnson – born in 1944, and Lucy Baines Johnson – born in 1947. Even one of Johnson’s dogs was given the name “Little Beagle Johnson!”

When America entered World War II in 1941, Johnson became a commissioned officer in the Naval Reserve. He worked stateside until the Spring of 1942 when he spent a short time in the Southwest Pacific to survey military conditions and readiness to be reported back to President Roosevelt. LBJ was awarded a Silver Star though there is much controversy over how an “observer” could have done anything to warrant such a high honor.

Johnson won a Senate seat in 1948, was chosen as Senate Majority Whip in 1951, and Minority Leader in 1953. Johnson visited his various districts during his campaigning via his rented helicopter known as the “Johnson City Windmill.” A savvy, well-informed, and well-connected politician, Johnson was selected (with some controversy still remaining) as John F. Kennedy’s VP candidate in the 1960 Presidential Election.

LBJ – Travel as President

Within hours after the assassination of John F. Kennedy in November 1963, Lyndon Baines Johnson became the 36th President of the United States – taking the Oath of Office aboard Air Force One at Love Field Airport in Dallas. Johnson would fly some 523,000 miles on Air Force One during his 5 years as President. He took trips to Vietnam and Asia – and one long, unplanned trip across the US and to Australia, Thailand, South Vietnam, Pakistan, and Italy. You get the feeling that Johnson’s “inquiring mind” might have thought he was missing something, somewhere…

Johnson was elected President in 1964. Due in large part to unresolved civil rights issues and the Vietnam War, Johnson decided not to run for re-election in 1968. His health was also beginning to fail.

Johnson returned to his ranch in Stonewall, Texas January 1969. He published his memoirs, and later that year the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum opened near the University of Texas – Austin. Johnson died at his ranch January 22, 1973, (one day before the ceasefire in Vietnam was signed) and willed his ranch to the public. The ranch formed the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park with Johnson’s wish that the ranch continue to be a “working” ranch – not just a museum of days gone by. Johnson is buried at the park – just a short walk from the house in which he was born.

Links:

LBJ Library and Museum
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Austin, Texas – Convention & Visitor’s Bureau
More on the life of LBJ
More on LBJ Presidential Travel

Prior: John F. Kennedy
Next: Richard M. Nixon

The Traveling with the Presidents Series.

Leave it to the travel industry – known for its use or overuse of capital letters and MICE begins to make a bit more sense. Have a look through the “Travel Dictionary” for any you find and can’t identify!

M.I.C.E. stands for – Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, and Exhibitions.

Otherwise known to the rest of us as the “commercial and business-oriented” side of travel and travel planning. And it is BIG BUSINESS!

Apparently mice travel in packs and that is the focus of most MICE travel for humans as well. Tours to specific regions and focusing on specific topics, travel tours following sports such as golf or racing, (think of the travel and tourism aspects of the Kentucky Derby) and seasonal travel – think of all the “leaf-peepers” that will be heading out soon.

All these topics are potentially MICE travel events. But don’t forget large corporate retreats and business-focused conventions. A Medicaid-focused conference in Austin, Texas just this August no doubt brought thousands of new visitors to the city. Much planning is required to ensure visitors – many who were seeing Austin for the first time – would have a pleasant experience.

Towns and cities fight hard to be the destination for these MICE events – which is when the “incentives” part of our equation kicks in. Tourism is one of the most competitive industries in the world and since the rewards in revenue and exposure are huge, MICE officials spend a lot of time and effort promoting their city’s highlights and benefits.

While the lone traveler or family might be totally annoyed to find some convention being held in their chosen destination when their visit is planned – take heart! MICE forces states, cities, and towns to think far in advance about the needs of travelers and plan and respond accordingly. This is a win for the rest of us.

Have a safe Columbus Day tomorrow!

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Summer is slowly fading away. The heat spells that characterize Tuscany during the months of July and August were already replaced by more enjoyable and slightly cooler days. In less than 30 days, leaves will start turning, then falling and before you can say “Christmas,” December arrives with its gay holiday atmosphere and hot cocoa cups in front of a crackling fireplace!

In this mini series I will try to give you an idea of what spending your winter vacations in Tuscany can be like, with tips and insights on what to do, where to stay, and what to eat during your trip.

Spending your Christmas holidays in Tuscany might be one of the most romantic and enjoyable vacations filled with interesting events, culture, and culinary delight. If your ideal winter retreat is a snow covered log cabin on an isolated slope, you should also consider that after a couple of days you might get as bored as it can be. Sitting around all day just vegging out can be nice for a short while, but you will soon need a little more action and interaction. A winter holiday in Tuscany can give you the best of your favorite activities and settings.

The mountains of the region have plenty of accommodations for you to rest in the middle of nature, while not far from a nice village – still preserving its old traditions and romantic appeal.

The Abetone Mountain is the foremost one in the province of Pistoia, but you also have the Amiata between Siena and Grosseto and the Lunigiana near Lucca and Massa Carrara. Abetone is the one with the longest and most spectacular skiing slopes, while Amiata, an ancient inactive volcano, offers you to combine skiing with thermal vacations.

The long shores of Tuscany can provide for a relaxing winter destination. During the colder season, the seaside is a very tranquil place with the added benefit of lower price accommodations. You may find large and comfortable villas on the Tuscany coast few steps away from the beach and enjoy the healthy properties for which these seaside localities are famous. Moreover, during off-season periods everything is going to be cheaper, including delicious fish restaurants that during winter months offer the best of their selection.

Undoubtedly, you can also enjoy your Christmas holiday in a Tuscan city. Florence, Siena, Pisa, Lucca and even smaller towns offer plenty of apartments to rent, but also villas in the immediate countryside. Here you will find other interesting aspects of the Tuscan tradition. Town fairs and international Christmas markets have now become a recurring appointment bringing together the most traditional and frivolous of local and foreign cultures, thanks to handmade artisan and culinary products.

This is just a general idea of what awaits you in Tuscany during your next Christmas holidays. Follow the upcoming monthly appointments to discover more on what a winter holiday in Tuscany holds for you!

Matt lives and operates in Italy where he lists villas on the Tuscany coast.

Look for more upcoming posts from Matt with the “Christmas in Tuscany” tag!

Time in Office: 1929 – 1933
Terms: One
Birthday: August 10, 1874
Birth Place: West Branch, Iowa
Date of Death: October 20, 1964
Place of Death: New York City
Buried: Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum, West Branch, Iowa

Notes:
~ Orphaned by the age of nine
~ First President born west of the Mississippi River
~ Only President from Iowa
~ Secretary of Commerce, 1921- 1928
~ Last cabinet secretary directly elected President
~ Had the first Native-American Vice President
~ Loved to drive and loved to fish

Due to the death of both his father and mother by the time he was only nine years old, America’s 31st President, Herbert Clark Hoover spent until age 11 living with relatives near his hometown of West Branch, Iowa, and then moved to Oregon to stay with his uncle.

After taking classes in typing, math, and bookkeeping, he entered the inaugural class at Stanford University, California in 1891. He graduated in 1895, with a degree in geology.

In 1897 Hoover left for Australia as an employee of a London-based mining company. In 1899 he married his college sweetheart, Lou Henry, also a graduate of Stanford, and the couple left for China where he worked as his company’s lead engineer. Trapped in Tianjin, China by the Boxer Rebellion of 1900, Hoover assisted US Marines due to his extensive knowledge of the local area.

Hoover was an excellent geologist and developed a zinc mining process that led to the formation of the “Zinc Corporation,” the origins of which form the current-day Rio Tinto Corporation. By 1908, Herbert was working as an independent mining consultant – traveling the world giving lectures and talks at US universities such as Columbia and Stanford.

Still living in London at the start of the First World War, Hoover was instrumental in not only getting US citizens out of Europe, but also in working with the Commission for Relief in Belgium (CRB). Hoover crossed the North Sea some 40 times to work for this effort of supplying food to war-torn Europe. He was appointed head of the US Food Administration by Woodrow Wilson in 1917 after the US had entered the war and by 1921, he was the US Secretary of Commerce.

Hoover Square – Poland

Hoover’s successes as Commerce Secretary brought him national acclaim and his (Republican) Presidential election in 1928 was a landslide win with over 58% of the vote. As President-Elect in November 1928, Hoover went on a seven-nation Latin America tour to establish goodwill. But in 1929, along came the stock market crash and the Great Depression.

Unemployment approaching 25%, drought across the heartland, and an investigation of the New York Stock exchange kept Hoover busy during this time in office. World War I veterans also suffered since the US was, by 1931, unable to pay promised bonuses to returning soldiers. His bid for re-election during the 1932 campaign was not successful. Hoover’s train and motorcade were pelted during his campaign travels – Americans taking out their Depression-based frustrations on Hoover.

Hoover and his family left Washington in March 1933 – staying in a New York hotel for a period and then returning to their home in Palo Alto, California. Not one to ease into retirement, he loved to take long automobile drives, to go fishing – often in the Caribbean, and to write in his spare time while remaining passively involved in politics.

By 1946 America was involved in World War II and President Harry Truman selected Hoover to tour Germany and study food shortages as result of the devastating war. His school meals program delivered over 40,000 tons of American food to Germany serving over 3.5 million children. He also worked on building the Hoover Institution at Stanford University and was a vocal and active fundraiser for his favorite charity, Boy’s Club of America.

Aged 90, Hoover died while in New York City in 1964, having had the longest Presidential retirement in history. His reputation as President, damaged as it was by the Great Depression, has somewhat been restored thanks to historians and scholars.

Hoover Historic Points of Interest:

Hoover Dam
Rapidan Fishing Camp
Hoover Presidential Library and Museum, Iowa

Next: America’s 32nd President, Franklin Delano Roosevelt.