This trip was a whirlwind of an adventure! We were so paranoid about not having enough time that we ended up completing the trip in only 4 days! We went through 10 different states and saw the gravesites of 13 presidents!
We left Indiana through Kentucky and Ohio into Pennsylvania. Our first stop was President James Buchanan in Lancaster County, PA. It was really cool to drive through Amish Country and see their homestead and simple way of life. We kept moving on to New Jersey. We saw President Grover Cleveland (the only man to serve as president for two non-consecutive terms, president #22 and #24). Aaron Burr (the man who shot and killed Alexander Hamilton) was also buried here!
Our next stop was to New York to visit the home and grave of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. It was really interesting to see the ways that FDR hid his paralysis from visitors to his home when he needed to. After this, we saw President Martin Van Buren. Then we drove into Massachusetts and through Boston (on my trip wish list).
The next stop was Quincy, MA. We stopped for the night in Braintree, and we had the worst time we've ever had trying to find somewhere to stay. We were so tired and just ready to sleep! The next morning, we had to wait for the preacher to allow us into the church because we were actually there during the 'winter season' when the tours were closed. It was very hot that day, and we did so much walking while waiting! We got to see the birthplace of John Adams and John Quincy Adams in the town. We walked through the cemetery that was the original resting place of the Adams family. The original crypt was still there, but the family was later moved across the street into the church. The cemetery was full of Revolutionary Soldiers. By the end of the day, we were grumpy and miserable. However, the private tour we ended up going on was amazing! We got to see the church pew where the Adams family sat. We saw the church records indicating their births and deaths. We got to walk into the crypt where the tombs were. He even let me touch them! That was surreal to know that two of our presidents were under my fingertips.
Our next stop was Salem, MA! I thought this town was the perfect blend of history and tacky. We walked through the historic graveyard where many important figures of the Salem Witch Trials were buried. The tombstones were so big and had traditional symbols on them for that time period. Per tradition, the bodies of the 'witches' were not allowed to be buried. Many were burned, however some family members were able to steal the bodies and bury them elsewhere. Author Nathaniel Hawthorne's mother's house can be seen from this graveyard. We toured the Salem Witch Museum and went to many shops around town. The shopping area was full of traditional witch themed items. There was a Bewitched statue downtown as well. We saw one of the houses used in the film Hocus Pocus. We even got to see the House of Seven Gables!
Our next stop was to New Hampshire to see President Franklin Pierce. We continued our journey into Vermont. It was raining and foggy through the mountains. It was cold, and there was snow covering the ground in the cemetery. This was a big difference from sweating in Quincy the day before! We absolutely loved the simple surroundings and style of President Calvin Coolidge's burial site.
We traveled on through upstate New York to the grave of President Chester Arthur. We then saw the grave of President Millard Fillmore. Singer Rick James was also buried here. We stopped at the Buffalo Zoo. It was cold and a smaller zoo, but we always enjoy the animals!
The next stop was Niagara Falls! Since we were without passports, we stayed on the US side. The Visitors' Center didn't have much to it, and we seemed to be some of the few visitors there who spoke English. The views of the falls were amazing! Luckily it had thawed enough that we got to ride on The Maid of the Mist. We felt like we were constantly waiting with the tour guide for the foreign tourists to stay on our time schedule. While waiting, we did get to watch him feed the squirrels!
We headed back west to stop through Hookstown, PA, a town founded by Evan's ancestors! We came through Ohio to stop at President William McKinley's burial site. We then saw President James Garfield's memorial. I think this was one of my favorites! We had a chuckle at the signs asking people not to play Pokemon Go in the cemeteries. Our last stop was a visit to the home and burial site of President Rutherford B. Hayes.
This trip was so much fun seeing such a variety in the landscapes of each state in such a small area of the country. We loved everything we saw and did. Maybe one day we will do this trip again but make more stops along the way!
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