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Eisenhower's Gettysburg Farm
The Eisenhower farm was the first and only home that Dwight Eisenhower and his wife, Mamie, called their own. During Eisenhower's military career, he and Mamie lived around the world, but he always hoped to own a piece of property and leave it better than he found it. That wish led to the purchase of the Allen Redding farm in 1950 and the Eisenhowers' thorough renovation of its dwelling. During Eisenhower's presidency, the farm served as a retreat from the Washington pressure cooker. When his presidential term ended, the Eisenhowers embraced a new chapter in their lives together. Eisenhower maintained an active schedule of writing, speechmaking, correspondence, and meetings with a wide range of national and world leaders, as well as supervision of an active farm operation. Mamie and Dwight shared a busy social life in retirement, taking special pleasure in spending time with their son John, daughter-in-law Barbara, and four grandchildren. This book tells the Eisenhowers' Gettysburg story.
- GenresNonfictionHistory
131 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 6, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
May 8, 2018
The various books of the Images of America series often personify quality, and this recent edition is no different. A short biographical section on the 34th U.S. commander-in-chief is followed by a treasure-trove of b&w (and sometimes rare) photographs of his family and their property with accompanying text. Recommended to admirers of 20th century American history.
June 16, 2021
Eisenhower And Gettysburg In Images Of America
In 1980, the National Park Service opened the Eisenhower National Historic Site just outside the Gettysburg National Military Park in Pennsylvania. The Historic Site consists of the home and farm that General and President Dwight D. Eisenhower and his wife Mamie had owned beginning in 1950. With all the traveling Eisenhower had done in his military career, the Gettysburg home was the first and most permanent home the Eisenhowers had. In this short pictorial history, "Eisenhower's Gettysburg Farm" (2017) authors Michael Birkner and Carol Hegeman tell the story of the Eisenhowers and their relationship to Gettysburg. Birkner teaches history at Gettysburg College while Hegeman is the retired supervisory historyian at the Eisenhower Historic Site and the Executive Directror of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Society which commemorates the life and work of the Supreme Allied Commander during WW II and the 34th President. Birkner and Hegeman were assisted in preparing this book by Kevin Lavery, a 2016 graduate of Gettysburg College.
The book begins with a brief overview of Eisenhower's early life in Abilene, Kansas and at West Point. Eisenhower had seen Gettysburg while a cadet at West Point and was posted at Camp Colt on the Gettysburg Battlefield in 1919 where he trained soldiers in the use of tanks. The book then briefly follows Ike through WW II and through his eventual candidacy for the presidency which dovetailed with the purchase and extensive renovation of the farm he and Mamie purchased in 1950 as their dream home.
The book shows the building of the residence and the attendant farm, cattle ranch, and putting green and ties the home and the grounds in with Eisenhower's life. The home and farm were important both in providing a place of rest for Eisenhower and as a site for performance of presidential functions. Eisenhower recuperated at Gettysburg in 1955 after his first heart attack, conducted presidential business, and met with many world leaders at his Gettysburg home. He and Mamie also were active in the civic, religious, and educational life of the town of Gettysburg and became beloved residents of the community. Eisenhower continued to live and work actively at Gettysburg after leaving the presidency in 1961 until shortly before his death in 1969. Mamie continued to live on the Gettysburg farm until shortly before her death in 1979. The Eisenhowers had deeded the property to the National Park Service, and the Historic Site opened to the public in 1980, the year after Mamie's death.
This book offers a good brief portrayal of the Eisenhowers at Gettysburg during and after Eisenhower's presidency and in Mamie's years as a widow. I was interested in Eisenhower's role as a lifelong student of the Battle of Gettysburg and of his tour of the battlefield with British Field Marshall Montgomery when both these revered WW II military leaders commented on Pickett's Charge and other aspects of the great Civil War Battle. I also enjoyed thinking again about Eisenhower's presidency which has been gradually gaining in stature among historians. It is appropriate for the National Park Service to commemorate Eisenhower through his Gettysburg home together with a Battefield and town he came to know well and love.
This book is part of the Images of America Series of local American histories of Arcadia Publishing. The series offers an outstanding way to get to know the many unique local places in the United States both unfamiliar and, as with the Eisenhower National Historic Site, familiar and of national importance. Readers will have a welcome opportunity to visit with and to think about Gettysburg and the Eisenhowers through this book.
Robin Friedman
In 1980, the National Park Service opened the Eisenhower National Historic Site just outside the Gettysburg National Military Park in Pennsylvania. The Historic Site consists of the home and farm that General and President Dwight D. Eisenhower and his wife Mamie had owned beginning in 1950. With all the traveling Eisenhower had done in his military career, the Gettysburg home was the first and most permanent home the Eisenhowers had. In this short pictorial history, "Eisenhower's Gettysburg Farm" (2017) authors Michael Birkner and Carol Hegeman tell the story of the Eisenhowers and their relationship to Gettysburg. Birkner teaches history at Gettysburg College while Hegeman is the retired supervisory historyian at the Eisenhower Historic Site and the Executive Directror of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Society which commemorates the life and work of the Supreme Allied Commander during WW II and the 34th President. Birkner and Hegeman were assisted in preparing this book by Kevin Lavery, a 2016 graduate of Gettysburg College.
The book begins with a brief overview of Eisenhower's early life in Abilene, Kansas and at West Point. Eisenhower had seen Gettysburg while a cadet at West Point and was posted at Camp Colt on the Gettysburg Battlefield in 1919 where he trained soldiers in the use of tanks. The book then briefly follows Ike through WW II and through his eventual candidacy for the presidency which dovetailed with the purchase and extensive renovation of the farm he and Mamie purchased in 1950 as their dream home.
The book shows the building of the residence and the attendant farm, cattle ranch, and putting green and ties the home and the grounds in with Eisenhower's life. The home and farm were important both in providing a place of rest for Eisenhower and as a site for performance of presidential functions. Eisenhower recuperated at Gettysburg in 1955 after his first heart attack, conducted presidential business, and met with many world leaders at his Gettysburg home. He and Mamie also were active in the civic, religious, and educational life of the town of Gettysburg and became beloved residents of the community. Eisenhower continued to live and work actively at Gettysburg after leaving the presidency in 1961 until shortly before his death in 1969. Mamie continued to live on the Gettysburg farm until shortly before her death in 1979. The Eisenhowers had deeded the property to the National Park Service, and the Historic Site opened to the public in 1980, the year after Mamie's death.
This book offers a good brief portrayal of the Eisenhowers at Gettysburg during and after Eisenhower's presidency and in Mamie's years as a widow. I was interested in Eisenhower's role as a lifelong student of the Battle of Gettysburg and of his tour of the battlefield with British Field Marshall Montgomery when both these revered WW II military leaders commented on Pickett's Charge and other aspects of the great Civil War Battle. I also enjoyed thinking again about Eisenhower's presidency which has been gradually gaining in stature among historians. It is appropriate for the National Park Service to commemorate Eisenhower through his Gettysburg home together with a Battefield and town he came to know well and love.
This book is part of the Images of America Series of local American histories of Arcadia Publishing. The series offers an outstanding way to get to know the many unique local places in the United States both unfamiliar and, as with the Eisenhower National Historic Site, familiar and of national importance. Readers will have a welcome opportunity to visit with and to think about Gettysburg and the Eisenhowers through this book.
Robin Friedman
February 24, 2024
The focus of this book isn't the actual farm but the life of Eisenhower which I should have expected. I understand including his connections to Gettysburg but I don't think we needed photos from other points in his life. I expected a history of the area, the land, and the farm. Instead we just get brief mentions of the history of the area and farm including its connection to the Civil War. The last few chapters seemed to focus more on his life at the farm but I wonder how many more photos of those days could have been included including interior ones if other photos were excluded. It seems simple enough that if you don't have enough history or photos of a place don't write a book about it. Also don't decide to write about the topic anyways and then spend the majority of the book focused on other aspects. The only other issues is one found constantly in these books which is author's repeating themselves. So if you're interested in the life of Eisenhower then you'll enjoy this book.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews