The Statesman | May - August 2024

Donna Oklak, Chair

Robert Altice, Vice Chair

Jeremy Davis, Treasurer

BOARD OF Directors

Morgan Snyder, Secretary

Latoya Botteron, At Large

Brian Hewitt, Past Chair

Carolyn Anker

Teresa A. Bennett

Robert Biggs

Lisa Boncosky

Rosemary Dorsa

Erin Dorsey

Eric J. Holcomb

Will Lonnemann

Konye Ori

Lucille Pittard

Rod Taylor

EX-OFFICIO

Ellis Hall, Volunteer Association President

PRESIDENT & CEO

Charles A. Hyde

HONORARY DIRECTORS

Robert H. Everitt

Thomas P. Ewbank

Gracia Johnson Floyd

George Geib

Stan C. Hurt

Jamia Jasper Jacobsen

Thomas King

James Kirsch

John Krauss

James Morris

Kimball Harrison Morsman

Susanne S. Ridlen

ADVISORY CABINET

William A. Browne, Jr.

Lloyd Crowe

Whitney Ebmeyer

Daniel F. Evans

J. Scott Keller

Howard “HJ” Lacy IV

Elizabeth Mann

Jenry Morsman

Andrea Neal

Peter Rusthoven

David Sease

Kameelah Shaheed-Diallo

Ed Simcox

James Wallis

Michael W. Wells

STAFF

JENNIFER CAPPS VP of Curatorship & Exhibition

ERICIA HENRY Morsman Family Presidential Fellow for Advancement

DANIEL BENNETT Director of Museum Experiences

BETHANY GOSEWEHR VP of Development

GRACE FORNEFELD Volunteer & Relationship Coordinator

MOLLY BEAUSIR Russell and Penny Fortune Project POTUS Presidential Fellow

ROGER HARDIG VP of Education

JENNIFER HODGE

Gracia Johnson Floyd Presidential Fellow

JAYNE HOFFMAN Weekend Supervisor

LINDSEY BECKLEY Special Events & Marketing Manager

SHANÉT WALLACE Special Events Coordinator

ALEXIS PRICE Social Media & Content Coordinator

JULIO ZEPEDA Facilities Manager

GARY LARREATEGUI Weekend Supervisor

CHARLES A. HYDE President & CEO

Intimate Moments of Leadership

What is the legacy of a life well lived?

As Benjamin Harrison said in eulogizing President Grant, “Great lives do not go out, they go on.”

While the President of the United States is often seen as one of the most powerful people in the country, the Commander-inChief is as subject to mortality as any of us. It is astonishing to consider that across 46 administrations, there have been eight presidents and three first ladies who did not live out their respective terms (worrisome actuarial odds for anyone assuming office!).

With the opening of Death in the White House, we explore the sobering and humanizing stories of those who lived and died in the Executive Mansion, with a specific focus on the Harrison family’s own loss and grieving across multiple generations.

The future president Benjamin Harrison was only seven years old when his grandfather, William Henry Harrison, would succumb to a short illness after only 30 days in office. This first death of a president would set precedent for how future administrations would acknowledge the loss of the chief executive—and his successor, John Tyler, would accomplish the same in honoring the first death of a First Lady, his wife.

Among the more tragic of White House deaths was First Lady Caroline Harrison succumbing to the scourge of tuberculosis. Newly transcribed journal entries from Harrison family seamstress Josephine Kneip details the First Lady’s deepening illness through the summer of 1892, and gives new heart-rending insight into why the 23rd president would decline to campaign for himself in the election of 1892.

So why share these stories? As the award-winning museum representing the only president elected from Indiana, we understand the importance of gleaning important lessons both good and bad from moments in time that have special resonance and relevance in our own. Whether you are seeking to serve the country as a public servant, voter, juror, officer, or everyday citizen, there is much to be learned from these intimate moments of leadership. The way that great lives "go on" is important for every generation to see, and hear, and pause to consider.

In this year of special anniversaries for the Presidential Site—150th anniversary of the Harrison’s residence construction, 30th anniversary of Wicket World of Croquet, 10th anniversary of Future Presidents of America - we encourage you to consider how you can help us sustain this important legacy. Learn more on page 15 about our 1888 Society, or reach out to me or our team to get more involved as a volunteer, advocate, and supporter.

Thank you for your support, and—in the circle of life and death that defines it all—we look forward to an exciting and impactful year together.

Very sincerely yours,

Charles A. Hyde, President & CEO Cover art credit: President Harrison and First

Calendar

* Reservations recommended.

MAY 2024

OFF THE RECORD: BLAZING THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL

WEDNESDAY, MAY 1 9:00AM–11:00AM*

COFFEE WITH THE CURATOR

FRIDAY, MAY 3 . 8:30AM–9:00AM

PRESIDENTIAL PORCH PARTY

THURSDAY, MAY 16 5:00PM–7:00PM

JUNE 2024

COFFEE WITH THE CURATOR

FRIDAY, JUNE 7 8:30AM–9:00AM

JUNETEENTH FOODWAYS FESTIVAL

FRIDAY, JUNE 14 . 3:30PM–8:00PM*

JULY 2024

NATURALIZATION CEREMONY

WEDNESDAY, JULY 3 10:00AM–11:00AM

INDEPENDENCE DAY SOCIAL

TUESDAY, JULY 4 . 11:00AM–2:00PM

COFFEE WITH THE CURATOR

FRIDAY, JULY 5 8:30AM–9:00AM

AUGUST 2024

COFFEE WITH THE CURATOR

FRIDAY, AUGUST 2 8:30AM–9:00AM

WICKET WORLD OF CROQUET

SATURDAY, AUGUST 10 10:00AM–4:30PM*

LIVE! PRESIDENT HARRISON’S BIRTHDAY

TUESDAY, AUGUST 20 10:00AM–3:00PM*

Coffee with the Curator

FIRST FRIDAY OF EACH MONTH

8:30AM – 9AM (VIEW ON FACEBOOK LIVE AT 8:45AM)

Free for members & guests | $6 general admission

Join us for a stimulating 30 minutes at our monthly First Friday event! While you enjoy coffee and pastries, you will get a chance to explore some of the most interesting, amazing and unexpected Presidential Site collection items.

We promise to satisfy your curiosity and have you on your way to the office by 9am sharp! Upcoming themes include:

May 3 In The Founders’ Footsteps (onsite event & simulcast on Facebook Live)

June 7 “A Little Unknown Friend” Helen Keller and First Lady Caroline Harrison (onsite event & simulcast on Facebook Live)

. July 5 Indiana & The District of Columbia (onsite event & simulcast on Facebook Live)

August 2 In the Spotlight: Dining Room and Front Parlor (onsite event & simulcast on Facebook Live)

Space is limited so reservations are recommended. Find out more by calling 317.631.1888 or visiting PresidentBenjaminHarrison.org.

OFFICIAL COFFEE OF THE PRESIDENTIAL SITE

THE INDIANA CITIZEN

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commentary : What’s Civics Got To Do With Future Presidents?

Op Ed in The Indiana Citizen

"History and civics have everything to do with Presidents Day, and— more broadly—should be central to the way in which we prepare and educate students to be good fellow community members, citizens, and leaders.

Did you know that federal investment in government and civics education is equivalent to $0.05 per student per year, compared to $50 per student per year for STEM (science, technology engineering and math) education? While STEM instruction is vital, we are doing ourselves a disservice if we do not invest in helping the rising generations understand and appreciate what is best about our country, and how they can take an active part in shaping its future. Surely, we must give as much forethought to the architecture of perpetuating civil society as the civil engineer does to the infrastructure of bridges and buildings.

This is why in 2015, the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site started an initiative called “Future Presidents of America.” This innovative and engaging youth leadership camp has a mission of developing individual confidence, civic literacy and good citizenship to reveal the exceptional qualities of character that make for great presidents and great leaders.

Using the American presidency as a lens of understanding, young leaders come together from across the state (and even across the country) to explore a panoramic view of issues relevant to all leaders across the ages. From the country’s heroic 18th century origins to the 23rd president and into the 21st century, participants engage in an immersive history experience that includes special interactive sessions, remarkable stories and up-close experiences with historic artifacts."

Read the full article at indianacitizen.org.

THE NEW YORK TIMES

2024, Meet 1892, Your Doppelgänger

Op Ed by Dr. Jon Grinspan

“You could be forgiven — when browsing the Smithsonian’s political history collections, where I work as a curator — for assuming that the chief battle in American political history was fought in 1892, between two great leaders named Grover Cleveland and Benjamin Harrison. Cleveland playing cards and Harrison top hats fill glass cases and steel cabinets. By 1892, a giddily consumerist, venomously partisan Gilded Age society had gotten good at churning out campaign tchotchkes.

Americans were less good at picking leaders. The 1892 election was Cleveland and Harrison’s second contest against each other. It was an unwanted rematch between unloved combatants. People liked to joke, of the cold Harrison and the cussed Cleveland, “One had no friends; the other, only enemies.”

But as we are seeing again, it is possible for an election to make the public simultaneously fighting mad and bored to tears. The repeated, deadening matchups of Cleveland and Harrison in 1888 and 1892 did just that. They may be the best parallel for what is coming with a second Biden-Trump race. There are other rematches in American presidential history, but 1892 was the only time a sitting president who had lost re-election ran four years later against his vanquisher and won. That weird race has a message for all those planning to hit snooze on the coming campaign: Great political change can unfold when the system seems woefully stalled.

Historians gravitate toward big moments of decisive transformation. Few care about 1892. But that neglected race accomplished something of a vibe shift. Without the competitive fun that usually kept Americans transfixed on their political system, the election offered a race so dismal that it could actually generate change."

Read the full article on nytimes.com.

Life AND DEATH IN THE White House

Anew exhibit in the 3rd floor special exhibit space opened on March 21, 2024. Titled “Death in the White House,” the exhibit looks at the history of death in the Executive Mansion with a special focus on the experiences of the Harrison family and the losses they endured while in the White House.

Benjamin Harrison’s grandfather, William Henry Harrison, was the first president to die in the White House. As the 9th President of the United States, his presidency lasted a mere 31 days. At the age of 68, he was the oldest man elected president at the time. He gave the longest inaugural speech, lasting 1 hour and 45 minutes, and caught a cold after being outside most of the day in a snow and rain storm. The cold turned into pneumonia and he died April 4, 1841 – the shortest term of any president. His dying words, as told by his physician to a Washington City newspaper, were: “Sir, I wish you to understand the true principles of the Government, I wish them carried out. I ask nothing more.”

This exhibit will tell the story of life as well as death in the White House.

Death in the White House was not altogether new for Benjamin Harrison. He was in uniform when his old commander in chief, President Lincoln, was assassinated in 1865 and in the Senate when President Garfield was killed in 1881. Other political colleagues died during Harrison’s presidential term including General Sherman and Former Secretary of State James G. Blaine. However, nothing could have prepared him for his own personal tragedy in the White House.

During Benjamin Harrison’s presidency, First Lady Caroline Harrison was frequently ill with bouts of bronchial infections. In March 1892, she developed catarrhal (inflammation of membranes) pneumonia, followed by hemorrhages of the lungs. On the advice of the family physician, she was taken by train 500 miles to Loon Lake in the Adirondack Mountains in July. President Harrison rented a three-bedroom cottage, with a scenic view of the lake, and hung boughs of evergreen across windows and doorways, to support the theory that the fragrance of the sap would enhance healing of lung problems.

After initial improvement, Caroline’s condition deteriorated. The medical diagnosis was finally announced as tuberculosis, with little hope of recovery. Surgery was performed to drain the fluids from the right lung, and repeated two days later. On September 20, the decision was made to return to the White House, where she died after a painful but uncomplaining struggle on Tuesday, October 25, 1892.

The Presidential Site recently obtained access to the diary of long-time Harrison family seamstress and household assistant, Josephine Kneip, who was present at the White House during Caroline’s final days. Through this account and other family diaries and letters, this exhibit will tell the story of life as well as death in the White House. The exhibit also explores Victorian mourning customs and delves into the causes underlying the passing of other notable Harrison family members and officials in an era when the specter of mortality seemed to loom around every corner.

A PRESIDENT’S GRIEF 1892

On October 25, 1892, Caroline Scott Harrison died in the White House. President Harrison’s grief at her death was so great that he failed to return to Indianapolis to cast a ballot for himself for president. Grover Cleveland won solid victories in the popular vote and the electoral college defeating him. President Harrison felt no sting in his defeat as he confided in a letter to Cornelius Newton Bliss, Jr.:

“Indeed after the heavy blow the death of my wife dealt me, I do not think I could have stood the strain a re-election would have brought.”

DID YOU Know?

Death Averted

On February 3, 1890, Benjamin Harrison was among the first on the scene and helped save Navy Secretary Benjamin F. Tracy’s life by using artificial resuscitation. Tracy’s home caught fire which proved fatal to his wife, youngest daughter, and a maid. Harrison moved the Tracy family into the White House to recover.

Six years later, at Harrison's second wedding, Tracy served as best man.

The Evening World published a front-page article about the tragic fire on February 3, 1890.

Death (and Life) at the White House

Two presidents and three first ladies have died, and one first daughter was born, within the White House itself:

April 4, 1841

President William Henry Harrison died just one month after his Inauguration. Historians have long believed that Harrison died from pneumonia, but recent scholarship has suggested that he succumbed to enteric or typhoid fever.

September 10, 1842

Letitia Tyler died following a stroke.

July 9, 1850

President Zachary Taylor also died at the White House after suffering a stomach illness that was likely cholera or some other gastrointestinal illness.

October 25, 1892

Caroline Harrison died of tuberculosis.

September 9, 1893

Esther Cleveland, President Grover Cleveland's second daughter, was the first and only child of a president to be born in the White House. Her mother, Frances, gave birth to her in the Cleveland’s’ bedroom on the second floor.

August 6, 1914

Ellen Wilson passed away after battling Bright’s Disease.

The Presidential Egg Roll on March 23 was a fun event for all! Thanks to our partners HATCH and the Indiana State Poultry Association for their support and egg donations!

ALI MOCK

MAPLE GLEN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SECOND GRADE WESTFIELD, INDIANA

“Each time I have visited the home of Benjamin Harrison, the tour guides have always emphasized that Mrs. Harrison wanted hospitality to be at the forefront. The services provided by the Presidential Site are just that!

I previously taught fourth grade for four years before transitioning to second grade where I have now been teaching for the past seven years. Roger Hardig, Vice President of Education at the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site, does a program called “Settlers and Surveyors” during our Pioneer Day celebration. When a fellow fourth grade teacher helped make the connection between our second grade social studies standards and a program at the Benjamin Harrison home called “A Pledge is a Promise,” we knew it would be a great fit.

Roger has such a passion for history and wants to invoke wonder and curiosity in people of all ages. We personally have made visiting the Presidential Site a family affair. Both of my own children have had the opportunity to attend this field trip as second graders and it is even more magical seeing it through my own children’s eyes. My husband was also chosen to attend the field trip as a chaperone with my son’s class and has spoken highly of his visit. Not only are my students taking part in an educational program, but they also get to tour the home and see what life was like in the 1800s. During one of our field trips, our students got the privilege of assisting in taking down the garrison-sized flag because of upcoming high winds. This was truly a special moment for them to see this process and gain a better understanding of not only the weight it carries on the flagpole but for each citizen of the United States of America.

By touring the Harrison residence and partaking in the “A Pledge is a Promise” program, this allows us as teachers to bring an individual’s actions to life and show his contribution to both our state and the nation. I hope that you will decide to let the hospitality of the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site serve you!"

Want to engage the students in your life? Email education@bhpsite.org or find out more at PresidentBenjaminHarrison.org.

VICTORIAN WALLPAPER ROOMSETS

The Old Glory, New Vision capital campaign allowed us to update the historic rooms with plaster repairs, new wallpaper, and paint. Using a 472 page Historic Structures Report and surface and paint analysis, we were able to determine color schemes and wallpaper patterns in many rooms of the residence. We used this knowledge to go in search of appropriate historic representations of the wallpapers that would have been installed in the Harrison’s residence which is how we found Bradbury & Bradbury Art Wallpapers. Bradbury & Bradbury Art Wallpapers was founded in 1979 by Bruce Bradbury with the mission of rediscovering and recreating the best in historic wallpaper design. Their research into Victorian design led to the historic reintroduction of Victorian wallpaper "roomsets": elaborate combinations of coordinating patterns for both walls and ceilings. Their collection of printed wainscots, friezes, borders, and ceiling decorations is unique, and they specialize in elaborate ornamentation of ceilings providing custom ceiling design to artfully coordinate patterns to fit each room. Two of these roomsets have recently been installed in the dining room and the President’s bedroom. As you can see in these photos, the transformation is truly extraordinary –be sure to take time to come see them in person!

HARRISON FAMILY PRESIDENTIAL RESEARCH LIBRARY FROM THE C ollection

In 2021, Harrison family descendants donated a large collection of correspondence between Benjamin Harrison, Harrison family members, and his inner circle. We are currently working with scholars to review our collection with the purpose of elevating the importance and significance of this correspondence collection. Our Harrison Family Research Library, located on the third floor of the Presidential Site, offers a quiet and introspective atmosphere for this work to be done.

Want to learn more? Email VP of Curatorship & Exhibition, Jennifer Capps, at jcapps@bhpsite.org

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Spring Greetings! April is already here, and the volunteers have been working hard! In the start of the year, there were over 150 volunteers, and this number continues to grow. Many take the role as tour docents, but some also assist with special events, collections projects, the gardens, citizen jurors for Project POTUS, Candlelight Theatre, board members, and as enactors for our LIVE! tour days.

As Spring is approaching, our garden volunteers will start the hard work of bringing our gardens back to life after a long winter. Their dedication and knowledge continuously help our property flourish with color and fragrance, but also help to present a historical lens to what the Harrison’s would have grown on their property. The gardens add a beautiful touch to the home and legacy of Caroline’s love for plants.

The Presidential Site had a great turnout from the February Hoosier H(A) rts event, and our LIVE! Tour Day on President’s Day. Our enactors did a fantastic job with engaging over one hundred members of the public and many children that came to visit the home on President’s Day! In March, for the Presidential Egg Roll, the volunteers helped organize the egg races, assisted with the craft and registration table, and helped with the overall set up and tear down of the event. We were fortunate to also have our sponsor, Hatch and the Indiana State Poultry Association, as partners to add extra fun to the day. I would like to give a round of applause for our wonderful volunteers who portrayed the Easter Bunny and President Harrison. Their time and presence added a special touch to the Egg Roll, and I know that the families enjoyed the picture opportunities.

Volunteer Appreciation week was in April, and to celebrate our amazing volunteers we took a field trip to the Medical History Museum in Indianapolis. Our volunteers are equipped with historical knowledge, but it’s always nice to learn more in depth about topics to expand our knowledge for our tour guests.

Benjamin Harrison was in the Civil War, but what was the medicine, common illness, or even the techniques used in that time period? What did the general urban medical scene and research look like in that time? There are always new perspectives and angles to bring to the stories. Supporting our local non-profits and small businesses brings our community closer together.

Our volunteers are a prominent factor in the success of the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site. Without the generous help they bring, we could not do all the amazing work we have accomplished over the years. Many of our volunteers have backgrounds in education, entrepreneurship, sales, medical backgrounds, engineers, etc. The love of history and storytelling is what brings us together to continue our mission by sharing the life stories, arts, and culture of an American President.

– Grace Fornefeld, Volunteer & Relationship Coordinator

Want to Help Inspire?

BECOME A VOLUNTEER TODAY!

We have a remarkable Volunteer Association with ample opportunities and we are interested in growing! Do you like history? Meeting new people? Interacting with the public? Working with school children? If so, join us!

Engaging Opportunities for You

Welcome Center Ambassador

Make the first impression by greeting guests, handling admission and helping with gift shop purchases.

Tour Docent

After an initial training period, you greet guests and conduct house tours for prearranged groups and walk-ins.

Education Program Specialist

Share history with elementary students, captivating them and keeping them engaged.

Research Assistant

Help research topics and artifacts for museum staff, this involves research in the museum library.

Special Events Assistant

Join us in celebrating occasions, including the 4th of July, Wicket World of Croquet and the Presidential Egg Roll.

Gardener

Work alongside Master Gardeners in helping maintain the historic grounds of the Presidential Site.

Enactor

Perform as a historical character in interpretive programs about the Harrison family.

Want to get involved? Email Grace at gfornefeld@bhpsite.org

Easy Ways to Support the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site: The Perfect Blend

How do you like your coffee? If you are a coffee drinker, you probably like your coffee prepared a certain way. Do you like it scalding hot or iced? Do you have a favorite blend? Maybe you like it sweet and add sugar, milk or cream. However, you like your java, hopefully you have found the right mix for what appeals to you.

In the same way, there is a right blend for you to balance the important priorities in your life. As with the perfect coffee, you can set goals for your personal philanthropy that will make life just a little sweeter.

Your blended gift can help us support:

By blending your gifts, you can create just the right recipe to provide the tax or income benefits you want today while leaving a greater impact tomorrow.

We want to recognize you now! Our 1888 Society provides lifetime recognition to donors who have included the Presidential Site in their estate plan. All you need do is tell the Presidential Site that your plan is in place and permission to being publicly listed in the 1888 Society honor roll.

Learn more at 1888Society.org

• Future Presidents of America youth leadership camp

• Transformative education programs

• Dynamic citizen engagement

• Promotion of civil civic discourse

• Honoring civic participation

Blend your gift of stock today with a gift of additional stock (or other assets) in your will. By giving stock now, you receive income tax and capital gains tax benefits immediately. By adding to your gift later, your giving will become even more powerful (and this additional gift won’t change your lifestyle). You can add as much or as little as you want so that your total gift has just the impact you desire.

Blend your giving to maintain maximum control with minimal taxes and effort. There are just as many ways of blending gifts as there are ways of making coffee. Call or email us today to learn how you can combine your gifts for maximum impact, benefit today and continue to support our cause in the future.

Email VP of Advancement Bethany Gosewehr at bgosewehr@bhpsite.org or go to 1888Society.org for free resources and to learn more!

Project POTUS

2024

You can learn a lot about the presidents from the middle school students participating in Project POTUS, the national presidential history video contest now in its fourth year. When you watch the winning videos from 2024 and years past, they will teach you that Chester Arthur owned more than 80 pairs of pants, or that George W. Bush had nicknames for world leaders.

The Project POTUS participants also enjoy stories about presidents engaged in sports, hobbies, and their love of animals – William Howard Taft’s White House cow, “Mooly Wooly,” going missing during her United States railway tour, to Bill Clinton’s penchant for playing the saxophone, to reminding viewers that Gerald Ford was a talented football player who gave up NFL prospects to go to law school.

But the striking ideas that you will pick up on from these middle schoolers’ projects are not just the shocking stories like Grover Cleveland’s secret yacht surgery, but rather the way students shed a fresh light on the legacies of these presidents.

In the words of one 2024 Project POTUS winner, though Benjamin Harrison’s presidency is sometimes seen as: “paltry, unknown, and meritless” (ouch!), instead his accomplishments far exceed this limited view of the 23rd President. Another participant highlights that Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg address, though brief, was truly a pivotal moment for maintaining unity during the Civil War, leading to Union victory. You’ll be impressed by the scholarship of these students, who excel at distilling the information learned about the presidents into 60 seconds or less.

In 2024, Project POTUS received submissions from 243 students, with participation from 17 states. The Citizen Jury, a virtual volunteer force of 82 this year, also represented 3 foreign countries.

Winners of this year’s contest will be revealed at ProjectPOTUS.org on May 1st, with the release of the 2024 winners compilation, 46 in 45: 46 Presidential Administrations in 45 Minutes, soon to follow.

How will you join the mission? Follow along for insights from this year’s Project POTUS and stay in the loop for the announcement of the 2025 contest by signing up for the contact list at ProjectPOTUS.org

Special thanks to Russell and Penny Fortune for their generous support of Project POTUS!

Special Events

JUNETEENTH FOODWAYS FESTIVAL: MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH THE GENEROSITY OF ELI LILLY AND COMPANY FOUNDATION

FRIDAY, JUNE 14

3:30–4:30 PM EARLY ACCESS PASS

4:30–8:00 PM FREE GENERAL ADMISSION

THIRD ANNUAL JUNETEENTH FOODWAYS FESTIVAL

Made possible through the generosity of Eli Lilly and Company Foundation

FRIDAY, JUNE 14, 2024

Come see, taste, celebrate and experience for yourself how Black cuisine adds flavor to America’s favorite foods.

Help celebrate the many ways in which Black culinary traditions have influenced American culture. The public is invited to join us at the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site for this FREE event where they can enjoy the delectable offerings of our food partners, browse with our retail partners, and learn about Dolly Johnson, the White House Chef hired by President Benjamin Harrison, brought to life through a reenactment in partnership with Freetown Village.

With a wide array of some of Indianapolis’ most diverse food offerings, this event will incorporate Black restaurants and entrepreneurship through program partnerships with historically Black non-profit partners, and shares the importance of Juneteenth and the American story.

Registration is required. Reserve your space or purchase your Early Access Pass at PresidentBenjaminHarrion.org

If you have questions about this event, please contact Lindsey Beckley, Special Events and Marketing Manager at events@bhpsite.org or 317-631-1888.

Want to get ahead of the crowd? Get your “Early Access Pass” for only $20 and join us from 3:30–430 PM!

Special thanks to our Summer Series Good Neighbor Parking sponsor, REI Real Estate Services!

Special Events

NATURALIZATION CEREMONY

WEDNESDAY, JULY 3

10:00–11:00 AM

FREE TO THE PUBLIC

Our partnership with the Federal Court with Judge Sarah Evans Barker presiding has spanned more than two decades, and we are excited to carry on this tradition in 2024.

Join us as we welcome nearly 100 new citizens and their families to celebrate taking the oath of citizenship. The event brings together the community, local and national dignitaries, and even on of President Harrison’s descendants! There will be musical performances and moving speeches – you don’t want to miss this celebration.

If you were naturalized on grounds at the Presidential Site, we want to recognize you! Contact Bethany Gosewehr, Vice President of Advancement at bgosewehr@bhpsite.org or 317-631-1888 to be included in the “Book of History!”

WICKET WORLD OF CROQUET

PRESENTED BY THE LACY FOUNDATION

SATURDAY, AUGUST 12

10:00 AM–4:30 PM

Join us August 10, 2024 as we raise our mallets high in celebration of 30 years of merriment, mischief, and unmatched croquet magic at the Presidential Site. For three decades, the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site has been the hallowed ground for Wicket World of Croquet, where mallets meet mayhem and fancy hats flaunt their finest feathers. Under the shade of ancient oaks, amidst the laughter and clinking of glasses, players from all walks of life gather to partake in this timeless tradition. From seasoned pros to rookie enthusiasts, each swing of the mallet carries with it a sense of camaraderie and competition that transcends time.

Dress whites are encouraged for players and Porch Party attendees alike.

Please note: this is a rain or shine event. Advanced registration is required and this event will sell out, so find your tickets beginning May 17 at PresidentBenjaminHarrison.org

If you have questions about this event, please contact Lindsey Beckley, Special Events and Marketing Manager at events@bhpsite.org or 317-631-1888.