Th e Stat e s m a n
J a n ua ry - A p r i l 2 0 1 9
PRESIDENTIAL
HUMOR
A P U B L I CAT I O N O F T H E B E N J A M I N H A R R I S O N P R E S I D E N T I A L S I T E
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Andrea Neal, Chair Carolyn E. Anker, Vice Chair
Susan Bradford, Treasurer Howard J. Lacy IV, Secretary
Michael W. Wells, at large James Wallis, Past Chair
Robert Altice Teresa Bennett Rosemary Dorsa Thomas P. Ewbank Brian Hewitt Eric J. Holcomb Donna Oklak Peter Rusthoven Ed Simcox Morgan Snyder Nikki Woodson
HONORARY DIRECTORS Eugene M. Busche Robert H. Everitt George Geib Stan Hurt Jamia Jasper Jacobsen Thomas King Boris Meditch James Morris Susanne Ridlen ADVISORY CABINET
EX-OFFICIO Martha Buehner PRESIDENT & CEO Charles A. Hyde
William Browne Daniel F. Evans J. Scott Keller James Kirsch John L. Krauss Kimball Harrison Morsman David Sease
STAFF CHARLES A . HYDE President & CEO
MARGARET SALLEE Director of Operations
JENNIFER CAPPS VP of Curatorship & Exhibition
BETHANY GOSEWEHR VP of Development
ROGER HARDIG VP of Education
DAVID PLEISS Director of Learning Resources
DELIA ROBERTSON Special Events & Marketing Manager
JULIO ZAPEDA Facilities Manager
GARY LARREATGUI Weekend Super visor
LUKAS RAMEY Volunteer & Experience Manager
Special thanks to the more than 150 volunteers who make our work possible!
“IN GOOD PRESIDENTIAL HUMOR?”
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From the President
You could say that comedy in the office of the presidency is no laughing matter, and you might be right. Good or bad, the stakes are too high, the consequences too grave, with the weight of history sitting squarely on a president’s shoulders and the entire world watching.
In addition to refreshing our cultural and historical memories, it’s useful to see through the lens of these examples that there is much yet to be learned from past leadership that has relevance to our future. After all, a president can always hope that his administration will be examined afresh by each generation, seeking greater understanding of their role in history. Upon deciding not to run for reelection in 1968, a beleaguered but defiant Johnson also quipped, “If the American people don’t love me, their descendants will.”
You’ll find in this issue of The Statesman a fun exploration of this seriously amusing topic and its greater implications for health of our democracy. Our newest exhibit, “Presidential Humor” showcases the interplay of humor and the presidency, with a focus on parody, caricature, anecdote and witticisms. Some of it is constructive, some destructive, but almost all of it has an irreverent perspective that will make you laugh—and think. The exhibit “A includes an array of quirkier items As a presidential site, part of our that have been created through hearty charge is to help increase public the years, including political participation in the American laugh now campaign paraphernalia, pet system of self-government. We and then toys, nicknames, editorial work hard to be thoughtful, cartoons, caricatures, clothing, creative, and impactful in doing appears to and more to demonstrate how so, from serving as a polling site, do the body humor has been used effectively hosting an annual naturalization politic by candidates and political foes ceremony for almost 100 new alike. citizens, and engaging over 17,000 good.” school children in civics and history Lyndon B. Johnson once said, “If one each year. We’re both locally relevant and nationally significant, educating morning I walked on top of the water students and adults through award- across the Potomac River, the headline winning documentaries like A President that afternoon would read: President at the Crossroads (now airing on over Can’t Swim.” Exploring these quotes, quips, 200 stations nationally), and encouraging caricatures and anecdotes will give you youth literacy through new books like Old new insight into our American presidents as people and as leaders, and greater Whiskers Escapes! and Mr. President. perspective on what we demand of our leaders in any age. But humor? amuel Clemens (aka Mark Twain) famously declared that, “the only rational patriotism is loyalty to the Nation all the time, loyalty to the Government when it deserves it.” Among the public, this mantra seems to apply. How else to explain the wariness we extend to sitting presidents, but the measure of forgiveness and nostalgic warmth we embrace them with in retirement?
And yet—a hearty laugh now and then appears to do the body politic good. The American presidency has enthralled the public’s attention for 230 years and counting, and whatever their accomplishments, few presidents have been able to escape humor’s biting edge. They must endure having their policies mocked, their intentions questioned, their choice of advisors poked and prodded, their features artfully exaggerated, their egos gleefully punctured, and their families callously scrutinized. With apologies to Fala, Checkers, Socks, Millie, and Bo, even their pets get caricatured!
Come see for yourself which of our Chief Executives got the last laugh in this battle of wits—and decide for yourself if the proverb, “he who laughs last laughs best” holds true for presidents too! Very sincerely yours,
Charles A. Hyde, President & CEO
Front cover: Puck magazine cover, November, 1888, with overlaid exhibit title “Presidential Humor.”
Plan Your Visit
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CALENDAR C LO S E D FO R TO U R S / O F F I C E S O PE N J a n 1 - J a n 20 N EW ! PR E S I D E N T I A L H U M O R J a n 24 . 5 : 3 0 p m - 7p m Ex h i b i t R e ce p t i o n L IVE ! PR E S I D E N T ’ S DAY Fe b 1 8 . 1 0 a m - 3 : 3 0 p m
PRESIDENTIAL
HUMO R BENJAMIN HARRISON PRESIDENTIAL SITE
Ray Boomhower Book Release / Signing, 5:30-6:30pm
N EW ! G L I T Z & G L A M O U R March 7 . 5:30pm - 7pm Exhibit Reception C IVI L WA R D I N N E R * M a rch 1 3 . 6 p m - 9 p m PR E S I D E N T I A L EG G R O L L A p ri l 1 3 . 9 a m - 1 0 : 3 0 a m M U R D E R A N D T H E M ACA B R E Pre s e n te d by Ca n d l e l i g h t T h ea t re* A p ri l 1 2 & 1 3 I 26 , 27 & 2 8 I M ay 3 & 4 WI C K E T WO R L D O F C R O Q U E T * June 1 . 10am - 4:30pm * Reservations required.
COFFEE WITH THE CURATOR First Friday of Each Month
Free for members & guests • $6 general admission • 8:30am - 9am
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:
. . . .
January 4 February 1 March 1 April 5
Presidential Humor (with Emily Hanawalt) A Wonderful Life (with Ray Boomhower) Glitz & Glamour Presidential Children
Space is limited so reservations are recommended. Find out more by calling 317.631.1888 or visiting PresidentBenjaminHarrison.org.
Oct 3, 2018
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Harrison Still in the News
american alliance of museums 2018 AAM National Publications Design Award Winner Great news! The Presidential Site’s invitation package for the 2017 Mary Tucker Jasper Speaker Series was the winning submission in the national 2018 AAM Publications Design Competition. The list of all the 2018 awardees appear on the AAM website: a a m - u s . o r g /p r o g r a m s /a w a r d s competitions/2018-museumpublications-design-competitionwinners-2/
Smithsonian Why Museums Should Be Proud Polling Sites On Oct 29, 2018, our President & CEO was asked by Smithsonian magazine online to write about the Presidential Site’s innovative partnership as a polling site. He called upon his colleagues nationally to engage with their community by opening their doors to voting:
Read more at http://bit.ly/SMITHpollingsite
d
be a Po ll to
ite gS in
It was a mutually beneficial decision, and has reinvigorated our institutional commitment to civic engagement and helped us better understand how we can measurably and authentically engage our community—not some broad, generic group, but literally those inhabitants who live adjacent to our facility in the heart of our dense, diverse, and bustling city.”
Prou
“The journey of my museum...as a polling site had started four years earlier with another simple question, asked innocently enough of staff: ‘Have we ever served as a polling site?’
B e n ja m P r e s id ein H a rr is o n n ti a l S it e
Indianapolis Star This is how Indy’s Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site is honoring George H.W. Bush The Indy Star’s Natalia E. Contreras reported that “On Sunday (Dec 2), the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site in Indianapolis honored Bush’s memory in a manner that hearkened to the funeral for the site’s namesake, by hanging black mourning bunting. The bunting, along with an American flag at half-staff, will remain for 30 days. Jennifer Capps, Vice President of Curatorship and Exhibition at the Harrison presidential site, said the mourning bunting was in part a nod to funerals for both Benjamin Harrison in 1901 and William Henry Harrison, the ninth president, who died in 1841 while still in office.”
New Exhibition
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Presidential Humor
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Special Exhibit . Opening January 24
his year’s 2019 New Century Curator exhibition is entitled “Presidential Humor” and it traces how citizens use humor as a social tool to articulate opinions and views on the comical antics of presidents. The first part of the exhibition focuses on political cartoons. It follows the history of political cartooning from the first lithographs through modern renderings. Some highlights include the takedown of “Boss” Tweed by cartoonist Thomas Nast and learning how this year’s Advancing Democracy Award winners view their craft. Following is a section on caricaturists, recalling the ways in which certain caricatures such as the Tattooed Man have lasted for centuries. Connecting to today, the exhibit reveals how both liberal and conservative views of presidents are immortalized by editorial cartoonists and how the reaction to these cartoons can move people to action. Such reactions can include calling representatives, sharing opinions on social media or even sending the offending cartoonists a strongly worded response. For reasons such as these, cartoons are valuable to our democracy.
They still inform us about current events and keep us laughing and involved in a turbulent world. Some of the modern cartoonists and caricaturists featured in the exhibition include the 2018 Advancing American Democracy Award winners Gary Varvel, Mike Luckovich, and Michael Ramirez. Other modern humorists include Two Party Opera’s Brian Carroll and caricaturist Andy Campbell. Another section of “Presidential Humor” focuses on the objects that were created during the president’s tenure in office, from the campaign trail to the oval office. Artifacts from this section include a Richard Nixon showerhead (Watergate, anyone?) and a Bill Clinton corkscrew. Humorous campaign buttons also make an appearance! Another area of the exhibit revisit laughable anecdotes. Presidents seem to get themselves into a pickle, no matter what their politics! Stories from this section include Elvis Presley’s visit to the White House, Calvin Coolidge’s fishing habits and Bill Clinton’s extensive knowledge of the television show My Little Pony.
Page 7 We didn’t forget the ladies! A section on the hijinks and wit of our First Ladies is sure to have you chuckling, unlike President Truman, when First Lady Bess sent their laundry from the White House all the way to Independence, Missouri. The goal of “Presidential Humor” is to make you laugh, cause you to think and stir you to action. We are fortunate to live in a country where our opinions as citizens matter, and the artists in this exhibition, past and present, courageously state their opinions in humorous ways. Come guess whether or not a witticism was spoken by a President. See how a cartoonist’s worldview (sometimes conservative, sometimes liberal, often somewhere in between) shapes how they draw leaders, and hear amusing anecdotes about what goes on at the White House and influences our country’s perceptions of ourselves as a representative democracy and as a people. __Emily Hanawalt, Curatorial Fellow 2018
New Century Curator Initiative This is a collaborative effort between the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site and the IUPUI Museum Studies program. Our New Century Curator Initiative seeks to afford innovative opportunities for Museum Studies students. Much in the way a “thesis show” is a culminating experience for MFAs, this is a defining opportunity for a student to explore and interact with a nationally-significant collection. The goal of this intensive semester is to conceive, design and execute an exhibit in partnership with the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site. Our objective is to help grow a new generation of museum curators through collaborative training and handson experience with conservation, preservation, and innovative exhibit design. This exhibition was made possible with the assistance of many people and organizations. We thank the following for their assistance. Thank you to the staff at the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site: • Jennifer Capps, Vice President of Curatorship and Exhibition • Charlie Hyde, President and CEO • Dave Pleiss, Director of Learning Resources • Delia Robertson, Special Events and Marketing Manager Thank you to the volunteers and board members that helped with the review and audio of the exhibition. Special thanks to the Collections & Exhibits Committee. • • • • •
Andrea Neal, Chair Martha Buehner • Tom Huston • Mike McQuille • Susie Sogard •
Diane Crabtree Scott Keller Sue Ridlen David Yount
Thank you to our faculty partners of the Museum Studies program at IUPUI. • Elizabeth Kryder-Reid, Ph.D. • Modupe Labode, Ph.D. • Holly Cusack-McVeigh, Ph.D. Additional support provided by the IUPUI Center for Service Learning, Sam H. Jones Community Service Scholarships.
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Harrison in His Own Words
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FROM THE PRESIDENT’S GRIDIRON CLUB SPEECH (Washington, D.C.) January 30 , 1892
“This is the second time that I have been c alled upon this w eek to open a cong ress of American inventors.” [Applause.] DID YOU KNOW? The Gridiron Club was in its fourth year when Benjamin Harrison became the f irst president to attend a dinner on January 30, 1892. He provoked applause and laughter with his opening statement, referring both to a meeting with journalists and with an inventor’s convention happening concurrently in the Capital. In the club’s formative years, dinner guests provided all the entertainment for the evening, and it was not yet appropriate to “roast” such an honored guest as the president. But Harrison came prepared to give out as much as he would get, and immediately put the crowd at ease.
After the event, Democratic correspondent Frank Hosford paid a visit to Perry Heath of the Indianapolis Journal. He said “Perry, your man Harrison is a wonder. I didn’t think it was in him.” Perry responded, “Oh, he’s all right on his feet; it’s only when he sits...that he falls down.”
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A Moment in Time: Presidential Caricatures
In a 1888 Puck c a r to o n , Pre s i d e n t- e l e c t H a rri s o n p e r u s e s t h e f i e l d fo r potential cabin et m e m b e rs . Vi s i t t h e Pre si d e n t i a l H u m o r ex h i b i t i o n fo r m ore presidentia l c a ri c a t u re s :
Jefferson
Van Buren
Polk
Buchanon
Lincoln
Coolidge
Roosevelt
Kennedy
Reagan
e y
th rt, cy ns, se
Pathway to the Presidency: Young Lawyer in the Circle City
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o one who saw Benjamin Harrison when he first arrived in Indianapolis could have imagined the success that he would attain. Although he had the advantage of being a member of an illustrious (although not wealthy) family, his youthful appearance, his introversion, his lack of ties to the community and lack of legal experience guaranteed that his career would be an uphill climb. Biographer Lew Wallace wrote, “At first, one wondered that a young man apparently so lacking in assertion should presume to entrust himself so far from home.” But through a combination of his intrinsic abilities, perseverance, self-confidence, establishing roots, and good timing, Harrison soon made it clear that he was a man to be watched. The Harrisons first stayed with Benjamin’s cousin William Sheets, until they found a rental home on Pennsylvania Street. But the young lawyer’s clients were few and far between in those initial months, and the rent proved too great an expense (“A $5 bill was an event,” Benjamin would later say of those early years). During the 1850s, early fall in Indianapolis was known as “the sickly season” because of its damp and malarial climate. The Harrisons decided that Caroline should return to Ohio for health reasons, as she was expecting her first child. Alone now, Benjamin moved to less expensive quarters. During this separation, Benjamin wrote to his wife, “You do not know how disheartened I feel sometimes, at the prospect of sitting in my office, for long months, without getting anything to do. I know I should feel contented if only I had some business to occupy my attention, however trifling the profits should be...But however much I may be discouraged at the prospect, I never suffer myself to falter in my purpose – I have long since made up my mind that with God’s blessing and good health, I would succeed, and I never allow myself to doubt the result.” Harrison soldiered on. He found a small office in the State Bank Building, and was appointed court crier, which paid $2.50 a day. His membership in First Presbyterian Church provided ample opportunities for spiritual sustenance and enduring friendships. He learned with joy of the birth of his son Russell on August 12, 1854, but was distressed that he was unable to be with his family. Caroline returned with Russell to Indianapolis in October 1854
Their second child, Mary, would be born in 1858 – this time, in Indianapolis. As an attorney, Harrison began showing promise due to some hitherto latent talents. During his first trial, when it became too dark for him to read his carefully prepared notes, he was compelled to speak ex te m p o ra n e o u s l y, a n d found that this technique enabled him to argue much more persuasively. (For the rest of his career, Harrison rarely used a prepared text). His reputation was further augmented by his prodigious rote-memory skills. In preparing for a case involving an alleged poisoning, he essentially memorized a medical text about poisons, and was able to secure a conviction due to his skillful cross-examination regarding the poison’s effects. Lew Wallace succinctly described his legal skills, “[he was] quick of apprehension, clear, methodical and logical in his analysis,” which led him to be described by mesmerized observers as a “swinge-cat” (not even Google knows what a “swinge-cat” is, but we must assume it to be a highly coveted accolade). Harrison’s status took a significant change for the better in March of 1855, when Indianapolis attorney William Wallace ran for Marion County Clerk and asked Harrison to temporarily join his firm to allow more
Ben resid
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campaign time. Although unsuccessful, he asked Harrison to remain with him. For the first time, Harrison attained some financial stability and met William’s brother Lew, who became Harrison’s life-long friend and first biographer. Interestingly, one lucrative source of his income in the firm came from the fact that Indiana had at that time the loosest divorce laws in the nation, and was thus a frequent destination for those seeking to dissolve their marriage.
Benjamin & Caroline’s f irst Indianapolis residence on East Vermont St.
With his legal career now flourishing, Harrison had a chance to enter the political realm. In 1856, he joined the newly established Republican Party, and actively campaigned for its candidates. His first speech, before some 15 or 20 people, took place in Acton (now part of southeast Indianapolis). His father, who was serving in Congress at the time, hoped his son would stay out of politics, and was especially appalled that he joined the Republicans, whose ranks (as he saw it) were composed of “fanatics” and “false prophets.” Although the political friction strained their relationship, his father’s letters to him during his two terms in
Volunteer Spotlight
Congress gave Benjamin a front-row seat into the tumultuous debate over the Kansas-Nebraska Act. In 1857, Harrison won political office as the Indianapolis City Attorney. A year later, he accepted a position as Secretary to the State Republican Central Committee, giving him an opportunity to meet Republicans state-wide and obtain an insider’s knowledge. In 1860, he ran for Supreme Court Reporter, the first time he sought state office. Indiana held its state elections in October rather than November back then, and on October 9, Harrison was elected by a margin of 9,688 votes. He assumed the duties of Court Reporter in January, 1861. As he adjusted to the demands, like all Americans during this time, he anxiously followed the news of the succession crisis as America lurched toward civil war. He was in the basement of the First Presbyterian Church, working on his court reports, when he received news of the attack on Fort Sumter. Although he strongly supported Lincoln’s war policy, Harrison did not initially enlist, due to the need to support his family. The death of their third child in June, 1861 convinced him that Caroline needed him to stay. A year later, however, when Governor Morton asked for his assistance to further the war effort, he set aside his previous objections to help organize the 70th Indiana Volunteer Regiment. For the second time in eight years, Harrison entered unknown territory, confronting a task for which he was seemingly unqualified. Having no military experience, he had never assumed a leadership role outside of his own law office. Now the stakes were infinitely higher. In Indianapolis, he risked professional failure. In the world outside, he was to face all the unimaginable horrors of war. But such was his sense of duty that he put the preservation of the Union above his own personal comfort.
--Gary Larreatugui, Weekend Supervisor
This is part two of “Pathway to the Presidency,” a four part series about Harrison’s experiences as a scholar, soldier, lawyer and statesman that brought him to the Office of President of the United States.
From the Collection
Horn Chair
Manufactured by Charles Puppe and Ronvant in San Antonio, TX, the chair was engraved by Theo Fopf's Jewelry, in addition to Otto Blumenthal, whose name is on a back plate, possibly the engraver. The chair was a gift from Dennis M. O' Conner, Texas ranch owner, to President Harrison. Top plaque: "Presented by / D. M. O' Conner / to General / Benjamin Harrison (chip diamonds) / President of the United States." Below is another plaque with a star in the middle, each point having a letter to spell Texas. The plaques are gold or brass plated. 12 horns make up the back and low arms (sides). The legs are one horn each with a metal claw and glass ball feet. Two horns curve f rom under seat to front legs.
Rookwood Vase
Made by artist Albert Robert Valentien, this large, ovoid vase was created f rom heavy pottery. It is hand painted, with elongated green leaves and seed pods. The ground color outside is coppery brown to dark brown on top, and the outside of neck is dark green. This piece shows up in a White House photo of the library.
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Special Thanks B e n ja m i n H a r r i s o n Presidential Rocker
Likely made in 1890 by the Huntzinger Co., Harrison’s rocker is contructed of wood, leather, and brass, and has a round leather seat with arms. The leather on the back has a tooled work design with a stylized griff in. The rocker is 26” wide, 37” high, and 23” deep. The brass plaque on the seat is inscribed: "Chair used by Benjamin Harrison when President of the United States and presented by him to Colonel William Crook / March 1893." The Harrison Spring Rocker Chair was donated by Barbara Heurich (in memory of) Peter K. Brandenburg of Denver, CO. It was featured on Antiques Road Show Season 12; Episode 19, which aired 11/3/08. Visit the Presidential Site today to see this new treasure alongside the president’s law off ice desk!
Caroline Scott Harrison Dress
A newspaper article f rom 1944 states that Caroline Harrison wore this gown to a New Year’s Ball in Washington, D.C. It is train length, 60”starting at the mid point f rom waist to the end of the train. Created with beige faille, back laced with 14 eyelets; waist lined. It has 13 staves with inner woven belts, 1 3/8" wide; 28" long; imprinted in green. Made after 1892 by “Ghormley. Robes et Manteaux,45 E. 18th St., New York.”
Look for the upcoming “Glitz & Glamour in the White House” exhibit in March!
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(Caroline) Harrison Still in the News
Oxford Observer.org
Caroline Scott Harrison, a First Lady from Oxford, Returns Home in Bronze October 12, 2018, by Lauren Snyder The Presidential Site was proud to represent First Lady Caroline Harrison for the unveiling of a new statue: “On Oct. 14, Caroline Scott Harrison officially comes back to Oxford, when a life-size bronze statue of the 23rd first lady of the United States is unveiled in the gardens behind the Oxford Community Arts Center. But in a sense, she has never left her hometown. Caroline Lavinia Scott was born in Oxford on Oct. 1, 1832. Her father, John Witherspoon Scott, was a Presbyterian minister and a professor of science and mathematics at Miami University. While she was growing up, she met Benjamin Harrison, a student of her father’s. They fell and love and were married in her parents’ home at 131 W. High Street, on Oct. 20, 1853.
A PORTRAIT DISCOVERED by Jennifer Capps, VP of Curatorship & Exhibition
I recently visited the Blair House in Washington, D.C., the President’s Guest House that has hosted delegations since 1942. It is operated by the Office of the Chief of Protocol, U.S. Department of State. In its collection, the house holds a unique oil on canvas of Caroline Scott Harrison. The painting is probably circa 1880, when her husband was in the Senate, and therefore shows a slightly younger Caroline than is portrayed in the White House images. She wears an aqua blue colored dress with a typical high neck and pearl drop earrings, along with a bar pin at the throat. Draped below the shoulders loosely is an “exotic” shawl of blue, green, and red. Her love of flowers is conveyed by a large corsage of three different colored roses (pink, red, and white) on her right shoulder. The portrait is a bust-length, threequarter view signed by “Yvon.” known for his paintings of the Napoleonic Wars, Adolphe Yvon was born in 1817 in France and died in 1893. In 1870, he was commissioned to paint “The United State of America”, an allegorical picture.
The marriage took place just after she was graduated from the Oxford Female Institute, which was in the building now occupied by the community arts center. She died in the White House of tuberculosis, on Oct. 25, 1892, and is buried next to her husband, in Indianapolis. And for a long time after that, her history faded from memory. But in 2013, the Caroline Scott Memorial Committee was formed in Oxford by Kathleen Fox, Robert S. Wicks, Marjorie Bowers and others. The design for this sculpture was started in 2015, and construction began in 2017 once the committee received a $75,000 grant from the state of Ohio in 2016, along with other smaller donations. Jarrett Hawkins of Hawkins and Hawkins Custom of Cincinnati, Ohio, was assigned to create the statue. It depicts the subject as a young woman, much as she looked when attending the school in the building behind her. “This corner now belongs to her,” Fox said. “It’s got the marker, it has the building where she came to school and it has her sculpture in the back. I’m so proud that now Caroline is not going to be forgotten.” Photo: Volunteers and DAR members Janet Shelton & Elaine Sholty, alongside our VP of Curatorship & Exhibition Jennifer Capps with dedicated statue of Caroline Scott Harrison
Special Thanks to our Partners
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S pecial T hanks !
We are grateful to the following organizational partners, funders and sponsors for supporting the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site in 2018: 3 Days in Paris Allen Whitehill Clowes Charitable Foundation Arbutus Garden Club Arthur Jordan Foundation Arts Council of Indianapolis BKD CPAs and Advisors Brandt Construction, Inc. Centaur Gaming Destinations Central Indiana Community Foundation (CICF) Christel DeHaan Family Foundation Commercial Artisan Department of Historic Preservation & Archeology, IDNR Equity Financial Garden Party Botanical Hard Soda Garf ield Park Master Gardeners Association Goose the Market Gracia E. Johnson Foundation Gregory & Appel Insurance Hilliard Lyons Hoosier State Press Association Hot Box Pizza Hotel Tango Image Builders/Rowland Printing Indiana DAR, Inc. Indiana Energy Association Indiana Humanities Indiana Landmarks Marion County Historic Preservation Fund IUPUI University Library Jamia Jasper Jacobsen Family Fund, a component fund of the Community Foundation of Boone County Junior League of Indianapolis King Park Development Corp. Kroger Lacy Foundation Larra Overton Lilly Endowment Inc. Lumatic Imagery Markey’s Rental & Staging Marion County Master Gardeners Association MK Jacobsen DVM Pet Therapy Endowment Fund, a component fund of the Community Foundation of Boone County National Wine & Spirits/Pat Trefun Nicholas H. Noyes Jr. Memorial Foundation Northern Commercial Nottingham Realty Old National Bank Peine Engineering PLOW Digital PNC Foundation Prime 47 Prizm Artist Supply Store RATIO Architects REI Real Estate Services, LLC Sease, Gerig & Associates Somerset CPAs Strada Education Network Summer Youth Program Fund Sun King Brewing Co. LLC The Basement The Dorsey Foundation, Inc. The Emily Fund The Flower Boys The National Bank of Indianapolis Tinker Coffee Company Visit Indy WFYI Wing Fund for the Arts & Humanities Zink Distributing
B uilding
a L egacy begins with YOU Our ability to meet our mission is dependent on the generosity of f riends and supporters. An increased endowment is imperative in providing lasting sustainability.
H elp E ndow B enjamin H arrison P residential S ite with the stroke of a pen Through a charitable bequest in your will or living trust, you can ensure that the Presidential Site will continue to share the life stories, arts and culture of an American President to increase public participation in the American system of self-government. This thoughtful act, which can have little or no current financial impact on you, may result in the largest and most lasting one-time gift you ever make to the Presidential Site.
We
want to thank you now
Our Legacy 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 that you have no objection to being publicly listed in the Legacy Society honor roll. If you have questions or would like more information on giving options, contact the Development Office at (317) 631-1888 or development@ bhpsite.org.
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Special Thanks & Coming Soon
Volunteer Awards On September 26, the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site honored our volunteers with a celebration at Hotel Tango Artisan Distillery. Five volunteers were recognized for their outstanding contributions to the Presidential Site mission. This year, Pat Reeves was awarded the Marianne McGeath Apple of our Eye Award for her volunteer work with school tours and programs. Being a retired teacher herself, Pat helps multiple times a week to provide students and teachers an unforgettable experience. Her contribution is invaluable! The White Glove Award was presented to Diane Crabtree for her continued efforts in respecting and preserving the Presidential Site home and artifacts. This also marks the first time a volunteer has won the award twice, and there is no more deserving. Diane has been working alongside Jennifer Capps, VP of Curatorship & Exhibition, for over 10 years, helping with collections and exhibits. She continues to be a member, donor, and advocate. Jim Smith and Sherry Nagel-Smith were given the Special Events Award. A new recognition in the annals of the Presidential Site’s history, this Award recognizes volunteers who play a vital role in developing and executing public events. Jim and Sherry have provided this assistance for four years. They are usually the first to sign up for nearly every function. Their experience, candor, and excitement are contagious for our guests! Caroline Sausser was this year’s Volunteer of the Year. Caroline, a full-time student at Benjamin Harrison’s alma mater Miami University, devotes her summers to volunteering at the Presidential Site, coming four or five days a week throughout June and July, our busiest months. While most students are relaxing or traveling during their summer breaks, she is here helping and advancing Harrison’s legacy. She even defended Harrison’s record on a national podcast by Indiana author John Green. Her dedication is second to none. __Lukas Ramey, Volunteer & Experience Manager.
As seen in Food and Wine magazine, this exclusive Presidential Site original allows you to dine with General Benjamin Harrison and his aide de camp as they share remarkable stories of service to the Union during the Civil War. The evening begins with conversation, hors d’oeuvres and wine. Guests will next enter the Harrison family home through the grand entrance, tour the first floor and then assemble in the historic Library, where General Harrison invites you to join him for dinner. Dinner is artfully prepared by Alan’s Catered Events. Chef Alan and his impeccable team extensively researched food during the Civil War era. The menu reflects this deep knowledge, featuring Harrison family recipes and a dessert by the Harrison’s White House Chef, Laura ‘Dolly’ Johnson. You will be hard-pressed to find an event of this caliber elsewherecombining remarkable enactors and historically accurate cuisine, all in the home of a president. Reservations are required. Tickets available online at http://bit.ly/ CivilWarDinner19, or by phone: (317) 631-1888. Please direct questions to the Special Events and Marketing Manager at events@bhpsite.org.
Coming Soon
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pm
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Join Candlelight Theatre for unique, salon-style evening of theatre! This trilogy of one-act thrillers, rotating through the Presidential mansion, complete with candlelight, historical artifacts and the rich ambiance of President Harrison’s original furnishings, is a one-of-a-kind theatre experience, and it includes:
. That Day | Based on a story by Donna Wing; adapted by James Trofatter Dora Carlton is a happily married woman with a comfortable lifestyle, but her world begins to turn upside down as her existence slowly disappears. Acquaintances no longer know her; familiar surroundings change appearance; even her husband does not recognize her. As she struggles to regain her life, she learns what happened on that day...
. The Hitch-Hiker | by Lucille Fletcher This is the tale of Ronald Adams, an average motorist, who sets out to drive f rom Brooklyn to California, and early on his journey encounters a strange and inexplicable hitch-hiker. His efforts to explain, avoid, and ultimately destroy the constantly appearing f igure brings him to a terrifying realization.
. Two Bottles of Relish | Based on a story by Lord Dunsany; adapted by
Edward Darby A man has committed a murder, but no one can f ind the body. Two armchair detectives and their landlady are determined to crack this case that has baffled the highest police authorities. But as the clues unfold, the crime proves to be more sinister than imagined.
Performances will sell out! Reservations are required. Make your reservations at CandlelightTheatre.org or contact the Special Events and Marketing Manager at (317) 631-1888 or events@bhpsite.org. Special thanks to our 2018 / 2019 Candlelight Theatre season sponsors:
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Coming Soon
What kind of bling do you get for the POTUS who has everything? Presidential Gifts can bring out the very best impulses and worst taste of the American people and global guests seeking to impress. Gifts received from foreign heads of state are part of the record of American diplomacy. Those from American and foreign citizens often expressed personal warmth or feelings for the president. Many gifts exemplify the world’s finest decorative arts and craftsmanship. They can also be more practical, such as the Burberry coat given to President Lyndon B. Johnson from the U. K. Prime Minister. Others are more unique, like the saxophone shaped chair given to President Clinton. Come explore these artifacts for yourself, from stately pearl-adorned evening gowns to ostentatious furniture, solid gold commemorative coins to questionable keepsakes, and everything in between.
S ummer O pportunies FUTURE PRESIDENTS OF AMERICA JUNE 24-28 | 9am-4pm
We are now accepting applications for the 2019 class of Future Presidents of America youth leadership program, a fun and innovative one-week summer event for smart, engaged young adults that builds individual confidence, civic literacy and good citizenship. These young leaders (ages 12-16) will learn firsthand through special interactive sessions, conversations with preeminent civic leaders and statesmen, up-close experiences with historic artifacts and thought-provoking discussions about the challenges and opportunities facing every president— from our country’s heroic 18th century origins through the 23rd president and into the 21st century.
MY COUNTRY ‘TIS OF THEE JULY 15-19 | 9am-4pm |
$195 mem, $225 non-members
My Country ‘Tis of Thee is a new day camp for ages 9-12 that combines history and citizenship through the lens of an original American family. Each day provides a new theme that explores the Harrison family’s impact on American history from the British Colonies to the Progressive era. “New World” covers the Harrisons in colonial Jamestown, “Let Freedom Ring” explores the events surrounding the Declaration and Constitution, “Go West” traces steps of pioneers into the Indiana Territory, “Brothers & Sisters in Arms” the Civil War soldier, and “Dawn of a New Day,” immigration, invention and industry in the Gilded Age of the Hoosier President. This program is made possible by a generous grant from the Kiwanis Foundation.
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