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Wednesday, June 24, 2009

The Eisenhower Birthplace .... Vintage Things Thursday



Eisenhower Birthplace State Historic Site

Vintage phone in the Visitors Center. There is in this building lots and lots of materials, mementos, photographs of his early life, the war years and that of the Presidency. There was just too much to look at and the tour was starting soon the guide said... so away we went...

I love this statue...it was done by Robert Dean Jr.
Mr. Dean has completed three statues of Dwight D. Eisenhower...
The one in Denison,Texas... his birthplace
the second on the grounds of the U.S.Military Academy
the third on the grounds of the U.S. Embassy in London
His other major works include two statues of General Douglas McArthur
and one of George S.Patton
Now I ask you..isn't the sky just too blue in Texas

This is a beautiful little house.."back in the day" this would truly have been a fine wonderful home
As the guide let us in the front door, and then turned to lock it behind us..(we would be exiting at the back of the house), she was having trouble getting the key to come back out..I looked down and was amazed at the workmanship of the "lockplate?". It was a taller one..more tall than wide and there was a raised embossed heart there, surrounding where the key had finally been removed.
This is just to the left of the long hallway and was the family sitting room. I especially loved the little chair and the toys...but then I looked at what the table held...

Our guide, (a wonderful lady and thankfully, a really cool one) seemed kinda amused by my little outburst. Upon seeing what was on the table, I believe I blurted out something like{ ..ummmmm holy hells bells..something kinda like that..:)... } You hafta understand, I truly love vintage sewing supplies..and here was a tablefull. There was everything from several pincushions, a sewing case, a needlecase..and a tiny box holding scissors and other supplies..and a very, very old, well used darning egg.
And then...there on the chair, (just behind the guide)...was a white pillow cushion with pins and spindle bobbins and she must have imagined I would faint..cause she quickly asked me a question. She said..do you know what that is?? And being a good Texan, I said well of course. My granny had those and she let me help her sometime. The lady next to me froze me with a look...but not for long...the guide actually let me hold that beautiful cushion and look at the pins, the thread, the spindle bobbins and how they were wound...and the lace that was being made.... It was wonderful...
I don't think the lady that gave me the look forgave me..

I loved this beautiful old Log Cabin quilt...and the old chair and cradle. Note that cute little white nessesity at the foot of the bed. "Back in the day" these were called everything from chamber pots...to well..... This one has a crocheted cover for the lid...

This little highchair had many uses.....it came apart in ways so as to serve...as highchair, walker, and a stroller...

Another of my weaknesses...and yes, I have many....happens to be stoves from the bygone days. But I tell you, if you've never had red beans, ham and either cornbread or biscuits cooked on a wood stove...well, you just haven't had your fair share of good food.


This little area and the other flower areas...are all butterfly gardens. The little house on the post..is a butterfly home...

Another little house on the property

Another of the buildings on the property
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The Eisenhower Birthplace State Historic Site is located at:
609 South Lamar Avenue
Denison, Grayson County, Texas..
The house, office and visitor center are only closed on Mondays and are open year round, with the exception of Christmas Day and New Years Day..

21 comments:

  1. Great post, CC. Long ago, I went to the Eisenhower boyhood home at Abilene, KS.

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  2. Gosh, where to start. what a wonderful post.

    In my quilt class, we are going to be doing the log cabin blocks in a couple of weeks, today in class the instructor had us pick the fabrics, he tried to get me to do one side all cream and the other side the colors. I thought he was nuts....NOW....I lOVE IT....I have to go back out there and talk to him this week.....thank you so much for this post...you may have helped me more than you know....lovely...I am super excited...

    Have a wonderful VTT and thanks again....I am excited.

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  3. What an interesting trip. You did a great job putting all this together.

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  4. WOW that was ssoo much fun and like you i would've let out a squeal at those gorgeous vintage sewing treasures!!..my heart's racing just at the thought :)

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  5. Thanks for the tour. I thought Eisenhower was born in Kansas, though I did read his biography years ago.

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  6. a fascinating place to visit.Old homes are filled with stories if only they could speak.

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  7. Thanks for taking us on this trip, it was almost like being there. I love picture trips and you are right unless you have had red beans and ham cooked on an old wood burner you've never really had great cooking.
    Thanks for sharing
    Molly

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  8. This is so beautiful. I love those miniature furnitures. Great history there with all those beautiful buildings.

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  9. Thanks so much for sharing this! I have been through Denison a million times but never stopped to take in the sites. DH and I will have to make a day trip up there one day...I hafta see this place!

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  10. Great historical vintage post! Happy VTT to you! I have truly missed all my VTT friends!

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  11. I love field trips! Thanks so much for sharing that!

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  12. Thank you for the lovely tour! It was like being there!

    I too go crazy when we're visiting an historic site and there are sewing tools, etc.!

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  13. I am so glad you enjoyed your trip to the Eisenhower Birthplace! It looks like you had a wonderful tour and the photos you took were fabulous. To follow more of the Texas Historical Commission historic sites, check out our blog at www.seethesites.blogspot.com. I actually just posted about the Eisenhower Birthplace.

    Sincerely,
    Kristie Lawler
    Senior Marketing Specialist
    Texas Historical Commission

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  14. What a wonderful tour! Thank you for sharing.

    Kristine

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  15. Never been to Texas, so this was a
    delightful tour! Enjoyed it! :)

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  16. I love history and this is such a wonderful place. The pictures give us so much of their lives.

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  17. There's always something in old houses. It's as if there's lot's of stories to tell. My fave picture is that of the old oven :-) It must have been real work baking on those days. Good thing at least everything makes it much easier :-) But I still love that picture :-)

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  18. this is very wonderful post.. look like a very nice place to visit.. love the old stove! just lovely.. have a great weekend!

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  19. What a wonderful tour! Thanks for being our guide!

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  20. Thanks for taking us along for a delightful tour of Pres. Ike's home. The only presidential property I have been to is Andrew Jackson's while I was attending a professional conference in Tennessee.

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  21. Thanks for sharing your visit, CC! I can understand why you would have been excited over the sewing supplies. :) I would have squealed over the toy animals. :)

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