One of the great things about the study of American history is that we preserve everything Presidential. If someone is lucky enough to rise to the office of President of the United States, we take care of all of his major landmarks of life.
Take James Buchanan, for example. If you prefer, take James Buchanan ... please. He was President from 1857 to 1861. Granted, times were tough then, and it would have been difficult for anyone to keep the country together at that point. Buchanan can't be blamed for the Civil War, of course, but historians generally aren't impressed by his efforts leading up to it.
Buchanan's house in Lancaster, Pa., is shown here. He ran his 1856 campaign from the parlor, but didn't stand for re-election. His burial site isn't nearly as well preserved. When we went to the cemetary, the area was overgrown and rundown, with stones tipped over. Hope that's been improved, because a President, any President, deserves better.
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