Happy Presidents' Day ... this year, I honor Calvin Coolidge and Franklin Pierce

Pierce Manse

Last summer, I visited New Hampshire and Vermont -- homes to this year's Presidents. So, in honor of Franklin Pierce and Calvin Coolidge, I dedicate this Presidents' Day.

First, I stopped in Concord, NH and, in addition to visiting the State Capitol, stopped to see the Pierce Manse. Sadly, it wasn't open, but I did get to walk around a bit. As an interesting side note, in elementary school (4th and 5th grade), one of my classmates claimed to be descended from Franklin Pierce. Who knows?

From New Hampshire, we drove on to Vermont and spent some time in the Rutland area. Before driving back to Manchester, we took a side trip to Plymouth Notch, the home and birthplace of Calvin Coolidge. The historic site was quite interesting.

So, what about the two Presidents? Pierce was certainly one of the worst (despite having his biography being written by Nathaniel Hawthorne! Coolidge probably somewhere in the middle.

Coolidge Birthplace (and birthroom)