President Eisenhower's Pennsylvania Home

One of the BIG things on my list of things to do while we're here in Pennsylvania was to visit Gettysburg and learn more about the turning point of the Civil War.  That visit will take more than one post!  Anyway, while we were there we were delighted to discover that President Dwight D. Eisenhower's home was located here too.  You can only visit it by purchasing tickets at the battlefield's visitor center and then boarding a bus that takes you to, and from, the home. 

Then General Eisenhower, and wife Mamie, purchased the only home they every owned, and 189 acres, in 1950.  However, he had to finish being the Supreme Commander of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization forces in Europe and then the 34th President of the United States before they could move in.

He finally retired on January 20, 1961 and moved into their home located adjacent to the Gettysburg Battlefield.  Eisenhower was a Civil War buff and enjoyed taking visitors for tours of the battlefield.

They brought many treasures with them from the White House, including the low coffee table which was a gift from the South Korean president.

Like most people, the living room was reserved for important visitors (and they had some VERY important visitors).  The Eisenhowers spent most of their time on this sun porch.

Naturally, quite a few of those very important visitors ate in this dining room too.

And all the food for family and visitors was prepared in this kitchen - a real look into the past!

If they required something late at night they just called on the live-in housekeeper or butler.

Soon, we headed upstairs for a self-guided tour.

For whatever reason, the President and First Lady had separate bedrooms.  The brochure said it was so they wouldn't disturb each other.  This smaller bedroom belonged to him.......

.....and the nearby, larger, pink bedroom belonged to Mamie.

She really liked pink.

In addition to a guest cottage there were two guest bedrooms inside the house.

This is the one I'd like to stay in.

In 1967, the Eisenhowers gifted the property to the Federal government to become the Eisenhower National Historic Site - part of the U.S. National Park system.  And, unfortunately, the President didn't have long to enjoy his home because he passed away March 28, 1969.  After Mamie's death, the home and all it's belongings were opened to the public in 1980.

We really could have spent more time touring the property - the guest house, offices and barns - but we had a battlefield to get to!