History books are only one way to learn about Presidents of the United States. Another way is to study the places and things they left behind. The American people have taken special care to preserve places where presidents were born, grew up, lived as adults, or participated in significant historical events. These sites capture archeological information about their lives and the lives of others who were there, as well as the social and historical context of their time in office.
Look to archeology for the dirty details about history that Presidents might - or might not - want you to know. Archeologists ask, "What does this place tell about the times in which the President lived?" "Who also lived there, and why?" "How does learning about a President's homes provide insight on their beliefs and actions?"
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- Locations: Adams National Historical Park
- Offices: Archeology Program, Northeast Archeological Resources Program
The Adams Birthplaces are where John Adams and his son John Quincy Adams were born. Tenants conducted many businesses there. Their marks, not the Adamses’, are most prominent in the archeological record. Through the remains of occupants’ structures, trash, and professional goods, archeology demonstrates the changing influence of tenants on the Adams birthplaces and the community that that flourished around it.
- Locations: Independence National Historical Park
- Offices: Archeology Program
Located near the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall in Philadelphia, the President's House site is a historical paradox of freedom and enslavement. George Washington and John Adams stayed there during their time as president, along with their families and household staff. The experiences of Washington's enslaved workers provide a sharp contrast to the symbols of liberty and freedom that lie just blocks away.
- Locations: Martin Van Buren National Historic Site
- Offices: Archeology Program
Lindenwald was the home of Martin Van Buren, the eight president of the United States, and his family. However, many other individuals lived there as well, including African-Americans and German and Irish immigrants. Archeology is one way to uncover their many stories.
- Locations: Lincoln Home National Historic Site
- Offices: Archeology Program, Midwest Archeological Center
Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln and their sons lived in the house in Springfield, Illinois between 1844 and 1861. Archeological excavations uncovered evidence of their everyday lives, ranging from decorated dishes and glassware used during large parties to medicine bottles and children’s toys.
- Locations: Ulysses S Grant National Historic Site
- Offices: Archeology
Ulysses S. Grant spent four years as a farmer at White Haven, his father-in-law's estate near St. Louis, Missouri, between 1854 and 1858. Recent archeological investigations of a satellite structure of the main house at White Haven have brought to light many details of slave life at the plantation in the years preceding the Civil War.
Last updated: January 5, 2021