At the presidential inauguration of John F. Kennedy, that austere man of letters, Robert Frost, had intended to read a poem entitled "Dedication", but was unable to do so because of the glare of the sun, which effectively prevented him from seeing (and reading) the text. Instead Frost read "The Gift Outright" from memory, and yet another legendary moment in presidential inauguration lore occurred....

President Abraham Lincoln may finally receive his just due after the completion of the Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield, Illinois in 2004. For now, visitors can explore this Web site, which features information about the Library (which was dedicated on November 18, 2002), the Museum (which will be finished in 2004), and President Lincoln himself. Designed and maintained by the State...

Chronicling the life and times of former President Jimmy Carter is a formidable task, but the American Experience Web site established to complement the new documentary about his life offers a valuable introduction to this former peanut farmer turned global humanitarian and peace maker. Not surprisingly, the site contains a substantial amount of coverage about the Camp David Accords and the...

Out of the many dozens of websites dedicated to portraying the various persons who have held the highest elected office in the United States, American President.org may be one of the most thorough and well-rounded in terms of its content and organization. Originally launched in 2000 as a companion to a PBS television series on the American presidency, this current incarnation of the site was...

The Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia is "a national meeting place to research, reflect and report on issues of national importance to the governance of the United States, with special attention to the central role and history of the presidency." With that in mind, staff members at the Center have created this excellent site containing in-depth information reviewed by...

You may know where George Washington slept, but where did Franklin Pierce pass his time? This question is one of the many questions answered by this very interesting and rather fun Shared Heritage Travel Itinerary created by the National Park Service's Heritage Education Services, with cooperation from the National Park Service Office of Tourism and other associations. The itinerary covers places...

Sponsored by the Calvin Coolidge Memorial Foundation, this site contains important historical material about the president who garnered the sobriquet "Silent Cal." Along with a variety of galleries featuring rotating exhibits of visual material related to President Coolidge, there is an archive of his speeches ranging from his time as governor of Massachusetts to his time as President. There is...

For educators teaching about the life and presidency of Dwight Eisenhower, and for history buffs looking for more details about this fascinating figure, the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum and Boyhood Home website offers a wealth of information. Readers might like to begin with the All About Ike section, which traces Eisenhower's legacy through categories, including such obvious...

What was George Washington's life like at Mount Vernon? This frequent question is answered in fine form by this Digital Encyclopedia, compiled by a variety of scholars in collaboration with the Mount Vernon Estate. It is particularly appropriate that there is such a copious compendium of facts on the goings-on at Mt. Vernon, as Washington was enamored of encyclopedias during his life. Drawing on a...

Born in Stonewall, Texas in 1908, Lyndon Baines Johnson would later become president of the United States after the assassination of John F. Kennedy and oversee one of the most turbulent periods in recent American history. Located on the campus of the University of Texas at Austin, the Johnson Library and Museum was dedicated in 1971 and is part of the system of presidential libraries administered...