Of the thirteen Presidential Libraries, Candy, Hadley and Savannah had been to nine. Being so close to the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, it was impossible to pass up a visit. On Monday, the girls set out for Yorba Linda. The approach to the Nixon Library and Museum was definitely not as impressive as Reagan, or most of the others. It was simply on a street corner in the middle of town. However, once inside, we were definitely not disappointed.

Interestingly enough, the museum began with Nixon’s congressional race–no mention of childhood, college, etc, which was particularly interesting since the library shares a lot with Nixon’s childhood home. (More on that later.) For now, a visual tour of the exhibits.

 

Nixon’s boyhood home was built by his father from a prefab kit. It has always stood in the same place, facing the same direction (though they did raise it on a more structurally sound foundation since there would be so many tours going through).

Not pictured was a special NARA exhibit recounting Nixon’s childhood, etc (which we thought should join the permanent collection). We were there late in the day and the security guards were sure to have us cleared out by 5 p.m. on the dot. Marine One was supposedly around the center somewhere, but we did not see it, either.

After this visit, Candy, Hadley and savannah have been to ten of the thirteen libraries: Roosevelt, Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Carter, Reagan, Bush 41 and Clinton. Still left to visit are Hoover, Ford and the recently opened Bush 43.