Vol. 3, Issue 1 March April May 2016 2016 Event President ... · Harding Presidency," 7 p.m. at OSU...
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Autumn is one of those seasons that provide great opportunities for outdoor play and creative March 13, Beyond the Ropes, 1:30 & 3:30 p.m. sessions at the Harding Home. We'll surprise you with a look at special items in the Harding Home Collections. Reservations required due to limited seating. Friends of Harding Home and Ohio History Connection members, no charge; general admission, $10. May 1, President Harding Golf Outing, Marion Country Club. Shotgun start at noon, casual dinner and auction to follow. Proceeds benefit the restoration of the Harding Home. May 7-8, Opening Weekend of the 2016 visitor season. Beginning this weekend, the site is open 12-5 p.m., Wed.-Sun. through November 6. *Site open Memorial Day and July 4; closed on Labor Day and November 2. May 7, 9-12 p.m., Presidential Gardeners Plant Sale on the Harding Home grounds. May 14, Kickoff Breakfast, Tri-Rivers Career Center, 7:30-10 a.m. Tickets $5 each in advance, $6 at the door. Tours of the Harding Home are $5 that day, to coincide with the Marion Area Convention & Visitors Bureau's "Be a Tourist in Your Own Backyard" celebration. June 2, "Professor of Falsehoods: William Chancellor's Bid to Derail the Harding Presidency," 7 p.m. at OSU Marion's Guthery Room. Friends of Harding Home and Ohio History Connection members, $5; general admission, $10. (See EVENTS, Page 4) NEWS Vol.PP3, Issue 1 Vol. 3, Issue 1 March April May 2016 2016 Event Calendar President's horse carried White House pride into ring Many people interested in President Harding's White House experience know about his famous Airedale terrior, Laddie Boy. But Harbel, Harding's saddlehorse, earned his own headlines. Harding first glimpsed Harbel in July 1921 at the famous Maryland campsite owned by Harvey Firestone, Thomas Edison and Henry Ford. Firestone had equipped the camp with six horses and offered one to Harding to use. Harding immediately was drawn to the dark-colored, Kentucky- bred gelding named after Firestone's Akron home, Harbel Manor. Harding commented that the three- mile ride was his first in 20 years, although he had ridden every day as a youngster. When he returned to camp with his fellow riders, his wide grin told the whole story. Six months later, Harbel was getting used to his new home in the White House stables. Harding hadn't been able to stop thinking about the horse; he bought Harbel from Firestone. Harding, along with good friend Gen. John "Blackjack" Pershing, enjoyed entering horses in local competitions. Harbel, often ridden by U.S. Army Sgt. Joseph Metheson in competition, sometimes went head to head with Pershing's favorite horse, Jeff. Pershing's other three horses, Prominent Tom, Princess and Dandy, competed in the officers' jumping class. The Army held many of the shows, since calvary horses had participated in the recent World War and still were important to the military. Harbel garnered headlines each time he competed in a show and especially when he won a blue ribbon at the National Capital Horse Show in May 1922. Just a few months later, though, the headlines were harsh when Harbel failed to place at another show. Forgiving the mistake in gender, the point was made when one newspaper headline stated: Harding's Little Mare 'Harbel' Not What It 'Uster Be'. The President often rode Harbel through Potomac Park in Washington, enjoying the peace and quiet in the near empty streets on early Sunday mornings. The President's safety was guarded by just one Secret Service agent. President Harding and Harbel in Potomac Park
Transcript of Vol. 3, Issue 1 March April May 2016 2016 Event President ... · Harding Presidency," 7 p.m. at OSU...
Autumn is one of those seasons that provide great opportunities for outdoor play and creative
March 13, Beyond the Ropes, 1:30 & 3:30 p.m. sessions at the Harding Home. We'll surprise you with a look at special items in the Harding Home Collections. Reservations required due to limited seating. Friends of Harding Home and Ohio History Connection members, no charge; general admission, $10.
May 1, President Harding Golf Outing, Marion Country Club. Shotgun start at noon, casual dinner and auction to follow. Proceeds benefit the restoration of the Harding Home.
May 7-8, Opening Weekend of the 2016 visitor season. Beginning this weekend, the site is open 12-5 p.m., Wed.-Sun. through November 6. *Site open Memorial Day and July 4; closed on Labor Day and November 2.
May 7, 9-12 p.m., Presidential Gardeners Plant Sale on the Harding Home grounds.
May 14, Kickoff Breakfast, Tri-Rivers Career Center, 7:30-10 a.m. Tickets $5 each in advance, $6 at the door. Tours of the Harding Home are $5 that day, to co inc ide w i th t he Mar ion Area Convention & Visitors Bureau's "Be a Touris t in Your Own Backyard" celebration.
June 2, "Professor of Falsehoods: William Chancellor's Bid to Derail the Harding Presidency," 7 p.m. at OSU Marion's Guthery Room. Friends of Harding Home and Ohio History Connection members, $5; general admission, $10.
(See EVENTS, Page 4)
NEWS
Vol.PP3, Issue 1
Vol. 3, Issue 1 March April May 2016
2016 EventCalendar
President's horse carriedWhite House pride into ringMany people in teres ted in President Harding's White House experience know about his famous Airedale terrior, Laddie Boy. But Harbel, Harding's saddlehorse, earned his own headlines.
Harding first glimpsed Harbel in July 1921 at the famous Maryland campsite owned by Harvey Firestone, Thomas Edison and Henry Ford. Firestone had equipped the camp with six horses and offered one to Harding to use. Harding immediately was drawn to the dark-colored, Kentucky-b r e d g e l d i n g n a m e d a f t e r Firestone's Akron home, Harbel Manor.
Harding commented that the three-mile ride was his first in 20 years, although he had ridden every day as a youngster. When he returned to camp with his fellow riders, his wide grin told the whole story.
Six months later, Harbel was getting used to his new home in the White House stables. Harding hadn't been able to stop thinking
about the horse; he bought Harbel from Firestone.
Harding, along with good friend Gen. John "Blackjack" Pershing, enjoyed entering horses in local competitions. Harbel, often ridden by U.S. Army Sgt . Joseph M e t h e s o n i n c o m p e t i t i o n , sometimes went head to head with Pershing's favorite horse, Jeff. Pershing's other three horses, Prominent Tom, Princess and Dandy, competed in the officers' jumping class. The Army held many of the shows, since calvary horses had participated in the recent World War and still were important to the military.
Harbel garnered headlines each time he competed in a show and especially when he won a blue ribbon at the National Capital Horse Show in May 1922. Just a few months later, though, the headlines were harsh when Harbel failed to place at another show.
Forgiving the mistake in gender, the point was made when one newspaper headl ine s ta ted: Harding's Little Mare 'Harbel' Not What It 'Uster Be'.
The President often rode Harbel t h r o u g h P o t o m a c P a r k i n Washington, enjoying the peace and quiet in the near empty streets on early Sunday mornings. The President's safety was guarded by just one Secret Service agent.
President Harding and Harbel in Potomac Park
What Happens to the Trees in Autumn?
If you are a member of the Friends of Harding Home (or you want to be), mark your calendar for Saturday, June 18.
On that day, the Harding Home is treating its Friends members to a free event from 1-3:30 p.m. A casual lunch will be available anytime between 1 and 2 p.m. in our large tent. At 2 p.m., we'll give you an update about what's going on at the site, and at 2:30, we'll let you know all t h e d e t a i l s a b o u t t h e Harding Home r e s t o r a t i o n . People who are not yet Friends members are welcome at the event for $20 each.
The Ohio History Connection's Chris Buchanan will be coordinating the restoration of the Harding Home and will share the discoveries made by the team of experts who poked and prodded the Home over the last 18 months.
Those experts, which included architects, archaeologists and an expert in paint finishings, compiled their findings into an Historic Structure Report. That report will be used as the basis for the physical work , guaran tee ing tha t the restoration will be the most accurate possible. A grant from the Jeffries Family Foundation in Wisconsin covered the cost of the research.
Buchanan will describe the depth of research, explaining how the puzzle of restoration work occurs. He will
share some of the artifacts found during the archaeological dig and point to what the paint and wallpaper analysis revealed.
The restoration aims to rework the interior of the Harding Home as closely as possible to how it looked in 1920, when Harding campaigned from his home prior to his election
to the presidency.
Harding Home S i t e M a n a g e r Sherry Hall said visitors will love the transformation and the way it will make them feel -- like they truly are dropping i n o n 1 9 2 0 America.
" I w o n ' t b e s u r p r i s e d i f people tell us they feel as if they
should pitch in and help the senator with his campaign," she said."It will be a one-of-a-kind experience for our visitors."
Harding Home invites Friendsto day of good food and info
It's quick, easyto become a
Friends member!You can make a difference at the Harding Home! The Friends of the Harding Home help us with expenses with their yearly membership donations. And we love their attendance at events and programs!
Friends members get a lot in return, too. Most of our events have reduced admission fees for Friends members, and some events are offered to members free of charge. They always receive 10% off in our gift shop and can tour the Harding Home free of charge anytme during the year.
The Friends Day, scheduled for June 18, is one way of showing our members how much we appreciate them. You'll note that non-members can attend this event for $20, but that same $20 can go a lot further witih a purchase of an individual membership. Not only can you attend the June event free of charge, but can begin taking advantage of the other member benefits for the next year.
You can download a membership form at www.hardinghome.org, email us t h ro u g h t h e w e bs ite , o r c a l l 800.600.6894.
Friends DayAt a Glance
When: June 18, 1-3:30 p.m.
Where: Harding Home tent
What: Lunch & program
Cost: No charge for Friends members; $20 for nonmembers
RSVP: By June 10 800.600.6894 or [email protected]
Join us on Saturday, May 14 at Tri-Rivers Career Center, 2222 Marion-Mt. Gilead Road (Rt. 95) from 7:30-10 a.m. for all-you-can-eat waffles and your choice of toppings. We dare you to try Warren's favorite -- chipped beef and gravy! You'll also get bacon and beverages -- all for $5 in advance and $6 at the door. For tickets, call or email the site.
All proceeds will be used to help restore the Hardings' White House piano, which is currently stored off-site.
Proceeds of waffle breakfastwill help restore Florence's piano
Fireside Chats recapHarding's death didn't shake friends' loyaltyWhen the Harding presidency was all said and done in August 1923, a small group of fr iends and colleagues stayed true to him.
Sen. Joseph Frelinghuysen of New Jersey, and Ohioans George Christian Jr., Malcolm Jennings and Ed Scobey became the core of t he newly fo rmed Hard ing Memorial Association, which solicited funds from across the nation to build the Harding Memorial and cared for the Harding Home from 1926 until 1979.
This special handful of friends and the different ways in which they knew the president, was the focus of the 2016 Fireside Chats. The Harding Home program offers a new subject each year, and encourages the audience to participate with its own theories and comments.
Frelinghuysen, a member of a family who was involved in state and national political service since
the country was founded, was Harding's close friend in the U.S. Senate. That friendship did not abate after Harding entered the White House. Frelinghuysen played golf with the president, loaned his houseboat on occasion and offered his home to Harding to ceremoniously sign the Knox-Porter Resolution to help end World War I hostilities with
Germany. It was Frelinghuysen who was given the honor of presenting the completed Harding Memorial to the HMA in 1931.
George Christian Jr., lived next door to the Hardings in Marion. Harding trusted Christian (even though he was a Democrat) enough to ask him to serve as his personal secretary in the U.S. Senate and the White House.
It was George who acted as a one-man barrier to unwanted guests trying to access the president, and who kept a shaken Florence Harding in his steady grip during the funeral services for the President in Washington and Marion.
Scobey added the light touch to the serious job of president, with his inside jokes and playful postcards. Jennings had remarkable insight about the political landscape, and Harding valued Jennings' very frank comments.
President Calvin Collidge (front, right) was the honorary chair of the Harding Memorial Association, formed after Harding's death. Notice George Christian Jr. (back, fifth from left), Joseph Frelinghuysen (back, sixth from left), and Malcolm Jennings (back, seventh from left). (Harding Home photo)
Spring means golf, and that's just what we're doing on Sunday, May 1 at the Marion Country Club.
Registrations are under way for the President Harding Golf Outing, which begins with a shotgun start at noon. Golf foursomes are $400 per team, and individuals and companies are urged to sponsor a tee or green for $100. Your golf package includes greens fees, cart, complimentary gifts, boxed lunch, casual dinner, silent auction and live auction. Tickets for just the dinner are $25 each. Proceeds go to the restoration of the Harding Home.
Acs fThe Waror Autumn
(Events, from Page One)
June 18, Friends of Harding Home Day at the Harding Home, 1-3:30 p.m. Casual meal followed by site update and program about the Harding Home restoration. Friends members, no charge; general admission, $20.
June 23, Silent Movie Night at the Harding Home, 7 p.m. Freewill donation.
July 15-16, Warren G. Harding Symposium at OSU Marion.
Ju ly 16 , Annua l Pres iden t ia l Wreathlaying at Harding Memorial, 10:30 a.m. No admission charge.
August 4, "The Help," 7 p.m. at OSU Marion's Guthery Room. Meet some of the people who worked for the Hardings and learn their stories. Friends of Harding Home and Ohio History Connection members, no charge; general admission, $10.
October 9, 85th Annual Scout Pilgrimage at the Harding Memorial, 3 p.m. . No charge.
November 13, Beyond the Ropes, 1:30 and 3:30 sessions at the Harding Home. Friends of Harding Home and Ohio History Connection members, no charge; general admission, $10. Reservations required due to limited seating.
November 17, Florence Harding Shopping Spree, 8-10 p.m., Scioto Shoe Mart, 206 James Way, Marion. See how shoe styles have changed through the decades and get a jumpstart on your holiday shopping at the same time. Friends of Harding Home and Ohio History Connection members, $10; general admission, $15. Advance tickets only.
Questions?800.600.6894
Warren G. Harding Symposium
July 15-16, 2016 at OSU Marion
"The American Presidential Candidate:Reality vs. Illusion"
Details and registration available soon at www.hardinghome.org or www.osumarion.edu
Golfers chip in to helprestoration of Harding Home
Jamie Harding (left), intently eyes the green for his fairway shot at the 2015 Outing. Some of o u r g o l f e r s discovered that a b i t o f b o d y English (right) pays off with a nice putt. Sunny skies and mild t e m p e r a t u re s g r e e t e d l a s t year's golfers.
The Warren G. Harding Home & Memorialare historic sites of the Ohio History Connection,
locally managed by Marion Technical College
