President Calvin Coolidge Historic Site, Plymouth, Vermont. Coolidge is one of my favorite presidents. He was our 30th president, and was the only president to be born on the 4th of July (1872). Coolidge was faithful to the US Constitution during his term; he refused to use government intervention to “correct” a downturn in the economy, much to the displeasure of the progressives. He was a very straight arrow, no-nonsense person. He was especially known to use an economy of words. It was reported that while at a Washington social event during Coolidge’s presidency (1923-1929), a news reporter approached the president and told him that he had bet another reporter that he would be able to get the president to say more than two words, to which Coolidge replied “You lose”.The view from the village of Plymouth, VermontCalvin Coolidge was born here, in a back room of the General Store. This is the actual room where Calvin Coolidge was born.Room in Coolidge’s birthplaceKitchen in Coolidge’s birthplaceThe Coolidge Home in Plymouth. The entire village of Plymouth was a tour – the general store, old school house, Coolidge home, the cheese company, and a few others. It was actually a much better tour than I expected. The self-guided tour of the Coolidge home was really neat. It is a well preserved example of the simple American rural life back in the late 1800s.This was Calvin Coolidge’s bedroom. There are two pairs of his shoes next to the dresser on the far wall.Although he was a Vermont native, Coolidge went to college in Massachusetts and stayed there, eventually serving as Governor. He was President Warren Harding’s Vice President from 1921-1923, when Harding died. At the time Harding died, Coolidge was visiting his father here in Plymouth. His father, a notary public, administered the presidential oath of office to his son in this room, using the Bible on the table in the center of the room.President Coolidge used to relax on this front porch. Now, so have I!Carriage House at the Coolidge homesteadOfficial portrait of President Calvin Coolidge. Calvin’s father operated the Plymouth Cheese Corp. here. His father also was involved in just about every activity in this small village, which is mostly as it was when Calvin Coolidge was growing up here. General Store. Calvin Coolidge was born in a room in the rear of this building.Plymouth Post OfficeVillage streetUnion Christian ChurchChurch interiorSchoolhouse1923 Ford President Calvin Coolidge grave.Portrait of President Calvin Coolidge hanging in the Vermont state capitol.
