Hail to the Chief - and His Wife (P*S*C* #14)

Above: the boyhood home of the 37th president, built by his father in hopes of farming lemon trees nearby.

In California, we were staying near the boyhood home of Richard M. Nixon in Yorba Linda. Though neither of us were Nixon fans while he was President, it is still interesting to discover more of a balanced view of his personal life and how his journey from boy to man influenced his time in the Oval Office.

Here we see the entry to The Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum.

Both of us have visited Presidential homes and birthplaces in the past - Mount Vernon (Washington), Monticello (Jefferson), Springfield (Lincoln), Sagamore Hill (Roosevelt) to name a few. We like them for different reasons: Wes likes the political aspects, the cars and helicopters, and the historical implications. Me? I like the home aspects of the first family - the wife and children, the decor, photos and letters, the fashions. Good balance.

I always feel like I hit the jackpot when I can see the actual outfits of the First Lady and her family! Seeing the wedding dresses of Tricia and Julie Nixon was a treat and a testament to how fashions evolve.

The museum even housed mannequins wearing the Inaugural gowns of Mrs. N and her daughters!

For some odd reason, the Inaugural gown worn in 2005 by Laura Bush was also on exhibit.

Which brings me to the upcoming Inauguration...so very excited about it! Can't wait to see the fashions that this family will be bringing to the public eye! Maybe when we're old(er) and gray(er) we will be making visits to their homes, too. Coming: Mission Possible!