Mike Purdy's Presidential History Blog
Remembering Barbara Bush
There is no job description for First Lady, nor is there a job description for being a political spouse. Nevertheless, Barbara Bush navigated being in the public eye for more than 50 years as the wife of prominent politician and one-term president, George H.W. Bush... read more
The Spell of Reagan’s Ranch
“From the first day we saw it,” Ronald Reagan said, “Rancho del Cielo cast a spell over us. No place before or since has ever given Nancy and me the joy and serenity it does.” Reagan’s Beloved Retreat: Rancho del Cielo (Ranch in the Sky) was Reagan’s beloved... read more
When Shots Rang Out
Many of us know that four presidents have been assassinated (Abraham Lincoln, James Garfield, William McKinley, John F. Kennedy). But what is less known is there have been numerous attempted assassinations and threats against not just presidents, but presidential... read more
The Scene of the Crimes
Four American presidents have been assassinated. Today, with one exception, you can visit the scene of the crimes and find physical commemorations of the tragedies – in the form of a paint on a road, a theatre box, and an obscure historical marker. The site of... read more
Grant’s Race Against Time
After his presidency, Ulysses S. Grant – an international celebrity – took a two and a half year world tour where he was acclaimed by heads of state. Short of Cash: Back in the United States, he needed an income (the trip had deleted most of his savings)... read more
A Dozen Presidential Books I Read in 2017
There was definitely not enough time in 2017 to read. So many books, so little time! One of my New Year’s resolutions is to read more books. The following is a list of the books about the presidents that I read in 2017 (the titles below are linked to Amazon or... read more
Presidents Playing Poker Together
I recently ran across the paintings below by fine artist Andy Thomas, in which he imagines what it would be like if some our presidents were alive at the same time and got together to relax, laugh, and play poker with each other – separated by political party. ... read more
And the Winner is…
There are actually two winners to announce. Bush Beats Ford as Oldest President: First, on November 25, 2017, George H.W. Bush nabbed the record from Gerald R. Ford as the oldest former president. As of November 25, Bush was 93 years, 166 days old. Ford died when he... read more
23 Mysterious Letters That Shaped an Obscure Presidency
Chester A. Arthur is not one of our better known presidents. Our 21st president served just less than three and a half years, having ascended to the presidency upon the assassination of James A. Garfield. He was unsuccessful in winning the Republican nomination for... read more
My Encounter with Jimmy Carter
It was 38 degrees when I left my hotel room in Americus, Georgia at 5:15 am. My destination was the Maranatha Baptist Church in nearby Plains where Jimmy Carter would be teaching a Sunday School class at 10:00 am. The church’s website informed me that if I... read more
About Mike
Mike Purdy is a presidential historian and author living in Seattle, Washington. As an expert in presidential history, Mike runs PresidentialHistory.com as a public resource.