-James Monroe is the first president I’ve found whose tomb has its own Facebook page. He’s buried in Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia and his tomb is in the national monument registry.
-In February of 2009, Yoni Brenner wrote up a few lesser known presidential tales for the New Yorker. I bet you never knew that “James Monroe, too, had a cherry tree.”
-If you’re looking for a solid book about our fifth president, start with these two Amazon Listmania! lists: “James Monroe, 5th President of the United States” and “JAMES MONROE: 5th PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES” (ironically enough, both have the same name; one author just typed it in all capital letters). Also, Harlow G. Unger’s book, The Last Founding Father: James Monroe and a Nation’s Call to Greatness, was released in 2009 after both lists were created, so that may be another to check out.
-According to T.A. Frail of Smithsonian Magazine, Monroe brokered the third most important land purchase in United States history.
-What’s the only country outside of the United States to name its capital after an American president? Liberia!
-Sadly, there is no James Monroe bobblehead, but you can always show your love with a keychain, mug, t-shirt, money clip, earrings, or life-sized cardboard cut-out. Even better, you could add him to your presidential baseball card collection.
-If you want to be a man of taste, like James Monroe, you should purchase his china:
“After the War of 1812, President James Monroe moved from his home on ‘I’ Street in Washington, DC into the newly re-furbished ‘Executive Mansion’ bringing with him many personal articles, including his gilded, monogrammed porcelain”
-On the other hand, Monroe’s expensive taste was probably what caused him to end up on the list of the poorest U.S. presidents.
-This video is a great little biography about Monroe’s underratedly eventful presidency:
-OurDocuments.gov is a wonderful site that gives the background story to 100 of the United States’ most famous documents. Their treatment of the Monroe Doctrine is great.
-If you’re ever in Charlottesville, Virginia area you can make a stop at Ash Lawn-Highland, Monroe’s home from 1799-1823. Alas, don’t visit during this Christmas season:
The annual cutting of the Christmas tree has been cancelled due to a short supply of suitable trees.
-For those who are more inclined to learn through music, Of Great and Mortal Men has written a song commemorating each and every one of our presidents. However, James Monroe’s song “James Monroe: The Last Cocked Hat” is the only one available for free as a demo. It’s available on a few websites, but Wired.com has a great story that goes with theirs.
-I’d like to know what a pot of gumbo would have looked like at the White House during Monroe’s presidency.
Previous Presidents:
1. George Washington
2. John Adams
3. Thomas Jefferson
4. James Madison
