From The Library of Congress Archives: Historical Photos of Presidents Tied to Agriculture
A selection of historical photos from the Library of Congress archives showing former presidents with a connection to the land.
George Washington
Our first president, George Washington, was born into a family of middle-class tobacco planters in Virginia. He was once described as the “foremost farmer” of America, experimenting with crop rotation, fertilizer, and new equipment. He believed in making America a key agricultural player.
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt, although not born into a family of farmers, had always had a keen interest in nature. He studied biology at Harvard, and was a talented naturalist and ornithologist. His love of nature prompted him to acquire several pets, including a barn owl, a pony, and a one-legged rooster. When he temporarily left politics after the death of his first wife, he moved to the Dakotas to operate two ranches. During this time, he learned to hunt and rope like a regular cowboy. This cemented the frontiersman image he retains today.
Woodrow Wilson
While not all presidents could ride a horse like Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson did his part to lend aid to farmers during the early part of the twentieth century. In 1916, Wilson passed the Federal Farm Loan Act. The law was intended to increase credit to rural families. These loans allowed farmers to compete with big business, decreasing the likelihood of farming monopolies.
Jimmy Carter
And of course there’s our 29th president, Jimmy Carter, a peanut farmer from Georgia. The peanut farm had been the business of Carter’s father, who also operated both warehouse and store, but after his death, Carter took it upon himself to run the land. Applying skills acquired from his Bachelors of Science from the U.S. Naval Academy, the farm began to prosper once again. By the time he ran for governor of Georgia in 1970, he was considered a wealthy farmer, all thanks to the simple peanut. Having been such an integral part of his life, the nut was on display at his presidential inauguration in 1977.
Subscribe
0 Comments
Most Voted
