How and Why a Grover Cleveland Exhibit?
I got my first museum experience in the summer of 1992. I applied and received the first Caldwell College internship offered at the Grover Cleveland Birthplace in Caldwell, New Jersey. For those of you not up to speed with presidential trivia, Grover Cleveland was the first and only NJ born president. Born in 1837, Grover was born at the manse of the First Presbyterian Church of Caldwell (his father, Richard, was the Minster). Grover was named after Stephen Grover, the first minister of Caldwell. Grover was the 22nd & 24th President - the only one elected in nonconsecutive terms: won in 1884, lost in 1888, and won again in 1892. Cleveland was a conservative Democrat, known and well respected for his brutal honesty in a time of severe corruption. If you think political corruption is bad today - catch up on your history and you will learn today's stuff is NOTHING compared to the things going on in our early political history!!!
Grover (actually named Stephen Grover Cleveland but he dropped the Stephen in his early teen years) lived the first 4 years of his life in Caldwell before moving to upstate New York (the Buffalo area/Erie County). The manse continued to be used by ministers of the church, undergoing several additions throughout the years. Five years after Cleveland's death in 1913, a group of local citizens and some of Cleveland's friends bought the manse and converted it into a museum. Hard times fell upon the friends group during the Depression era, so it later became under the ownership of the NJ State Dept. of Parks around 1933. Since then, the Parks Dept has been attempting to maintain this site open as a museum (I say attempting because they should do a lot more for the site - in my opinion - but that's a whole other story for another time).
Anyway - I worked there for five years ( I was hired after my internship). It was a great experience which changed the direction of my professional career. I had the opportunity to work with some nice people (Sharon the museum's Caretaker, her family and Audrey - a volunteer registrar). If I had to pick my best experience - without exception - it would be meeting Francis Grover Cleveland and his daughter Marion. Read the story below for all the details!
The Grover Cleveland experience also got me into the presidential collecting hobby. This page is dedicated to the goodies I have collected over the years. I will be rotating this on-line exhibit regularly - so check back often!
A Museum Experience of a Lifetime!
Summer 1995 & 1996
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Above: These 2 pictures represent one of the best moments of my museum career - meeting Francis Grover Cleveland. Francis was the youngest son of President Grover Cleveland (1837-1908), our 22nd & 24th President. Imagine meeting someone who knew Grover Cleveland! WOW! During my 2 visits with Francis, he entrusted me with the delivery of priceless Cleveland family artifacts to his father's museum (Grover Cleveland Birthplace Museum in Caldwell, NJ - only 3 blocks away from my place - call Sharon for visiting hours (973) 226-0001 and tell her I said hi). Sadly, Francis passed on in 1995. However, his enthusiasm and generosity lives on in memories of the thousands of lives he touched (especially mine). Although gone, he is not forgotten!
The Grover Cleveland Virtual Exhibit
Cigar Anyone?
The Wedding Bells Cigar Box. Cleveland was a bachelor during his first term until he married Frances Folsom. They were the only presidential couple ever married in the White House (in the Blue Room). Grover was 49, Frances was 21! The picture above features the interior label.
Top of the Wedding Bells cigar Box. Frances' image was spattered on tons of products (which they did not endorse). She is among the most popular First Ladies in our history.
Obviously very pretty and well educated, Frances was just as popular, if not more than, Grover.
Grover Cleveland in Glass...
A 3-D Grover Cleveland bottle made of frosted glass.
The GC bottle in profile. It stands about 10" tall.
12 inch glass plate - beautifully preserved!
Paper weight measuring about 4 " x 2".
Frances paper weight measuring about 3" diameter.
Keep It Under Your Hat!
Campaign top hats made for the 1888 campaign. Although Cleveland won the popular vote, he just lost the electoral vote. HMMM sound familiar?
Inside one of the top hats: the Democratic candidates Cleveland (left) and Allen Thurman (right).
Inside the other top hat: the Republican candidates Benjamin Harrison (left) and Levi Morton (right). Harrison was the grandson President William Henry Harrison, who died shortly after his inaugural speech years earlier. He got pneumonia from giving a ridiculously long inaugural address in foul weather.
Miscellaneous Items:
C & S represents "Cleveland & Stevenson (yes, Adlai Stevenson the elder). This object is a belt buckle made for the 1892 campaign.
A store display of lapel or stud buttons featuring GC. Note on the background the Capitol Building in red ink
STAY TUNED FOR MORE!
----- Last Updated on August 8, 2001 -----