Humble Beginnings
The birthplace of the 30th U.S. President, located in Plymouth Notch, lets visitors step into state and national history and see where Calvin Coolidge lived his early life. Spanning 600 acres and featuring historic buildings like the President’s birthplace, the church where the family worshiped, the 1924 summer White House, and more, the site offers visitors a full day of activity and exploration.
The museum and education center on campus feature several exhibits on Coolidge’s early life and his rise to the White House.
Presidential History
Coolidge studied at Amherst before going on to read law for a firm and slowly climbing the ladder of local politics. As governor of Massachusetts, he rose to the national stage after managing a police strike that had begun to escalate in Boston. Not long after this national attention, Coolidge was on the presidential ticket as Vice President. During his vacation in Vermont, the elected President Harding died suddenly, and his father inaugurated Coolidge.
At the President Calvin Coolidge State Historic Site, visitors can see the place that became so important to the 30th President. It is more than the president’s birthplace and the place where he was inaugurated for the first time. Coolidge also made his first Summer White House in Plymouth Notch—which can be toured.
During Coolidge’s presidency, it was common for the President to leave DC during the summer months to escape the hot, humid weather for milder summers. However, the commander-in-chief would still conduct their work at a ‘Summer White House’. Coolidge did not stay exclusively in Plymouth Notch during these summer periods, but the significance of the Summer White House maintained there cannot be overstated. Much of the Vermonter’s early presidency is tied to his childhood home; visiting the State Historic Site is a must for state history.
Cheddar Legacy
When you visit the historic site, you’ll see that Calvin Coolidge isn’t the only Coolidge to leave a legacy in Vermont; though not quite as nationally popular as his son, Colonel Jon Coolidge founded the oldest cheese company in the United States.
Visitors can sample cheese from the Plymouth Cheese Company while visiting the Coolidge State Historic Site, when they pass through the store that the Coolidges used to run. Dairy farming was not the only trade of the Coolidges, but it seems to be the enduring industry. You can visit the Plymouth Cheese Company website to see the history they are so proud of on display, and perhaps get ideas for an upcoming visit.
