We have a little downtime during our trip to North Carolina, so my daughter and I stop in to see the birthplace of President James K. Polk. It's not a big place -- a few log cabins, a small garden, decent expanse of lawn, and a small graveyard (which we did not locate). There's also a small museum on the property.
Of course, it's free, so that makes it even better.
The only way to see the inside of the log cabins is by taking the tour. There is a tour leaving as we arrive, but the humidity is so intense this afternoon that we cannot commit to even fifteen minutes outside then another fifteen or more inside cabins that are completely shuttered. It must be stifling inside those small buildings that have been baking in the North Carolina sun all day.
The museum, though, is a miniature gold mine. The displays are fascinating, the information is educational but accessible, and the items owned by the museum are, for lack of a better term, totally cool. I didn't know much about Polk going into this; I didn't even know he was from North Carolina, let alone Charlotte, and I've been to Charlotte half a dozen times. The only thing I knew about Polk is that he had longish gray hair and wore suit coats with tails.
What I learn about Polk is that he possibly could've prevented the Civil War ... but didn't. I'm not certain if this is a nightmare or a dream come true, depending on one's political viewpoint. He did expand the US across the country, led the country through the Mexican-American War, and reformed the US banking system (where is he now when we need him). He promised to be a one-term president, and he kept that promise. (Of course, he died right after he left office, but I digress.)
The museum is full of great minutiae, such as machinery, china, clothing, a flag captured during the Mexican-American War, old newspapers, documents, political propaganda, and furniture. The best part of the museum, though, concentrated on relatives of Polk, characters of distinction from the time period. I'm not going to lie -- I was most impressed by the Civil War epaulettes, the large gold fringed shoulder decorations that rested on an officer's coat. These things are massive, larger than dinner plates, and must be very heavy.
My daughter and I both wish the air weren't so saturated, but spending more than twenty minutes outside seems deadly. After visiting the air conditioned museum, we give ourselves a quick tour of the grounds. Next time we're down here, we will take the time to tour the insides of the cabins and learn more about the eleventh president of the United States.
It's a worthwhile stop, though. Usually I find bizarre roadside places to stop, but this one is definitely a mini Southern and American gem.
