About This BlogWelcome to the Eisenhower Dispatch, the Blog of the Eisenhower National Historic Site! Posts on this blog are researched, developed, and written primarily by the staff at the Eisenhower National Historic Site as well as by park interns and guests. The purpose of this blog is to highlight stories of Dwight and Mamie Eisenhower, their families, and their era, and to tell stories pertaining to their home and farm near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. We will also use this page to discuss interpretive and education program opportunities, provide resources for teachers and students, share stories about items in the park's museum collection, and highlight the work and service of our volunteer staff. The National Park Service is dedicated to protecting our natural and cultural resources and providing visitors with a full experience in appreciating our nation’s past, both on site and online. We hope you enjoy our blog. "Christmas Eve on a Gettysburg Farm"
December 21, 2021
In December 1955, New Yorker Frank Sohl wrote a Christmas poem for President Dwight Eisenhower. Sohl's poem saw Eisenhower visited by the spirits of three former presidents at his Gettysburg farm one snowy Christmas Eve. Eisenhower loved Sohl's work and sent copies to friends. The poem was picked up by newspaper across the country. Today, it reminds us of the expectations Eisenhower felt as president and the desire for peace we all feel each Christmas season. A Day When Everything Changed- Dwight Eisenhower and the Attack on Pearl Harbor
December 07, 2020
On December 7, 1941, Dwight Eisenhower was a fifty-one-year-old Bvt. Brigadier General at Fort Sam Houston in Texas. The events of that day would forever change both Eisenhower’s life and the course of world history. When The Eisenhower Home Became The Eisenhower National Historic Site
December 02, 2020
On November 27, 1967, and after much reflection, Dwight and Mamie Eisenhower transferred the deed to their home and farm in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, to Secretary of the Interior Stewart Udall. In that moment, the Eisenhower's home became the Eisenhower National Historic Site. Remembering the “Date Which Will Live In Infamy”: The Poems of Lt. Henry Lee
December 08, 2021
The events of December 7, 1941, impacted millions of Americans. Lt. Henry Lee was an officer in the U.S. Army serving in the Philippines. He recorded his response to Pearl Harbor in a poem on December 8, 1941, part of his collection of poems and writings from WWII. "Time Will Not Dim the Glory of Their Deeds": President Dwight D. Eisenhower and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
November 09, 2021
Today—100 years after the burial of America’s World War I Unknown—the Tomb of the Unknown reminds us of all those who have sacrificed so much, known and unknown. The staff of the Eisenhower National Historic Site is honored to join in the remembrance of this solemn occasion, and the small role which President Eisenhower played in it. General Dwight David Eisenhower’s Military Career Outside WWI and WWII
August 17, 2021
General Eisenhower was well known for his extraordinary military career during World War II. During the war, he rose to the lofty position of Supreme Allied Commander despite never enduring the horrors of fighting in World War I. Outside of General Eisenhower’s service during the world wars, most people know very little of his military career. This time of his army life with painfully slow advancement in rank developed Eisenhower into the great leader of armies. Ike's Hobbies
August 07, 2021
Unlike many people with demanding and difficult jobs, Ike had many hobbies such as golf, bridge, painting, raising black angus show cows, hunting, fishing, shooting, and enjoying all things Western. His hobbies allowed him to manage the stress and strain of the most challenging and mentally strenuous job in the world. A Family of Service
March 19, 2021
Robert and Dorothy McCormick both served in the United States Navy during WWII. Their family’s story reminds us of the many ways we can serve others and of the many ways in which history connects us all. "My Dear Mr. President": Jackie Robinson and Dwight Eisenhower
February 17, 2021
Dwight Eisenhower received many letters from citizens on important issues. In 1957 and 1958, baseball star and Civil Rights activist Jackie Robinson wrote to President Eisenhower about his stance on Civil Rights, voicing his desires for stronger Federal action to protect the rights of African Americans in the United States. His letter of May 1958, expresses the frustration Robinson felt at what he considered to be Eisenhower's slow pace on issues pertaining to Civil Rights. BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE: THE WHITE HOUSE YEARS OF E. FREDERIC MORROW
February 03, 2021
E. Frederic Morrow, the first ever African American to hold an executive position in the White House, worked for Dwight Eisenhower as an Administrative Officer for Special Projects against the backdrop of the Civil Rights Era. In this position, he confronted racism both personally and professionally and often found himself frustrated and even angered at what he called Eisenhower's "lukewarm stand on civil rights." January 20: The Beginning and the End: Ike's First and Last Inaugurations
January 12, 2021
January 20 was a memorable date in Dwight Eisenhower's life. "A Cold and Frosty Affair:" Ike and Truman's Strained Relationship on Inauguration Day, 1953
January 05, 2021
It is a routine yet special occurrence in American history—one political leader handing over the most powerful office in the land—the Presidency of the United States—to another. In some cases, this transfer is done amongst friends and political allies. In others, it is amongst political rivals. On January 20, 1953, such a transfer of power occurred, when President Harry Truman passed the torch of leadership to incoming President Dwight D. Eisenhower. These two men were giant A Season of Hardship and Struggle: Eisenhower's World War II Christmases
December 23, 2020
For soldiers, especially during wartime, Holiday joy and the comfort of hearth and home are often a very far cry away. This was true as well for General Dwight Eisenhower who experienced several Christmases away from his loving wife and son during the great conflict of World War II. However, there were still glimpses of normalcy and holiday cheer that pushed their way through to the fighting men even during the bloody acts of war. Dwight Eisenhower and the Battle of the Bulge
December 17, 2020
The Battle of the Bulge stands as one of the great contests of the Second World War. Eisenhower and his commanders had been ill prepared for the German counteroffensive, losing significant ground in the battle’s early days. While the Americans had ultimately regained their lost positions, it came at a steep cost. Over 105,000 soldiers were killed, wounded, captured, or missing, equating to roughly one out of every ten American casualties for the entire war. |
Last updated: December 2, 2020