Presidential Firsts and Other Fun Facts

Monday is President's Day. You know that holiday where we celebrate the collective birthday of all of our Presidents. Yeah, yeah, yeah...we all know how Barack Obama is our first black President, but there are many other Presidential "firsts" that came long before Obama.






Here are some fun facts and firsts from our other Presidents:

George Washington, our first President, is the only President unanimously elected. He also is the only president not affiliated with any political party.

John Adams was the first President to live in the White House.

Thomas Jefferson was the first President to shake hands with guests. Previously people bowed to Presidents.

John Adams and Thomas Jefferson both died on the 50th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in 1826. Not knowing that Thomas Jefferson has already passed John Adams was quoted as saying "Jefferson survives," when he whispered his last words.

James Madison was the shortest and lightest President at 5 feet, 4 inches and about 100 pounds. And he was the first to wear long pants rather than knee breeches.

John Quincy Adams was the first President to be photographed. He was also the first President to be the son of another President.

Martin Van Buren was the first U.S. President born in the United States. The Presidents preceding Van Buren were born in colonies that later became states. Van Buren was the first to be born after the adoption of the U.S. Constitution.

William Henry Harrison served the shortest presidency, dying just 32 days after he was elected. He delivered the longest inaugural address at 105 minutes. He did not wear an overcoat or hat and afterwards developed pneumonia and died in the White House exactly one month after giving his speech, on April 4.

Millard Fillmore installed the first bathtub and kitchen stove in the White House. He also installed the first library in the White House because there was no Bible available when he moved in.

Abraham Lincoln was the first President to wear a beard and the tallest president at 6’ 4". He was also the first president to die by assassination.

Andrew Johnson had no formal education. His wife taught him reading, writing and math.

Ulysses S. Grant was the first President to run against a woman candidate, Virginia Woodhull the nominee of the “Equal Rights Party” in 1872.

William Taft was the first to own a car. and, weighing in at 332 pounds, was our heaviest President. He got stuck in the White House bathtub the first time he used it and a larger one was ordered. And he owned the last "presidential cow".

Calvin Coolidge lighted the first national Christmas tree in 1923 on the White House lawn.

Warren Harding was the first President to speak over the radio.

Herbert Hoover was the first President born west of the Mississippi River.

Franklin Roosevelt was the first President whose mother was eligible to vote for him. He also served the longest as President, being elected to his 4th term before dying in office.

Harry S. Truman was the first President to give a speech on television and the first to travel underwater in a submarine.

John Kennedy is our youngest President when he was elected 43 years old. He was also the first Catholic President and the first to hold a televised press conference. Though Theodore Roosevelt was 42 when he assumed the office at the death of William McKinley, he was not elected to the presidency until 3 years later.

Lyndon B. Johnson is the only President to take the oath of office from a female official, Judge Sarah T. Hughes.

Richard Nixon is the only Presdent to resign from office.

Gerald Ford became Vice President and President without being elected to either office.

President Jimmy Carter is the first President who was born in a hospital.

George H.W. Bush is distantly related to Presidents Franklin Pierce, Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Gerald Ford, Benedict Arnold, Marilyn Monroe, and Winston Churchill.

Barack Obama, our first black President, collects Spiderman and Conan the Barbarian comic books.

Any other Presidential trivia you want to add?

Oh, and just in case you have forgotten, Saturday is Valentine's Day. If you haven't gotten your cards, candy, bouquets of flowers, jewelry, or reservations at that romantic restaurant, you'd better hurry...