FDR, Dwight Eisenhower and Winston Churchill have all felt it—no, I don’t mean the thrill that lording immense power over others brings—I’m referring to the ghost of Abraham Lincoln. Supposedly these mighty men, as well as Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands (and bunches of the White House staff) have felt Honest Abe’s presence in the White House. Abe’s still so attached to his post according to some witness, that his spirit becomes even more active at times of national emergency. Ah, if only all leaders were like that!
But it seems that Abe’s not alone in haunting the White House. Although he was first noticed during Calvin Coolidge’s term, it seems Former First Lady Abigail Adams the earliest remaining ghost, being occasionally caught hanging the laundry to dry in the East Room, and Dolley Madison still peeks in at her much-loved Rose Garden.
Dolley is so protective of her garden that, according to White House lore, when Former First Lady Mrs. Woodrow Wilson wanted to dig it up and replace it, Dolley’s ghost supposedly arrived and warned them not to disturb it. Dolley’s rose garden still blooms, undisturbed.
Construction began on the White House in 1792 and it was ready for the Adams family to move in during 1800. Early on it was referred to as the “Presidential Palace.” During the war of 1812 it (as well as other government buildings in the area) was burned by the British. At the war’s end it was repaired and whitewashed to hide the smoke marks—and that was when the name “White House” was first adopted.
Staff members also report strange bursts of cool air and doors that close without human help and the sensation of feeling “presences” in certain areas of the old complex.
Former First Lady, Mrs. Lincoln did hold at least on seance in the Green Room. She was attempting to contact her son, Willie. He had died in the White House during his father’s term in office, leaving his mother grief-stricken. Although she didn’t seem to make contact with Willie (who did show up during grant’s administration), Mrs. Lincoln did report a sighting (and “hearing”) of Former President Andrew Jackson’s ghost walking the halls of the White House—and swearing profusely!
Stories also mention a British soldier’s ghost from 1814 holding a torch. Perhaps he remains, a witness to the fiery devastation he helped start hundreds of years ago.
A few folks have even reported hearing a voice claiming to be Mr. Burns introducing himself. It’s especially interesting when you realize that David Burns was the landowner who gave the US government the acreage for the White House. So, even when our Legislators are on a break and the President’s off on vacation, rest assured that our White House is still being manned by the restless spirits of great leaders from our past.
No comments:
Post a Comment