PRESIDENTS

The Underground Cheese Caves of Missouri

in the 1980s, Springfield was home to a subterranean labyrinth made up of cheese wheels.

Elvis could have been a hunk of granite.

A Fifth Head for Mount Rushmore? Here Are Seven Famous Contenders

Who, if anybody, deserves a place alongside George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt on the famous monument?

Why Ulysses S. Grant’s Wife Julia Always Posed in Profile

After a sweet plea from her husband not to change her looks, the first lady was careful about how she presented herself in pictures.

General George Washington has the look of a man with more stars than anybody else.

Why George Washington Is History's Only Six-Star General

Thanks to a law passed in 1976, our nation's first president—who died more than 200 years ago—is still the military's highest-ranking official.

The Original Version of the Declaration of Independence

Thomas Jefferson was not happy about some of the edits made to his draft. Here's what didn't make the final cut.

John Wilkes Booth shooting Abraham Lincoln, with Clara Harris and Henry Rathbone seated to the right of the president and first lady.

The Couple Who Sat with Lincoln on the Night of His Assassination

The Lincolns weren't alone in the presidential box at Ford's Theater that night.

The Reason U.S. Presidents Aren't Allowed to Drive Cars

From Lyndon B. Johnson to Joe Biden, presidents can get neither fast nor furious behind the wheel.

11 Things You Might Not Know About Jimmy Carter

Jimmy Carter, the 39th president of the United States, was one of the most esteemed humanitarians ever to hold the office. He was also once chased by a wild rabbit.

President Theodore Roosevelt by John Singer Sargent

Roosevelt's "The Man in the Arena"

"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better."

The 10 Worst Presidents in American History, According to Historians

According to historians, these are the worst American presidents ever to hold the highest office in the land.

Did Thomas Jefferson really bring ice cream to the U.S.?

1 Misconception About Each U.S. President

George Washington wasn’t the only U.S. president for whom a healthy dose of fiction gets mixed in with the facts.

Thomas Jefferson wasn't a fan of Turkey Day.

What a Turkey: When Thomas Jefferson Refused to Acknowledge Thanksgiving

The nation's third president didn't want to give Americans the bird.

White House portraits of Abraham Lincoln (by William F. Cogswel), Harry Truman (by Greta Kempton), and Theodore Roosevelt (by John Singer Sargent).

9 U.S. Presidents Who Testified Before Congress

Can Congress subpoena a former president? Yes—but it’s often more of a voluntary situation.

Lizzo plays Madison's crystal flute at the Library of Congress.

How Lizzo Came to Play James Madison’s 200-Year-Old Crystal Flute During a D.C. Concert

“I want everybody to make some noise for James Madison’s crystal flute, y’all!” —Lizzo, international pop star and classical flautist.

10 Things You Might Not Know About Calvin Coolidge

Our 30th president, born on the Fourth of July in 1872, once pardoned a raccoon.

John W. Dean testifying during the Senate Watergate hearings in June 1973.

You Can Stream All 51 Days of the Watergate Hearings Online for Free

The Watergate scandal didn’t actually result in Richard Nixon’s impeachment—but it did generate months of riveting congressional hearings.

The Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.

15 Big Facts About the Lincoln Memorial

Seated proudly at the west end of Washington, D.C.’s National Mall, the Lincoln Memorial is one of the most beloved American monuments. Here are a few things to know on its 100th anniversary.

Harry S Truman in a new Ford automobile, 1945

10 Things You Might Not Know About Harry S. Truman

After two terms, all Truman wanted to do was visit diners on a cross-country road trip.

13 Surprising Facts About Ulysses S. Grant

Ulysses S. Grant was a complicated man in one of the most complicated times in United States history.

America's 10 Tallest and Shortest Presidents

The average height of the U.S. presidents is 5 feet 10 inches, but there have been plenty of outliers in American history.

Richard Nixon's presidency became defined by the Watergate scandal.

10 Facts About the Watergate Scandal

The Watergate scandal forever changed the public's opinion of the government and took down dozens of political careers in its wake. Find out more about the scandal that rocked Washington back in the '70s.

Rest Easy By Saving Up to $700 During Purple's President's Day Mattress Sale

Starting now, you can save up to $700 during Purple's President's Day sale on mattresses, bed frames, and bedding bundles.

Yes, President William Howard Taft had a little trouble while taking a bath. No, it's probably not the story you're thinking about.

From George Washington's Teeth to Taft's Bathtub Drama: 6 Presidential Myths, Debunked

History classes haven't done a great job of ridding these popular presidential myths from the American consciousness.

The Time Jimmy Carter Was Lowered into a Nuclear Reactor—And Then Peed Radioactive Urine

In 1952, Carter—then a Naval officer—was lowered into a nuclear reactor to avert a disaster. His urine became radioactive.