Photo Essay: Eisenhower Presidential Library

by Emily C. Sims

The Eisenhower Presidential Library in Abilene, KS, was an unscheduled stop on my road trip from St. Louis, Mo., to Las Vegas, Nev. While cruising west on I-70, my boyfriend and I spotted a sign for the library and made an impromptu stop. Neither of us was particularly fascinated by Eisenhower, but we’d been driving for a long time and were bored. After pulling off the  highway, we drove through the main street in town and were immediately enveloped in the small-town feel of Abilene. The library was only a short drive off the highway, and it was nothing like we expected.

I thought it would be one solid, austere looking building with a bunch of boring artifacts–I was quite wrong. The site of the library was a large, grassy campus with five buildings: Eisenhower’s childhood home, a museum, visitors’ center, the library, and the Place of Meditation, which is the burial place of Eisenhower, his wife, Mamie, and their first-born son, Doud. The sprawling campus also features an enormous bronze statue of the man himself.

Here are photos from our spontaneous tour of the Eisenhower Presidential Library:

Eisenhower's childhood home. Members of the Eisenhower family lived here from 1898 to 1946.

Trees give shade to the sidewalk outside of the Visitors' Center. Over 150,000 people visit the center each year.

Place of Meditation. Eisenhower, his wife, and their first son are buried here.

Graves inside of the Place of Meditation.

The Place of Meditation

Entrance to the Eisenhower Presidential Library building.

View of the grounds.

Victory Garden outside of Eisenhower's childhood home.

Here, I am contemplating the Eisenhower statue very seriously.

Eisenhower Presidential Library Contact Information:

200 S.E. 4th Street
Abilene, KS 67410
Tel: 785-263-6700
Fax: 785-263-6715
Toll free: 877 RING IKE
eisenhower.library@nara.gov

http://www.eisenhower.archives.gov

Emily C. Sims is a freelance writer living in Las Vegas. Emily is currently at work on her first novel and she blogs about writing and life as a Vegas newbie on her website, www.emilycsims.com.