PRESIDENTS IN PERSON: Driving to Mount Rushmore, from downtown Los Angeles? Oh, it takes a smidgen under twenty hours to get to the South Dakota-located landmark, give or take. Which actually seems rather shorter than we would have guessed -- same for you? Yes. But driving to Yorba Linda from Los Angeles takes a fraction of that time, as you definitely know, and the spirit of Rushmore can be found there as well. For come Presidents' Day, which falls on Monday, Feb. 17 in 2014, all four Commanders in Chiefs depicted on the famous mountain shall call upon the Nixon Presidential Library, to meet fans and pose for pictures and celebrate their national holiday.
FREE DAY AT THE LIBRARY: Beyond walking into the Yorba Linda library and seeing the quartet of leaders in their traditional historic dress, all standing together -- quite the stirring sight -- the first hundred guests that day will get a slice of free cherry pie. If you're not sure about the significance of that particular dish and Presidents' Day, perhaps take a moment to ask President Washington. Another tasty part of the day? Admission to the library is free.
MORE HISTORIC HAPPENINGS: Music shall reign, in the form of selections played by the U.S. Air Force Band of the Golden West. And the four presidents? After they pose for photos with visitors, they'll speak at 1 p.m. We're hoping that one will address how it feels to be depicted in granite, which is an honor indeed, but they may likely discuss the long-ago time when they called the White House home.
AND, OF COURSE... a trip to Mount Rushmore, though it doesn't need to come on the heels of the holiday, should be in order. Ever been? It's indeed majestic and even a little unbelievable, given the scale and setting. But having chatted with President Washington, President Jefferson, President Roosevelt, and President Lincoln back at the Nixon Presidential Library in California, you just may feel more of a keen connection to the sight and all that it represents.
