President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home National Historic Site

President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home National Historic Site was the first stop on my road trip while Scott worked back at the rig on June 14th.  I drove down to Hope, Arkansas and had a rather delightful time.

Bill Clinton was actually born with the last name of Blythe, however his father died three months before he was born in an automobile accident and his mother, Virginia gave Bill the name William Jefferson Blythe, III in honor of him.  She and Bill moved back home with her parents, Eldridge and Edith Grisham Cassidy.  Bill Clinton lived in that home for the first four years of his growing up years and his grandparents raised him while Virginia went to New Orleans to complete her training as a nurse anesthetist degree.  Clinton's grandparents, especially his grandmother, stressed the importance of education and taught him to read before he was in kindergarten.  She taught him his numbers by playing Rook.  He would have to count his numbers before his meals.  In 1950, his mother married Roger Clinton and the family moved to 13th Street in Hope.  After moving to Hot Springs in 1953, Bill's half-brother, Roger Cassidy Clinton was born in 1956.  Bill lived in Hot Springs until he goes to college but at this time he also realizes that his last name is different than that of his brother and so, he petitions to have his last name changed to Clinton so he and his brother share the same name.

I had a fantastic tour guide named Aaron Charles and he took me on a private tour of the home with two other younger gals out on a road trip that day.  The home I toured today had all the vintage mid-century furnishings of that time period and furniture placement was just as it would have been when he lived in the house.

So, let's begin the tour of the home.  It was a big nostalgic for me as many of the furnishing were similar to what I grew up in the 60's.

Living Room

Dining Room

Kitchen

Same fridge I had as a kid!

Rook Cards

Virginia's Room

Bills little bedroom

He learned to read from The Golden Books

Bathroom

Grandparents bedroom

Front Door

Bills Bedroom upstairs

The Visitor's Center is located in a home adjacent to the Cassidy home.

Cassidy Home left and Visitor Center Home right

Backyard view

From the street view

The Visitor's Center has an information area, bookstore and small exhibit.

If you drive in with a rig, go past the VC and there's a lot to turn around in and possibly park.  The street is very narrow.