12/29/2024
One of the highlights of our tour planning is making stops at every presidential library and museum we can. Not only do folks that travel with us collect all 50 states but they also collect presidential library visits.
While writing my Hannibal book, my friend life-long friend Susan, and I mean we've known each other since the cradle, reminded me of the Carters visiting America's Hometown and that some of our classmates at Van-Far were excused from school so their parents could take them to see the president.
That led to a few more phone calls and emails. I was able to get in touch with the personal archivist for the Carters and he sent me the photos taken by the cameras carried by the family and apparently even the Secret Service.
These photos show the personal side of the presidency and I'm glad I was able to memorialize it along with the first woman mayor of Visit Hannibal MO, Lillian Herman, who stayed in touch with President Carter long after his presidency. His niece recounted to me the story of her answering the telephone at Aunt Lillian's home and it being the President.
She was not impressed until years later when she realized she had spoken to a US President!
P.S. I'm currently working on my Hermann: A Walk Through History book and every time I search for Hermann, Mayor Lillian usually pops up somewhere in the search.