Friday Smiles 392: Returning to the Eisenhower Complex

It's Friday, which means it's time to visit Annie (at A Stitch in Time) along with the wonderful ladies who also join in at Friday Smiles.

We are heading to the Presidential Library.  It houses relevant documents, publications, and other materials that needed to be preserved relating to Ike's life, his presidency, and his administration.  The library was dedicated in May, 1962.  The exterior is made of native limestone.

This was Smithsonian Museum Day and the theme in 2019 may have been about women and women's rights.

I was told all these photos were pulled from the National Archives in the Smithsonian in Washington D.C.

I took this photo to show the incredible floor that was made of Roman Travertine marble with Breche D'Akep and Rouge Flueri trim from France.

The walls were what amazed me, though.  The security person explained they were panels of Laredo Chiaro marble from Italy. 

Everything was so beautiful and seamlessly matched.

My only disappointment was the light that shone through the doors took away from the beauty of the walls.

At first I thought this was copper, but it's a bronze bust of Ike.

There were four floors of documents, photos, books, and ephemera I could peruse, but

at this point, I was SO tired, I only climbed to the second floor where I could peruse documents for research or read a book written by Ike or others.  Here's what I learned while in the Library, although much of it I already knew because of the museum.

Revered by many as one of America's greatest presidents (Ike consistently makes the top ten list for most notable US Presidents), Ike will long be remembered for a most prominent role in American history during particularly turbulent times. Serving as both a top-level general during World War II, commander of forces for NATO in the Korean War of the early fifties, administer of the Free World during the Cold War, and head of the government effort to desegregate schools during his presidency, he will also be remembered for his timely and dire warning presented in his 1961 farewell address in which he brought to light the power of the military-industrial complex. Having had first-hand exposure to the possibility of such an entity from both sides of the table, Ike envisioned a military complex that had gotten out of control.

Following the war, Ike headed off to civilian life, becoming president of Columbia University. The tensions of the Cold War forced Ike's military prowess back into action, this time as head of Allied forces in the Korean War overseeing the newly-formed NATO. He was designated as the Supreme Commander of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in December of 1950 but would retire from all official military capacities by 1952, to which, persuaded once again by his peers, would run for the presidency of the United States. Ike, already a war hero in the eyes of many, was popular throughout the country, going under the banner of "We Like Ike", a catchy slogan that endeared him to many more. He earned a sweeping Republican victory over Democratic rival Adlai Stevenson in the 1952 Presidential Elections, making him the 34th President of the United States.  Incidentally, Ike's presidential victory of 1952 made him the only serving US President with experience as a military general.  Ike also became the first Republican in the White House in 20 years. With the Korean War stalled at an armed armistice in 1953, followed by the death of Stalin that same year, tensions eased with the communist supernation, opening the door to talks.  A meeting in Geneva during the summer of 1955 lay down the groundwork for even more openness.

Something I didn't realize was Ike was part of a movement to bring about the phrase "under God" to the United States Pledge of Allegiance in 1954. Additionally, he was instrumental in the usage of the phrase "In God We Trust" as both a motto of the nation in 1956 and as printed on all US currency starting 1957. 

During his second term of office, Ike focused on domestic issues.  He turned his attention to the desegregation of schools and of the military with the eternal words of "There must be no second class citizens in this country."

By the time of his death and years afterwards, Ike would hold numerous national and international military and peacetime awards and titles while having a multitude of schools, parks, and roadways named in his honor.  Wichita's International Airport was recently renamed to honor him.


I had been here for over seven hours and I'm just not used to standing and walking that long without a break.  I decided to forgo the remainder of the floors and put this visit behind me.

I now wish I'd stayed longer because I was sure this would probably be the only time I would ever get here.

As I walked to the Place of Meditation, I once again saw the Abilene and Smoky Valley Train.  Their museum was close by, but I had no desire to look for it.

It was time to head to my final destination, the Place of Meditation.  Note the gift shop and Visitor Center is on the right in the above photo. 

We have come full circle

because I can even see the parking lot behind the Visitor Center.

The wind had picked up and it was evident by the spray of the fountain.

The chapel was completed in 1966.  It is also made of native limestone.  It is the final resting place of Dwight, Mamie, and Doud (Icky) Eisenhower.

The leaded glass panels are on both doors, but I failed to get a photo of both.

When I walked in, this is what I saw.  First there were the resting places behind these  open walls.

On one side was this showing that Dwight David Eisenhower was a member of the Sons of the American Revolution.  He was a member of the Empire State Society as decreed by his son, John Eisenhower.  Ike was buried with full military and national honors.

There was a lovely chapel

where one could sit and meditate, or like me, sit and change my batteries in my camera for the second time that day.  Just sitting became very refreshing.

Once refreshed and relaxed, it was time to move on.

I needed to follow

the sloping path to

Dwight, Mamie, and Doud's final resting places.

The beautiful chapel is made of Travertine marble and limestone.

This is at the head of the marble slabs.

And now it's time to go home.  Yes, we have reached the end of the trip to the Eisenhower Complex that I visited for Smithsonian Day in late September, 2019.  Thanks for joining me.  I hope you learned as much as I did about this man of peace.  It's too bad he isn't around to be a good example right now, because much of the free world loved him.  What a great example he would have given us were he still alive.

Now let's head over to Annie's because she knows how to put a smile on everyone's faces.  And whatever you do, please don't forget to start your weekend off right with a few Friday Smiles of your own.  And remember, if you would like to play along, Annie would love to have you join us.