Nixon Library

We left the reunion, but before heading back to Illinois, where we had parked the RV at Scott AFB, we stopped at the Nixon Presidential Library to continue our exploration of these museums.

We had no idea what to expect – a museum honoring the only President to have resigned from office? Will it gloss over Watergate? Will it characterize Nixon as a victim, as a hero? Will it blame others for his downfall? Will it glorify a flawed man? We were pleasantly surprised.  

It’s a “low-key” library, but well done, tucked away near his old boyhood home in a quiet Yorba Linda neighborhood. Its emphasis, of course, was on preserving his legacy, some good, some bad, focusing on foreign policy initiatives in the Soviet Union, China, and the Middle East, and the ending of the war in Vietnam. But you get the feeling from the moment you start your tour that in 1968 Nixon inherited a nation experiencing dramatic social and political upheaval while the war was becoming increasingly unpopular. So there was a lot about the socio/political climate of the 60s, the War, on-going negotiations to end the war, the terrible costs of war, his utter frustrations – and finally the Paris Peace Accord and the return of the POWs to an ungrateful nation. There was also considerable time spent on his trip to China and to Moscow – the first President to visit either. There was considerably less about his domestic policy, but you still got the feeling he cared about the environment, women’s issues, health care, and other important domestic concerns. What surprised us was how thoroughly the Watergate scandal was chronicled (you could get into a ridiculous level of detail if you wanted to!). No excuses were made for the excesses that led to Nixon’s ultimate downfall.

Nixon Library Grounds

 As we had with other Presidents, we came away with a more positive view of the man as a public servant.  “Only if you have been in the deepest valley, an you ever know how magnificent it is to be on the highest mountain,” he said. Nixon saw both. It was clear that he cared deeply for this country and despite his fall from grace, he did some very good things as President.

Nixon's Accomplishments

But enough of Nixon! It’s on to Illinois where we could explore the humble beginnings and tragic ending of yet another President (next post).

We spent a few extra days around the St Louis area in order to visit Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site. On the east side of the river are the remains of a once flourishing Mississippian civilization (900-1400), which, at the peak of his power supported 15,000-20,000 inhabitants. That is huge for the time period. Their culture was characterized by rich and complex social, political, and ritual activity and the mounds they constructed, by hand, were used for various purposes and would have had structures built on top of some. 

A Mound

Monk's Mound

The park had an excellent interpretive center and we enjoyed our walk around the mounds, including a climb to the tallest, Monk’s Mound, some 100 feet high. There used to be hundreds of such mounds in the area, but most of them were destroyed as St Louis and the surrounding area grew. As we have learned previously, the Europeans took what they wanted and destroyed whatever was in the way of their progress. We were glad this remnant of Mississippian native culture still survives.

Relaxing at Scott AFB FamCamp