During our travels, Kevin and I enjoy visiting presidential museums and libraries. For this reason, on our trip to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, we drove through Grand Rapids and stopped at the Gerald Ford Presidential Museum.
Located downtown next to the Grand River, the museum has a large parking lot that is free of charge for visitors. Outside the building there is a statue that represents his football days at the University of Michigan, a figure of an astronaut and a statue of President Ford. The entry area also features a beautiful stair-step fountain. Down the path is the unpretentious gravesite of President and Mrs. Ford.
Exhibits
Inside the museum, the exhibits allow visitors to experience highlights from President and Mrs. Ford’s lives. Beginning with his early life, exhibits show the importance that family life, religion, the Boy Scouts, education, sports and his Navy career had in shaping President Ford’s character. He was known for being a man of honesty, integrity and selflessness.
The museum also does a great job of explaining Ford’s political career. He was never elected to the office of vice president or president. Taking over after President Nixon resigned during the Watergate scandal, Ford said in his swearing-in address, “I am acutely aware that you have not elected me as your president with your ballots. And so I ask you to confirm me as your president with your prayers. I have not campaigned for either the Presidency or the Vice Presidency. I am indebted to no man, and only to one woman – my dear wife – as I begin this very difficult job.” He had difficult tasks ahead of him, helping our country get past Watergate, dealing with the ending of the Vietnam War and transitioning the Space Program. “Tip” O’Neill, Speaker of the House, said it well, explaining that Gerald Ford was “the right man at the right time who was able to put our nation back together again.”
Other areas of the museum show his family life with Betty and their children as well as the causes he promoted after his presidency.
After visiting the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, I came away with not only greater knowledge of President Ford and that time period in our country, but also a greater respect for him as a man and as our 38th President.