George W. Bush

George W. Bush 43rd President of the United States (2001-2009)


Bush sites that I have visited:

George W. Bush Birthplace Yale New Haven Hospital New Haven, CT
                                            

 First Home New Haven, CT
                                     

Bush family vacation home at Walker's Point Kennebunkport, Maine
                                      

Texas State Capital Building, former office and workplace Austin, TX
                                            

Texas Governors Mansion, temporary Home Austin, TX

Site of signing of No Child Left Behind Act. Hamilton, Ohio
                                            

George W. Bush's Bel Air home Bel Air, CA

Yale - New Haven Hospital in New Haven, CT is the site of President George W. Bush's birth. When he was born here in 1946 the hospital was called Grace - New Haven Hospital. Bush's father was a student at Yale University in New Haven at the time of W's birth. When we visited in September 2013 we hit the peak of rush hour and it was a bit of a hassle to find the Hospital. Once we did, no parking could be found. So I worked my way up to the front as if I was going to drop someone off, then rushed out as my wife snapped a picture through the windshield. So if I look grumpy, it's because of the hassle. I was actually pretty excited to see another Presidential Birthplace.

The first home of future President George W. Bush. At the time of W's birth in 1946, his parents were living in this house, which was split into apartments and  reserved for Yale student's who were married. So this is where they first brought the future President home when they left the hospital when he was born.

Walker's Point in Kennebunkport, Maine. Vacation home for the Bush family. Named after W's Great Grandfather George Herbert Walker. Just like his father before him, George Walker Bush is named after George Herbert Walker.

For the vacation house of 2 Presidents, I was surprised how close you could get.

Walker's point and I

The George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum is now open in Dallas, TX on the campus of Southern Methodist University.  There is also a George W. Bush Childhood home in Midland, TX that is open to the public now.

Me at the Texas State Capital Building in Austin, TX

George W. Bush served as Governor of Texas from 1995- 2000. In that time he worked here at the Capital Building.

Texas Governor's office used by Bush.

Governor's public reception room used by Bush

Me with Bush's Governor's portait which hangs in the Capital Rotunda

We drove past the Texas Governors Mansion after leaving the Capital Building. It was under construction and we couldn't get a very good picture of it. So for now I will share this one from Wikipedia.

   President Bush signs the "No Child Left Behind" Act in 2002. This happened at Hamilton High School Hamilton, Ohio.

    They commemorated the fact that this was signed here by this memorial of statues

   Bush statue and I

George W. Bush's Bel Air home.

As President, George W. Bush had a home that he stayed in whenever he was in the Los Angeles area, in Bel Air. Not far from the Reagan's house, where Ronald Reagan was living when he died. I saw this house while on a Hollywood Bus tour. So we weren't allowed to get out, and my window of opportunity to get a decent picture was small. As you can see it didn't turn out well. My camera was still in Zoom mode from getting another picture. I wasn't able to get out of Zoom before we passed the Bush house. So I have some nice pictures of the houses windows. Oh well, it was still a pleasant surprise to see the Reagan and Bush houses.

 After the terrorist attacks on 9/11 President Bush faced some of the toughest choices that any President has ever had to make. I remember the vulnerability I felt after that day. Everyone was asking not 'if' there would be another terrorist attack but 'when'. Here we are, all these years later and there hasn't been a major terrorist attack since. I feel that he should at least be given credit for making policy that has kept our homeland safe since.

I think in time, history will be kind to George W. Bush in the same way that it took awhile for history to appreciate the contributions of Harry Truman.

The point of this blog is to share the historic sites that I have visited with people who are interested. If I go on much more about 'W' it is possible to start a fierce political debate. And I really don't care to do that on here. There is a time and a place for such things. And this isn't it.

It has been my experience that we all have our political viewpoints and arguing only ticks people off and doesn't change anyone's minds. I have friends on both sides of the isle and have learned the hard way that life is to short to argue over our petty differences.