Week of February 17 – Presidential Trivia

In honor of Presidents Day, we thought we would share some intriguing factoids about our elected presidential leaders.

James Madison – Weighing in at a lean 100 pounds, this 5 foot 4 inch tall president was the country’s shortest president.

William Howard Taft – Weighing over 300 pounds, Taft holds the undesirable distinction of being the heaviest U.S. president. Embarrassingly, Taft once got stuck in the White House bathtub. To avoid a repeat of the awkward fiasco, a new tub – four times the normal size – was installed.

James Buchanan – When the Prince of Wales visited the White House with his oversized entourage, Buchanan was forced to sleep in the hallway.

Grover Cleveland – Cleveland was known for personally answering incoming phone calls to the White House.

Woodrow Wilson – Sheep were raised for wool on the White House lawn during Wilson’s term.

Herbert Hoover – Hoover donated his salary to charity.

Harry S. Truman – This musical president rose before dawn each day for two hours of piano practice.

Jimmy Carter – An accomplished speed reader, Carter was clocked at reading 2,000 words per minute.