The Gerald R. Ford Birthsite and Gardens in

Omaha, Nebraska Omaha ( ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Nebraska and the county seat of Douglas County. Omaha is in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about north of the mouth of the Platte River. The nation's 39th-largest cit ...

marks the location of the house at 3202 Woolworth Avenue where

U.S. President The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States ...

Gerald R. Ford Gerald Rudolph Ford Jr. ( ; born Leslie Lynch King Jr.; July 14, 1913December 26, 2006) was an American politician who served as the 38th president of the United States from 1974 to 1977. He was the only president never to have been elected ...

lived for a couple of weeks after his birth in July 1913. It was the home of his paternal grandparents, Charles Henry and Martha King.

History

The King house at 3202 Woolworth Avenue was located on the border of the Hanscom Park and Field Club neighborhoods of

Midtown Omaha Midtown is a geographic area of Omaha, Nebraska that is a culturally, socially and economically important area of the city. It is home to major research centers, national corporations, several historic districts, and a number of historic residenc ...

. A three-story, fourteen-room Victorian mansion, it was razed after a 1971 fire caused substantial damage. Omaha businessman James M. Paxson, who lived in the neighborhood, purchased the vacant lot for $17,250 after Ford became president in 1974, and planned for it to be used as a memorial. Although Paxson donated the site to the city, officials said they couldn't afford to build a memorial. Paxson then set up the Paxson Foundation to fund the memorial and associated gardens. The site includes a portico evoking the north side of the White House and a pagoda resembling a portion of the original home.

Memorial and conservation center

The memorial was dedicated in 1977. Ford partnered with Paxson on some fundraising. The former president returned in 1980 for the dedication of a rose garden in honor of

Betty Ford Elizabeth Anne Ford (; formerly Warren; April 8, 1918 – July 8, 2011) was the first lady of the United States from 1974 to 1977, as the wife of President Gerald Ford. As first lady, she was active in social policy and set a precedent as a p ...

. An exhibit kiosk contains information about Ford. Adjoining the site is the Gerald R. Ford Conservation Center, a regional center of the

Nebraska State Historical Society History Nebraska, formerly the Nebraska State Historical Society is a Nebraska state agency, founded in 1878 to "encourage historical research and inquiry, spread historical information ... and to embrace alike aboriginal and modern history." I ...

founded in 1995. It provides conservation services for historic and artistic works. The Center also contains a small exhibit of Ford memorabilia. Both conservation and exhibit are available by appointment only. The two sites are just to the northwest of Hanscom Park, one of Omaha's oldest public parks. The house site is four blocks west of the Gerald R. Ford Expressway.

Family history

The house was owned by the future president's paternal grandparents,

Charles Henry King Charles Henry King (March 12, 1853 – February 27, 1930) was an Omaha businessman and banker who was instrumental in founding several cities in the states of Nebraska and Wyoming. He saw opportunity with the expansion of the railroad west and bu ...

, a prominent banker, and his wife, the former Martha Alicia Porter. After their son Leslie Lynch King married Dorothy Ayer Gardner on September 7, 1912, the young couple moved into the house with his parents, as was typical of the times. Their first son, named Leslie Lynch King, Jr. was born July 14, 1913. Due to domestic abuse, Dorothy Gardner separated from Leslie King when Leslie, Jr. was only 16 days old."Nebraska-born, Ford Left State As Infant"
Associated Press, December 27, 2006, The New York ''Times'' After staying briefly with a sister in Illinois, Dorothy took her son with her to her parents and moved in with them in

Grand Rapids, Michigan Grand Rapids is a city and county seat of Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. At the 2020 census, the city had a population of 198,917 which ranks it as the second most-populated city in the state after Detroit. Grand Rapids is the ...

, where the future president grew up. "Gerald R. Ford Genealogical Information"
, University of Texas] By the end of 1913 Dorothy's divorce from Leslie King was final. In 1916, Dorothy married

Gerald Rudolff Ford Gerald Rudolff Ford (December 9, 1890 – January 26, 1962) was an American businessman and Republican politician who was the stepfather of U.S. President Gerald Ford and for whom Ford legally changed his name. Early life Ford was born in Gran ...

. They renamed Leslie, Jr. after him, as Gerald Rudolff Ford, Jr. The future president was never formally adopted, however, and he did not legally change his name until 1935; he also used a more conventional spelling of his middle name (Rudolph).

References

External links

Gerald R. Ford Conservation Center official site
, University of Texas] {{DEFAULTSORT:Gerald R. Ford Birthsite And Gardens Landmarks in South Omaha, Nebraska

Birthplace The place of birth (POB) or birthplace is the place where a person was born. This place is often used in legal documents, together with name and date of birth, to uniquely identify a person. Practice regarding whether this place should be a cou ...

Houses in Omaha, Nebraska Biographical museums in Nebraska Presidential museums in the United States Museums in Omaha, Nebraska Historic house museums in Nebraska Midtown Omaha, Nebraska Ford, Gerald R Buildings and structures demolished in 1971 1977 establishments in Nebraska Museums established in 1995 1995 establishments in Nebraska