Gerald Ford Birthsite and Gardens

Located at 3202 Woolworth Avenue in Omaha, Nebraska, the Gerald R. Ford Birthsite and Gardens is a memorial to the 38th President of the United States, who was born there on July 14, 1913. Gerald Ford served as President from 1974 to 1977, and holds the distinction of being the only U.S. President never to have been elected as President or Vice-President. The birthsite and gardens memorial were the result of a gift from businessman James M. Paxson, who served as president of Standard Chemical Company in Omaha for many years; the memorial was dedicated in 1977, and a rose garden honoring Betty Ford was added in 1980.

The Gerald R. Ford Birthsite and Gardens in Omaha, Nebraska is a public memorial in honor of our 38th President. Interestingly, he was named Leslie Lynch King, Jr. when he resided there for the first few weeks of his life in 1913; Gerald Ford’s mother informally changed his name when she remarried in 1916, and Ford had his name legally changed in 1935. Ford is mainly remembered as the only President who was never elected as either President or Vice-President; he was appointed to his position when Richard Nixon resigned.

The birthsite was purchased as a vacant lot by James M. Paxson, the president of Omaha’s Standard Chemical Company, in 1974; the home that once occupied the plot of land had burned down in 1971. The memorial features a portico styled to resemble the north side of the White House, along with a beautiful rose garden dedicated to Betty Ford, Gerald Ford’s wife. A simple monument has been erected at the site in honor of Ford’s presidency. The birthsite and gardens are administered and cared for by the City of Omaha Parks and Recreation Department and are open to the public daily.

Photo above courtesy of shannonpatrick17.