Polk’s Birthday Honored with Wreath Laying, Weekend Filled with Events and New Exhibit
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The President James K. Polk Home & Museum will host a special weekend of activities aligned with the late President’s 222nd birthday to honor Polk’s legacy. Planned events scheduled from Thursday, Nov. 2 through Sunday, Nov. 5 include a wreath laying, a birthday-themed preview party of the new museum exhibit, two days of free admission to the James K. Polk Home and specials from local merchants. “The James K. Polk Home and Museum in Columbia has been the main historic site for James K. Polk since 1929, welcoming tens of thousands of visitors each year,” said Thomas Price, curator of the President James K. Polk Home & Museum. “We are looking forward to honoring the legacy of our 11th President with this birthday weekend of events, inviting even more visitors to come and celebrate the successes of Polk and explore the largest collection of Polk artifacts.”
Details of each event of the birthday extravaganza weekend are outlined below:
Wreath Laying, Thursday, Nov. 2, 5:30 p.m.
In honor of the late President, a wreath will be laid at the Polk Home. Supporters of The Journey Home for James K. Polk campaign are currently pursuing relocation of the tomb for President James K. Polk and First Lady Sarah Polk’s tomb from the State Capitol to this site in the gardens of the President James K. Polk Home & Museum.
New Exhibit Preview Party, Thursday, Nov. 2, following the wreath laying
Polk Presidential Hall will launch a new exhibit entitled “A Delicate Game to Play:” James K. Polk’s Cabinet with a birthday-themed preview party. The exhibit focuses on the men who served in James K. Polk’s cabinet including President James Buchanan, the distinguished historian George Bancroft who established the U.S. Naval Academy, and the postmaster general Cave Johnson who introduced U.S. postage stamps. For tickets to the event, visit www.jameskpolk.com or call (931) 388-2354. Reservations are encouraged but not required. Ticket price is $25 and are also available at the gate.
Free Admission to the Polk Home, Saturday, Nov. 4 and Sunday, Nov. 5
Visitors will receive free admission to the only surviving residence of James K. Polk other than the White House in honor of the late President’s birthday on both Saturday, Nov. 4 and Sunday, Nov. 5. Saturday hours are 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. and Sunday 1 – 5 p.m. The exhibit is not included. Price for the exhibit is $5.
Local Business Specials, Saturday, Nov. 4
In celebration of the late president’s birthday, select downtown Columbia merchants will be offering specials on Saturday, Nov. 4. Participating retailers offering specials in honor of Polk’s birthday include Asgard Brewing Co. & Taproom, A Balloon Shop, Betty’s Parkway Restaurant, Duck River Books, Lily Jane’s and Muletown Roasted Coffee.
Birthday festivities will take place at the President James K. Polk Home & Museum, located at 301 West Seventh Street in downtown Columbia, Tenn. For more information about the President James K. Polk Home & Museum and the birthday weekend of events, visit www.jameskpolk.com.
About President James K. Polk Home & Museum
The President James K. Polk Home & Museum is home to the largest collection of Polk artifacts in the country. The property includes the only surviving residence of James K. Polk other than the White House, the 1818 Sisters’ House where two of the President’s married sisters lived with their families at different times, the Polk Home’s detached kitchen, the Polk Presidential Hall exhibition facility with rotating exhibits that relate to the U.S. Presidency and American society and culture during James K. Polk’s lifetime and landscaped gardens featuring objects and plantings from the grounds of James K. Polk’s final home, a downtown Nashville mansion known as Polk Place. The President James K. Polk Home & Museum is located at 301 West Seventh Street in downtown Columbia, Tenn. For more information about the President James K. Polk Home & Museum, visit www.jameskpolk.com.
Contact:
Jena Locke Thomas, The Andrews Agency
jena@andrewspr.com
615-337-1596
