Chester Alan Arthur Historic Sites
For some unclear reason, just prior to his death, Chester Alan Arthur had all of his personal and political papers burned. One of the most plausible explanations for this is that Arthur, who had been a backroom politician for most of his life, probably had documented some unsavory political dealings that he did not want to form a part of his legacy after he was gone. This decision presents a challenge both to Arthur's potential biographers and to those wanting to remember the man with some sort of historical sites. In spite of this, those jonesing for their fix of Chester A. Arthur memorabilia have a couple of options.
The State of Vermont operates the Chester Alan Arthur Historic Site at Fairfield, Vermont. The site is only open for tourists from July 4 through October 13, this year, and then it's only open on weekends (Saturday and Sunday) and Monday holidays, from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The good news is that admission is free, but donations are appreciated. The site is located at 4588 Chester Arthur Road in Fairfield, a small village that can be reached from the west by taking Route 36 from St. Albans and traveling about seven miles to Fairfield. At the small village of Fairfield, one heads north and bear right after approximately one mile and then continues five miles to the Historic Site on a road that becomes a gravel road. To reach the site from the east, one takes Route 108 and approximately 4 miles from either Bakersfield or Enosburg, one proceeds west on a gravel road approximately two miles to the Historic Site.
The site contains Arthur's birthplace, as well as the Fairfield Baptist Church where Arthur's father William was a Minister. It featuring an interpretive center on Arthur in a recreation of the second house in which he lived as an infant.
If you happen to be in Manhattan, you can always visit Chester Arthur House, located at 123 Lexington Avenue. This building is privately owned. Only the commercial space on the first floor is open to the public. The house has been designated a National Historic Landmark.
In 1853, Arthur moved to New York City, passed the bar, and joined a law firm. At about this time, he moved into his Lexington Avenue residence. After President James Garfield's death, Arthur privately took the oath of office in his New York home in the early hours of the morning. He repeated the oath two days later at the United States Capitol. In 1885, after leaving the Presidency, Chester Arthur retired to this residence. He planned to resume his legal practice, but soon became ill and never recovered his strength. He died at his home in November 1886.
Subsequent owners have made many changes to the Lexington Avenue house after Arthur’s death. They moved the original main entrance on the first floor down to what had been the basement level, converted the first two floors into commercial space, and divided the upper floors into apartments. The front elevation has been stripped down to bare brick. On January 16, 1964, on the 81st anniversary of the signing of the U.S. Civil Service Act by Chester Alan Arthur, the Native New Yorkers Historical Association and the New York Life Insurance Company recognized the historic significance of the house by placing a bronze plaque on the building.
The State of Vermont operates the Chester Alan Arthur Historic Site at Fairfield, Vermont. The site is only open for tourists from July 4 through October 13, this year, and then it's only open on weekends (Saturday and Sunday) and Monday holidays, from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The good news is that admission is free, but donations are appreciated. The site is located at 4588 Chester Arthur Road in Fairfield, a small village that can be reached from the west by taking Route 36 from St. Albans and traveling about seven miles to Fairfield. At the small village of Fairfield, one heads north and bear right after approximately one mile and then continues five miles to the Historic Site on a road that becomes a gravel road. To reach the site from the east, one takes Route 108 and approximately 4 miles from either Bakersfield or Enosburg, one proceeds west on a gravel road approximately two miles to the Historic Site.
The site contains Arthur's birthplace, as well as the Fairfield Baptist Church where Arthur's father William was a Minister. It featuring an interpretive center on Arthur in a recreation of the second house in which he lived as an infant.
If you happen to be in Manhattan, you can always visit Chester Arthur House, located at 123 Lexington Avenue. This building is privately owned. Only the commercial space on the first floor is open to the public. The house has been designated a National Historic Landmark.
In 1853, Arthur moved to New York City, passed the bar, and joined a law firm. At about this time, he moved into his Lexington Avenue residence. After President James Garfield's death, Arthur privately took the oath of office in his New York home in the early hours of the morning. He repeated the oath two days later at the United States Capitol. In 1885, after leaving the Presidency, Chester Arthur retired to this residence. He planned to resume his legal practice, but soon became ill and never recovered his strength. He died at his home in November 1886.
Subsequent owners have made many changes to the Lexington Avenue house after Arthur’s death. They moved the original main entrance on the first floor down to what had been the basement level, converted the first two floors into commercial space, and divided the upper floors into apartments. The front elevation has been stripped down to bare brick. On January 16, 1964, on the 81st anniversary of the signing of the U.S. Civil Service Act by Chester Alan Arthur, the Native New Yorkers Historical Association and the New York Life Insurance Company recognized the historic significance of the house by placing a bronze plaque on the building.