Presidential Places: Millard Fillmore House
It was on this day, July 10, of 1850 (164 years ago today) that Millard Fillmore was sworn in as the 13th president of the United States, following the death of President Zachary Taylor. Before he was elected Vice-President, Fillmore had been a Member of the House of Representatives from New York. He had began his legal and political career in East Aurora, New York, a community located in Erie County.
While in East Aurora, Fillmore built a house in 1826 for his new bride, the former Abigail Powers. The couple lived there from 1826 to 1830 and today that house is one of 10 National Historic Landmarks in Erie County. It is believed to be the only house that was built by a U.S. president himself. The house originally stood on Main Street near the Aurora Theatre building. It had been in disrepair for many years until artist Margaret Evans Price (whose husband was Irving Price of Fisher-Price Toys) took a shine to the little house and its history. She purchased it in 1930, had it moved to its present location, where she remodeled it for her studio.
The Aurora Historical Society acquired the house in 1975 and began restoring it to its appearance in 1826. The house is now furnished with pieces that belonged to the Fillmores from their East Aurora, White House and Buffalo years. Visitors to East Aurora can tour the house. The tour includes the living-room, kitchen, bedrooms, playroom, Victorian library and the carriage barn. Visitors can also stroll through the beautiful period gardens that surround the house. The tour lasts about one hour.
Fillmore began the study of law when he was about 18 and gained admittance to the bar in Buffalo five years later. He preferred practicing in a small town to a larger city, he soon moved to East Aurora, where he was the only lawyer. Both he and his wife taught there as well. He was elected to the State legislature in 1828 for the Anti-Masonic Party. In East Aurora, he began his 20-year association with Thurlow Weed, boss of the Anti-Masonic and later Whig political machines in New York State. In 1830, Fillmore moved to Buffalo, which would be his home for the rest of his life. He served in the United States House of Representatives from 1832 to 1842. In 1844, he ran for governor and suffered defeat for the first time in his life.
When Zachary Taylor became the Whig candidate for president, Weed and other leaders supported Fillmore as vice president to balance the ticket. Fillmore succeeded to the presidency upon President Taylor’s death. At the time Congress was embroiled in a fierce debate about Henry Clay’s Compromise of 1850, which Taylor had opposed. Fillmore, was opposed to slavery, but the compromise, taking the position that though he disliked slavery, the Constitution supported it. Fillmore believed that by preserving the Union, the Compromise of 1850 would give the nation’s transportation, commerce, and industry an opportunity to prosper, and indeed the nation was prosperous for the rest of his term. Federal land grants encouraged the construction of new railroads. Settlement continued to move across the prairies. Angered by Fillmore's support of the Compromise of 1850, northern Whigs blocked his re-nomination in 1852, and he returned to Buffalo.
After she bought the home, Margaret Price made many alterations to the house to convert it into an artist’s studio, though the original floorboards, plain interior trim, and most of the windows survived. Today, it contains many period pieces from the time President Fillmore lived there, including Fillmore's bed and antique toys. Visitors can see the original pantry with tin ware and pottery, the restored fireplace, the Presidential Rose Garden with pre-1840 varieties, and the carriage barn.
Here is some further information about this venue:
Wensite: http://www.aurorahistoricalsociety.com/pages/millard-fillmore-presidential-site
Location: 24 Shearer Avenue, East Aurora, NY
Hours of Operation: June – October, Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays Tours begin at 1, 1:30, 2, 2:30 and 3 p.m.
While in East Aurora, Fillmore built a house in 1826 for his new bride, the former Abigail Powers. The couple lived there from 1826 to 1830 and today that house is one of 10 National Historic Landmarks in Erie County. It is believed to be the only house that was built by a U.S. president himself. The house originally stood on Main Street near the Aurora Theatre building. It had been in disrepair for many years until artist Margaret Evans Price (whose husband was Irving Price of Fisher-Price Toys) took a shine to the little house and its history. She purchased it in 1930, had it moved to its present location, where she remodeled it for her studio.
The Aurora Historical Society acquired the house in 1975 and began restoring it to its appearance in 1826. The house is now furnished with pieces that belonged to the Fillmores from their East Aurora, White House and Buffalo years. Visitors to East Aurora can tour the house. The tour includes the living-room, kitchen, bedrooms, playroom, Victorian library and the carriage barn. Visitors can also stroll through the beautiful period gardens that surround the house. The tour lasts about one hour.
Fillmore began the study of law when he was about 18 and gained admittance to the bar in Buffalo five years later. He preferred practicing in a small town to a larger city, he soon moved to East Aurora, where he was the only lawyer. Both he and his wife taught there as well. He was elected to the State legislature in 1828 for the Anti-Masonic Party. In East Aurora, he began his 20-year association with Thurlow Weed, boss of the Anti-Masonic and later Whig political machines in New York State. In 1830, Fillmore moved to Buffalo, which would be his home for the rest of his life. He served in the United States House of Representatives from 1832 to 1842. In 1844, he ran for governor and suffered defeat for the first time in his life.
When Zachary Taylor became the Whig candidate for president, Weed and other leaders supported Fillmore as vice president to balance the ticket. Fillmore succeeded to the presidency upon President Taylor’s death. At the time Congress was embroiled in a fierce debate about Henry Clay’s Compromise of 1850, which Taylor had opposed. Fillmore, was opposed to slavery, but the compromise, taking the position that though he disliked slavery, the Constitution supported it. Fillmore believed that by preserving the Union, the Compromise of 1850 would give the nation’s transportation, commerce, and industry an opportunity to prosper, and indeed the nation was prosperous for the rest of his term. Federal land grants encouraged the construction of new railroads. Settlement continued to move across the prairies. Angered by Fillmore's support of the Compromise of 1850, northern Whigs blocked his re-nomination in 1852, and he returned to Buffalo.
After she bought the home, Margaret Price made many alterations to the house to convert it into an artist’s studio, though the original floorboards, plain interior trim, and most of the windows survived. Today, it contains many period pieces from the time President Fillmore lived there, including Fillmore's bed and antique toys. Visitors can see the original pantry with tin ware and pottery, the restored fireplace, the Presidential Rose Garden with pre-1840 varieties, and the carriage barn.
Here is some further information about this venue:
Wensite: http://www.aurorahistoricalsociety.com/pages/millard-fillmore-presidential-site
Location: 24 Shearer Avenue, East Aurora, NY
Hours of Operation: June – October, Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays Tours begin at 1, 1:30, 2, 2:30 and 3 p.m.