From the founding of the United States to our modern era, the nation has seen a diverse group of leaders. Each president has brought their unique background, beliefs, and quirks to the White House. While there are tons of important historical events and achievements associated with each, sometimes it’s the fun, lesser-known facts that make them even more fascinating. Let’s delve into a fun fact about each U.S. president, in order!

  1. George Washington – Despite his image on the quarter, Washington never had wooden teeth. His dentures were made of various materials, including gold, hippopotamus ivory, and even human teeth!
  2. John Adams – Adams and Thomas Jefferson both died on the same day, July 4, 1826, the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
  3. Thomas Jefferson – A man of many talents, Jefferson could read and write in six languages!
  4. James Madison – Standing at just 5 feet 4 inches, Madison was the shortest U.S. president.
  5. James Monroe – Monroe was the last Founding Father to become president.
  6. John Quincy Adams – He was known to take early morning skinny dips in the Potomac River.
  7. Andrew Jackson – Jackson had a parrot named Poll, who had to be removed from Jackson’s funeral because it wouldn’t stop swearing!
  8. Martin Van Buren – He was the first president to be born a U.S. citizen. All previous presidents were born British subjects.
  9. William Henry Harrison – Sadly, he served the shortest presidential term, dying just 32 days into office.
  10. John Tyler – Tyler had 15 children, more than any other president.
  11. James K. Polk – Polk fulfilled all his campaign promises and did not seek a second term. He’s often considered the most effective president of the pre-Civil War era.
  12. Zachary Taylor – Taylor had never voted in a presidential election before 1848, the year he was elected.
  13. Millard Fillmore – Fillmore established the White House library.
  14. Franklin Pierce – Pierce was arrested during his presidency for running over an old woman with his horse, but the charges were dropped.
  15. James Buchanan – He regularly bought slaves in Washington, D.C., and quietly freed them in Pennsylvania.
  16. Abraham Lincoln – Lincoln is in the Wrestling Hall of Fame, having lost just one out of about 300 matches.
  17. Andrew Johnson – Johnson was drunk during his vice-presidential inauguration.
  18. Ulysses S. Grant – Grant was given a $20 speeding ticket for riding his horse too fast.
  19. Rutherford B. Hayes – Hayes was the first president to have a telephone and a typewriter in the White House.
  20. James A. Garfield – Garfield could write Latin with one hand and Greek with the other at the same time.
  21. Chester A. Arthur – He owned 80 pairs of pants and was known for his impeccable attire.
  22. Grover Cleveland – Cleveland personally answered the White House phone.
  23. Benjamin Harrison – He was the first president to have electricity in the White House, but he was so scared of getting electrocuted that he would never touch the light switches.
  24. Grover Cleveland (again) – The only president to serve two non-consecutive terms.
  25. William McKinley – McKinley’s inauguration was the first one ever filmed.
  26. Theodore Roosevelt – Roosevelt was blind in his left eye due to a boxing injury he sustained while in office.
  27. William Howard Taft – Taft is the only president to become a Supreme Court justice after his presidency.
  28. Woodrow Wilson – Wilson is the only U.S. president buried in Washington D.C.
  29. Warren G. Harding – Harding lost a set of White House china in a poker game.
  30. Calvin Coolidge – Coolidge enjoyed having his scalp massaged with petroleum jelly while he ate breakfast in bed.
  31. Herbert Hoover – Hoover and his wife knew Chinese and would speak it when they wanted to have a private conversation in the White House.
  32. Franklin D. Roosevelt – Roosevelt was distantly related to both his wife and 11 other presidents.
  33. Harry S. Truman – The “S” in Truman’s name doesn’t stand for anything; his parents couldn’t decide on a middle name.
  34. Dwight D. Eisenhower – Eisenhower was an avid golfer and had a putting green installed on the White House lawn.
  35. John F. Kennedy – Kennedy was a huge James Bond fan.
  36. Lyndon B. Johnson – Johnson was known to conduct meetings while in the bathroom.
  37. Richard Nixon – Nixon could play five musical instruments.
  38. Gerald Ford – Ford worked as a fashion model during his younger years, even appearing on the cover of Cosmopolitan.
  39. Jimmy Carter – Carter was the first president born in a hospital.
  40. Ronald Reagan – Reagan broke the so-called “20-year curse,” where every president elected in a year ending in “0” from 1840 to 1960 died in office.
  41. George H.W. Bush – Bush was the last veteran of World War II to serve as president.
  42. Bill Clinton – Clinton has won two Grammy Awards, both for Best Spoken Word Album.
  43. George W. Bush – Before politics, Bush was part-owner of the Texas Rangers baseball team.
  44. Barack Obama – As a teen, Obama was part of a group called the “Choom Gang,” which was known for its recreational marijuana use.
  45. Donald Trump – Before politics, Trump made cameos in several movies, including “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York.”
  46. Joe Biden – Biden is known for his love of ice cream, particularly chocolate chip flavor.

Conclusion
While many of us learn about the political and societal impacts of U.S. presidents in school, it’s these fun facts that make them more relatable and human. From quirky habits to unexpected skills, each president had characteristics and stories that made them uniquely themselves. It just goes to show that behind every official portrait and policy decision, there’s a human with a story to tell.

FAQs

  1. Who had the most extended presidential term?
    Franklin D. Roosevelt served over 12 years, the longest of any president.
  2. Have all presidents lived in the White House?
    No, George Washington is the only president who never lived in the White House.
  3. Which president was known for his love of jelly beans?
    Ronald Reagan loved jelly beans, and they were a staple in the Oval Office during his term.
  4. Who was the first president to be photographed?
    John Quincy Adams, though he was not in office at the time.
  5. Has any president served non-consecutive terms?
    Yes, Grover Cleveland served two non-consecutive terms, making him both the 22nd and 24th president.