The President James K. Polk State Historic Site

Spring 2009 Volume 10, Issue 1

Polk Nature Trail Gets New Lease on Life REI Brings Team of Volunteers to Repair Trail

Inside this Issue: From the Manager 2 Artifact Spotlight: Santa Anna’s Hat 3 Aztec Club 4 Polk’s Presidential Ranking 4 2009 Polk Reunion 4 Visitor Center Facelift 5 Polk’s Inaugural Bible 5 Militia Muster Event 6 Fundraising Raffle 6 Upcoming Events 7 Support Group Membership

On Saturday, March 7, representatives from Recreational Equipment Inc. (REI) in Pineville, along with 20 volunteers, converged on the Polk site to clean up the Polk Nature Trail. Recent flooding and storms have taken their toll on this im-portant feature of the site, leaving it littered with tree limbs and other debris. The trail combines history with nature and gives visitors the opportunity to enjoy the site’s natural surroundings while learning about the native species that have been in existence since the time the Polk family occupied the land between 1794 and 1806. The trail has experienced a pun-ishing series of storms and flooding in recent years, making it impossible to walk the trail’s path to the Little Sugar Creek, which marks the site’s perimeter. Volunteers spent several hours clearing debris, re-establishing trail boundaries and making the trail passable once again for visitors to the site. Talks with REI began this winter when I discovered that REI teams with local parks to provide trail maintenance and upkeep. After inquiring about whether the Polk site would qualify for a trail maintenance project, I was put in touch with REI’s Outreach Specialist Jackie Farlick. She thought this project fit in perfectly with REI’s mission to provide the public with great trails. “We were glad to work with the staff of the Polk site to get the trail back in walking shape” said Farlick. If you have not visited the site or walked the trail in a while, we invite you to come out and take in the wonders of history and nature. Scott Warren

Newly Refurbished Nature Trail Photograph: Scott Warren

Jordan Robinson Eagle Scout Project Attaining the Eagle Scout level in the Boy Scouts of America is an honor obtained after many years of hard work. Here at the President James K. Polk S.H.S., work and sweat paid off for Jordan Robinson, Boy Scout Troop 502, who completed his community service project in his goal to reach the Eagle Scout level. According to Jordan, this goal has taken many years of his young life. “I really have enjoyed getting this project completed and I look forward to getting the Eagle Scout rank. It has been a neat experience.” Because of Jordan's hard work, the picnic area has received three new tables, landscape borders around the area and mulch put down in the picnic grounds. The Polk picnic area is heavily used by students attending field trips and by visitors to the site. Jordan put it all in perspective. “Everything made by man was a manifestation

of their dreams through goals and determination. If you want something in life, you must have determination and make goals toward what you want. That is how we add importance to our lives and make dreams real." It is the work of volunteers like Jordan that will make the site one of the best in the state. We wish Jordan all the best! Scott Warren

Jordan Robinson works on picnic area Photograph: Jordan Robinson

James K. Polk S.H.S. Staff:

Site Manager Scott Warren

Interpreter II

Courtney Rounds

Part-Time Staff Robert Bemis

Mary Woodward

Site Hours: Tuesday-Saturday,

9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Closed Sunday & Monday

Closed May 25 &

July 3

Free Admission.

James K. Polk S.H.S. P.O. Box 475

Pineville, NC 28134 704-889-7145 On the Web at

polk.nchistoricsites.org

The Young Hickory News is a semiannual publication

of the President James K. Polk State Historic Site and the Polk

Support Fund, Inc.

Sharon VanKuren President Mark Dappert, Vice President

Ben Pelton, Treasurer Don Wood, Membership

From The Manager’s Desk Page 2 The Young Hickory News

Greetings everyone and happy spring! I hope this issue of The Young Hickory News finds you well and enjoying the beautiful Carolina blue skies. The biggest news so far in 2009 has been the weakening economy. This has affected us all, whether it is loss of a job or cutbacks at the office. It should come as no surprise that the economic slowdown has started to affect us here at the site. Donations are down, and visitors are spending less at the gift counter. This drop in revenue greatly affects the Polk Support Group’s ability to invest in programming, small maintenance projects, and fill gaps where state funding is not available. But necessity is the mother of invention, forcing us to find creative ways to fill funding gaps. On April 1, the support group began selling raffle tickets to help fund our three summer camps on July 20, 27 and August 3. Tickets are only $5 each, and they put you in a drawing to win a terrific night out without leaving town. The drawing will be held at noon on June 6. To read more about it, see the story on page 6. I would like to take a moment to thank the Hilton Garden Inn, Waldhorn German Restaurant and Maestro’s Bar and Bistro, who have stepped up graciously to donate prizes for the raffle. I cannot thank them enough! Also, Walter Borneman has donated signed copies of his Polk biogra-phy, Polk: The Man Who Transformed the Presidency and America. This book just received the Tennessee History Book Award from the Tennessee Library Association, so congratulations, Walt. And thank you! To save on both financial and environmental resources, we ask for your assistance in helping us reduce

paper and postage costs. Starting with this issue of The Young Hickory News, those of you for whom we have an e-mail address will begin receiving our newsletter electronically. If you would like to also help Mother Earth and start receiving our newsletter electronically in August, please e-mail us at polk@ncdcr.gov. Your assistance will enable the site to continue bringing you excellent programs, and you will be doing your part to conserve our precious natural resources. I also encourage you to sign up for or renew your membership today. Your membership dollars go toward publishing this newsletter, funding craft supplies and lunches for the campers at our three camps, and purchasing supplies for improvement projects such as when we recently repainted the lobby at the visitor’s center (see story on page 5). Joining couldn’t be easier. Just fill out the membership form on page 5 and mail it to us today. Thank you all for your continued support of what we do here. It could not be possible without your help. Have a great spring and I hope to see you at the site soon!

All the best, Scott Warren

Site Manager Scott Warren Photograph: Scott Warren

Volume 10, Issue 1 Page 3

As part of a new series showcasing individual artifacts in the museum’s collection, we will begin by taking a closer look at an object from the Mexican-American War: the hat of Mexican General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna. According to the records of the Department of Cultural Resources, the hat is identified as the Mexican dress chapeau of Santa Anna captured during the Mexican War (1847) by Major William H. Polk. Our object files describe the piece as “fore and aft; black felt with red, white and green cockade left side; metallic gold tassels on ends; both top edges have white ostrich feathers; top edge of both sides has gold lace border 2-1/4 inches wide.” The records conclude with the note that Santa Anna’s hat was loaned to the State by Mr. Tasker Polk in 1916. So how is it that General Santa Anna’s hat came to be in the possession of President Polk’s brother? Just weeks after his victory at the Alamo in March of 1836, General Santa Anna was captured by American forces led by General Sam Houston at the Battle of San Jacinto. But, Santa Anna was allowed his freedom and even traveled to Washington, D.C. to meet President Andrew Jackson. Santa Anna returned to his home in Veracruz, but his retirement was brief. By the mid-1840s, Santa Anna was again leading Mexican forces against the Americans. It’s at this point that William Polk enters our story. The following account comes from a book titled Makers of America: Biographies of Leading Men of Thought and Action, published in 1915. It describes the actions of William H. Polk, serving as charge d’affaires in the Kingdom of the two Sicilies. “It was during the service abroad of William Hawkins Polk that his brother, James Knox Polk, was elected President of the United States. The diplomat resigned his post upon the beginning of the war with Mexico, and returning to America, was appointed a Major in the Third Dragoons. He went with his command to Mex-ico and served with gallantry and distinction throughout the war.” According to several sources, Polk began his service on August 31, 1847, for a period of just under a year. “While serving in Mexico, Major Polk's command was detailed for some special service, and in the execution of that service, accidentally crossed the trail of General Santa Anna, very nearly capturing that distinguished Mexican. News was brought to Major Polk that General Santa Anna and a number of his officers were in a certain building. Major Polk surrounded the building with his command, but General Santa

Anna made his escape, leaving behind him his hat, cork leg and gold-headed cane. The hat is now in the possession of Mr. Tasker Polk.” Mr. Tasker Polk was the youngest son of William Hawkins Polk by his third wife, Lucy Eugenia Polk. Tasker was born in March 1861 and his father William died less than two years later in late 1862. The capture of Santa Anna’s cork leg is generally mentioned in connection with the Battle of Cerro Gordo, on April 18, 1847. While the Mexican forces were soundly defeated, the General, minus his artificial leg, fled with the remainder of his forces. Mem-bers of the Fourth Regiment Illinois Volunteers came home with the cork leg and it remains to this day in the State Military Museum in Springfield, Illinois. Mary Woodward

The illustration features the General leaving the site of the Battle of Cerro Gordo without his leg, as American troops seize his coach. Image: www.latinamericanstudies.org

Artifact Spotlight: Santa Anna’s Hat

Hat worn by General Santa Ann Photograph: Robert Bemis

Page 4 The Young Hickory News

Polk Highly Ranked Cable channel C-Span completed a survey in January, 2009, of 65 historians and professional observers of the presidency. Participants ranked each president by 10 lead-ership attributes. President Polk was ranked 12th, just be-hind Lyndon B. Johnson and just ahead of Andrew Jack-son. The highest rankings went to Abraham Lincoln, George Washington and Franklin D. Roosevelt. Rated the lowest overall were James Buchanan, Andrew Johnson and Franklin Pierce. Polk was also ranked 12th in C-Span’s earlier ranking of presidents in 2000. Jim Reece

In the main museum at the James K. Polk State Historic Site hides a tiny gem among the artifacts. The Mexi-can-American War section holds an example of a membership medallion of the Aztec Club. This fraternal organization acted as both a leisure club for officers serving in Mexico during the War and as an inseparable bond between some of the principle combatants during the American Civil War, which occurred twelve years later. Many of the names associated with the Aztec Club are etched in American History. These famous men, including three future Presidents (1), went on to make substantial careers for themselves on both sides of the Mason-Dixon Line. The leading Generals of both the Union and Confederate armies, Robert E. Lee and Ulysses S. Grant, were members, as were numerous others in the higher echelon of command. Fitz John Porter, John Magruder, Braxton Bragg and many others were all members.

The club’s formation was first announced in the American Star, an American newspaper printed in Mexico, on October 26, 1847. It stated that the officers who entered Mexico City were gathering in an effort to create a club “similar to those of the military clubs of England—that of coming together in friendly intercourse (2).” The club occupied the villa of the Mexican Minister to the United States that had been Winfield Scott’s temporary headquarters after the cities occupation. Regular Army and volunteer officers were eligible for membership ac-cording to the club’s charter, but unfortunately Militia officers were denied membership. Members were expected to pay $20 for the honor of club membership that was to remain with the owner’s family as a hereditary title. Since the club’s organization, the hereditary survivors of the initial

members have regularly held meetings. In 1874, one of these meetings was held at the White House, at the request of President Ulysses S. Grant. The descendants of the original members are still an active organization. More information on them is available at www.aztecclub.com. The medal at the Polk Site is attributed to William H. Polk, brother of James K. Polk and officer in the U.S. 3rd Dragoons. It stands as a reminder of the bravery and dedication of the men and officers who fought gal-lantly during the Mexican-American War.

1 Presidents Zachary Taylor, Millard Fillmore and Ulysses S. Grant were members. 2 Richard Winders, Mr. Polk’s Army, (College Station: Texas A&M University Press, 1997.) p.238.

Robert Bemis

Aztec Club

2009 Polk Family Reunion May 22-24, 2009 in Bolivar, TN

The biennial Polk Family Reunion will be held this year on May 22-24th in Bolivar, TN. Host-ing the event will be the James K. Polk Memorial Association. Registration is $100 and includes the welcome reception, one lunch, one continental breakfast, two dinners, a walking tour of Historic Bolivar, site admission and guided tours of five historic sites. Additional information is available from the James K. Polk Home in Columbia, TN, (931) 388-2354. Jim Reece

Membership Medallion of Aztec Club Photograph: Robert Bemis

Page 5 Volume 10, Issue 1

Tight budgets and decreasing revenue has put most capital improvement projects on hold. But thanks to the generosity of the Polk Memorial Support Group, the lobby of our visitor’s center received a long-overdue facelift. The visitor’s center was built in the mid-1960s. Over time, it has received minor improvements, with the largest and most recent face lift coming in the mid-1980s. Since then, the visitor’s center has pretty much looked the same, and one of the site’s goals for 2009 was to freshen it up with new paint and carpeting. But a

freeze on state spending threatened to put the project on hold indefinitely. The Polk Memorial Support Group, a 501(c)(3) entity, paid for the improvements through the Polk Memorial Support Group Fund, Inc. and good old-fashioned “sweat equity.” Painting was the order of the day, and we started by clearing out the auditorium and taking down the video screen. Once the room was emptied, we painted the walls and the screen itself. Next on the to-do list was the lobby of the visitor’s center. This was a bigger job than we anticipated! We painted over the black borders with a presidential blue, which stands out nicely and reinforces the presidential theme of the historic site. We also painted over the paneling and spruced up the gift shop cor-ner. “We wanted something that our visitors coming in to tour and shop would be

proud of,” said Sharon Van Kuren, president of the Polk Support Group. “These improvements will go a long way toward communicating our theme that this was the birthplace of our 11th president—something we all should be proud of.” Once the lobby and visitor’s center were painted, we focused on painting the offices. The staff is thrilled with the new look! I cannot thank the Polk support group enough. I also want to thank our support group mem-bers, because through your annual giving and membership, this project was made possible. If you are a mem-ber, please stop by and see your dollars at work. If you aren’t a member yet, why not fill out the membership form on page 7 and join? Your membership dollars will go toward preserving an important time in presidential history that may be forgotten without your support. Our site keeps the legacy of James K. Polk alive in the minds of our visitors and the thousands of students who come to our site to learn about the nation’s most industrious president. In addition, your membership dollars make our summer camps and our annual President Polk Birthday Celebration possible. Together, we can continue to strive toward making this the best historic site in Charlotte, Mecklenburg County and the state of North Carolina. Scott Warren

Support Group Funds Visitor’s Center Facelift

Volunteers work on lobby Photograph: Scott Warren

Newly Painted Visitors Center Lobby Photograph: Courtney Rounds

Inaugural Bible Presented to Sarah Polk The bible on which the President places his hand when taking the oath of office is an important icon of American democracy. Polk’s inaugural bible was presented to his wife Sarah by the chief marshal of the District of Columbia. He inscribed the book to her, saying, “United with your distinguished husband and in the enjoinment of the utmost favor of his country and the highest station which their votes and their confidence can bestow, when time shall have passed and the troubles and the honors of this life shall have known their termination, may your union still continue undisturbed.” Mrs. Polk cherished the book for the rest of her days. Reprinted from Provisions and Politics Published by the James K. Polk Memorial Association Columbia, TN Jim Reece

Page 6 The Young Hickory News

$5 = A Great Night Out

Buy Your Raffle Ticket Before June 6!

Looking for a night away? How about dinner, a movie and a nice room, all for only $5?

The President James K. Polk State Historic Site is holding a raffle for a great night out for the lucky winner on June 6! The third-place winner receives two movie tickets to Regal Cinemas, and the second-place winner receives a signed copy of the newest Polk biography, Polk: The Man who Transformed the Presidency and America by Walter Borneman. The grand prize package includes an overnight stay at the Hilton Garden Inn in Pineville, two movie tickets to Regal Cinemas, brunch for two at the Waldhorn German restaurant and a copy of the Bourneman book. The raffle is organized by the Polk Memorial Support Fund Inc., and proceeds will go toward funding the site’s three summer camps this July and August. These camps, held each summer, teach children what life was like during the President Polk’s lifetime. Registrations for the summer camps are going on now. Thank you to the Hilton Garden Inn, the Waldhorn German Restaurant, Maestro’s Bar and Bistro, and author Walter Borneman for donating these terrific prizes. The raffle runs through June 6 at noon, which is when the drawing will take place. You may purchase raffle tickets ($5 for one or $10 for three) from any staff member at the visitor’s center. The President James K. Polk State Historic Site is located at 12031 Lancaster Highway, Pineville, NC, 28134. For more information, please call the site at (704) 889-7145, Monday–Saturday, 8 a.m.–5 p.m. or visit us on the Web at www.polk.nchistoricsites.org.

The President James K. Polk State Historic Site hosted a living history event titled Neighbors in Conflict on April 11, 2009. This program illustrated the life of a common citizen who has been called into service due the 1846 conflict with Mexico. Several costumed interpreters demonstrated the types of drill and training a newly enlisted soldier would learn in 1846. Visitors were able to see camp conditions, learn about uniforms of the time, and watch a rifle firing demonstration. Members of the Catawba Valley Cooking Guild presented period foods common to the backcountry during the mid 19th century as well as soldier’s fare.

Other highlights included a lecture titled “Mexican War Soldiers turned Civil War Generals,” given by Dr. Christopher D. Rounds, professor of American history at Winthrop University. This presentation expanded on the role that the Mexican-American War played in the development of future leaders of the Civil War. This year’s event was very successful with wonderful weather and a re-cord number of visitors, making it our most well-attended spring program in several years! Site staff would like to thank all of its volunteers and Dr. Rounds who took the time to help out with the program.

Courtney Rounds

Neighbors in Conflict: Militia Muster Event

Mark Dappert fires for visitors Photograph: Courtney Rounds

Polk Support Fund, Inc. * Application for Membership

Name Address City State ZIP Telephone (h) (w) E-mail Please check membership category: [ ] Congressman ($20/year) [ ] Governor ($25/year) [ ] Speaker of the House ($40/year) [ ] President ($100) [ ] Memorial/Honor Gift Amount $ Name of Honoree

Make checks payable to Polk Support Fund, Inc. and mail to P.O. Box 475, Pineville NC 28134

Volume 10, Issue 1 Page 7

Upcoming Events

June 6 Raffle Drawing and Polk Living History Day. The fundraising raffle (see story on page 6) ends today when we draw the three fantastic prizes! The site will also feature living history vignettes depicting life in the early 19th century. July 20, 27 & August 3, 2009 Polk Summer Day Camps. Throughout July and August, we will host a series of day camps for children. These one-day history day camps will use living history to teach campers about daily life on the Polk farm from 1795-1806, the Mexican War 1846-1848 and the administration of President James K. Polk. Pre-registration required: 704/889-7145 Fees charged: $30 per participant.

September 5, 2009 Sarah Childress Polk Day. Join us as we celebrate the birthday of First Lady Sarah Childress Polk. Learn about the life of this truly remarkable woman who outlived her husband by 42 years!

October 31, 2009 James K. Polk Birthday Celebration. This living history program will bring back to life the Polk family of Mecklenburg County in November 1795, when James K. Polk was born into the family. Activities will include an historic cooking demonstration, children’s games and other hands on activities. 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

December 12, 2009 Christmas in Mecklenburg County with the Polk family. Visitors will see a living history vignette in the main house. Each building will be decorated in the 19th century style! Come and learn about food and customs from Christmas in 1802!

The President James K. Polk State Historic Site

12031 Lancaster Highway Post Office Box 475 Pineville, NC 28134 Phone: 704-889-7145

We’re on the Web!

www.polk.nchistoricsites.org

The President James K. Polk State Historic Site thanks the following

raffle sponsors!