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THE TUESDAY, JULY 1 TOUR (ONLY $45 FOR THE TUESDAY TOUR) One only need go to the website for the current display of “Cowboys and Presidents” to see what a fascinating subject this is. Teddy Roosevelt starts off this trip through history, with pictures you won’t see anywhere else. He purchased a cattle ranch in the Badlands of the Dakota Territory and spent three years learning how to be a cowboy. He wrote two books about cowboy life, and never strayed far from the cowboy image. Calvin Coolidge cultivated the image of the American cowboy, wearing over- size chaps and a cowboy hat for many of his appearances. He was criticized by some for being a publicity hound, whose main claim to cowboy status was riding an electric horse which was given to him as a present. Be that as it may, most people seemed to think it made him approachable and more in tune with the common man. Lyndon Johnson used his cowboy persona to try to get the Democratic nomination for President, and although he lost to Kennedy, he was picked as the Vice-Presidential nominee to widen the appeal of the party. When he became President most Americans seemed to embrace the cowboy image, but the Vietnam War changed all that, and most politicians took steps to distance themselves from the “cowboy image” of Johnson. Ronald Reagan, of course, had played the role of cowboy in a few films, and he used that to his great advantage in his successful run for the Governorship of California. When he was elected President in 1980 cowboy mania swept the country, from movies and television to sports and leisure. Reagan used his California ranch as his Western White House, and while his cowboy image was one of his charms, detractors tried to label him as a reckless cowboy type. That didn’t work well, however, and he was one of the most popular Presidents ever, which influenced others following to try to use the cowboy image, although not very successfully. This is just a sample of the display, which is attracting large numbers to the Museum, and our Tuesday optional tour will take you there to enjoy not only this display, but the usual western movie motif also. From there it’s a short hop over to the Griffith Park Merry-go-round. This carousel was built in 1926 by the Spillman Engineering Company, and has been on site in Griffith Park since 1937. It boasts 68 jumper horses, beautifully carved and jewel-encrusted. It is accompanied by a Stinson 165 Military Band Organ. Another stop on this tour is Descanso Gardens, which is reputed to be one of the most romantic spots in Southern California. The gardens are on the site of the Boddy Mansion. He was a newspaper owner, and the grounds consist of 165 acres, with over 100,000 camellias, 4,000 roses, and flowers of all types and colors blooming in a beautiful setting. There is a pond, which is a bird sanctuary, and all sorts of smaller ponds and fountains. It’s a lovely place to wander, and we’ll take the tram ride so you can get a feel for the area. This promises to be an exciting tour, and you can still sign up if you are registered for the AMICA convention. |
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