Martin Van Buren National Historic Site

Today, Martin Van Buren is an obscure man, often little more than a footnote. In pre-Civil War America, however, it was impossible not to have an opinion of him. Van Buren was central to the creation of America's political parties, and to the largest crisis of his time, slavery. The above quote is from Davy Crockett, one of many Americans trying to understand the Red Fox of Kinderhook.

Photo: "The main hall and dining table at Lindenwald were used by President Van Buren to not only entertain, but to use his skills to bend political issues his way through the ante bellum period." - National Park Service"