Cumberland Township near Gettysburg in Adams County, Pennsylvania — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
The Stables
Eisenhower National Historic Park
The entire family is eagerly awaiting the arrival at Gettysburg of the Quarter Horse. David is beside himself with joy and although he scorns any danger, I have assured his mother and grandmother that you are sending a gentle and tractable animal.
Walter Rogers, July 1955
You might have found eight or nine horses in these stables during Eisenhower’s day. He was familiar with horses from his childhood in Kansas and his cavalry training at West Point. The family kept quarter Horses and Arabians at the farm, and over the years the horses produced a number of foals.
The president sometimes rode. But his son and daughter-in-law John and Barbara and their children were the more frequent riders. The family enjoyed riding around the farm and on the trails on the battlefield. When the family rode beyond the confines of the farm, Secret Service agents were required to follow by car or horseback.
Erected by National Park Service.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Agriculture • Animals • Government & Politics. In addition, it is included in the Former U.S. Presidents: #34 Dwight D. Eisenhower series list. A significant historical date for this entry is July 1, 1955.
Location. 39° 47.629′ N, 77° 15.789′ W. Marker is near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, in Adams County. It is in Cumberland Township. Marker can be reached from Eisenhower Drive, on the left when traveling south. Marker is located at the Eisenhower National Historic Park. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Gettysburg PA 17325, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Secret Service Office (within shouting distance of this marker); Guest House Railings (within shouting distance of this marker); Welcome to Eisenhower National Historic Site (within shouting distance of this marker); The Guest House (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named Welcome to Eisenhower National Historic Site (within shouting distance of this marker); The Helicopter Landing Pad (within shouting distance of this marker); President Eisenhower’s Gettysburg Farm (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Follow in the Footsteps (about 300 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Gettysburg.
More about this marker. The bottom of the marker contains a photo of the Eisenhower family on the farm, and has a caption of “The Eisenhowers (left), with grandchildren Anne, Susan, and David and the Quarter Horses Sporty Miss and Doodle De Do, participate in a photograph session for the press, September 1956.”
The lower right of the marker features a photo of “Granddaughter Susan Eisenhower hold[ing] Sonny Boy, the Arabian stallion from Tunisia. Eisenhower crossbred Sporty Miss with Sonny Boy to produce one of the foals born at the farm.”
Also see . . . Eisenhower National Historic Park. National Park Service website. (Submitted on November 4, 2010, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey.)
Credits. This page was last revised on February 7, 2023. It was originally submitted on November 4, 2010, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. This page has been viewed 590 times since then and 19 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on November 4, 2010, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey.