Did you know that every U.S. president was born in one of twenty-one states? If you're curious to know which states have given us the most presidents, we're about to fill you in. Maybe there is something in the water.
New York (5 Presidents)
Five presidents have come from New York, which puts the state at number three on this list. It shouldn't surprise you too much based on the fact that it's one of the original 13 colonies and also a highly populated place. The five presidents born in New York are:
- Martin Van Buren, born December 5, 1782, 8th president
- Millard Fillmore, born January 7, 1800, 13th president
- Theodore Roosevelt, born October 27, 1858, 26th president
- Franklin D. Roosevelt, born January 30, 1882, 32nd president
- Donald Trump, born June 14, 1946, 45th president
If you'd like to learn more about these presidents and their lives before taking office, you have plenty of options. You can visit the Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace National Historic Site in New York City and tour the former president's boyhood home.
The Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt is a National Historic Monument in Hyde Park. The Springwood Estate was not only FDR's birthplace, but it was also where he chose to be buried. Make sure to check the website for current information before you go because it will be renovated soon.
Ohio (7 Presidents)
The first president to come from Ohio was Ulysses S. Grant, the 18th president. Still, Ohio boasts the title of the birthplace of seven presidents. Here they are:
- Ulysses S. Grant, born April 27, 1822, 18th president
- Rutherford B. Hayes, born October 4, 1822, 19th president
- James A. Garfield, born November 19, 1831, 20th president
- Benjamin Harrison, born August 20, 1833, 23rd president
- William McKinley, born January 29, 1843, 25th president
- William H. Taft, born September 15, 1857, 27th president
- Warren G. Harding, born November 2, 1865, 29th president
Now when we are talking strictly about birthplace, these are the stats. But Ohio likes to point out that William Henry Harrison, the 9th president, also called Ohio home. Although Harrison was born in the state of Virginia, he moved to Ohio as an adult. Harrison served there as a U.S. representative and senator before he won the presidency.
When it comes to historical sites honoring these men, there are a few. Grant's birthplace is a state memorial in Point Pleasant, Ohio. You can tour the home and learn about how the entire house was transported by train at one point in time.
Spiegel Grove is the estate of Rutherford B. Hayes, and you can visit the presidential library and tour the 25-acre estate. Hayes inherited the estate from his uncle.
William McKinley's birthplace is also a museum now, and William H. Taft is memorialized at the William Howard Taft National Historic Site.
Virginia (8 Presidents)
The state where the most U.S. presidents were born is Virginia, coming in at eight presidents. Considering there have only been 45 presidents in U.S. history, that's better than one in six. Here are the presidents born in the state of Virginia. Note that several of these men were born in the colony of Virginia before it was officially a state.
- George Washington, born February 22, 1732, 1st president
- Thomas Jefferson, born April 13, 1743, 3rd president
- James Madison, born March 16, 1751, 4th president
- James Monroe, born April 28, 1758, 5th president
- William Henry Harrison, born February 9, 1773, 9th president
- Zachary Taylor, born November 24, 1784, 12th president
- John Tyler, born March 29, 1790, 10th president
- Woodrow Wilson, born December 28, 1856, 28th president
Naturally, Virginia has a lot of pride in being such a central place in the birth of our nation. It was the hub of great thinkers and key figures in U.S. independence and the formative years of our country. There are many places in Virginia devoted to remembering these individuals, but we will name just a few in case you travel to Virginia and want to know the highlights.
George Washington's birthplace is a National Monument in Colonial Beach, Virginia. Visitors can tour the estate, and children will enjoy seeing the "heritage breed" livestock. When the site was established as a national monument, they brought in animals that descended from the very stock of the animals who would have lived there when the Washingtons did.
James Monroe's birthplace is also in Colonial Beach. While it used to be just a memorial park, they've now constructed a replica of Monroe's boyhood home. And while William Henry Harrison had a very short time in office, the Berkeley Plantation, where he was born, is still a beautiful place to visit.