Ranger-guided tour at President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home National Historic Site

CLINTON BIRTH HOME TOUR DETAILS

Ranger-guided tours of Bill Clinton’s birthplace home are given on a first-come, first-served basis multiple times each day that President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home National Historic Site is open. Tours last 30 minutes, and there is no charge. A tour is the only way to see the inside of the home. For the current schedule, check the National Park Service’s official Guided Tours web page for the park.

Bill Clinton’s birthplace home, President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home National Historic Site

Those in wheelchairs can access the first floor of the Clinton birthplace home via a wheelchair ramp. However, once inside, only those who can walk up stairs can get to the second floor. There is no elevator or wheelchair lift inside the house.

Wheelchair ramp at Bill Clinton’s birthplace home, President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home National Historic Site

HOUSE TOUR

The two-story wood-frame house in which Bill Clinton was born was built in 1917 by Dr. H.M. “Hosea” Garrett. It is an example of the popular 20th-century American Foursquare style, with the front door centered on a symmetrical façade and double-hung windows. Clinton’s grandparents, James and Edith Cassidy, moved into the home in 1938 and remained there until James’ death in 1957. Bill was born in August 1946 and lived in the house until the summer of 1950.

The tour begins in the Visitor Center, and from there participants walk the short distance to the birthplace home. Before proceeding inside, the Ranger points out an interesting exterior feature: an awning over a small platform next to the second-floor windows. It appears to be a boarded-up window, but this is a door that could be opened. On the platform and protected by the awning was a large exterior fan (same as an attic fan) used to help cool the house during the hot summer months. The fan was removed when the house was restored in the 1990s.

Second-floor awning on the Bill Clinton birthplace home once housed an exterior fan, President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home National Historic Site

Once inside the house, the first stop is in the living room. The furniture here and throughout the house is period furniture similar to what the Cassidys had when Bill was a child. None of it belonged to the Cassidys or the Clintons. Bill (adult) did give his input on how to decorate the interior based on his memories. While he moved out when he was four years old, he continued visiting his grandparents until he was eleven, so he did have memories of the house.

Living room inside Bill Clinton’s birthplace home, President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home National Historic Site

Living room inside Bill Clinton’s birthplace home, President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home National Historic Site

The Cassidys entered Bill in a cute baby contest in 1947, and out of one hundred babies, he won first place. On top of a radio in the living room sits a photo of Bill as a baby and a trophy similar to one he won.

Picture and a first-place trophy similar to one won by Bill Clinton in a 1947 cute baby contest, President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home National Historic Site

The dining room is next to the living room, and both have east-facing windows overlooking the backyard. Bill would often play there, and his family could easily watch him from inside.

Dining room inside Bill Clinton’s birthplace home, President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home National Historic Site

A small pantry connects the dining room to the kitchen. Original to the house is a built-in china cabinet in the pantry. It now holds dishes typical of the late 1940s when Bill lived in the house.

Original built-in china cabinet inside Bill Clinton’s birthplace home, President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home National Historic Site

The kitchen has an original Blackstone elevated-oven with gas cookstove from the late 1920s. Because the kitchen was small, the refrigerator was kept on the enclosed back porch.

Kitchen inside Bill Clinton’s birthplace home, President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home National Historic Site

Refrigerator on the back porch of Bill Clinton’s birthplace home, President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home National Historic Site

The tour continues upstairs to Bill’s childhood bedroom. The desk in the corner is a very close match to one he got as a Christmas present from his grandmother when he was three years old. One of the pictures on the desk shows him dressed up as Hopalong Cassidy, his favorite radio character.

Bill Clinton’s childhood bedroom inside his birthplace home, President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home National Historic Site

On the dresser is the book The Kitten’s Surprise. This is the only item in the house that actually belonged to Bill when he was a child. The book was donated by Susan Cook, a girl in Bill’s kindergarten class. How she got it is anybody’s guess.

Book that belonged to Bill Clinton as a child on display in his birth house bedroom, President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home National Historic Site

Bill’s mother, Virginia, had the largest bedroom upstairs, though only because nobody else wanted it since it was the hottest room in the house. This was her room when the family first moved in (she was 15 years old), and it was her bedroom when she moved back after her first husband, Bill Blythe, was killed in a car accident three months before Bill was born. She was a lover of makeup and fashion, as evidenced by the products displayed on the vanity. She was almost always seen dressed nicely with her face made up.

Virginia Blythe’s bedroom inside Bill Clinton’s birthplace home, President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home National Historic Site

Vanity table in the room of Bill Clinton’s mother, Virginia, in his birthplace home, President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home National Historic Site

The bedroom of James and Edith Cassidy had two beds, which was common at the time. A copy of a letter Bill wrote to his grandmother during his first year of college at Georgetown University is displayed in the room.

Bedroom of James and Edith Cassidy, Bill Clinton’s grandparents, inside his birthplace home, President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home National Historic Site

Letter Bill Clinton wrote to his Mammaw on display inside his birthplace home, President William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home National Historic Site

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