Coolidge Museum News and Articles

Tuesday March 4 is Centennial Giving Day

March 4, 1925 Supreme Court Justice and former President William Howard Taft administer the oath to President Calvin Coolidge.

We have chosen this historic date of the 100th anniversary of President Coolidge’s inauguration to kick off a $400,000 fundraising campaign for a new Museum exhibit and program space.  

Thanks to generous giving and support, we have recently hired Design Division of Amherst, Massachusetts to begin the process with us of designing new engaging and thought provoking exhibits and an improved multi functional program space.  We are excited to re-imagine the Coolidge Museum as we continue to celebrate the centennial of the Coolidge administration.  

Please join with others in our community to make a difference by taking part in Centennial Giving Day on March 4. Here is how you can help with this exciting project:

• Consider making a gift today. $100 for the 100th anniversary!
• Share this with a friend.
• Join a committee! The Coolidge Museum Standing Committee or one of its subcommittees- Programming, Marketing, Development or Exhibits. 
• Recruit a friend to volunteer on a committee or as a Museum guide or for a remote research project. 
• Share Coolidge resources with teachers and history lovers
  Forbes Library archives database including over 4000 images related to Coolidge https://archives.forbeslibrary.org/ or Watch or share a recording of a past program 
• In early summer we will have conceptual drawings to share and will host a public listening session to provide feedback and learn more! 

We are grateful for your support and hope we can count on you to share and participate in creating new Coolidge Museum exhibits and an upgraded general program space. 

Thank you for your help in every way, and please know how much we appreciate your part in making us the terrific community we are.   

Make your gift go even farther by making a recurring donation and become a member of Cal’s Pals and receive a set of Coolidge bookmarks.

On behalf of The Trustees of Forbes Library, the Board of the Calvin Coolidge Presidential Library & Museum invites exhibition design firms to submit proposals to work with the Head of the Coolidge Museum, Forbes Library Director and Coolidge Museum Exhibits Committee to re-envision and reimagine the Coolidge Museum space.  

Request for Proposal

We encourage you to make an appointment for a physical or virtual walk through of the space or request additional information.

Contact Coolidge@forbeslibrary.org or 413-587-1014

For more information, contact: Julie Bartlett Nelson, coolidge@forbeslibrary.org or 413-587-1014.
Make a Gift

As the centennial of the presidency of Calvin Coolidge is being marked, the library and museum which bears the name of the 30th U.S. president has launched the first public fundraising campaign in its history. The campaign comes as plans are underway to upgrade the exhibits and modernize the museum space for the Calvin Coolidge Presidential Library & Museum at the Forbes Library in Northampton.

The museum, which receives no federal or state funds and has never charged an admission fee, has remained basically unchanged since it opened in 1956.  It is the only presidential museum situated within a public library and operates with a budget that comes from a small endowment, minimal city funds and voluntary contributions.

“This centennial of Calvin Coolidge’s presidency seems an appropriate time to launch this public fundraising effort,” said J.R. Greene, chair of the museum’s standing committee.  “We are pursuing plans to revamp the museum to make it a place that attracts new generations to learn and understand Coolidge’s story and his legacy to our nation.”

The plans to revamp the museum are to begin later this summer with a request for design proposals.  Preliminary estimates are that this phase will cost about $30,000. The revitalization effort, added Greene, “will greatly strengthen the museum’s mission to give our visitors a well-balanced historical account of Coolidge’s political and family life.”

The Coolidge library and museum preserves and makes available for research materials that document the public and private life of the man who also served as mayor of Northampton and governor of Massachusetts.  It was in Northampton that Coolidge began his political career and where he returned to live after the White House. The collection also includes materials related to first lady Grace Goodhue Coolidge and their sons, John and Calvin Jr.

The museum dates to 1920 when, as governor and vice president-elect, Calvin Coolidge began giving documents and memorabilia to Forbes Library.  He continued to add other materials during his presidency and upon leaving the White House until his death in 1933.The library, upon the request of Grace Coolidge, formally established the “Calvin Coolidge Memorial Room” as a separate entity.

The Coolidge collection includes the memorabilia from Coolidge’s law office in Northampton, his personal papers, the Howard Chandler Christy portraits of the president and first lady and the famous electric exercise horse that he used in the White House when the Secret Service advised against horseback riding.

The museum’s meeting space is also regularly used by a variety of public groups throughout the year, and they, too, will benefit from a more modern, up-to-date facility.

Visit the Calvin Coolidge Presidential Library and Museum’s website to learn more about the museum and to make a gift.

Press Release – For immediate release

Contact: Lisa Downing, Library Director, director@forbeslibrary.org or 413-587-1016

The Calvin Coolidge Standing Committee of the Forbes Library Board of Trustees voted at its Sept. 11, 2023 meeting to support the joint statement of thirteen presidential foundations and centers “regarding the future of our nation and an urgent call to action for all Americans.” The library’s Board of Trustees also endorsed the statement at its Sept. 21 meeting.

The joint statement, released on Sept. 7, reminds citizens, “As a diverse nation of people with different backgrounds and beliefs, democracy holds us together. We are a country rooted in the rule of law, where the protection of the rights of all people is paramount. At the same time, we live among our fellow citizens, underscoring the importance of compassion, tolerance, pluralism, and respect for others.”  

It goes on to say that “Civility and respect in political discourse, whether in an election year or otherwise, are essential,” warning that the world is watching “our own house in disarray.”

“Each of us has a role to play and responsibilities to uphold,” the statement continues. “Our elected officials must lead by example and govern effectively in ways that deliver for the American people.” The statement admonishes citizens to “engage in civil dialogue; respect democratic institutions and rights; uphold safe, secure, and accessible elections; and contribute to local, state, or national improvement.”

In adding the Coolidge Presidential Library and Museum’s voice to the statement, Standing Committee President J.R. Greene said, “Coolidge was a true conservative, believing that the system of government established by the founding fathers was the best in the world. He stated that, ‘Democracy is obedience to the rule of the people.’ He also spoke of the ‘righteousness of democracy,’ and that ‘its foundation lays hold upon eternity.’ 

Greene added, “Coolidge also observed, ‘the difference between despotism and democracy is not a difference in the requirement of obedience, it is a difference in rulers.’  He stated, ‘We are very proud of our democracy. We are very proud of our form of government. We believe that there is no other nation on earth that gives to the individual the privileges and rights that he has in America.’”

“In light of this philosophy,” Greene concluded, “our board voted unanimously to endorse the Presidential Libraries declaration.”

The joint statement was released by the George W. Bush Presidential Center and was co-signed by presidential centers and foundations from Presidents Hoover through Obama, with the exception of the Eisenhower Foundation. 

Established in 1920, the Calvin Coolidge Presidential Library & Museum collects, preserves and makes available for research materials documenting the public and private life of Calvin Coolidge (1872-1933).  Manuscripts, artifacts and exhibits cover his political career from Northampton to Boston to the White House and his post-presidential years as a Northampton resident. The Collection also includes materials related to Grace Goodhue Coolidge (1879-1957) and sons John (1906-2000) and Calvin Jr. (1908-1924).

The Daily Hampshire Gazette published this excellent local historical & biographical article by Bob Flaherty on August 3, 2023. (includes 9 photos)

The Daily Hampshire Gazette published this article on August 3, 2023, the 100th anniversary of Calvin Coolidge’s swearing in as the 30th President of the United States. (includes 11 photos)