14. Franklin Pierce
Franklin Pierce was born November 23, 1804, in Hillsborough, New Hampshire. Pierce’s birth home was a log cabin near the Contoocoock River, but shortly after his birth the prospering family moved into a newly built Federalist style farm house. Pierce’s father, Benjamin Pierce, was a Revolutionary War hero who survived Bunker Hill, Saratoga, and the winter at Valley Forge. A successful homesteader who also operated a tavern in the family house, the elder Pierce entered local and state politics before serving twice as governor of New Hampshire. A popular and rambunctious youth, Franklin Pierce preferred outdoor activities to books, but he attended a local academy before attending Bowdoin College and subsequently studying law.
The original site of the log cabin where Pierce was born is covered by Franklin Pierce Lake bordering Franklin Pierce Highway. The childhood home is about a mile away and still stands in much of its original condition. After photographing around the lake, I drive up to the impressive and stately home. The original two-tone paint job remains: the front and sides visible from the road were painted a more expensive white while the back and sides not visible were painted a deep red - paint made from milk, lime, and rust. The front rooms were used as a tavern and lodging, taking advantage of the busy road out front. I imagine how these travelers brought the outside world into the Pierce home, inspiring young Franklin.