This document provides information about distances between presidential homes and the U.S. Capitol building. It discusses the homes of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Woodrow Wilson, and the current White House. For each location, it asks the reader to consider the distance to the Capitol, types of transportation used at that time, and estimated travel times. The purpose is to have students explore and compare travel for presidents throughout American history to the center of government in Washington D.C.

1. Tour of Presidential
Homes

2. Here at George Washington’s home I would like you to measure the distance from Mount Vernon to the Capitol of the United
States. Try to take yourself back in time. What type of transportation would George Washington use? How long do you think it
would take George Washington to get from his home to the capitol? What obstacles might he have faced then, that we don’t
have now?

3. Thomas Jefferson Monticello
Here at Thomas Jefferson’s home I would like you to measure the distance from here to the capitol of the United States.
Because Thomas Jefferson also visited George Washington I would like you to measure the distance from Monticello to Mount
Vernon. How long do you think it took Thomas Jefferson to get to the Capitol? How long do you think it would take to visit
George Washington? Would you travel far to visit your friend?

4. President Lincoln often stayed in what is now called the Lincoln Cottage. It was much closer for him to get to the
Capitol then the other presidents on our tour. Of course President Lincoln was also in a different time era. I would
still like to know the distance from the Lincoln Cottage to the Capitol building. How long do you think his commute to
work was? What type of transportation do you think he used?

5. After Woodrow Wilson served as the President of the United States he moved into what would
later be preserved as the Woodrow Wilson House. How close did he stay to the Capitol Building?
Why do you think it is important to keep the Woodrow Wilson house open to the public?

6. Now this is the last stop on our tour. This is the home we know as the Presidential home of now. I
would like you to measure the distance from Oregon to the White house. What types of
transportation would we use now to get to the White House? How long would it take us to get
there by each method of transportation?

7. Next step
• Explore Google Earth for other Presidential homes or landmarks
• Pick a president that you would like to study more in depth
• When you find your President, track the measurements from
birthplace, school, White House, and if no longer president find their
hometown now.
• Make a slideshow or iMovie depicting your president. Create your
own tour for the class with an interesting fact on each slide