Saturday, March 16, 2013

Daytripping: President McKinley Directs Traffic


President William McKinley directs traffic in front of the Adams Free Library in northwestern Massachusetts.

Adams is pretty quiet, so McKinley doesn't have much work to do.

President McKinley was a strong supporter of the American textile industry, supporting tariffs to protect the industry from foreign competition at the end of the nineteenth century.  The owners of the Berkshire Textile Company invited McKinley to visit on three occasions.  After President McKinley was assassinated in 1901, Adams remembered its famous visitor by commissioning a statue of the Ohio-born president to stand in a small traffic circle in front of the town's library.

The Berkshire factory closed nearly 60 years ago as most New England textile mills followed cheap labor to the South.  But, the company is the shell on which Warren Buffett has built his Berkshire Hathaway financial behemoth.
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17 comments:

  1. KarlMarch 16, 2013 at 6:56 AM

    Haha, nice title, Jack!
    Have a good weekend.

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  2. BirdmanMarch 16, 2013 at 9:00 AM

    From little seeds...

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  3. PerthDailyPhotoMarch 16, 2013 at 9:44 AM

    He looks a little fed up with his lifetime employment Jack ..the Adams Free Library behind him looks tres interesting! Happy weekend..

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  4. LowellMarch 16, 2013 at 10:43 AM

    A very interesting post. And a free library in a nice neighborhood is always a plus!

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  5. SharonMarch 16, 2013 at 10:43 AM

    That really is a great statue and I learned something new. I had no idea about the Warren Buffett connection.

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  6. Sylvia KMarch 16, 2013 at 11:32 AM

    A really interesting post, Jack. Great statue although I agree with Grace, he looks a little pissed off with his lifetime employment! Really interesting about the Warren Buffet connection!! Hope you have a great weekend!

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  7. VPMarch 16, 2013 at 1:33 PM

    Now I know why he was shot... Didn't know that Buffet's Berkshire had its roots here!

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  8. William KendallMarch 16, 2013 at 2:51 PM

    It's a splendid location, and quite a statue. I remember reading a book a few months back on the assassination.

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  9. RedPatMarch 16, 2013 at 3:09 PM

    He does look a wee bit lonely!

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  10. CindyMarch 16, 2013 at 4:03 PM

    Poor guy. Doomed to direct traffic for all eternity.

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  11. gardenbugMarch 16, 2013 at 8:46 PM

    Could be worse...he could be directing traffic in Buffalo, where I'm from.

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  12. VirginiaMarch 16, 2013 at 8:58 PM

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpomdqrYd9g
    V

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  13. Bob CroweMarch 16, 2013 at 9:50 PM

    He could also be waving at oncoming cars, pleading for a lift to Omaha.

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  14. RandyMarch 17, 2013 at 12:14 AM

    Great shots.

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  15. Dan DucatMarch 17, 2013 at 11:25 AM

    he looks a little ticked off.

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  16. LONDONLULUMarch 17, 2013 at 8:55 PM

    My high school was named for him, very nice to read this bit of history (I also like the library behind).

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  17. HalcyonMarch 20, 2013 at 7:58 AM

    He seems to make a good traffic cop!

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