Surprising Hobbies of U.S. Presidents
Being the president of the United States is no easy task. The day-to-day responsibilities and weighty decisions of the presidency are enough to turn anyone gray, and the role typically draws more criticism than praise. With so much pressure involved, even the most dedicated commander in chief needs some respite from the job. It’s only natural, then, that throughout the history of the White House, the private lives of American presidents have been filled with a wide array of hobbies.
Some of these activities have been fairly common, such as reading, horseback riding, fishing, painting, and of course, golf. Others, however, are not necessarily what you’d expect from a person holding the highest office in the land. Here are some of the more surprising hobbies of U.S. presidents.
John Quincy Adams Was Into Skinny-Dipping
Beyond extensive reading and writing, John Quincy Adams enjoyed a wholesome morning routine in which he would wake between 4 a.m. and 5 a.m. and set off on a 2-mile walk. In the summer months, this walk included taking a daily dip in the Potomac River, wearing nothing apart from his large sideburns. (Adams was the first U.S. president to have facial hair.) According to legend, a female reporter named Anne Royall was keen to talk with the president, so she went to the river while he was bathing in the buff, sat on his clothes, and refused to move until he granted her an interview. This likely never occurred, however — the oft-repeated story unfortunately has no basis in fact.
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Abraham Lincoln Loved Wrestling — and Cats
Before he became president, Abe Lincoln was a dedicated wrestler. The 6-foot-4 future president may have fought as many as 300 matches, and legend has it he lost only once. For his efforts, he was posthumously inducted into the Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1992, as an "Outstanding American" in the sport. Honest Abe gave up wrestling before he became president in 1861, after which he was more often found reading and telling jokes. After moving into the White House, Lincoln’s wife, Mary Todd Lincoln, was asked about her husband’s hobbies, to which she simply replied: “cats.” Lincoln became the first president to keep cats as pets at the White House when he was given two kittens that he named Tabby and Dixie, and by most accounts he was entirely devoted to them.
Calvin Coolidge Rode a Mechanical Horse
Calvin Coolidge was roundly mocked by opponents and the press when news broke of his peculiar hobby: riding a mechanical hobby horse. The electric horse — a barrel-shaped contraption made of wood, metal, and leather — was installed in the White House for the president’s exercise. Coolidge, who loved riding actual horses, became rather fond of the mechanical version. He rode it three times a day both for exercise and as a stress reliever (and, one might assume, for pleasure). The mechanical horse even had two variable gaits: “trot” and “gallop.”
John F. Kennedy Collected Model Ships and Scrimshaw
JFK loved the sea and sailing, a passion reflected in his collection of model ships. He had numerous ships in his personal collection, from Chinese war junks to 18th-century French frigates, some of which were on display in the Oval Office. He also collected scrimshaw — intricate scrollwork, engravings, and carvings done in bone or ivory, often created by sailors on whaling ships in the 18th and 19th centuries. He kept pieces scattered around the Oval Office, including some on his desk. His favorite item of scrimshaw was a custom-made piece featuring the presidential seal, given to him as a Christmas gift from his wife, Jacqueline Kennedy, in 1962. When JFK was buried, Jackie Kennedy placed the piece in her husband’s coffin.
Richard Nixon Was an Avid Bowler
During his presidency, Richard Nixon liked to blow off steam by going bowling. He could often be found at the bowling alley in the Old Executive Office Building, across the street from the White House. He later had a one-lane alley built in the White House basement, beneath the North Portico entrance. In 1971, The New York Times reported that Nixon had an average bowling score of 165 and a respectable high score of 229.
Bill Clinton Is Obsessed With Crossword Puzzles
Most people know that Bill Clinton plays the saxophone, a talent he famously demonstrated on The Arsenio Hall Show. But the 42nd president also has a more sedate hobby: crossword puzzles. In 2002, he wrote a letter to Will Shortz, the editor of the renowned New York Times puzzle, saying, “Keep the crosswords coming. Even when I can’t finish them, they’re the only part of the Times that guarantees good feeling!” Later, in 2017, he helped create a crossword puzzle for the Times. “When I was president,” he once recalled, “I worked no telling how many hundreds and hundreds of crossword puzzles. I find it very relaxing. For a moment, you take your mind off whatever you’re doing.”
