Gerald Ford developed an interest in government and politics from an early age due to his stepfather's participation in local politics. His stepfather, Gerald R. Ford, Sr., became active in the Grand Rapids political scene during the 1930s and 1940s.
The international drama known as the "Mayaguez Incident" tested the resolve of our nation and our military in trying times. Drawn into the fray were two men who hailed from Grand Rapids. One took the reins and made the tough decisions from the highest office in the land; the other entered harm's way to implement the military response.
This exquisite bird made of gold, diamonds, rubies, and silver, was given to President Gerald Ford when the Sultan of Oman, Qaboos Bin, visited the United States on January 13, 1975.
In June 1977 President Gerald Ford received the Yonatan Netanyahu Memorial Award from the American Friends of the University of Jerusalem. The award, in the form of a bronze plaque, includes a relief picture of Lt. Col. Yonatan Netanyahu.
This small, charred piece of wood was removed from the White House during a renovation in the early 1950s. The piece was believed to have been burnt in the 1814 White House fire started by the British.
In 1923 a young Warren Burger sculpted a bronze bust of Benjamin Franklin. In 1969 Burger become Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court, and his bust of Franklin came to the attention of the Franklin Mint.
These glasses were used at a Michigan fundraiser for the 1963 campaign of Republican Presidential candidate Barry Goldwater.
On October 13, 1975 president Gerald R. Ford was presented with a plaque made from pieces of the naval warship the USS Constitution in celebration of the Bicentennial of the United States Navy.
This Bicentennial caricature of Gerald Ford was presented to future Vice President and Ford's Chief of Staff, Dick Cheney, while he was on a trip to Philadelphia in September 1976.
A scale model of Apollo-Soyuz presented to President Gerald R. Ford by cosmonauts Aleskei Leonov and Valeri Kubasov in the Oval Office on September 7, 1974.
This commemorative medallion was a gift to President Gerald R. Ford from Councilman Merle D. Gilliland and T. Mel Anderson, President of St. Mary’s College of California.
President Gerald Ford received a wolf-skin fur coat from his friend, Jack Kim, an Alaskan furrier, when Air Force One stopped in Anchorage to refuel.
The Bicentennial Jewel is made of white gold, diamonds, rubies and sapphires and is in the shape of the official 1976 Bicentennial symbol.
The Roman Vase is made of hand-blown glass, and painted brown.
The Polish Cossack doll, which stands approximately 22 inches high, was a gift of his Excellency Edward Gierek, first secretary of the Polish United Workers Party in Warsaw, Poland.
