Gerald R. Ford Museum - Grand Rapids, Michigan July 21, 2016

Gerald Ford became the 38th president of the United States following Richard Nixon's resignation, in the aftermath of the Watergate scandal. The center of the museum is the permanent exhibit. It features the important times in the President and Mrs. Ford's lives There are also temporary exhibits with objects from other U.S. museums. The museum is part of the Presidential libraries system of the National Archives and Records Administration. It opened to the public in 1981.

Gerald Ford received a law degree from Yale Law School in 1941 and went into practice in Grand Rapids Michigan. He received a commission as ensign in the US Naval reserve in 1942 and quickly reported for active duty to the V-5 instructor school in Annapolis, Maryland. He served on the USS Monterey from 1943 until it was declared unfit for service in Dec 1944. He was released from active duty in February 1946 and resigned from the Naval Reserve in June 1963.

Jerry Ford and Betty Bloomer were engaged in February of 1948, but he told her they had to wait to be married because he had something he needed to do. He announced his candidacy for congress. He took time two weeks before the elections to be married.

Betty said, " I was unprepared to be a political wife, but I didn't worry because I..didn't think he was going to win. At that time only Old Men went to congress."

He was elected to the U S House of Representative and served for 25 years. He was elected 13 times In October 1973 President Nixon nominated Gerald Ford to take Vice President Spiro Agnew's place. Agnew had resigned under allegations of tax evasion and bribery.

Due to investigation of Nixon involvement in the Watergate Scandal, he resigned as President on August 8, 1974. Gerald Ford was sworn in as the 38th President of the United States the following day. 

The replica of President Ford's office in the White House.

Ford was defeated by Jimmy Carter in the presidential election in 1976.

Ford remained active in the Republican Party. He died at home on December 26, 2006. His was the shortest presidency of all the presidents who did not die in office. However, he lived the longest of any other U. S. President.

The grave sites of both Gerald and Betty Ford on the museum grounds:

Some information from:

https://www.fordlibrarymuseum.gov