Discover the Unexpected: Top 9 Amusing Facts About Calvin Coolidge You Never Knew!

1. Midnight Inauguration in Vermont

Forget Washington, D.C., the Coolidges know how to turn a Vermont farmhouse into the Oval Office at midnight: Calvin Coolidge was inaugurated as President in 1923 under a kerosene lamp's dim glow at his family home, with his father—a notary public—administering the oath.
Source => eyewitnesstohistory.com

2. Mechanical Horse Enthusiast

Before Peloton revolutionized the world of fitness by putting a spin on biking at home, one of America's most unexpected cardio kings straddled a mechanical contraption for his daily dose of galloping glee: Calvin Coolidge, the 30th U.S. President, was an avid enthusiast of his gifted wooden steed, dubbed "Thunderbolt." He rode this peculiar machine, designed with metal and leather, three times a day in his dressing room, exploring various gaits to improve his health—debunking the notion that it neighed while in use.
Source => washingtonpost.com

Did you know George Washington's famous dentures were far from wooden? Discover the surprising materials used in his peculiar pearly whites!

=> Fun Facts about George-Washington

3. Sleep-Induced Infallibility

Like a cunning linguist at a silent retreat, Calvin Coolidge was known for his quiet demeanor, but beneath that stoic exterior lurked a surprisingly shrewd sense of humor: our thirtieth president, also known as "Silent Cal," once quipped that he couldn't make mistakes while asleep, which led him to sleep for a whopping eleven hours every night in perfect slumber-induced infallibility.
Source => somnologymd.com

4. The First Raccoon of the White House

Before the days of "The Masked Singer," a raccoon stole the limelight at the White House: President Calvin Coolidge and First Lady Grace Coolidge owned a mischievous pet raccoon named Rebecca, who had been gifted to them for Thanksgiving dinner in 1926 but instead became a beloved family member, even partaking in the annual White House Easter egg roll and having her own treehouse.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

5. The Curious Case of Billy the Hippo

In a tale reminiscent of a whimsically adventurous children's book, Mr. President and the Curious Case of the Bouncing Hippo showcases a miniature, aquatic, rotund protagonist named Billy who frolicked like a playful pup and charmed hearts everywhere: in reality, Calvin Coolidge, the 30th U.S. president, received Billy the pygmy hippopotamus as a gift from tire tycoon Harvey Samuel Firestone in 1927, chose not to house the 6-foot-long, 600-pound Billy as a White House pet but instead donated him to the National Zoo, where he became a star attraction and even appeared at the 1939 New York World's Fair before passing away in 1955.
Source => presidentialpetmuseum.com

6. Tennis Tragedy at the White House

You know that phrase "it's all fun and games until someone gets hurt"? Well, in the Coolidge family, it was all tennis and blisters: John Coolidge, son of President Calvin Coolidge, experienced a heartbreaking family tragedy when his younger brother, Calvin Jr., developed a fatal infection from a blister he got while playing tennis on the White House grounds.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

7. 'The Great Refrainer' and Master of Thrift

Who needs the Energizer Bunny when you've got Calvin Coolidge, the original master of doing nothing with panache and style? Introducing, 'The Great Refrainer' himself: Calvin Coolidge was a staunch believer in political inactivity and limited government interference, so much so that he reduced the national debt significantly during his presidency. Meanwhile, his frugal nature earned him a reputation for thriftiness, making him the human embodiment of "a penny saved is a penny earned."
Source => firstthings.com

8. Switching on the National Christmas Tree

Who says there's no light at the end of the presidential tunnel? Well, it turns out Calvin Coolidge was the one who flipped the switch: President Coolidge was the first Commander in Chief to partake in the National Christmas Tree lighting ceremony on the Ellipse, kick-starting this festive tradition on December 24, 1923, and leaving a luminous legacy for his successors to follow!
Source => whitehousehistory.org

9. Professional Presidential Napper

Sleeping on the job never looked so presidential: Calvin Coolidge was known to catch Z's like a pro, napping for hours daily and even increasing his snooze sessions after his son's passing. Biographer Amity Shlaes referred to his work ethic as displaying "a ferocious discipline," despite his impressive devotion to slumber.
Source => apnews.com