As followers of this blog are aware, in addition to being an AvGeek, I’m also a history buff and have been traveling to the US presidential libraries and museums in chronological order. I made arrangements for yet another journey in mid-January - this time to Little Rock, Arkansas - in order to visit the next one on my list, the Clinton Presidential Center. My original departure plans were affected by heavy storms which
traveled up the east coast the previous evening, bringing with it heavy rains, high wind advisories and flooding.The situation was compounded by conditions in other regions of the country, which were also impacted by severe weather. The central US was experiencing blizzard conditions and Gulf Coast states were affected by thunderstorms, flooding and tornadoes. Severe weather always affects airline schedules and this time was no different. I awoke on departure day to a text message form American Airlines informing me that my first late morning flight to Charlotte would be delayed by six hours! Luckily, as a Lifetime Platinum AAdvantage member, I was offered more than five different options which would get me to Little Rock and I selected one which began with an early afternoon departure through Dallas.
I did manage to get some work done at the Raleigh Admirals Club across from Gate C3 before the first flight. My favorite seat in Row 2 was unavailable as I’d only confirmed the reservation that morning. In fact, I secured the only remaining First Class seat on that flight, which was the window seat 4A on the port side of the aircraft. Lunch was served on this 2 hour and 57-minute flight and we landed early at 3:57 PM, pulling into Gate C12 soon after. The Skylink took me to the D gates in short order and I stopped by the American Express Centurion Lounge across from Gate D12. This is a very popular space and it was indeed crowded on that late afternoon, but I did manage to find a seat and peck at the offerings on the dinner buffet. Two things of note to share with you. First, they’ve changed their easy-to-remember “Member Since” Wi-Fi password to one which changes periodically. Second, there were more than 15 people waiting to enter the lounge as I exited with an attendant granting admission only after someone left. My connecting Embraer 175 American Eagle flight departed from Gate B19 and I was able to secure an aisle seat in Row 3 on the starboard side of that aircraft. Flying time was a short 44 minutes, which put us into the Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport at 7:38 PM, After a brief 15-minute Uber ride to the Little Rock Marriott, check-in was both quick and efficient.
This 19-story downtown hotel features 418 guest rooms and suites. My 371 square foot King bedded room was on the 18th floor and overlooked the Arkansas River. It included a small sitting area, a good sized work desk with adequate lighting and plenty of outlets and USB ports on both nightstands. The marble bathroom featured a shower/tub combination and amenities by THANN. Complimentary wireless internet was available and premium channels along with CNN, ESPN and HBO were available on the in-room television. Unfortunately, the hotel doesn’t have any in-room safes which I found very disappointing, along with the single pedestal sink in the bathroom and those unsanitary wall-mounted canisters of body wash, shampoo and conditioner. Thankfully, the bed was very comfortable and my location at the end of a hallway was quiet so I had no trouble drifting off to sleep. Thursday morning found me enjoying breakfast in the M Club Lounge on the lobby level. This large space with wood paneling featured two buffet areas, one with fruit, cereal, yogurt, bagels, croissants and muffins and the other with hot foods, including scrambled eggs, grits, breakfast potatoes, sausage and bacon. I was well fortified for the day’s adventures.
It took me less than a half hour to walk to the William J. Clinton Presidential Center, also located on the Arkansas River on approximately 17 acres of land. I was surprised to find it a nondescript, industrial looking and rather ugly building, but was determined not to judge a book by its cover. The library is part of the Clinton Presidential Center and Park, along with the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service and offices of the Bill, Hillary, and Chelsea Clinton Foundation. With a 68,698 square foot floor plan, it’s one of the largest presidential centers in terms of physical space. The holdings of the archives are one of the largest as well, containing 2 million photographs, 80 million pages of documents, 21 million electronic records, and 90,000 three-dimensional objects from the Clinton presidency.
Positioned just past the entrance was the 1993 Fleetwood Cadillac used as the presidential limousine. Only three were built and the protection systems on board developed by the Secret Service were considered state-of-the-art at the time the limousines were delivered. The Orientation Theater on the second level showed a 12-minute film presenting President Clinton’s life and political career in the context of the American experience during the second half of the Twentieth Century. The exhibits were next and the first was titled “A Campaign For the Future, which depicted highlights from both the 1992 and 1996 presidential campaigns, along with campaign memorabilia and information about the Arkansas Travelers, a group of volunteer campaigners for Clinton, who started going around the country to garner support for him as he ran for president in 1992. I next stepped into a full scale replica of the White House Cabinet Room where, during his administration, policy decisions, military plans for Kosovo and Bosnia, as well as peace agreements for the Middle East, Northern Ireland and the United Kingdom were all discussed.
The Timeline and Alcove Exhibits spanned the balance of the second level, which presented a first-hand look into the life and work of President Clinton. The 110-foot Timeline included information about major US and world events that occurred in each of Clinton’s years as president. Also included are daily schedules for each of the nearly 3,000 days of his time in office, showing how the chief executive’s time is managed right down to the minute. The alcoves are a series of two-story columns that are filled with archival documents from his White House years covering various topics the were of national importance during his administration. It was soon time for lunch, which meant a visit to 42 Bar and Table on the lower level, the on-site restaurant featuring both indoor and outdoor seating with views of the Arkansas River.
A full-size replica of the Oval Office as it looked during the Clinton presidency is on the third level. Oddly enough, if you wanted to actually enter the room, you had to agree to have a commemorative portrait taken while seated behind the Resolute Desk replica, with your portrait available for purchase in the museum store. Otherwise, you were only permitted to peek inside from one of the two open doorways. Life in the White House was the next display, which covered the state events and numerous gifts received along with a look at the holiday celebrations the Clintons enjoyed with family and friends during their time in the White House. The Early Years exhibit rounded out the museum’s offerings and presented an opportunity for visitors to learn more about the couple’s formative years through biographical materials and mementos. After my tour was completed, I took a stroll outside to view the area reserved for his gravesite and was told that a resting space existed there for Hillary as well.
I returned home to Raleigh early the following morning with a better understanding of the life and times of William Jefferson Clinton and the impact he had on the nation and the world during the last decade of the Twentieth Century.
Until next time…safe travels.
Again, great information. Question, are there gravesites at all the Presidential Libraries? And if so, are they only for the President and First Lady? In this case what happens to poor Hillary? ❤️❤️