American presidents are associated with three types of architecture: 
- Presidential Homes, like Monticello or Lincoln's home in Springfield
- Sites of Presidential Events, like Federal Hall on Wall Street in New York where George Washington took the oath of office in 1789
- Monuments to Presidents, like the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument, or the Jefferson Memorial
On Presidents' Day, we take special note of these historic buildings and monuments.
Photo of the Washington Memorial, before the earthquake damage. ©Jackie Craven
Comments
Hi Jackie, where does Truman’s “Little White House” (in Key West) fit into this scheme? Martha Huggins
Good question, Martha. I’d put Truman’s winter retreat in the “presidential homes” category — much like the Bush summer retreat at Walker’s Point in Kennebunkport or even Lincoln’s Cottage at the Soldier’s Home in D.C. They are all places on our list of things to write about — along with Truman’s home in MO. We’ve been working on a piece about Sunnylands, the Annenberg residence that many presidents have used as a retreat, but I’d put Sunnylands in the “sites of presidential events” category. What do you think?