Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site invites people to honor former President Jimmy Carter
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site is inviting Hoosiers to pay their respects to the late President Jimmy Carter on the museum’s grounds.
Early Monday morning, six flowers were already laid on the former president’s medallion on the property’s Presidential Promenade to the side of the Harrison Home.
In a statement Sunday night, a spokesperson for the museum shared condolences with Carter’s family.
“As we seek to remember President Carter’s honorable legacy to our country, we also acknowledge and commend the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library & Museum for their work in preserving his memory and educating future generations as to the importance of public service in advancing the American system of self-government,” the statement read.
The grounds of the museum are open to the public without admission. Anyone wishing to honor President Carter can do so at any time of the day.
Charles Hyde, President and CEO of the site, says while the museum is dedicated to the 23rd president, they wanted to give people a space to honor the 39th president.
“We just feel like it’s important to pay respects to another American president,” Hyde said. “There have only been 45 presidents in this country’s history out of more than 500 million people who’ve called the United States home. So this is our way to be able to show that appreciation for a former president.”
Hyde says he was saddened to hear the news Sunday afternoon.
“President Carter made a great name for himself as much for his contributions post-presidency “As the President of the United States,” Hyde said. “Just a really tremendous legacy that he’s left the country.
Late Monday morning, the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site hung black bunting around the property. The museum says it will now enter a 30-day mourning period to honor Carter.
America’s 9th and Benjamin Harrison’s grandfather, William Henry Harrison, was the first to die in office.
Many of the mourning traditions following a president’s death were established following William Henry Harrison’s death.
