Saddle River, New Jersey - Nixon's Guardhouse And Home Surveillance Control Panel

According to an April 7 story in the Bergen Recordm two unique items (and others as well) were donated to the Saddle River Museum (which opens in June 2007) by the new owner of the home that Richard Nixon lived in from 1981 to 1990. The guardhouse, which stood beside Nixon's driveway, was used by Secret Service agents when they wanted to get out of the cold.

The house was bought from Nixon by a Japanese family who stayed in Japan and allowed it to rot. With the utilities turned off, the sump pump was disabled and the basement filled with three feet of stagnant water. The ceilings in many of the 15 rooms became waterlogged and riddled with mold. The house was damaged beyond repair, and was slated for demolition in 2007.

All of the furniture from the house went to Japan to be displayed in two Nixon museums in Okinawa, but the new owner hopes to get back Nixon's upright piano, which he plans to put in the new house that will be built on the site.

The Nixon home's security cameras were donated to the town. [RoadsideAmerica.com Team, 04/23/2007]