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James Buchanan Statue.

Statue #15: James Buchanan

Field review by the editors.

Rapid City, South Dakota

Judged by historians to be one of America's worst Presidents, James Buchanan (1857-1861) dithered while the southern states became the Confederate States, leading to the Civil War. His bronze statue depicts him as an odd-looking guy, with an aged kewpie doll face and hair, tilted head, and Charlie Chaplain pants and feet. His pose, with hands behind his back, displays timidity, and in his hands he holds a rolled-up piece of paper, possibly an executive order that he never had the courage to issue.

Amazing Arcana of the Presidents

In his memoirs, Buchanan wrote that one of his few regrets as President was that Congress prevented him from invading Cuba.

[Discover more fascinating details in the Roadside Presidents iPhone app!]

City of Presidents

Since 2000, Rapid City has commissioned and installed bronze statues of every former U.S. President on its downtown street corners. Visitors are encouraged to take a walking tour of the City of Presidents and inspect the nation's metallic Commanders in Chief. Paper guides are available year-round at the city's main Visitor Center at 512 Main St.

Roadside Presidents
Roadside Presidents App for iPhone. Find this attraction and more: museums, birthplaces, graves of the Chief Execs, first ladies, pets, assassins and wannabes. Prez bios and oddball trivia. Available on the App Store.

Also see: America's Street Corner Presidents

Statue #15: James Buchanan

Address:
900 Main St., Rapid City, SD
Directions:
Downtown. Northwest corner of Main and 9th Sts.
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Nearby Offbeat Places

Statue #26: Teddy RooseveltStatue #26: Teddy Roosevelt, Rapid City, SD - < 1 mi.
Statue #16: Abraham LincolnStatue #16: Abraham Lincoln, Rapid City, SD - < 1 mi.
Statue #14: Franklin PierceStatue #14: Franklin Pierce, Rapid City, SD - < 1 mi.
In the region:
Statue #36: Lyndon B. Johnson, Rapid City, SD - < 1 mi.

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