Surprising Things You Never Knew About Each President Of The United States

21. Chester Arthur enjoyed a rather luxurious lifestyle.

While it may not seem like a lot for a president today, Arthur owned 80 pairs of pants, which was quite the extravagance for the time period. Other luxuries he enjoyed: a personal valet, a White House decorated by renowned artist Louis Comfort Tiffany, and fresh flowers placed in front of his deceased wife’s portrait daily.

22. Grover Cleveland served two terms, but they weren’t back-to-back.

Cleveland is the only president to serve two non-consecutive terms, as the 22nd and 24th president of the United States. He won his first election by a very narrow margin, lost the 1888 election to Benjamin Harrison, and then came back in 1892 by winning the popular vote.

23. Benjamin Harrison was the first White House occupant with electricity.

Harrison and his wife Caroline were the first occupants of the White House to enjoy the wonders of electricity. But as it was a new technology, the couple was afraid of being electrocuted by the light switch and so they regularly left the lights on all day and night.

24. William McKinley was very forgiving towards his attempted assassin.

McKinley’s reaction to being shot is unlike anything you’ve ever heard. He was shot in the torso by an anarchist in 1901 in a receiving line, and as they took him away, he said “don’t let them hurt him,” referring to a mob that was forming around the would-be assassin. He later said the shooter was “some poor misguided fellow,” and “he didn’t know, poor fellow, what he was doing. He couldn’t have known.”

25. Theodore Roosevelt

Teddy Roosevelt was one tough guy. Need proof? He was shot at close range shortly before giving a campaign speech in 1912, but instead of heading straight to the hospital, he stayed there to give his planned speech — with the bullet still lodged in his body.

26. William Howard Taft never got stuck in a bathtub.

Popular legend would have you believe that Taft is best known for being the president who got stuck in a White House bathtub, but that’s actually not true. However, he did have an embarrassing bathtub incident at a hotel in New Jersey. The bath water displaced by his body flooded the floor in his room and trickled onto the heads of guests in the downstairs dining room.

27. Woodrow Wilson was the first president to give an address using the broadcast radio.

Although Wilson was obviously used to public speaking, he was reportedly very anxious about giving his the first live, remote, nationwide radio broadcast, where he honored the anniversary of Armistice Day and outlined a vision for America

28. Warren Harding had unique nicknames.

Legend has it that Harding’s mother wanted to name him Winfield, but when she didn’t get her way, she found a loophole by giving him the nickname “Winny.” Some folks also called him “Sonny.”

29. Warren Harding had unique nicknames.

Legend has it that Harding’s mother wanted to name him Winfield, but when she didn’t get her way, she found a loophole by giving him the nickname “Winny.” Some folks also called him “Sonny.”

30. Hoover was the first president born in a Western state.

Previous presidents were all born in the Eastern part of the county, but Hoover was the first to be born west of the Mississippi. He grew up the very small town of in West Branch, Iowa, and reportedly never even crossed the Mississippi until he was 22 years old.