Ashley and the Presidents: George Washington, Franklin Roosevelt and Harry Truman

Ashley the Traveling Teddy has been on a  presidential

Ashley with a Revolutionary War soldier at the New Windsor Cantonement, New Windsor, NY. Betsa Marsh photo

tear lately, starting with George Washington and romping through the eras of Franklin Roosevelt and Harry Truman.

Ashley, who travels for the third-grade students of St. Joseph Consolidated School in  Hamilton, Ohio, visited Washington’s Headquarters State Historic Site in Newburgh, NY, where the General spent more time than anywhere else during the Revolutionary War.   This is where Washington created and awarded the first purple heart badge.

Nearby, at the New Windsor Cantonment State Historic Site in Vails Gate, NY, 8,000 soldiers, civilians and artisans built the last winter encampment of the Revolution. Ashley met her fetching young solider here, and learned about the Purple Heart.

Along the Hudson River, Ashley also visited the childhood home and presidential library of Franklin Roosevelt, and got friendly with the President and First Lady Eleanor.

She also couldn’t resist hopping into a shot of FDR’s Oval Office, recreated at his Hyde Park museum.

Ashley in FDR's Oval Office, recreated at Hyde Park, NY. Betsa Marsh photo

And half-way across the country in Independence, Mo., home of President Harry Truman, Ashley pulled another Zelig stunt, hopping into history on a whistle-stop campaign train with President Truman, his wife Bess and their daughter Margaret. Ashley was in the Kansas City area with the Society of American Travel Writers, co-sponsors of the Traveling Teddy geography education outreach with Build-A-Bear.

Ashley whistle-stopping with the Trumans at the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum in Independence, Mo. Betsa Marsh photo