Cool breeze off the ocean. This time of the year Atlantic Ocean is at its coldest hanging out in the lower 30s and wind off water, getting nasty the coast, breezy at times. Not a whole lot of rain but it will be off and on drizzle, brief shower at tim a dreary day. Look at that 43 at the airport in philadelphia east wind at 12, feels like 37. That is not bad for this time of the morning but mid afternoon these numbers will not change. We will be stuck in the 40s. Thirtys in mount pocono. We have to be concerned about a little bit of freezing drizzle possible this morning, everybody else, well above freezing, 39 in quakertown. Fortyone in pottstown. Is there storm scan three. Overcast skies, most of the showers are reaching the ground, well to the north but there could be spotty drizzle to deal with in the morning and afternoon so below average temperatures today, running a good 10 degrees below average. We have a coole terly wind flow off atlantic. Dreary conditions. Off and on drizzle
If you missed any part of this program, well air it again tonight at 8 00 p. M. Eastern right here on cspan3. Cspan is touring cities across the country exploring American History. Next, a look at our visit to the blaine house in augusta, maine. Youre watching American History tv, all weekend, every weekend, on cspan3. I want to welcome you to the blaine house, since 1919, the home of maines governors and their families. The house was actually built in 1833, by a captain james hall from bath, maine, for those of you who know maine, bath is a major ship building and seaport town. And captain hall decided in 1830 to retire from the sea, he bought this very strategically located piece of land, right across from the state house that year, 1830, and in 1833 he finished construction on a very handsome twostory, hipped roof federal house, which was to be his retirement home. One of the early features that survives in the house from his time is the beautiful winding staircase, and i think it i
Harriet blaine beal donated the house and grounds to the state of maine for the purpose of a governors home. Sadly Harriet Blaine beal had lost her son, Walker Blaine beal, in world war i and he had actually owned the house and then upon his death the house reverted back to her and she, recognizing it probably wasnt going to go on in the family and negotiation that recognizing the need that maine had and the close proximity of the blaine house to our statehouse across the street she donated the house for the purpose of the governors home. This is the state reception room. When the house was built in 1833 this was two rooms and then when the blaines acquired the house in 1862, in 69 and again in 1872 they made some major changes to the house which included opening up both these two rooms into one big reception room. This really reflects the fact that in the blaine period of ownership from 1862 into the early 1900s that there was a lot of entertaining that went on in the house related to
I would definitely look to neils book to start out with. All right. One more plug for him. And also the state library. Very good reference at the state library. I would like to close. We have just really a minute left and ask you the question. Support our thesis. What was the legacy, whats the importance to America Today of james g. Blaine having been a politician here . I think his influence as secretary of state was very important. Its a great legacy. His desire to build some kind of cohesion between the north american and south american and Central American states. I think theres that, and i think also if you look back across his long career in public life, it is that he is one of the key builder of the Republican Party in the 19th century. Hes there in the beginning in 1854, and hes still there almost 40 years later as probably their most powerful and most identifiable figure. And maine today has a republican governor and two republican senators and congressional delegation here is
Ho you are looking at some of the images from the 1884 president ial electionthey discud his time. 1884 against cleveland. Ironically, in 1876, it was b laine who prevented Ulysses Grant from making a comeback and winning a third term. Besides being secretary of state for James Garfield and Chester Arthur he was secretary of state under three president s. What else did he do . He was a speaker of the house. He was a governor. He changed some of the rules in the house. The speakers are always changing the rules somewhat to their advantage is. This was after the civil war when congress was much more central, much more potent than it had been. Their reaction against the strong executive said in. To be the secret the speaker of the house, to be a power in congress meant a lot more fun than it would today. Do you have anything to say . What do you think would have happened if he won . I think he would be regarded as the best president between lincoln and tr. He was assertive, he had intelle