The George W. Bush Childhood Home located in Midland, TX was home to both president George H. W. and George W. Bush from the years 1951 to 1955. This historic home was built in 1940 and was subsequently purchased by the Bush family in 1951 for $9,000. The purpose of the preservation of the home is to “express and interpret the history of one of America’s great families by telling the story of the Bush Family and the childhood of George W. Bush in Midland, Texas, and celebrating the lives of two presidents, two governors, and two first ladies” according to their website.
The George W. Bush Childhood Home is implementing a $5,000,000 project in order to develop the site further as well as the adjacent neighborhood homes and the interpretive center. Not only is this money being used to further develop the historic site, but a portion will go towards endowing operation of the completed site and funding educational programs. The project also plans to develop programming, exhibits and the overall landscapes at the site as well as a Visitors Center, an Education Center, and an Administration Center.
The George W. Bush Childhood Home relies on volunteers to run the project. It is a 501 ©(3) non-profit organization and uses volunteers to run the gift shop and lead guided tours throughout the home. Volunteers are able to determine their schedules so if you only have a few hours a week to help out, it is encouraged you do so.
The home tells the story of the Bush family and the childhood of the young George W. Bush. This home had the pleasure of being home to two presidents, two governors, and two first ladies. There are several featured products available for purchase in the gift shop including Laura Bush’s book Spoken From the Heart, Susan Page’s book titled The Matriarch which is the tale of Barbara Bush and the dynasty she built, and notebooks that feature Barbara and George H. W. Bush.
George W. Bush was the 43rd president of the United States and served his double term from January of 2001 to January of 2009. He and his family moved into the house in 1951, when George Jr. was only 5 and his father was on the verge of his political career. Midland had begun transitioning from a tiny town in the country to the dominator of the oil industry that it is today when the Bush’s moved into this home. A local developer claimed the town was the “headquarters of the independent oilman in Texas” due to the fact that 215 oil companies had built offices in Midland by 1950.
The house faced a few renovations throughout the years but has been restored to its original layout from when the Bush’s occupied it. It features the original “knotty pine” paneling in the living room, den, and master bedroom, the original cabinets, an original light fixture, a phone niche, and the wallpaper that was hanging when the Bush’s lived there.
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Map The George W. Bush Childhood Home to NetOps:
Map from the George W. Bush Childhood Home to The Globe of the Great Southwest: