No dogs or cats here! A number of unorthodox pets have arrived at the White House and become part of the first family in very unusual ways throughout history.

Research:
“All Creatures Great and Small: Ground Floor Pet Sculptures.” The White House. https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/holiday/2002/groundfloor/05.html
“An Animal Often Misjudged.” Evening Star. Nov. 28, 1926. https://www.newspapers.com/image-view/618563692/?match=1&terms=raccoon%20%22white%20house%22%20coolidge
“Coolidge Didn’t Leave ‘Rebecca’ Behind.” News Journal. March 11, 1927. https://www.newspapers.com/image-view/291999678/?match=1&terms=rebecca%20raccoon
Coolidge, Calvin. “The Autobiography Of Calvin Coolidge.” Cosmopolitan Book Corporation. 1929. https://archive.org/details/autobiographyofc011710mbp/page/n1/mode/2up
Costello, Matthew. “Raccoons at the White House.” The White House Historical Association. https://www.whitehousehistory.org/raccoons-at-the-white-house
Hard, Anne. “Pets of the White House.” The Minneapolis Journal. Jan. 6, 1929. https://www.newspapers.com/image-view/811305767/?match=1&terms=%22reuben%20raccoon%22
Heiskell, Samuel Gordon. “Andrew Jackson and early Tennessee history, Vol. 3.” Ambrose Printing Co. 1921. https://archive.org/details/andrewjacksonear31heis/page/52/mode/2up?q=parrot
Jack the Turkey. “On Gratitude.” President Lincoln’s Cottage. No. 27, 2014. https://www.lincolncottage.org/on-gratitude/
King, Gilbert. “The History of Pardoning Turkeys Began With Tad Lincoln.” Smithsonian Magazine. Nov. 21, 2012. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-history-of-pardoning-turkeys-began-with-tad-lincoln-141137570/
“Live Raccoon Gives Coolidge Big Problem.” The Columbus Ledger. Nov. 26, 1926. https://www.newspapers.com/image-view/855229358/?match=1&terms=raccoon%20%22white%20house%22%20coolidge
McGraw, Eliza. “This raccoon could have been a president’s Thanksgiving meal. It became a White House pet instead.” The Washington Post. Nov. 25, 2019. https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/2019/11/25/this-raccoon-could-have-been-presidents-thanksgiving-meal-it-became-white-house-pet-instead/
“Meet Rebecca!” The Cincinnati Enquirer. Dec. 25, 1926. https://www.newspapers.com/image-view/103377809/?match=1&terms=rebecca%20raccoon
Meyer, Holly. “Andrew Jackson’s Funeral Drew Thousands, 1 Swearing Parrot.” The Tennessean. June 7, 2015. https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/2015/06/07/andrew-jacksons-funeral-drew-thousands-swearing-parrot/28664493/
Mezaros, John. “Statue of Jack the Pardoned Turkey.” Atlas Obscura. https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/statue-of-jack-the-pardoned-turkey
Moser, Harold D. (ed.) “The Papers of Andrew Jackson.” University of Tennessee Press. 2002. https://trace.tennessee.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1009&context=utk_jackson
“Odds and Ends At the Nation’s Capital.” The Buffalo News. March 1, 1928. https://www.newspapers.com/image-view/837109710/?match=1&terms=rebecca%20raccoon
“Raccoon Sent to Coolidge to Be White House Pet.” Salt Lake Telegram. Dec. 1, 1926. https://www.newspapers.com/image-view/288632502/?match=1&terms=raccoon%20%22white%20house%22%20coolidge
“Rebecca in Disgrace Again As She Flees White House Kennels to Spend Night Out.” The Evening Star. Dec. 14, 1927. https://www.newspapers.com/image-view/618609389/?match=1&terms=%22rebecca%20in%20disgrace%22
“Rebecca, Raccoon, Is Banished From Coolidge Domicile.” San Francisco Examiner. March 17, 1927. https://www.newspapers.com/image-view/457915005/?match=1&terms=rebecca%20raccoon
Upton, Harriet Taylor. “Our Early Presidents, Their Wives and Children: From Washington to Jackson.” D. Lothrop Company. 1890. Accessed online: https://books.google.com/books?id=vzpOAAAAYAAJ&vq=alligator&source=gbs_navlinks_s
“Wills House Virtual Identity: Thomas ‘Tad’ Lincoln.” National Parks Service. https://www.nps.gov/gett/learn/historyculture/wills-house-virtual-identity-thomas-tad-lincoln.htm
Wootson, Cleve R. Jr. “A history of White House profanity — and one cursing presidential parrot.” Washington Post. Jan. 12, 2018. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/retropolis/wp/2018/01/12/a-potty-mouthed-history-of-presidential-profanity-and-one-cursing-white-house-parrot/
Wright, James L. “Coolidge Heads Toward Outing Spot in Dakota.” The Buffalo News. June 14, 1927. https://www.newspapers.com/image-view/836843871/?match=1&terms=rebecca%20raccoonakota.”
Zellner, Xander. “A Brief History of President-Bird Companionship.” Audubon. Feb 12, 2016. https://www.audubon.org/news/a-brief-history-president-bird-companionship

No dogs or cats here! A number of unorthodox pets have arrived at the White House and become part of the first family in very unusual ways throughout history.
Research:
<ul>
<li>&ldquo;All Creatures Great and Small: Ground Floor Pet Sculptures.&rdquo; The White House. https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/holiday/2002/groundfloor/05.html</li>
<li>&ldquo;An Animal Often Misjudged.&rdquo; Evening Star. Nov. 28, 1926. https://www.newspapers.com/image-view/618563692/?match=1&amp;terms=raccoon%20%22white%20house%22%20coolidge</li>
<li>&ldquo;Coolidge Didn&rsquo;t Leave &lsquo;Rebecca&rsquo; Behind.&rdquo; News Journal. March 11, 1927. https://www.newspapers.com/image-view/291999678/?match=1&amp;terms=rebecca%20raccoon</li>
<li>Coolidge, Calvin. &ldquo;The Autobiography Of Calvin Coolidge.&rdquo; Cosmopolitan Book Corporation. 1929. https://archive.org/details/autobiographyofc011710mbp/page/n1/mode/2up</li>
<li>Costello, Matthew. &ldquo;Raccoons at the White House.&rdquo; The White House Historical Association. https://www.whitehousehistory.org/raccoons-at-the-white-house</li>
<li>Hard, Anne. &ldquo;Pets of the White House.&rdquo; The Minneapolis Journal. Jan. 6, 1929. https://www.newspapers.com/image-view/811305767/?match=1&amp;terms=%22reuben%20raccoon%22</li>
<li>Heiskell, Samuel Gordon. &ldquo;Andrew Jackson and early Tennessee history, Vol. 3.&rdquo; Ambrose Printing Co. 1921. https://archive.org/details/andrewjacksonear31heis/page/52/mode/2up?q=parrot</li>
<li>Jack the Turkey. &ldquo;On Gratitude.&rdquo; President Lincoln&rsquo;s Cottage. No. 27, 2014. https://www.lincolncottage.org/on-gratitude/</li>
<li>King, Gilbert. &ldquo;The History of Pardoning Turkeys Began With Tad Lincoln.&rdquo; Smithsonian Magazine. Nov. 21, 2012. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-history-of-pardoning-turkeys-began-with-tad-lincoln-141137570/</li>
<li>&ldquo;Live Raccoon Gives Coolidge Big Problem.&rdquo; The Columbus Ledger. Nov. 26, 1926. https://www.newspapers.com/image-view/855229358/?match=1&amp;terms=raccoon%20%22white%20house%22%20coolidge</li>
<li>McGraw, Eliza. &ldquo;This raccoon could have been a president&rsquo;s Thanksgiving meal. It became a White House pet instead.&rdquo; The Washington Post. Nov. 25, 2019. https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/2019/11/25/this-raccoon-could-have-been-presidents-thanksgiving-meal-it-became-white-house-pet-instead/</li>
<li>&ldquo;Meet Rebecca!&rdquo; The Cincinnati Enquirer. Dec. 25, 1926. https://www.newspapers.com/image-view/103377809/?match=1&amp;terms=rebecca%20raccoon</li>
<li>Meyer, Holly. &ldquo;Andrew Jackson&rsquo;s Funeral Drew Thousands, 1 Swearing Parrot.&rdquo; The Tennessean. June 7, 2015. https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/2015/06/07/andrew-jacksons-funeral-drew-thousands-swearing-parrot/28664493/</li>
<li>Mezaros, John. &ldquo;Statue of Jack the Pardoned Turkey.&rdquo; Atlas Obscura. https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/statue-of-jack-the-pardoned-turkey</li>
<li>Moser, Harold D. (ed.) &ldquo;The Papers of Andrew Jackson.&rdquo; University of Tennessee Press. 2002. https://trace.tennessee.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1009&amp;context=utk_jackson</li>
<li>&ldquo;Odds and Ends At the Nation&rsquo;s Capital.&rdquo; The Buffalo News. March 1, 1928. https://www.newspapers.com/image-view/837109710/?match=1&amp;terms=rebecca%20raccoon</li>
<li>&ldquo;Raccoon Sent to Coolidge to Be White House Pet.&rdquo; Salt Lake Telegram. Dec. 1, 1926. https://www.newspapers.com/image-view/288632502/?match=1&amp;terms=raccoon%20%22white%20house%22%20coolidge</li>
<li>&ldquo;Rebecca in Disgrace Again As She Flees White House Kennels to Spend Night Out.&rdquo; The Evening Star. Dec. 14, 1927. https://www.newspapers.com/image-view/618609389/?match=1&amp;terms=%22rebecca%20in%20disgrace%22</li>
<li>&ldquo;Rebecca, Raccoon, Is Banished From Coolidge Domicile.&rdquo; San Francisco Examiner. March 17, 1927. https://www.newspapers.com/image-view/457915005/?match=1&amp;terms=rebecca%20raccoon</li>
<li>Upton, Harriet Taylor. &ldquo;Our Early Presidents, Their Wives and Children: From Washington to Jackson.&rdquo; D. Lothrop Company. 1890. Accessed online: https://books.google.com/books?id=vzpOAAAAYAAJ&amp;vq=alligator&amp;source=gbs_navlinks_s</li>
<li>&ldquo;Wills House Virtual Identity: Thomas &lsquo;Tad&rsquo; Lincoln.&rdquo; National Parks Service. https://www.nps.gov/gett/learn/historyculture/wills-house-virtual-identity-thomas-tad-lincoln.htm</li>
<li>Wootson, Cleve R. Jr. &ldquo;A history of White House profanity &mdash; and one cursing presidential parrot.&rdquo; Washington Post. Jan. 12, 2018. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/retropolis/wp/2018/01/12/a-potty-mouthed-history-of-presidential-profanity-and-one-cursing-white-house-parrot/</li>
<li>Wright, James L. &ldquo;Coolidge Heads Toward Outing Spot in Dakota.&rdquo; The Buffalo News. June 14, 1927. https://www.newspapers.com/image-view/836843871/?match=1&amp;terms=rebecca%20raccoonakota.&rdquo;</li>
<li>Zellner, Xander. &ldquo;A Brief History of President-Bird Companionship.&rdquo; Audubon. Feb 12, 2016. https://www.audubon.org/news/a-brief-history-president-bird-companionship</li>
</ul>

Join Holly and Tracy as they bring you the greatest and strangest Stuff You Missed In History Class in this podcast by iHeartRadio.

Stuff You Missed in History Class

No dogs or cats here! A number of unorthodox pets have arrived at the White House and become part of the first family in very unusual ways throughout history.

Unusual White House Pets

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/cefc991f-ea2f-4fbf-8bf7-b3ad00142598/transcript

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