Ed Myers has had a great time portraying Benjamin Harrison, the 23rd President. “It’s been an awful lot of fun doing this. I’ve kissed a lot of babies and worked with a lot of children,” Myers said recently. “But I’m 76 years old and I’ve been doing it long enough.” He is set to retire from making appearances at the Benjamin Harrison Home on Delaware, and elsewhere around the state, sometime in July.
A history buff, Myers fell into portraying Harrison. “I was a docent at the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site and they came up with this idea of ‘Live on Delaware’ with enactors. I asked who they had to play Benjamin Harrison, and they said, ‘You, Ed.’ So that was that.” Since then, he has made appearances at almost every event at the museum, including election days, the Live From Delaware Street special tours, the Wicket World of Croquet event, 4th of July, and much more. He’s also made appearances in Indianapolis, including at the Columbia Club (originally formed as the Harrison Marching Society, to support Harrison’s presidential campaign in 1889) and Crown Hill Cemetery, plus appearances in French Lick and Gas City at events requiring a historic presence.
“I agreed to grow the beard, but not the belly” for his role as Harrison, Myers explained. “I have padding for the belly, but the beard’s mine.” Beyond the physical demands of the portrayal, Myers continually reads biographies, speeches, and everything else he can find out about the former president. “Each presentation is unique. I speak extemporaneously, just as Harrison did.” He spends hours reading and rereading the man’s works, and has become something of an authority on Harrison’s presidency and legacy.
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Ed Myers as Benjamin Harrison at Harrison’s desk at his historic home. The desk went with the president to the White House and returned after his term in office.
“A lot of people don’t realize how independent he was. He went against his own party on some things, and ended up losing their support. He was actively engaged in the legislative process.” Myers noted that Harrison voted to set aside 10,000 acres of pristine forest for national parks, and was one of the first to call for the preservation of the Grand Canyon. “He loved the outdoors. He made a 5,000 mile round trip out west and back and referenced his experiences very often. He was also a great patriot.”
Myers can relate to Harrison’s love of the land. For many years, he has been active in the gardening community on the east side, a past president of the Irvington Garden Club, and has worked to restore the historic gardens at the Benton House and to preserve the Kile Oak. Retiring from the Harrison duties, he’ll find more time to work in his own garden, as well as work on more community projects.
In the meantime, everyone is invited to celebrate President’s Day Feb. 16 at the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Live from Delaware Street program offers a special tour, complete with enactors portraying the household staff and family members. Myers will be there as Harrison, as well as his “second wife” Mary Lloyd, played by Elaine Sholty. Tickets are $10, or free to members of the Harrison Presidential Site. Call 631-1888 or visit www.presidentbenjaminharrison.org for more information.
