When you arrive at the Martin Van Buren National Historic Site, you’re greeted by Becky Oakes and her colleagues.

“You can get some information, some trail brochures, learn a little about the site, and hear about any programs we have throughout the day,” said Oaks, the site’s chief of interpretation.  

They’ll tell you everything you need to know about the eighth president of the United States and his post-presidency home in Kinderhook. It’s the same town Van Buren was born in.

According to Oakes, he tried to run for president two more times after his one term was up.

“This is a very important political base, and it’s a place where visitors can really gain a better understanding of not only who Martin Van Buren was, but of the integral role his generation played in the formation of our nation,” Oakes said.

She says Van Buren strategically chose this home for its location. It was just off the main thoroughfare between New York City and Albany, as Van Buren stayed involved in politics.

“He wished to have a place where it was convenient for guests to visit him. In particular, political guests. Again, this was his political base. He was still active in campaigning when he lived here,” Oakes said.

Behind his home was Van Buren’s 220-acre farm where he practiced sustainable agriculture to show farming was possible on the east coast. According to Oakes, he opposed the westward expansion and the expansion of slavery because he thought it would hurt the union.

“He thought that if he could prove that the soil in the east could be rehabilitated, there would be less pressure put on this westward expansion,” Oakes said.

For Van Buren, the soil and farming were political acts.

The site is free and open daily from 7 a.m. to sunset. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, indoor exhibits are closed, but everything outside is still open.