Cigars, painting, and crosswords: the surprising hobbies of 17 presidents

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Cigars, painting, and crosswords: the surprising hobbies of 17 presidents​

Cigars, painting, and crosswords: the surprising hobbies of 17 presidents

To celebrate President's Day on February 15, here are some of the lesser-known hobbies among American presidents.

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Presidents John F. Kennedy and Dwight D. Eisenhower. Bettmann / Contributor via Getty Images, Corbis Historical via Getty Images

• The lesser-known habits of past American presidents are athletic, creative, and even delicious.
• John Quincy Adams liked to go skinny dipping while Ronald Reagan enjoyed horseback riding.
• These habits helped the leaders of the free world unwind.
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Though presidential legacies are mostly comprised of the policies that shape society and government for years after they leave office, some who served in the White House had memorable ways of unwinding as well.

Many presidents continued to be avid athletes from their youth into office, while others passed the time painting, doing crosswords, or swimming.

To celebrate President's Day, here are some of the unexpected ways presidents have passed their time.

George Washington: dancing​

George Washington. VCG Wilson/Corbis via Getty Images
Washington was a regular dancer through his teens and came to regard it as an important social interaction, calling it "the gentler conflict."

Source: Mount Vernon Ladies' Association

Thomas Jefferson: food and wine​

Portrait of President Thomas Jefferson. Painting by C.W. Jarvis. Bettmann / Contributor via Getty Images
Jefferson's time in France fueled his passion for the country's fine wine and unique foods including french fries, ice cream, and mac and cheese, which he's credited for popularizing in America.

Source: The Thomas Jefferson Foundation

John Quincy Adams: skinny dipping​

An undated portrait of John Quincy Adams by artist John Singleton Copley. AP Images
The sixth president was notoriously meticulous, keeping daily journals that detailed his morning routine. After waking up around 4 or 5 a.m., Adams would walk two miles to the Potomac River and leave his clothes by the shore to swim.

Source: Business Insider

Andrew Jackson: cockfighting​

Andrew Jackson, the 7th President of the United States of America. Library Of Congress/Getty Images
Though cockfighting is now illegal in every state, Jackson was an enthusiast and was rumored to have held cockfights in the White House.

Source: Washington Post

Theodore Roosevelt: boxing​

President Theodore Roosevelt as a boxer nicknamed "Terrible Teddy" waits for "the unknown." Universal History Archive/Contributor via Getty Images
After a sickly childhood, Roosevelt was an avid sportsman who boxed throughout his presidency. The hobby was put to use by political cartoonists to illustrate his competitive nature as a politician.

Source: National Constitution Center

Calvin Coolidge: riding an electric horse​

A photo of Calvin Coolidge, the 30th president of the United States from 1923 to 1929. General Photographic Agency/Stringer via Getty Images
Coolidge enjoyed horse riding for exercise so much that he had an electric horse installed in the White House with two speeds: trot and gallop.

Source: The White House Historical Association

Franklin Delano Roosevelt: swimming​

Governor Franklin Delano Roosevelt enjoys a swim during his presidential campaign in Hyde Park, New York. Bettmann/Contributor via Getty Images
After losing his ability to walk to polio at the age of 39, Roosevelt took up swimming three times a week to strengthen the muscles in his arms, stomach, and lower back.

After a few months, Roosevelt was able to walk short distances with the help of a cane or assistance from an aide. After his election, the New York Daily News donated a pool to the White House so Roosevelt could continue the practice.

Source: Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library, White House Historical Association

Dwight D. Eisenhower: painting​

President Dwight D. Eisenhower uses paints and canvas to help him relax at Camp David, Maryland. Corbis Historical via Getty Images
Eisenhower was an avid painter, often capturing natural landscapes and gifting them to friends.

Source: LBJ Presidential Library

John F. Kennedy: smoking cigars​

President John F. Kennedy smokes a cigar during a Democratic fundraising dinner at the Commonwealth Armory at Boston University. Bettmann/Contributor via Getty Images
Kennedy smoked 4-5 cigars a day and counted Upmanns or Monticellos among his preferred brands.

Source: John F. Kennedy Presidential Library

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Lyndon Baines Johnson: spending time at the ranch​

President Lyndon B. Johnson works with a calf on his LBJ Ranch in Texas. ©CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images
Johnson spent 490 days, or a quarter of his presidency, at his Central Texas ranch, combining work and vacation so seamlessly it came to be known as the "Texas White House."

Source: CNN

Richard Nixon: bowling​

President Nixon is the picture of concentration as he releases a bowling ball at Executive Office Building lanes. via Getty Images
President and first lady Nixon both enjoyed bowling and had a one-lane bowling alley installed in the White House basement in 1969.

Source: White House Historical Association

Gerald Ford: collecting stamps​

These 41 cent stamps feature former President Gerald R. Ford. Spencer Platt/Getty Images
Though he wasn't around to see his own face grace US postal stamps in 2007, Ford was just one of many heads of state across the world who enjoyed collecting them, contributing to his nickname, "the hobby of kings."

Source: Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library

Ronald Reagan: horseback riding​

Queen Elizabeth II and President Ronald Reagan riding through the grounds of Windsor Castle on the morning of June 8, 1982. David Levenson/Getty Images
Reagan had a lifelong passion for riding horses that came in handy as a sporty public spectacle during his presidency, often alongside other world leaders.

Source: Ronald Reagan Presidential Library

Bill Clinton: crossword puzzles​

Democratic presidential primary candidate Gov. Bill Clinton tackles a crossword puzzle while having peanut butter and banana sandwich in his kitchen. Steve Liss/The LIFE Images Collection via Getty Images
Reports of Clinton's crossword puzzle hobby were common during his campaign, and he even appeared in a 2006 documentary to profess his love for them.

Source: The New York Times

George W. Bush: running​

President Bush runs a three-mile race with 400 White House staff members in 2002. J. Scott Applewhite/AP Images
Though Bush wasn't the first president to count running among his hobbies, he was reportedly the most competitive.

"George W. Bush, was not a jogger but an honest-to-God runner," Secret Service agent Dan Emmett wrote in 2014. "He ran at a six-minute-per-mile pace normally for 3 miles, and there were even fewer agents who could run with him than with President Clinton."

Source: The Wall Street Journal

Barack Obama: collecting comics​

Barack Obama, the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP Images
Obama touted his childhood love for comics during his campaign and even appeared with Spider-Man during his first year as president.

Source: The Chicago Tribune

Donald Trump: golfing​

Donald Trump plays a round of golf after the opening of The Trump International Golf Links Course on July 10, 2012 in Balmedie, Scotland. Ian MacNicol/Getty Images
Though Trump's professional and personal affection for golf has been well documented, the president has said his career-best shot is a fairly impressive 66, which is six shots below a standard American course's par.