unfortunately for james k. polk, he died three months after leaving the white house and sarah began a 42-year widowhood. every new year's day she opened polk place and held a levy for the state legislature as a body. polk place became something of a shrine to her husband and she would invite anyone who wanted to to come for a visit and see the objects they collected throughout their long and illustrious political career. >> patricia lynn scott on facebook writes, "when i visited nashville, i was amazed at the plaques that recognized the homes and office of polk that were razed. why would they allow those buildings to be torn down?" >> progress. i worked in historic preservation over 40 years. if we didn't need to preserve history, i wouldn't be in the field. the polk home was torn down in nashville and the great niece kept the artifacts together until they could find a home and that's what the museum in columbia is but montpelier, the madison's home, in private hands for years and really not saved until the 1980's.

from >> and next week, we will learn about the life of his successor the white house, james k. polknd we look forward to you when wevolved with that do that. at this y thank you point to your two guests. to howard university here in where she d.c. chairs the department and taylor stuart. thank you to both of you. this series is produced in cooperation of the white house and we al association thank them for their help. thanks for being with us. all this month, we're showing of season entations one. each weeknight at 9:00 p.m. programs on span, every first lady from martha washington to ida mckinley. e're offering the special edition of the book, "first ladies of the united states of america" presenting the of each and portrait first lady, comments from noted historians and thoughts from the role of a on first ladies throughout history. now available for the discounted of $12.95 plus shipping at c-span.organize/products. the website has more about first lady, including a special white , "welcome to the house" produced by our partner, the white house historical association. in the icle

paper and features the lithograph images of the first 11 presidents from washington all the way to james k. polk. she carried it with her during the spring of 19 -- 1845. it features the lithographic image of the signing of the declaration of independence. the polks came into the white house a young, vibrant couple. the white house was split and that was why polk said he would run for only one term only. sarah polk used the white house to enhance her husband's political prestige. dining in the white house was a serious affair. twice a week, she would entertain 50-75 people. the china news was beautiful. it is considered some of the most beautiful of the white house china. it features the presidential seal. the guinness that is why it embossed with gold. they had 80 said that was blue and a dessert set in green. you will often read that mrs. polk did not allow alcohol in the white house. she stopped the serving of whisky punches at public levees, but wine was one of the largest bills. one of the more interesting on in the collection speaks to sarah and her ability with music. we have the music bo

when james k. polk left congress to run for governor of tennessee, the congress was so widely divided they refused to do that a number of politicians wrote poems in honor of sarah at that time she left. lengthytory wrote a palm lamenting the loss of sarah polk to washington society. >> first lady's continues tonight at 9:00 p.m. eastern on c-span. >> we bring public affairs events from washington directly to you, putting you in the room at congressional hearings, white house event, the briefings and conferences, and offer complete gavel-to-gavel coverage of the u.s. house as a pot -- as a public service of private industry. the cable-greeted by tv industry 34 years ago and funded by your local cable provider. >> former secretary of state hillary clinton called on members of the american bar association to support the voting rights at the aba annual meeting in san francisco yesterday. she talked about the supreme court's decision to strike down a -- a key section of the voting rights act. she received th

. >> and next week, we will learn about the life of his successor in the white house, james k. polk and we look forward to you being involved with that when we do that. let me say thank you at this point to your two guests. to howard university here in washington, d.c. where she chairs the department and taylor stuart. thank you to both of you. this series is produced in cooperation of the white house historical association and we thank them for their help. thanks for being with us. [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2013] >> season two of "first ladies: beginsce and image" monday, september 9. all this month, we are showing encore presentations of season one. each weeknight at 9:00 p.m. eastern on c-span, programs on every first lady from martha washington to ida mckinley. we are offering a special edition of the book "first ladies of the united states of america: presenting a biography and portrait of each, first lady" comments from noted historians, and thoughts from michelle obama on the role of first ladies

. >> and next week we will learn about the life of his successor in the white house, james k. polk. and we look forward to you being involved with that when we do that. let me say thank you at this point to our two guests on the harrison and tyler presidency, edna greene medford, howard university here in washington, d.c. which she chairs the history dept and taylor stoermer, historian for colonial williamsburg. thanks to both of you. this is produced in cooperation with the national white house historical association and we thank them for their help. thank you for being with us. [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2013] [captioning performed by national captioning institute] >> season two of first ladies begins on monday, september 9 with a look at the life of mrs. roosevelt. all this month, we are showing encore presentations each weeknight at 9:00 p.m. eastern. programs on every first lady. monday night will focus on first ladies julia grant. we are offering a special edition of the book. presenting a biography and portrait of each first lady, comments from noted h