Polk Administration - Post-presidential Years
Post-presidential Years
Worn down physically from his years of hard work in the White House, Polk looked forward to a retreat from public life. A year before he left office he had purchased the former home of Judge Felix Grundy in Nashville, Tennessee, as a retirement retreat, renaming it Polk Place. After the inauguration of his successor, Zachary Taylor, Polk embarked on a one-month tour of the southern United States before returning to Tennessee. He arrived at Polk Place in a greatly weakened condition, having possibly contracted cholera during his visit to New Orleans, Louisiana. James Polk died on June 15, 1849, at the age of 53, just three months after leaving office. His wife, Sarah Childress Polk, lived for another 42 years.
After James Polk died Sarah Polk turned the inside of Polk Place into a memorial to her late husband. She served as a hostess to the Polk estate for visitors and acted as a curator to what amounted...
[The entire page is 200 words long]
Join eNotes
Over 3,500 study guides, question and answer forums, literature criticism, reference content, and much more!
Navigate
Related Topics
