The famous painting of Washington Crossing the Delaware depicts an iconic moment in American history. But this monumental painting (both in size and scope) has a good story in itself, including its holiday connection. Check it out in this Nerd Trips post.

Happy Birthday to James Madison, born March 16, 1751 in Port Conway, Virginia. Here are some not-so-random facts about our fourth president.

I had never heard of Paul Jennings until we encountered him on a Nerd Trip to Montpelier, home to our fourth president James Madison. Jennings was a slave who served as Madison’s personal assistant during the White House years and afterward. Jennings is a fascinating witness to history, writing the first White House memoir, called “A Colored Man’s Reminiscence of James Madison,” published in 1865. I bought a copy at the Montpelier gift shop.

“Behold The Man,” that’s the phrase on this American folk art watercolor I discovered today at the Maryland Antiques Show. The painting shows George Washington with his arm extended in the style of the famous Gilbert Stuart painting.