Adjacent to the Gerald R. Ford Conservation Center is the President Gerald R. Ford Birthsite and Gardens. This site commemorates the birth of Leslie King, Jr., who later became Gerald R. Ford, Jr. and was eventually sworn in as the thirty-eighth president of the United States of America in 1974.
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In 1971 President Ford's birthplace home was razed following a fire. Upon Ford's succession to the presidency in 1974, Omaha businessman James M. Paxson purchased the property intending to build a memorial on the site. In 1977 the birthsite was dedicated. The following year a rose garden was added in honor of former First Lady Betty Ford.
The Birthsite and Gardens are administered by the city of Omaha. The lovely gardens are open to the public daily from early morning until dusk and are also available for private rental events. Please contact the Omaha City Parks and Recreation Department at 402-444-5955 for more information.