Calvin Coolidge's Pet Raccoon Was Supposed to Be Thanksgiving Dinner
In November 1926, a supporter from Mississippi sent President Calvin Coolidge a live raccoon—intended to be cooked and served for Thanksgiving dinner. Coolidge had never eaten raccoon and had no ...
Calvin Coolidge's Pet Raccoon Was Supposed to Be Thanksgiving Dinner
In November 1926, a supporter from Mississippi sent President Calvin Coolidge a live raccoon—intended to be cooked and served for Thanksgiving dinner.
Coolidge had never eaten raccoon and had no appetite to try it. So instead of serving her up, the Coolidges named her Rebecca and made her a White House pet.
Rebecca roamed the White House freely, unscrewing lightbulbs, opening cabinets, and unpotting houseplants. Her favorite activity? Playing in a bathtub with a bar of soap for an hour at a time.
She wore an embroidered collar that read "White House Raccoon" and was the star of the 1927 Easter Egg Roll.
In Short: Thanksgiving dinner → Presidential pet. Only in America.
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