Florida Traveler

Off-beat day trips and things to do in Florida.

Home / Florida History / “Fake” Presidents Make This Tourist Trap a Florida Favorite

“Fake” Presidents Make This Tourist Trap a Florida Favorite

By

CLERMONT, FL — If you’ve ever thought a wax dummy could do the job as well as some of our politicians, this retro roadside attraction is the perfect place to put the theory to the test.

The Presidents Hall of Fame in Clermont celebrates our nation’s colorful political history with a museum of wax presidents and first ladies, a massive and intricately detailed model of the white house, a replica of Mount Rushmore, tons of quirky memorabilia . . . even a West Palm Beach voting booth with its infamous butterfly ballot from the 2000 presidential election!

If you’ve got the faintest interest in politics, it’s worth a visit. Ronald Reagan called this old-timey tourist trap a ‘national treasure.’

The Presidents Hall of Fame celebrates the political history of America with wax replicas of our national leaders. It opened in the 1960s as a wax museum, and was a popular tourist attraction before Disney and the roller-coaster theme parks.


One of the first displays is this detailed diorama of the White House under construction in 1792. The display depicts both the slave and free laborers who built the presidential mansion. John and Abigail Adams occupied the house in 1800, before it was completed. It was set on fire by the British Army during the War of 1812, and reconstructed over the next two decades.
Think you’ve got the chops to be the next White House Press Secretary? Step behind the podium and host your own impromptu press conference. You may be perfect for the job!


The extraordinary replica of the White House took more than 30 years to build and measures 60 feet in length, at a scale of one inch to one foot. It was meticulously decorated based on measurements and photographs from the real white house.
In addition to the presidents, the museum showcases wax replicas of first ladies in reproductions of their inaugural gowns. This scene shows Hillary Clinton and Laura Bush among the rest.


Happy Birthday, Mister President! Along with the First Ladies, the museum also offers a glimpse of one of the most famous presidential girlfriends. Here’s a figure of Marilyn Monroe in a recreation of her iconic “flying skirt” photograph.
Life and death are on display with these replica plaster-cast life and death masks of Abraham Lincoln.


Exit through the gift-shop! Whatever your political point of view, you’ll find some trinkets, memorabilia and souvenirs that you won’t find anywhere else.

All of the nation’s 45 presidents are represented as wax figures in the Presidents Hall of Fame.

One of the most interesting exhibits is the West Palm Beach voting booth with its infamous “Butterfly Ballot,” seen here. It may be as close as you’ll ever get to the “hanging chads” that changed history forever.
Each occupant of the Oval Office has redecorated the executive office to match their taste. Several highly detailed miniatures illustrate the evolution of the Oval Office.
Take bold executive action behind the Resolute Desk! This life-size replica is simply extraordinary.


What does Florida have that South Dakota doesn’t? Beaches! And we’ve even got our own Mt. Rushmore depicting presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln.
Florida’s Presidents Hall of Fame is a cheesy, old-school roadside tourist trap. And it’s a classic! It’s located just beside the famous Citrus Tower in Clermont on US Hwy 27. For more information call (352) 394-2836.
Facebook Comments Box

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *