Dr. Todd Arrington
@btarrington.bsky.social
Former Eisenhower Presidential Library Director & James A. Garfield NHS Site Manager. Historian. Writer. Army veteran. History Ph.D. Until recently, a career civil servant. Currently unemployed (not by choice). #ParkChat Hall of Famer.
Mark your calendars for 10 am (Eastern) this Sunday, Nov. 16! I’ll be appearing on my friend Alexis Coe’s Substack Live to discuss the new James A. Garfield Netflix series “Death by Lightning!”
My thanks to @alexiscoe.bsky.social for this kind invitation. This should be fun!
My thanks to @alexiscoe.bsky.social for this kind invitation. This should be fun!
November 14, 2025 at 12:50 PM
Mark your calendars for 10 am (Eastern) this Sunday, Nov. 16! I’ll be appearing on my friend Alexis Coe’s Substack Live to discuss the new James A. Garfield Netflix series “Death by Lightning!”
My thanks to @alexiscoe.bsky.social for this kind invitation. This should be fun!
My thanks to @alexiscoe.bsky.social for this kind invitation. This should be fun!
“Next in importance to freedom and justice is popular education, without which neither freedom nor justice can be permanently maintained.”
~Presidential candidate James A. Garfield, Jul. 12, 1880.
Photo: Library of Congress.
~Presidential candidate James A. Garfield, Jul. 12, 1880.
Photo: Library of Congress.
November 13, 2025 at 4:58 PM
“Next in importance to freedom and justice is popular education, without which neither freedom nor justice can be permanently maintained.”
~Presidential candidate James A. Garfield, Jul. 12, 1880.
Photo: Library of Congress.
~Presidential candidate James A. Garfield, Jul. 12, 1880.
Photo: Library of Congress.
November 12, 2025 at 11:38 PM
"People are what count. A sympathetic understanding of the aspirations, the hopes and fears, the traditions and prides of other peoples and nations, is essential to the promotion of mutual prosperity and peace."
~President Dwight D. Eisenhower, May 25, 1956.
Photo: Eisenhower Presidential Library.
~President Dwight D. Eisenhower, May 25, 1956.
Photo: Eisenhower Presidential Library.
November 12, 2025 at 7:31 PM
"People are what count. A sympathetic understanding of the aspirations, the hopes and fears, the traditions and prides of other peoples and nations, is essential to the promotion of mutual prosperity and peace."
~President Dwight D. Eisenhower, May 25, 1956.
Photo: Eisenhower Presidential Library.
~President Dwight D. Eisenhower, May 25, 1956.
Photo: Eisenhower Presidential Library.
Happy Veterans Day to all my brother and sister veterans out there. You’re all my heroes.
A few old photos from my days in the 2-27 Infantry (Wolfhounds), 25th Infantry Division (Light), U.S. Army, 1995-1998.
@usarmy.bsky.social
A few old photos from my days in the 2-27 Infantry (Wolfhounds), 25th Infantry Division (Light), U.S. Army, 1995-1998.
@usarmy.bsky.social
November 11, 2025 at 11:28 AM
Happy Veterans Day to all my brother and sister veterans out there. You’re all my heroes.
A few old photos from my days in the 2-27 Infantry (Wolfhounds), 25th Infantry Division (Light), U.S. Army, 1995-1998.
@usarmy.bsky.social
A few old photos from my days in the 2-27 Infantry (Wolfhounds), 25th Infantry Division (Light), U.S. Army, 1995-1998.
@usarmy.bsky.social
For all you fans of the new @netflix.com series “Death by Lightning,” here’s the table of contents for my book “The Last Lincoln Republican: The Presidential Election of 1880.” It covers much of the ground the series explores.
It’s published by the University Press of Kansas.
It’s published by the University Press of Kansas.
November 10, 2025 at 10:38 PM
For all you fans of the new @netflix.com series “Death by Lightning,” here’s the table of contents for my book “The Last Lincoln Republican: The Presidential Election of 1880.” It covers much of the ground the series explores.
It’s published by the University Press of Kansas.
It’s published by the University Press of Kansas.
“…there is not such freedom and toleration of political opinion and action that the minority party can exercise an effective and wholesome restraint upon the party in power. Without such restraint, party rule becomes tyrannical and corrupt.”
~James A. Garfield, 1880.
Image: Library of Congress.
~James A. Garfield, 1880.
Image: Library of Congress.
November 10, 2025 at 12:14 PM
“…there is not such freedom and toleration of political opinion and action that the minority party can exercise an effective and wholesome restraint upon the party in power. Without such restraint, party rule becomes tyrannical and corrupt.”
~James A. Garfield, 1880.
Image: Library of Congress.
~James A. Garfield, 1880.
Image: Library of Congress.
Wonderful night last night at Hiram College to screen first episode of “Death by Lightning.” I was honored to be part of a panel discussion with “Destiny of the Republic” author @candicemillard.bsky.social, series creator Mike Makowsky, and Garfield great-great grandson Tim Garfield (last photo).
November 6, 2025 at 6:53 PM
Wonderful night last night at Hiram College to screen first episode of “Death by Lightning.” I was honored to be part of a panel discussion with “Destiny of the Republic” author @candicemillard.bsky.social, series creator Mike Makowsky, and Garfield great-great grandson Tim Garfield (last photo).
Getting excited for tomorrow night’s screening of episode 1 of “Death by Lightning” at Hiram College! Based on “Destiny of the Republic” by the insanely talented @candicemillard.bsky.social. Spoiler alert: James Garfield would have been an all-time great POTUS if he’d lived.
Image: @netflix.com
Image: @netflix.com
November 4, 2025 at 10:29 PM
Getting excited for tomorrow night’s screening of episode 1 of “Death by Lightning” at Hiram College! Based on “Destiny of the Republic” by the insanely talented @candicemillard.bsky.social. Spoiler alert: James Garfield would have been an all-time great POTUS if he’d lived.
Image: @netflix.com
Image: @netflix.com
Go and do likewise.
November 4, 2025 at 3:09 PM
Go and do likewise.
Yesterday was a beautiful day for a walk at Lake Erie Bluffs Metropark in Perry, Ohio.
November 2, 2025 at 12:46 PM
Yesterday was a beautiful day for a walk at Lake Erie Bluffs Metropark in Perry, Ohio.
It’s my last night in Abilene, KS. Five of my wonderful colleagues/friends from the Eisenhower Pres. Library came to pack me up today. I told them I hope the next Director is a real jerk so everyone misses me even more. Just kidding. Sort of.
If you’re heading east on I-70 tomorrow, honk & wave!
If you’re heading east on I-70 tomorrow, honk & wave!
October 29, 2025 at 12:19 AM
It’s my last night in Abilene, KS. Five of my wonderful colleagues/friends from the Eisenhower Pres. Library came to pack me up today. I told them I hope the next Director is a real jerk so everyone misses me even more. Just kidding. Sort of.
If you’re heading east on I-70 tomorrow, honk & wave!
If you’re heading east on I-70 tomorrow, honk & wave!
A month later, and a resident of Abilene, Kansas today thanked me “for not giving away our sword.”
I am rolling out of Abilene for the last time at 5 a.m. on Wednesday. I leave with both overwhelming sadness at how it ended but extreme pride at what our team accomplished in my short time here.
I am rolling out of Abilene for the last time at 5 a.m. on Wednesday. I leave with both overwhelming sadness at how it ended but extreme pride at what our team accomplished in my short time here.
October 28, 2025 at 1:22 AM
A month later, and a resident of Abilene, Kansas today thanked me “for not giving away our sword.”
I am rolling out of Abilene for the last time at 5 a.m. on Wednesday. I leave with both overwhelming sadness at how it ended but extreme pride at what our team accomplished in my short time here.
I am rolling out of Abilene for the last time at 5 a.m. on Wednesday. I leave with both overwhelming sadness at how it ended but extreme pride at what our team accomplished in my short time here.
All the media attention around my situation has been…interesting. But seeing myself mentioned in one of @hcrichardson.bsky.social’s daily must-read “Letters from an American” columns this week makes me feel like I’ve really made it.
October 23, 2025 at 3:26 AM
All the media attention around my situation has been…interesting. But seeing myself mentioned in one of @hcrichardson.bsky.social’s daily must-read “Letters from an American” columns this week makes me feel like I’ve really made it.
“Don’t join the book burners. Don’t think you are going to conceal faults by concealing evidence that they ever existed.”
~Dwight D. Eisenhower
Image: Eisenhower Presidential Library.
~Dwight D. Eisenhower
Image: Eisenhower Presidential Library.
October 21, 2025 at 3:04 AM
“Don’t join the book burners. Don’t think you are going to conceal faults by concealing evidence that they ever existed.”
~Dwight D. Eisenhower
Image: Eisenhower Presidential Library.
~Dwight D. Eisenhower
Image: Eisenhower Presidential Library.
I do not deserve these people. But it’s been an absolute privilege to serve alongside them the past 13 months.
We had so many great plans. And we obviously thought we had a lot more time.
The real loser here is the Eisenhower Presidential Library.
We had so many great plans. And we obviously thought we had a lot more time.
The real loser here is the Eisenhower Presidential Library.
October 16, 2025 at 3:24 AM
I do not deserve these people. But it’s been an absolute privilege to serve alongside them the past 13 months.
We had so many great plans. And we obviously thought we had a lot more time.
The real loser here is the Eisenhower Presidential Library.
We had so many great plans. And we obviously thought we had a lot more time.
The real loser here is the Eisenhower Presidential Library.
If historians had walk-up music, this might very well be mine.
Needless to say, I’m Atlas in this scenario. But “Todd, Rise” doesn’t have the same ring to it.
What do you listen to in order to get hyped up before a big presentation/meeting/interview? Anything @metallica.com is my go-to.
Needless to say, I’m Atlas in this scenario. But “Todd, Rise” doesn’t have the same ring to it.
What do you listen to in order to get hyped up before a big presentation/meeting/interview? Anything @metallica.com is my go-to.
October 14, 2025 at 2:46 PM
If historians had walk-up music, this might very well be mine.
Needless to say, I’m Atlas in this scenario. But “Todd, Rise” doesn’t have the same ring to it.
What do you listen to in order to get hyped up before a big presentation/meeting/interview? Anything @metallica.com is my go-to.
Needless to say, I’m Atlas in this scenario. But “Todd, Rise” doesn’t have the same ring to it.
What do you listen to in order to get hyped up before a big presentation/meeting/interview? Anything @metallica.com is my go-to.
This is beautiful.
October 12, 2025 at 10:09 PM
This is beautiful.
I grew up in Penn. and then lived for years near Cleveland. I want the Cleveland Browns to be good because I love the Steelers-Browns rivalry. I want these games to be meaningful.
Oh, and also, Browns & Steelers fans can agree on one thing: hating the Baltimore Ravens. They’re just the worst.
Oh, and also, Browns & Steelers fans can agree on one thing: hating the Baltimore Ravens. They’re just the worst.
October 12, 2025 at 6:23 PM
I grew up in Penn. and then lived for years near Cleveland. I want the Cleveland Browns to be good because I love the Steelers-Browns rivalry. I want these games to be meaningful.
Oh, and also, Browns & Steelers fans can agree on one thing: hating the Baltimore Ravens. They’re just the worst.
Oh, and also, Browns & Steelers fans can agree on one thing: hating the Baltimore Ravens. They’re just the worst.
Yes, I am available in convenient audiobook form.
It’s weird to hear my words in someone else’s voice, but hats off to the narrator. He crushed it.
It’s weird to hear my words in someone else’s voice, but hats off to the narrator. He crushed it.
October 12, 2025 at 2:28 PM
Yes, I am available in convenient audiobook form.
It’s weird to hear my words in someone else’s voice, but hats off to the narrator. He crushed it.
It’s weird to hear my words in someone else’s voice, but hats off to the narrator. He crushed it.
“Hero” might be a bit much, but if you insist…
I sure wish “hero” came with a salary and benefits, though.
I sure wish “hero” came with a salary and benefits, though.
October 11, 2025 at 8:18 PM
“Hero” might be a bit much, but if you insist…
I sure wish “hero” came with a salary and benefits, though.
I sure wish “hero” came with a salary and benefits, though.
“Of course I deprecate war, but if it is brought to my door, the bringer will find me at home.”
~James A. Garfield
Image: Library of Congress.
~James A. Garfield
Image: Library of Congress.
October 11, 2025 at 4:16 PM
“Of course I deprecate war, but if it is brought to my door, the bringer will find me at home.”
~James A. Garfield
Image: Library of Congress.
~James A. Garfield
Image: Library of Congress.
I may or may not have bought this for myself at Spencer’s Gifts.
IYKYK
IYKYK
October 11, 2025 at 3:06 AM
I may or may not have bought this for myself at Spencer’s Gifts.
IYKYK
IYKYK
“I believe the only way to protect my own rights is to protect the rights of others.”
~President Dwight D. Eisenhower, 5/19/1953.
Image: @whitehousehistory.bsky.social
~President Dwight D. Eisenhower, 5/19/1953.
Image: @whitehousehistory.bsky.social
October 11, 2025 at 12:06 AM
“I believe the only way to protect my own rights is to protect the rights of others.”
~President Dwight D. Eisenhower, 5/19/1953.
Image: @whitehousehistory.bsky.social
~President Dwight D. Eisenhower, 5/19/1953.
Image: @whitehousehistory.bsky.social
A thrill to be at @kstate.bsky.social tonight to hear a lecture by @yale.edu Professor Paul Kennedy about Eisenhower & the many facets of Allied success on D-Day.
This night reminded me why Director of the Eisenhower Presidential Library was my dream job…and why I’m so sad to be forced out of it.
This night reminded me why Director of the Eisenhower Presidential Library was my dream job…and why I’m so sad to be forced out of it.
October 10, 2025 at 2:58 AM
A thrill to be at @kstate.bsky.social tonight to hear a lecture by @yale.edu Professor Paul Kennedy about Eisenhower & the many facets of Allied success on D-Day.
This night reminded me why Director of the Eisenhower Presidential Library was my dream job…and why I’m so sad to be forced out of it.
This night reminded me why Director of the Eisenhower Presidential Library was my dream job…and why I’m so sad to be forced out of it.