I know Halloween has passed, but this week I invite all of you to hang out in a graveyard – a political graveyard, anyway.  You won’t find ghosts and goblins at The Political Graveyard Web site, but you will find a trove of political figures past and present – everything the political enthusiasts and experts of American history and politics could need for hours of fun.

The Political Graveyard claims to be “the Internet’s most comprehensive free source for American political biography, listing 217,078 politicians, living and dead.” I believe it. The site was created by Lawrence Kestenbaum, who has put a great deal of time, intelligence, and loving care into the project.

If you already know a politician you would like to look up, say – Theodore Roosevelt, former U.S. Rep. James Traficant, or Harold Stassen, the former Governor of Minnesota who ran for president of the United States nine times, you could use the Alphabetical Index of Politicians. But The Political Graveyard offers many other lists from which to choose that show far more imagination. Consider browsing through the lists of politicians who lost the most elections, who died in office, who survived assassination attempts, or those who participated in dueling!

You can find politicians who were Rhodes Scholars, played professional sports, been up in space, or were born in slavery.  Or how about the ones who received a Nobel Prize, a Pulitzer Prize, or an Olympic Medal?

Gender, religious background, occupation (yes the lobbyists are listed), and ancestry groups are there. Freemasons, Rotary,  Elks, Knights of Columbus, and Knights Templar. It is all there.

Pure fun! Well, I think I have found a new pastime …

Screen captures courtesy of Lawrence Kestenbaum and The Political Graveyard.