Gary Ingram vividly recalls the moment he first met Jimmy Carter.

It was during the summer of 2007 in Plains, Georgia on a particularly warm day.

At that time, Ingram, in his late 30s, was employed with the National Park Service in Washington, D.C. He traveled to a region that was quite unfamiliar to him, having been raised in California, near Yosemite National Park.

His journey to rural Georgia was effectively an “interview” for the role of superintendent at what is currently recognized as the Jimmy Carter National Historical Park. Unlike other instances—such as when he interviewed at the Carl Sandburg Home in North Carolina—this interview included meeting the very person the site honored.

He reminisces about entering the property and seeing Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter greeting him outside their house.

“I had never met a president before,” he stated. “They received me with warmth, inviting me into their home. We began discussing the National Park Service.”

While many National Park Service locations focus on preserving presidential legacies, the site in Plains, established in 1987, is distinct.

Plains not only marks Jimmy Carter’s birthplace in 1924—an uncommon feat for a U.S. president who was born in a hospital—but it also signifies where he lived after his term, just around the corner from his childhood home, in the only residence he and Rosalynn ever shared.

The modest two-bedroom ranch style house, built in 1961, was appraised at $167,000 in recent years. It was here he chose to spend his final days—not in a hospital, but surrounded by family in his home.

He passed away on a Sunday at 100 years old.

Jimmy Carter holds the title of the longest-living president in U.S. history. His life beyond the presidency was not just lengthy; it embodied both extraordinary achievements and ordinary moments.

He will rest beside Rosalynn, who passed away on November 19, 2023, at 96. They chose a spot on their sloped lawn, beneath a willow tree and near a pond that he once helped excavate.

Their home, now transferred to the National Park Service’s ownership, will be converted into a museum as part of the existing park landmarks, which include Carter’s childhood farm, his former high school, and the small train depot where he announced his 1976 presidential campaign on a December day in 1974.

More than a decade ago, the Carters made this decision known. The former president could have opted for internment at Arlington National Cemetery, the Carter Center, or many other sites, but he chose Plains, fully aware of the implications this would have on the town and its associated national park in the years to come.

This was the place Gary Ingram managed for seven years.

‘Just Call Me Jimmy’

Many people have encountered Jimmy Carter, and numerous others flocked to Plains to join him for one of his Sunday school sessions. However, Ingram’s interactions with the former president went well beyond a mere fleeting encounter. Their initial discussion marked the beginning of a long connection with someone he regards as “the first president I remember.”

Ingram was 8 years old when Carter assumed the presidency in 1977. He fondly recalls being captivated by Carter’s Southern drawl.

“I would walk around Yosemite Elementary, telling everyone, ‘Hi, I’m Jimmy Carter,’ mimicking his accent,” he shared.

Fast forward 30 years, and there he was, seated on a couch in Carter’s home, hearing that same Southern accent from the ex-president. It felt surreal, yet these conversations continued.

Ingram always refers to him with respect. After about nine months into his role, Carter said to him, “You can just call me Jimmy.” Ingram cherished this friendly gesture as it reflected how everyone else in Plains addressed the former president, either as Jimmy or Mr. Jimmy. Yet, Ingram couldn’t bring himself to drop the title; it was always President Carter to him, even though the Carters ensured he and his family felt embraced by the community.

As the superintendent, Ingram followed his daily routine: he would check in at the park headquarters, connect with his team, grab a coffee, then make his way to the Carter residence. He often would walk the grounds, ensuring all was in order.

“On some days, President Carter would wave me in,” he said. “So I would step inside to share a cup of coffee with them.”

This was not just a simple narrative like in the book “Tuesdays with Morrie,” where a younger man visits an aging mentor to learn life lessons. Ingram did gain valuable insights. Despite being in his 80s, Carter remained vibrantly engaged with his passions, including faith and family, as well as advocating for affordable housing.

Housing. Promoting free and fair elections. Authoring books. Protecting special areas, including Plains.

Jimmy Carter’s Environmental Contribution

A significant aspect of Carter’s legacy is his dedication to conserving America’s land and water resources, spanning from Georgia to Alaska. Historian Douglas Brinkley remarked to the Washington Post that Carter will be remembered among great conservationists or environmental presidents like Theodore Roosevelt and FDR.

While serving as Georgia’s governor, he advocated for the protection of the Chattooga River. As president, he not only created the Chattahoochee National River Recreation Area—a 48-mile river corridor near Atlanta—but also collaborated with Congress, shortly after losing the 1980 election, to enact the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA), a groundbreaking law that expanded the National Park System considerably.

Ingram, who worked in Washington, D.C., focused on Alaska’s parks and has probably read every word of ANILCA. Upon arriving in Plains, he asked Carter how he managed to address such significant legislation during a time when many recall the Iran hostage crisis impacting his presidency.

“He mentioned that it served as a distraction from the tumultuous global events,” Ingram recalled.

Ingram can easily imagine Carter juggling large international matters while also attending to the minute details of park management. He recounts a moment when Carter wished to discuss adding a chicken coop to the boyhood farm that now forms part of the Plains park. The former president invited Ingram to the back porch of his home.

After knocking on the sliding door, Carter welcomed him in, dressed casually in shorts and a T-shirt. Their conversation began before Carter received an important phone call.

The call was during the early 2010s, amidst the Arab Spring. Recognizing the importance of the call, Ingram prepared to leave, but Carter signaled for him to stay.

As Ingram sat quietly, intentionally tuning out the discourse, he noticed Carter sketching on a piece of paper in front of him. Once the call ended, Carter apologetically handed Ingram the sketch.

The sketch depicted a chicken coop, complete with dimensions and specifications for the type of wood needed. Carter had even illustrated chickens within it, labeled with the respective breeds.

“I was astonished,” Ingram said. “How could he maintain such a high-level conversation while simultaneously creating these wonderful drawings? It felt like a magic trick. A genuinely kind man with an exceptionally high IQ, capable of multitasking like no one I’ve ever encountered—it was a remarkable combination.”

The Key Characteristic

Throughout his time in Plains, Ingram witnessed various facets of Carter’s past, from his days as a Southern peanut farmer to his role as Commander in Chief. He described all of them as authentic. Although he never saw Carter teach Sunday school, he attended Maranatha Baptist Church with his family twice but chose not to occupy any seats in the small congregation due to the long line of visitors.

“People traveled from around the globe just to meet him,” he noted. “I had the privilege to see him daily. … When I explained to President Carter why we didn’t attend, he seemed to value my honesty, asking, ‘You do have a church, right?’”

Ingram confirmed he did, and although he never witnessed Carter conducting a Sunday school lesson, the time spent with him throughout the week deepened his own faith.

Some of Ingram’s cherished memories stemmed from everyday moments, such as when Rosalynn picked blueberries in the yard but realized she had forgotten a bowl. He took off his iconic flat-brimmed ranger hat for her to use.

They returned inside, cleaned the berries, and while the Carters enjoyed their cereal with blueberries, Ingram poured himself another cup of coffee and joined them for a snack.

Another memorable incident was when President Carter “startled him terribly.”

Carter proposed they feed the fish in the pond. After handing Ingram a cup of fish food, he instructed him to toss some into the water, which Ingram assumed contained only small fish.

“But there were enormous fish,” he remarked. “As soon as I tossed the food, it felt like sharks honing in on me. The water erupted, and I jumped back so fast that I landed on my backside. I exclaimed, ‘You knew this was going to happen, didn’t you?’ and he just laughed heartily.”

Although Ingram initially felt out of place upon moving to Plains, his perception quickly changed after Carter encouraged him to settle there. Finding no housing in Plains led him and his family to move to nearby Americus, where he raised his children. He acquired a piece of land and a tractor and discussed his passions for faith and agriculture with the former president.

“That became my new life,” he reflected. “I fully embraced my sense of belonging.”

When approached for a position as superintendent of Cumberland Island National Seashore, he hesitated to leave, feeling it was a good professional opportunity leading to a place rich in complex land and community challenges.

Carter was quite familiar with Cumberland Island. Ingram remembers him saying, “Gary, if you can manage that successfully, I’ll get you a job in the State Department working on Middle East peace.”

Ingram dedicated nearly a decade to Cumberland before transitioning to superintendent at Rocky Mountain National Park last year.

In his office located in St. Marys, Georgia, he proudly displays a framed letter from President Carter, dated May 6, 2014, expressing his disappointment at Ingram’s departure from Plains while wishing him well.

Additionally, he possesses a wooden figure that is essentially a caricature of Carter—a quirky gift from the president.

“He absolutely loathed this thing,” Ingram chuckled. “He insisted I take it. … So now I always have President Carter close by.”

Above all, he cherishes the memories of those years and the invaluable lessons derived from his time with President Carter: to work diligently, to do what is right, to exhibit kindness and honesty. While this path may not always be the most straightforward, it profoundly impacts family, community, country, and the world.

“President Carter reinforced my conviction about helping others,” Ingram said. “He taught me that despite differing opinions, we should strive to Living a life dedicated to assisting others is perhaps the greatest quality one can possess.”