Obama Homes for the Holidays

Building models of the Obama homes is harder than crashing a White House party. But the Chicago Botanic Garden (CBG) believes it's all worth it.

Harriet Resnick, vice president of visitor experience and business development at the CBG, says it took approximately three months to get clearance from the Secret Service to build a model of the First Family's residence in Hyde Park and Michelle Obama's childhood home, and another five to six weeks to construct. The two homes--along with the Union Stockyards' Old Stone Gate--are new additions to the CBG's 10,000-square-foot holiday train exhibition, which features more than 85 miniature building structures made from all natural plant materials.