TR IS 1ST POTUS TO RIDE IN AN AUTOMOBILE IN A PUBLIC PARADE
Hartford, Connecticut (JFK+50) On August 22, 1902, Theodore Roosevelt became the first POTUS to ride in an automobile in a public parade. While TR's predecessor, William McKinley, was the first president to ride in an automobile, Teddy was the first to own one.
President Roosevelt, while on a tour of New England, rode in "a handsome Victoria" driven by "two expert...chauffeurs." TR was cheered all along the route and stopped here in Hartford to speak to a crowd of 10,000 people gathered in Pope Park.*
TR was also the 1st president to fly in an airplane and to go down in a submarine. It was not until January 20, 1921 that Warren Harding became the 1st POTUS to ride to his inauguration in an automobile.
*Pope Park was donated to the city of Hartford by Colonel Albert Pope who manufactured cars and bicycles. The park offered various outdoor activities to the residents of the city.
SOURCES
The Learning Network, New York Times, August 22, 2011, www.learning.blogs.nytimes.com/
www.popepark.org
1903 Ford Model A
Hartford, Connecticut (JFK+50) On August 22, 1902, Theodore Roosevelt became the first POTUS to ride in an automobile in a public parade. While TR's predecessor, William McKinley, was the first president to ride in an automobile, Teddy was the first to own one.
President Roosevelt, while on a tour of New England, rode in "a handsome Victoria" driven by "two expert...chauffeurs." TR was cheered all along the route and stopped here in Hartford to speak to a crowd of 10,000 people gathered in Pope Park.*
TR was also the 1st president to fly in an airplane and to go down in a submarine. It was not until January 20, 1921 that Warren Harding became the 1st POTUS to ride to his inauguration in an automobile.
*Pope Park was donated to the city of Hartford by Colonel Albert Pope who manufactured cars and bicycles. The park offered various outdoor activities to the residents of the city.
SOURCES
The Learning Network, New York Times, August 22, 2011, www.learning.blogs.nytimes.com/
www.popepark.org
1903 Ford Model A
RemarkableCars.com
National Automobile Museum
Reno, Nevada
Photo by Doug W (2006)
