YorksPast

Map exploration and newspaper research were used to prove a postcard shows President William H. Taft speaking to York, Pennsylvania, residents from his rail car on the morning of May 31, 1909. He stopped in York for several hours, before attending a Memorial Day monument dedication at Gettysburg later in the day.

While researching last weeks York railroad station post, this postcard was discovered. The York County History Center’s PastPerfect printout indexed it as possibly taken at Pennsylvania Railroad Station, with the postcard sent on April 6, 1910.

Map Exploration

The York railroad station is confirmed for the photo, by evaluating the photo’s field of view versus a 1908 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map. See the following camera viewpoint from the roof of a 2-story P.R.R. Office building along North Duke Street, which corresponds to locations of railcars and structures in the postcard photo.

Message in the Margins

A complete view of the postcard reveals the margins contained a written message: “Do you remember when Taft was here last spring? How is every one getting along down there? I’m in the crowd, can you find me?” Along with a postmark of April 6, 1910, that indicates this is a photo of President Taft during the spring of 1909.

The postcard was addressed to Miss Mary Roser, Glen Rock, Pa. The postcard was sent by Daniel Knauss of 258 E. King Street in York, with his message on the back: “Well Mary, here’s your card. Guess you thought I wouldn’t send it.”

Newspapers tell the Story

Front-page articles in The York Daily of May 31 and June 1, 1909 confirm President Taft spoke to a crowd from his rail car at the Pennsylvania Railroad Station in York during the morning of May 31, 1909. National newspapers in prior days reported President Taft in Pittsburgh during Saturday May 29 and Sunday May 30, 1909. He boarded his railcar Sunday evening for an overnight Pennsylvania Railroad ride via Altoona and Harrisburg, arriving in York at 5:40 A.M. Monday morning.

The presidential party was sleeping upon arrival and arose for a 7:00 A.M. breakfast, at which time Congressman Daniel F. Lafean, representing York and Adams Counties, joined the President for breakfast in his rail car.

President Taft, with his security detail, and Congressman Lefean spoke to the crowd from the rear platform of the railcar until it was attached to the end of a scheduled train passing through at 8:00 A.M.

With Presidential railcar attached, the Pennsylvania Railroad passenger train passed through Spring Grove before arriving at Hanover, where President Taft addressed residents that had gathered. In Hanover, the Presidential railcar was detached from the P.R.R. train and attached to the end of a Western Maryland train for the final journey to Gettysburg. It was reported at all towns and villages along the route from York to Gettysburg, crowds collected to cheer the Presidential train.

In addition to the regularly scheduled passenger trains during Memorial Day in 1909, their were also an unusually high number of special excursion trains to Gettysburg that year, due to the dedication of a monument to the United States Regular Army veterans who lost their lives or fought in the Gettysburg campaign. The Western Maryland Railroad and Pennsylvania Railroad ran excursions, such as that shown in the following ad.

The following Library of Congress photo shows President William H. Taft speaking to a crowd from his rail car, at an unknown location. The railcar appears to match that of the railcar at the York station. Maybe this photo was taken at Hanover or Gettysburg? Since it does appear to be Congressman Daniel Lafean standing at the right side of the platform.

On May 31, 1909, the 85-foot tall United States Regulars’ Monument was dedicated on the Gettysburg Battlefield. It is situated along Hancock Avenue, between the Copse of Trees to the north, seen to the right of the monument, and the Pennsylvania Monument, which is out of the picture, to the south. President Taft participated in the ceremonies.

The United States Congress authorized the new monument. In President Taft’s oration he paid tribute to the regulars of a standing army and officially transferred the monument from the national government to the Gettysburg National Park Commission. After which the President’s daughter, Miss Helen Taft, unveiled the monument.

Click on this LINK for a yorkblog.com Full View of the photos and illustrations in this post.

Links to related posts:

Exploring Northern Central Railway along North Street

Lefean and President Theodore Roosevelt visit of 1906

Western Maryland; The Forgotten Railroad to Baltimore