Harry S. Truman wasn’t the first President of the United States to pay a visit to Dexter, Iowa.
William Howard Taft was, on September 19, 1910.
Dexter citizens learned that a special train–meaning it would not be stopping in town–carrying Taft would be zipping right through Dexter headed west on the Rock Island.
W. J. Pilkington, editor of the Merchants Trade Journal and founder of The Pilkington-Dexter Plan, sent a telegram to the Trainmaster in Des Moines, where the president’s train would stop before bypassing the rest of Iowa’s small towns. “Dexter has souvenir for President. Please show up to receive it. Answer if will do so. Pilkington.”
It worked. The reply: “To Pilkington, ‘Special train will stop at Dexter to receive souvenir, F. G. Weeks, Trainmaster.’”
The pilot engine passed through 12 minutes earlier. President Taft’s “special” arrived at 12:37 p.m., pulling up to the depot platform to meet the whole cheering town of Dexter. The train stopped just long enough for the president’s famous smile and wave. Twenty young ladies carried a twenty-foot long sign, “Watch Dexter, Iowa.”
The souvenir for the president was a small silver spoon and a cup, and the note “To our president who smiles.”
Young and old Dexterites said they would remember seeing their very first president for the rest of their lives.
Source: 1968 Dexter Centennial history, pages 41-42.
“To our president who smiles.” Such a simple, honest sentiment.
I wonder if he was expecting a larger gift! And just what eventually happened to the small silver spoon and cup.
[…] 19, 1910, President William Howard Taft was lured into stopping in Dexter for a souvenir. The whole town showed up to see and cheer the President of the United […]
I loved reading this, Joy. I knew President Taft stopped briefly in Dexter once, but that was about all I knew about the visit. I really appreciate your more detailed account of his stop in Dexter!
I think Dexter has more “history” per square foot than any small town in Iowa. Thank you for all you do to illuminate that history and share it with the rest of us!
Thanks, Barry. My Leora’s Dexter Stories: The Scarcity Years of the Great Depression is readers’ favorite of the “Leora books.” Fans have talked about making a trip to Dexter, but the only things open are the barbershop (we were there this week), Casey’s, Drews, and maybe the post office. We drove to Redfield for lunch–the Dexfield Diner which is a temporary spot since their fire, but they made the top five for best tenderloin in Iowa this year so they were busy even at 2:00. My husband enjoyed a tenderloin, while I had the best gluten-free pizza ever! I guess I need to figure out another Dexter Museum spot. Their regular open Sundays are only through October.