dorky
This picture was taken on April 23, 1891 in Santa Ana, California. President Benjamin Harrison wasn't the first President to ride on a train (Andrew Jackson has that honor) but he was the president who rode the most amount of miles on them until Harry Truman broke his record a half century later. On this day, Harrison became the first president to visit Orange County, California. He was met by a large crowd and B.F. Conaway took several photos of the celebration.
In the spring of 1891 Harrison embarked on a trip across the continent by train, departing Washington on Monday, April 13, 1891, just after midnight. Harrison stopped in 19 states and 72 cities on this 9232 mile train trip. The tour went through the South to the Pacific coast and home again through the new States admitted during his administration. The Presidential party consisted of the President and Mrs. Harrison, Postmaster-General Wanamaker, Secretary J. M. Rusk, Mr. and Mrs. Russell Harrison, Mrs. McKee, Mrs. Dimmick, Daniel M. Ransdell, United States Marshal of the District of Columbia, Major Sanger, the President's military aid, Mr. and Mrs. George W. Boyd (Mr. Boyd, General Assistant Passenger Agent of the Pennsylvania Railroad and in charge of the train), Mr. E. F. Tibbott, the President's stenographer, Alfred J. Clark, O. P. Austin, and R. V. Oulahan.
On April 27 and 28, 1891, the party particpated in the launcing of the USS Monterey in San Francisco, California.
Harrison's train consisted of five cars, including the dining car Coronado, the private car New Zealand, and the observation car the Vacuna. The front baggage car was inscribed in large gilt letters "The Presidential Special." Returning back to Washington on May 15, 1891, Harrison called everyone on the train to speak to them. He was grateful for the delightful trip and shook everyone's hand. The train pulled into Washington at 5:30 p.m. Harrison's first greeting was to his grandchildren waiting at the station, Baby McKee and his little sister Mary Lodge McKee. The Mail and Express reported that, "In less than five minutes the entire party were homeward bound, and the train was left alone, dust-stained and travel-worn, to tell its tale of the great ten thousand mile journey."
