President Taft's use of a White Steam Car is well documented. This page provides some delightful ephemera surrounding Taft's inauguration and White's capitalization on the event to market the White Steamer.
President Teddy Roosevelt, who preceded Taft, rode in a White Steam Car before President Taft. This image, reproduced from Floyd Clymer's Steam Car Book (page 73), was supplied by the White Company.
The White Company made much of its car being used by President Taft. This image was widely used on blotters and postcards. This early version shows the President Elect, taken before Taft's inauguration on March 4, 1909.
This is a card, not a post card. Note the background has been obliteratated. Later uses of this image show the background.
This advertising blotter shows "President Taft in his White Steamer." It is the same image shown above labeled "President Elect" and the post card images below. It was most likely an advertising piece for local dealers. Its background differs from both the card above and the post cards below.
This card is a Souvenir of the Inauguration of President Taft, postmarked March 8, 1909, four days after the inauguration.
Its reverse includes a list of activities. It would interesting to know where this image was created.
This postally unused White Steamer postcard lacks the Souvenir of the Inauguration of President Taft inscription, but uses the same image. It may have been used later, after the Inauguration.
J. W. Evans & Company, sales agents for the White Steam Car in Pottstown, PA, used the Taft inauguration post card to promote the White to its buyers. This card is postmarked March 23, 1909, shortly after the inauguration. Compare its background with the blotter and card above.
"President Taft and His Party Taking a Ride ALong the NOrth Shore in his Famous 'White Steamer.'" This is presumably the North Shore of Chicago.
For more information, see: William Howard Taft and the First Motoring Presidency, 1909-1913, by Michael L. Bromley, 2003, ISBN 07864 14758.Hardbound, 447 pages, 7 by 10 inches, 86 photographs. Published by McFarland & Company, Inc., Box 611, Jefferson, NC 28640, 18002532187, www.mcfarlandpub.com. $49.95 (plus $4.00 shipping).
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