Presidents Day is Feb. 17, and Evansville has brushed elbows with quite a few future, sitting, and former U.S. presidents over its more than 200 years.
John F. Kennedy (October 1960) and Jimmy Carter (September 1976) both came to the River City while seeking election to the White House. Future president Joe Biden spoke in Downtown Evansville in November 2008, just before being elected vice president.
Former president Bill Clinton stopped at Penny Lane Coffeehouse, among other spots, in July 2016 while stumping for his wife, Hillary. George H.W. Bush was in and out for a January 2004 fundraiser.
As for Evansville visits by sitting presidents? Let’s look back.
James K. Polk
The first confirmed U.S. president to visit Evansville, Polk visited the River City in 1845 just before his inauguration but slept through his visit. Little else is known about his time here.
Franklin D. Roosevelt
FDR stopped in 1943 to inspect Republic Aviation’s plant, which assembled P-47 Thunderbolt planes to fly during World War II. Though his visit was meant to be a secret, many got wind of his tour and flooded airports and train stations, hoping to catch a glimpse of the then-three-term head of state.
Lyndon B. Johnson
LBJ arrived in October 1964. According to the Evansville Press, it was such a brief stop that he landed at Dress Memorial Airport, gave a speech, and immediately reboarded Air Force One for takeoff.
Gerald Ford
Ford’s stay may have been the longest of any sitting president. He was in Evansville in April 1976 during a heated primary race with Ronald Reagan. He gave multiple speeches, answered questions, and even participated in a parade on Main Street.
Ronald Reagan
Reagan touched down in 1986 to campaign for then-8th District congressional candidate Richard McIntyre. The Gipper spoke at a Roberts Municipal Stadium rally attended by more than 8,000 people, beneath a red banner that said, “Reagan-McIntyre: This Time for Indiana.”
Barack Obama
There’s a nuance here – Obama in 2014 flew in and out of Evansville Regional Airport, but he was driven north to Gibson County to visit Millennium Steel, a Black-owned supplier for Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indiana. In April 2008, while running for president, Obama spoke to thousands at Roberts Municipal Stadium.
Donald Trump
In August 2018, Trump addressed a packed Ford Center in support of then-Senate candidate Mike Braun. That appearance brought a sea of Trump supporters and opponents into Downtown Evansville. Two years earlier, as a candidate, he spoke at Old National Events Plaza.
Riley Guerzini contributed to this article.
