Explorer Roald Amundsen Pullman Car
McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park
 

Marker:  
Roald Amundsen Pullman Car at the McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park

Location: 
McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park
7301 E. Indian School Bend Road
Scottsdale, Maricopa County, Arizona
33.53726870000577, -111.92333838950935

Directions:             
When you enter the park, turn east towards the museum. 

Historical Significance:
This Pullman car was used by four U.S. presidents as a “rolling White House.” One momentous occasion held in the luxurious car was the meeting between President Franklin Roosevelt and Canadian Prime Minister Mackenzie King in August 1940 to sign the U.S./Canada defense pact known as the Ogdensburg Declaration.

The marker reads, “Roald Amundsen Pullman Car / Railroads were an important part of transportation for people and freight from the late 1800s to post-World War II. This luxury Pullman car was one of only six Explorer-Series cars, built in 1928. It was used as the presidential rail car by four U.S. Presidents: Herbert Hoover, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry S. Truman, and Dwight D. Eisenhower. The Ogdensburg Declaration, a vital agreement between the U.S. and Canada, was signed aboard this car in 1940 and became what is known today as the North American Aeropace Defense Command (NORAD).  The Roald Amundsen Pullman Car symbolizes the significance of rail travel for presidential use prior to Air Force One and interstate highways. / Dedicated by Grand Canyon Chapter, NSDAR 2023.” 

This DAR marker is next to a companion marker that reads, “ROALD AMUNDSEN / Built by Pullman Company 1928 / Donated to the City of Scottsdale by Mr. and Mrs. Franz Talley 1973 / National Register of Historic Places 2009 / Chartered by United States Government for use by Former Presidents Hoover, Roosevelt, Truman and Eisenhower.”

Marker Date:
2023

Dedicated:           
September 30, 2023

Sponsor: 
Grand Canyon Chapter, NSDAR

A snapshot of the exterior of a Pullman car, with “Pullman Car” and “Roald Amundsen” on the side.
Roald Amundsen Pullman Car, September 30, 2023.
A vintage photograph of an antarctic scene of packed ice or snow. One tent, sledges with stacks of boxes, sled dogs, and a few human figures can be distinguished.
A camp of the Roald Amundsen South Pole expedition 1910-1912, ca. May 1912. Details show sledges and sled dogs. Original photo print copyrighted by United Newspapers, Ltd., London. Held by the Library of Congress.
A snapshot of two markers, side by side, mounted on a railing. The marker on the left acknowledges the gift of the Pullman Car (1973) and its inclusion on the National Register of Historical Places (2009). The marker on the right is the DAR marker. Marker text is in the body of this page.
Roald Amundsen Pullman car, DAR marker beside the original marker, September 2023.
A snapshot of six people standing in front of the Pullman Car. The plaque is displayed on a chair.
Dedication of the Roald Amundsen Pullman Car, September 30, 2023.

  

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Unless otherwise noted, images are courtesy of Arizona State Society, DAR, Daughters.

 

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