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
Request Membership Information
The content contained herein does not necessarily represent the position of NSDAR. Hyperlinks to other sites are not the responsibility of the NSDAR, the state organization or individual DAR chapters.
Unless otherwise noted, images are courtesy of Arizona State Society, DAR, Daughters.