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By Land, By Sea, By Air

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  • Grant & Bonner -- Dexter's Best Time 2.16 1/4

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    This illustration from 1868 was published by Joseph Hoover of J. Hoover & Son and shows President Ulysses S. Grant and Robert Bonner riding in a horse-drawn carriage in New York. Bonner was a horse owner and publisher of the New York Ledger. Dexter, the horse in the illustration, was one of his best known horses. Grant reportedly became enamored with Dexter and asked Bonner to give it to him as a gift after this ride happened. Bonner refused because he had great affection for the horse.

    Library of Congress
  • The Stable of the White House

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    This wood engraving of the White House stable is from the April 17, 1869 issue of Harper's Weekly. The horses in the image were owned by President Ulysses S. Grant himself and were two of his favorites, Egypt and Cincinnati. The White House is depicted in the upper left corner of the print.

    White House Collection/White House Historical Association
  • President and Mrs. Wilson Leaving by Car

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    This photograph by Harris & Ewing shows President Woodrow Wilson and First Lady Ellen Wilson, his first wife, leaving the White House by car.

    Library of Congress
  • President Harding's Voyage of Understanding, Wrangell, Alaska, Side A

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    This stereograph by Keystone View Company shows President Warren G. Harding and First Lady Florence Harding sitting in a boat in Wrangell, Alaska, during Harding's 1923 "Voyage of Understanding." On this two month journey, President Harding traveled by train, stopping in many cities across the nation, before boarding the U.S.S. Henderson and traveling to the U.S. territory of Alaska. As the first sitting president to visit Alaska, Harding hoped to better understand the unique issues facing the territory and establish stronger ties to Washington, D.C.

    White House Historical Association
  • Fala on the Train

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    This black and white photograph shows President Franklin D. Roosevelt's dog, Fala, standing on a train car during the president's war plant inspection trip in the fall of 1942.

    United States Navy
  • The Roosevelts Attend a Ceremony at the Lincoln Memorial

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    This black and white photo shows President Franklin D. Roosevelt and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt at a ceremony at the Lincoln Memorial with Rear Adm. Wilson Brown, Maj. Gen. Edwin Watson, and Charles Fredericks of the Secret Service. Uniformed motorcycle police form a security line behind the president's car. The Reflecting Pool and Washington Monument are in the background.

    Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum/NARA
  • President Eisenhower Onboard the USS Des Moines

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    This photograph is of President Dwight D. Eisenhower disembarking from a U.S. Marine Corps helicopter that landed on board the USS Des Moines in the harbor of Athens, Greece.

    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval History and Heritage Command
  • The Kennedys Greet Jacqueline Kennedy at the Airport

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    This photograph by Abbie Rowe of the National Park Service shows First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy after landing at an airport and being greeted by her family: President John F. Kennedy, Caroline, and John, Jr. The airplane in the background was named "Caroline".

    National Archives and Records Administration
  • Harry S. Truman at Kansas City Municipal Airport

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    This photograph shows former President Harry S. Truman at the Kansas City Municipal Airport. Truman was at the airport with President Lyndon B. Johnson, who traveled to Independence, Missouri to sign the Social Security Act Amendments on July 30, 1965. Air Force One, the president's plane, is seen in the background.

    White House Historical Association
  • President Johnson Arrives for Marine One Departure

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    This photograph of Marine One was taken by James P. Blair in May 1966 during the Lyndon B. Johnson administration. In this photograph, the presidential helicopter is seen waiting for President Lyndon Johnson and members of his staff to board before departing from the South Lawn. Although presidents had used airplanes to travel for some time, helicopters were not adopted for use as presidential conveyance until the Dwight D. Eisenhower administration.

    White House Historical Association
  • Susan Ford Washing her Car at the White House

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    This black and white photograph shows Susan Ford washing her car in the driveway that leads under the North Portico.

    Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and Museum/NARA
  • New Orleans Departure

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    This photograph by White House photographer Paul Morse shows President George W. Bush waving before entering Air Force One on April 25th, 2001. President Bush was en route to New Orleans, Louisiana. The presidential limousine can be seen in the foreground.

    George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum/NARA
  • President Obama Cadillac One

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    President Barack Obama in his Cadillac One limousine on November 17, 2011.

    Flickr
  • President Trump Marine One

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    President Donald J. Trump boards Marine One on January 14, 2019.

    Flickr

About this Gallery

Whether by hoof, air, waterway, road, or rail, the President’s access to reliable transportation is essential during their time in the Executive Mansion. Modes of transportation have varied over the course of time as technology and the individual presidents’ needs have changed. While George Washington may have thought a well-bred horse was the pinnacle of mobility, subsequent presidents would find that the steamboat, train, and later cars and air travel would further increase the effectiveness of travel to and from the White House. Even today, White House transportation continues to shift based on the needs of the modern presidency. In 2019, the Navy announced that a new fleet of Marine One helicopters were set to be constructed, originally introduced by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1957.

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