Past Event

Truman Whistle Stop 1948

“It is certainly good to be in Danville,” remarked President Harry Truman from the back platform of the Ferdinand Magellan presidential train car on October, 12th, 1948.

Danville marked one destination on a 30,000 mile “whistle stop” campaign that many historians now attribute to Truman’s unexpected reelection victory that November. Relive that past form of political participation at Truman Whistle Stop 1948, an interactive all-ages reenactment co-produced with the Vermilion County History Museum Society and complete with 1940s cars, posters, buttons, music, food, a replica Ferdinand Magellan train car, and, of course, Harry S. Truman.

And then join us for a conversation with the Harry S. Truman Library and Museum supervisory archivist Sam Rushay and local historian Tim Smith about the political history of Danville and its significance in the 1948 campaign.

For more information about this event, please contact Paul Durica at paul.durica@ilhumanities.org or (312) 422-5583. For more information about other Bicentennial programming, visit ilhumanities.org/bicentennial.