Roughting It At The Taft Ranch
- Roughting It At The Taft Ranch
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Title |
Roughting It At The Taft Ranch |
Subject |
Taft Ranch |
Transcript |
Roughing It At The Taft Ranch President William Howard Taft came to Texas to visit his half-brother's ranch near Gregory. This was a big deal in October, 1909. Plans had been in the works for months for the president's visit. A golf course was built at the ranch for the president, an avid golfer. A hotel was built near the ranch to house the press and hangers-on. The ranch house at La Quinta was remodeled. When Taft arrived and took a look around, he told his brother, "Charlie, you said, "Let's go to Texas and rough it. Well, I don't call this roughing it." After two days at the ranch, Taft came to Corpus Christi, ferried across the bay in a revenue cutter. A welcoming committee met the portly president and they shook hands among the cotton bales on the Central Wharf. A stage with a roof over it was built on the side of the bluff, near where the Caller-Times is today. School let out and businesses closed. A crowd of 10,000 stood in the hot sun to hear the president. Taft spoke of a matter close to Corpus Christi's heart. He recognized the city's need for a deepwater port. After the speech, Taft was taken in a seven-passenger Rambler to the new Country Club on North Beach. This was the club's formal opening. The president was asked to hit the first ball off the tee and, as he bent over, someone took a picture of the president's vast rear end. This photo, along with the golf club he used and the ball he hit, were kept in a glass case at the Country Club. They apparently were lost when the 1919 hurricane washed away the building. After "Big Bill" returned to Washington, the horse that carried the 320-pound president on his rides around Taft Ranch was put out to pasture. He had earned a long rest. Murphy Givens: KEDT Radio Scripts |
Author |
Murphy Givens |
Publisher |
KEDT Radio |
Date |
1/18/2002 |
Type |
Sound Recording |
Format |
MP3; Length 2 min. 7 sec. |
Language |
English |
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