The 1947 - 1949 Freedom Train

TIMELINE for the
1947 - 1949
FREEDOM TRAIN

Date	Place	Display Site #	Notes
*	*	*	1946
April, 1946	*	*	William Coblenz, an assistant director with the Public Information division of the Department of Justice, spends his lunch hour at the National Archives. There he views an exhibit containing the German surrender documents and Hitler's last will and testament. Lamenting that so many Americans will never get to the National Archives to see such documents (and contrasting documents of our heritage of freedom) he decides to take his idea of a traveling exhibit of such documents to the Archivist of the United States, Solon Buck. Buck likes the idea and passes it along to his boss, who in turn passes it on to Attorney General Tom Clark. With President Truman's "strongest endorsement", the idea takes shape as a seven-car rolling exhibit that will place dozens of documents of American liberty next to dozens of documents illustrating tyranny and despotism. The hope is that this exhibit will cause a reawakening in the hearts of Americans and serve as a reminder that freedom cannot be taken for granted.
Fall 1946	*	*	Coblenz and the staff of the National Archives flesh out the exhibit, complete with proposed documents and a plan for the layout of the train itself. Funding is conspicuously absent, and Attorney General Clark turns to his friends in corporate America. One friend, Barney Balaban, president of Paramount Pictures, took the lead, helping to bend the ears of media luminaries such as Spyros Skouras, president of 20th Century-Fox, composer Irving Berlin, and Frank Stanton, president of CBS. Thomas Brophy, who had been working on a similar project for the Advertising Council, was asked by Clark to join forces. With the combined support of these men and their respective organizations, the financing fell in place.
*	*	*	1947
February 1947	*	*	The American Heritage Foundation is formed to oversee the financial and operational affairs of the exhibit. The president of the foundation is Thomas Brophy. It is decided the train will be called The Liberty Train and it is decided it will only carry documents related to our American liberties. The concept survives, but the name doesn't.
May 1947	*	*	The plan for the exhibit now calls for the train to be the focal point of a "Rededication Week" wherever it goes. During the week before the train's arrival, programs and community events will provide dramatic reminders to the people of the liberties they each enjoy as American citizens. Also, by now, the name of the train has evolved to its final form: The Freedom Train.
August 1947	*	*	The train takes shape. The engine will be a brand new 2000 horsepower PA-1 manufactured and loaned by the American Locomotive Corporation (ALCO). The loaned cars consist of a baggage car form the Santa Fe Railway, three exhibit cars on loan form the Pennsylvania Railroad, and three Pullman cars from the Pullman Company to provide accommodations for the staff of the train. The train is painted red, white and blue in a paint scheme designed by noted designer Chester Mack.
September 1947	Cameron, VA	*	In the first weeks of September, the exhibits are placed in the cars by members of the National Archive staff under heavy guard at Cameron, VA. Full-time security for the train will be provided by 27 United States Marines under the command of Lt. Col. Robert F. Scott.
September 17-19	Philadelphia, PA	1	Constitution Day -- September 17: Opening Day! The Freedom Train opens to the public in Philadelphia on the 160th anniversary of the signing of the Constitution. Thousands sign "The Freedom Scroll", a pledge of rededication to the principles of liberty. Thousands more will sign it as the train travels across the land.
September 20	Atlantic City, NJ	2	*
September 21	Trenton, NJ	3	*
September 22	Elizabeth, NJ	4	*
September 23	Patterson, NJ	5	*
September 24-26	New York, NY	6	Grand Central Station, Track 30.
September 27	Brooklyn, NY	7	*
September 28	Jamaica (Long Island), NY	8	*
September 30	Van Nest (Bronx), NY	9	*
October 1	Stamford, CT	10	*
October 2	Bridgeport, CT	11	*
October 3	Waterbury, CT	12	*
October 4	Hartford, CT	13	*
October 5	New Haven, CT	14	*
October 7	New London, CT	15	*
October 8	Providence, RI	16	*
October 9	Worcester, MA	17	*
October 10	Lynn, MA	18	*
October 11	Boston, MA (North Station)	19A	*
October 12	Boston, MA (South Station)	19B	*
October 13	Rutland, VT	20	*
October 15	Burlington, VT	21	*
October 16	Montpelier, VT	22	*
October 17	Concord, NH	23	*
October 18	Nashau, NH	24	*
October 19	Lowell, MA	25	*
October 20	Lawrence, MA	26	*
October 22	Haverhill, MA	27	*
October 23	Dover, NH	28	*
October 24	Augusta, ME	29	*
October 25	Bangor, ME	30	*
October 26	Lewiston, ME	31	*
October 27	Manchester, NH	32	*
October 29	Fitchburg, MA	33	*
October 30	Springfield, MA	34	*
October 31	Pittsfield, MA	35	*
November 1	Schenectady, NY	36	*
November 2	Utica, NY	37	*
November 4	Rome, NY	38	*
November 5	Syracuse, NY	39	*
November 6	Rochester, NY	40	*
November 7	Buffalo, NY	41	*
November 8	Elmira, NY	42	*
November 9	Binghamton, NY	43	*
November 11	Albany, NY	44	*
November 12	Scranton, PA	45	*
November 13	Wilks Barre, PA	46	*
November 14	Williamsport, PA	47	500,000th person passed through the train.
November 15	Altoona, PA	48	*
November 16	Harrisburg, PA	49	*
November 18	Reading, PA	50	*
November 19	Allentown, PA	51	*
November 20	Chester, PA	52	*
November 21	Wilmington, DE	53	*
November 22	Salisbury, MD	54	*
November 23	Dover, DE	55	*
November 25-26	Baltimore, MD	56	*
November 27-28	Washington, DC	57	*
November 29	Charlottesville, VA	58	*
November 30	Lynchburg, VA	59	*
December 2	Roanoke, VA	60	*
December 3	Winston Salem, NC	61	*
December 4	Charlotte, NC	62	*
December 5	Greeneboro, NC	63	*
December 6	Raleigh, NC	64	*
December 7	Norfolk, VA	65	*
December 9	Richmond, VA	66	*
December 10	Wilmington, NC	67	*
December 11	Columbia, SC	68	*
December 12	Spartanburg, SC	69	*
December 13	Greenville, SC	70	*
December 14	Augusta, GA	71	*
December 16	Charleston, SC	72	*
December 17	Savannah, GA	73	*
December 18	Brunswick, GA	74	*
December 19	Jacksonville, FL	75	*
December 20	Miami, FL	76	*
December 21	Tampa, FL	77	*
December 22	Tallahassee, FL	78	*
December 23	Pensacola, FL	79	*
December 26	Mobile, AL	80	*
*	*	*	It was originally planned the train would go from Mobile to display in Selma, AL, but Selma withdrew its request for the Freedom Train to visit when it became apparent the American Heritage Foundation was serious about their stand against racial segregation aboard the Freedom Train.
December 27	Montgomery, AL	81	*
December 28	Tuscaloosa, AL	82	*
*	*	*	It was originally planned the train would go from Tuscaloosa to display in Birmingham, AL, but the city's fathers stood their ground on segregation and the American Heritage Foundation did not waver on their policy that admission to the Freedom Train would not have any component of segregation, either aboard the train or in line. Birmingham was stricken from the schedule.
December 29	Columbus, GA	83	*
December 31	Macon, GA	84	*
*	*	*	1948
January 1-2, 1948	Atlanta, GA	85	*
January 3	Chattanooga, TN	86	*
January 4	Nashville, TN	87	*
January 6	Jackson, TN	88	*
*	*	*	It was originally planned the train would go from Jackson to display in Memphis, TN, but -- as with Birmingham -- the city's demand for segregation aboard the train got it eliminated from the itinerary.
January 7-8	New Orleans, LA	89	*
January 9	Hattisburg, MS	90	*
January 10	Meridian, MS	91	*
January 11	Jackson, MS	92	*
January 13	Vicksburg, MS	93	*
January 14	Monroe, LA	94	*
January 15	Alexandria, LA	95	*
January 16	Baton Rouge, LA	96	*
January 17	Shreveport, LA	97	*
January 18	Texarkana, AR/TX	98	*
January 19	Little Rock, AR	99	*
January 21	Pine Bluff, AR	100	*
January 22	Fort Smith, AR	101	*
January 23	Muskogee, OK	102	The 1,000,000th person went through the train.
January 24	Tulsa, OK	103	*
January 25	Oklahoma City, OK	104	Union Station, Track 7.
January 27	Enid, OK	105	*
January 28	Ada, OK	106	*
January 29	Denison, TX	107	*
January 30-31	Dallas, TX	108	*
February 1	Ft. Worth, TX	109	*
February 2	Waco, TX	110	*
February 3	Tyler, TX	111	*
February 4	Beaumont, TX	112	*
February 5-6	Houston, TX	113	*
February 7	Galveston, TX	114	A dining car is added to the train for the first time, as the overnight trip to Harlingen is a long one.
February 8	Harlingen, TX	115	*
February 10	Corpus Christi, TX	116	*
February 11	Austin, TX	117	*
February 12	San Antonio, TX	118	*
February 13	Del Rio, TX	119	*
February 14	El Paso, TX	120	*
February 15	Santa Fe, NM	121	*
February 16	Albuquerque, NM	122	*
February 18	Douglas, AZ	123	*
February 19	Tucson, AZ	124	*
February 20	Phoenix, AZ	125	*
February 21	Yuma, AZ	126	*
February 22	San Diego, CA	127	*
February 23-26	Los Angeles, CA	128	Displayed along Exposition Blvd, next to the University of Southern California campus -- the same place the Rexall Train had displayed in 1936.
February 27	Pasadena, CA	129	*
February 28	Long Beach, CA	130	*
February 29	San Bernardino, CA	131	Leap year.
March 1-8	San Bernardino, CA	132	The train was overhauled and refurbished at the Santa Fe shops in San Bernardino.
March 9	Riverside, CA	*	*
March 10	Bakersfield, CA	133	*
March 11	Fresno, CA	134	*
March 12	Modesto, CA	135	*
March 13	Stockton, CA	136	*
March 14-16	San Francisco, CA	137	The train displayed along Crissy Field, next to Ft. Mason and the Presidio. In 1975, the American Freedom Train would display on the same tracks.
March 17	Palo Alto, CA	138	*
March 18	San Jose, CA	139	*
March 19	Oakland, CA	140	*
March 20	Sacramento, CA	141	*
March 21	Reno, NV	142	*
March 23	Elko, NV	143	*
March 24	Salt Lake City, UT	144	*
March 25	Provo, UT	145	*
March 26	Ogden, UT	146	*
March 27	Pocatello, ID	147	*
March 29	Boise, ID	148	*
March 30	Walla Walla, WA	149	*
March 31	Yakima, WA	150	*
April 1-2	Portland, OR	151	*
April 3	Eugene, OR	152	*
April 4	Corvalis, OR	153	*
April 6	Salem, OR	154	*
April 7	Olympia, WA	155	*
April 8	Tacoma, WA	156	*
April 9-10	Seattle, WA	157	*
April 12	Wanatchee, WA	158	*
April 13	Spokane, WA	159	*
April 14	Coeur d' Alene, ID	160	*
April 15	Missoula, MT	161	*
April 16	Butte, MT	162	*
April 17	Helena, MT	163	*
April 18	Great Falls, MT	164	*
April 20	Billings, MT	165	Displayed at Union Depot.
April 21	Sheridan, WY	166	*
April 22	Rapid City, SD	167	*
April 23	Pierre, SD	168	*
April 24	Aberdeen, SD	169	April 25 was an 'open day' for the crew in Mandan, ND, just outside Bismark.
April 26	Bismark, ND	170	*
April 27	Minot, ND	171	*
April 28	Jamestown, ND	172	*
April 29	Fargo, ND	173	*
April 30	Grand Forks, ND	174	*
May 1	Duluth, MN	175	*
May 2	Superior, WI	176	*
May 3-4	St. Paul, MN	177	*
May 5-6	Minneapolis, MN	178	*
May 7	Brainerd, MN	179	*
May 8	St. Cloud, MN	180	*
May 10	Willmar, MN	181	*
May 11	Watertown, SD	182	*
May 12	Sioux Falls, SD	183	*
May 13	Sioux City, IA	184	*
May 14-15	Omaha, NE	185	*
May 16	Lincoln, NE	186	*
May 17	Grand Island, NE	187	*
May 19	Alliance, NE	188	*
May 20	Casper, WY	189	*
May 21	Cheyenne, WY	190	*
May 22-23	Denver, CO	191	*
May 24	Colorado Springs, CO	192	*
May 25	Pueblo, CO	193	*
May 26	Trinidad, CO	194	*
May 27	Amarillo, TX	195	*
May 29	Hutchinson, KS	196	*
May 30	Wichita, KS	197	*
May 31	Emporia, KS	198	*
June 1	Topeka, KS	199	*
June 2	Lawrence, KS	200	*
June 3	Parsons, KS	201	*
June 4	Joplin, MO	202	*
June 5	Springfield, MO	203	*
June 6-7	Kansas City, MO	204	Displayed at Kansas City Union Station.
June 9	St. Joseph, MO	205	*
June 10	Sedalia, MO	206	*
June 11	Jefferson City, MO	207	*
June 12-14	St. Louis, MO	208	*
June 15	Hannibal, MO	209	*
June 16	Quincey, IL	210	*
June 17	Burlington, IA	211	*
June 18	Iowa City, IA	212	*
June 19	Cedar Rapids, IA	213	*
June 20	Des Moines, IA	214	*
June 21	Davenport, IA	215	*
June 23	Rockford, IL	216	*
June 24	Madison, WI	217	*
June 25	La Crosse, WI	218	*
June 26	Eau Claire, WI	219	*
June 27	Wausau, WI	220	*
June 29	Green Bay, WI	221	*
June 30	Oshkosh, WI	222	*
July 1-2	Milwaukee, WI	223	*
July 3	Racine, WI	224	*
July 4	Kenosha, WI	225	*
July 5-9	Chicago, IL	226	*
July 10	Gary, IN	227	*
July 11	Joliet, IL	228	*
July 13	Peoria, IL	229	*
July 14	Bloomington, IL	230	*
July 15	Kankakee, IL	231	*
July 16	Champaign, IL	232	*
July 17	Decatur, IL	233	*
July 18	Springfield, IL	234	*
July 20	Bellville, IL	235	*
July 21	Cairo, IL	236	*
July 22	Paducah, KY	237	*
July 23	Evansville, IN	238	*
July 24	Vincennes, IN	239	*
July 25	Terre Haute, IN	240	*
July 27	Danville, IL	241	*
July 28	Logansport, IN	242	*
July 29-30	Indianapolis, IN	243	*
July 31- August 1	Louisville, KY	244	*
August 2	Bowling Green, KY	245	*
August 3	Frankfort, KY	246	*
August 4	Lexington, KY	247	*
August 5	Ashland, KY	248	*
August 6	Portsmouth, OH	249	*
August 7-8	Cincinnati, OH	250	*
August 10	Muncie, IN	251	*
August 11	Ft. Wayne, IN	252	*
August 12	South Bend, IN	253	*
August 13	Kalamazoo, MI	254	*
August 14	Grand Rapids, MI	255	*
August 15	Muskegon, MI	256	*
August 17	Lansing, MI	257	*
August 18	Battle Creek, MI	258	*
August 19	Ann Arbor, MI	259	*
August 20-22	Detroit, MI	260	*
August 24	Jackson, MI	261	*
August 25	Flint, MI	262	*
August 26	Saginaw, MI	263	*
August 27	Port Huron, MI	264	*
August 28	Pontiac, MI	265	*
August 29	Dearborn, MI	266	*
August 30	Monroe, MI	267	*
August 31	Toledo, OH	268	*
September 1	Sandusky, OH	269	*
September 2-3	Cleveland, OH	270	*
September 4	Akron, OH	271	*
September 5-6	Columbus, OH	272	*
September 7	Dayton, OH	273	*
September 8	Springfield, OH	274	*
September 9	Lima, OH	275	*
September 10	Canton, OH	276	*
September 11	Youngstown, OH	277	*
September 12	Steubenville, OH	278	The train's 316th showing day. The train had traveled 31,581 miles at this point.
September 14	Wheeling, WV	279	*
September 15-17	Pittsburgh, PA	280	President Harry Truman visits the train, giving a speech from the rear platform.
September 18	Erie, PA	281	*
September 19	Oil City, PA	282	*
September 21	Johnstown, PA	283	*
September 22	Cumberland, MD	284	*
September 23	Parkersburg, WV	285	*
September 24	Clarksburg, WV	286	*
September 25	Charleston, WV	287	*
September 26	Huntington, WV	288	*
September 28	Bluefield, WV	289	*
September 29	Bristol, TN	290	*
September 30	Johnson City, TN	291	*
October 1	Kingsport, TN	292	*
October 2	Knoxville, TN	293	*
October 3	Oak Ridge, TN	294	*
October 5	Ashville, NC	295	*
October 6	Danville, VA	296	*
October 7	Winchester, VA	297	*
October 8	Hagerstown, MD	298	*
October 9	York, PA	299	*
October 10	Lancaster, PA	300	*
October 11	Easton, PA	301	*
October 12	Morristown, PA	302	*
October 13-14	Jersey City, NJ	303	*
October 15	Princeton, NJ	304	*
October 16-17	Camden, NJ	305	*
October 19	Red Bank, NJ	306	*
October 20	Orange, NJ	307	*
October 21	Montclair, NJ	308	*
October 22	Passaic, NJ	309	*
October 23	Ridgewood, NJ	310	*
October 24	Hackensack, NJ	311	*
October 25	New Brunswick, NJ	312	*
October 26	Harve De Grace, MD	313	End of the initial tour. 341 display days.
October 27	Washington, DC	*	To remove documents.
October 28 - November 15	Wilmington, DE	*	To overhaul and refresh the train for the 'Northeast loop' tour -- visiting several cities in the Northeast before ending in Washington, DC with the presidential inauguration in January. Most of the Marine Guards who were on the trian for the initial tour did not continue on with the train -- instead being replaced with a fresh cadre of troops.
November 16-17	Washington, DC	*	To replace documents.
November 18-19	Gettysburg, PA	314	*
November 21	Frederick, MD	315	*
November 22 - 24	Newark, NJ	316	*
November 25 - 27	Staten Island	317	*
November 28 - December 6	Brooklyn, NY	318	*
December 7 - 12	Queens, NY	319	*
December 14 - 19	Bronx, NY	320	*
December 20	Van Nest, NY	321	*
December 21	New Rochelle, NY	322	*
December 22	White Plains, NY	323	*
December 23	Yonkers, NY	324	*
December 26 - January 1	New York, NY	325	*
*	*	*	1949
January 3- 7	Boston, MA	326	*
January 8 - 13	Philadelphia, PA	327	*
January 15	Newport News, VA	328	*
January 16 - 22	Washington, DC	329	Official end of the tour, to coincide with Truman's inauguration.
September 1949 - January 1950	Washington, DC	*	The 'Freedom Train Documents' are placed on view in a special display at the National Archives.
*	*	*	*