Editor’s note: This story was originally published on Aug. 2, 2024.
A look back at local, national and world events through Deseret News archives.
On Aug. 2, 1923, the 29th president of the United States, Warren G. Harding, died in San Francisco.
Just a few weeks earlier, Harding had visited Utah as part of his Voyage of Understanding train tour through the West. He was greeted with huge crowds in Ogden, Bountiful and Salt Lake City, and played golf in Utah’s capital city.
Later, he and first lady Florence Harding continued on to Cedar City and Zion National Park, before continuing on to other states, including Alaska.
As he traveled south along the West Coast, Harding fell ill. Arriving in San Francisco, he was treated for his ailments and seemed to be recovering. Per reports, he planned to continue his journey. Later, on Aug. 2, he died at age 57, likely of a cardiac arrest.
Vice President Calvin Coolidge became president early on Aug. 3, while at his family farm in Vermont.
A popular president — though many misdeeds and scandals surfaced after Harding’s death — the train carrying the casket with his body traveled back across the nation, including Utah. It is estimated that as many as 9 million Americans lined the train route back to Washington, a trip that took four days.
Harding’s trip to Utah and his death were top stories in newspapers across the nation for weeks. Here are stories from Deseret News archives about that summer of 1953:
“A century ago in Utah: the trip that killed a president”
“President Warren G. Harding golfs in Utah and meets a historic woman”
“Yearning for a return to normalcy, the quicker the better”
According to WhiteHouseHistory.org, in June 1923, President Harding embarked on an ambitious journey across the United States. Called the “Voyage of Understanding,” the historic trip included the first visit of a sitting president to the U.S. territory of Alaska, as well as the first international visit of an American president to Canada. The voyage also marked the final weeks of Harding’s life; before he could complete his return to Washington, the president suddenly died from a heart attack. Here is a link to see photos of his voyage.
Here are some additional archived stories about first lady Florence Harding, as well as historical pieces on Zion and Bryce Canyon national parks and Hovenweep National Monument:
“Did Harding die by wife’s poisoning?”
“Zion followed colorful path to parkhood”
“Bryce Canyon at 100: How ‘unusual scenic beauty’ became Utah’s 2nd national park”
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