The Harding Railroad Car is a historically significant Pullman railroad passenger car located at Pioneer Park (aka Alaskaland) in

Fairbanks, Alaska Fairbanks is a home rule city and the borough seat of the Fairbanks North Star Borough in the U.S. state of Alaska. Fairbanks is the largest city in the Interior region of Alaska and the second largest in the state. The 2020 Census put the p ...

. Also called Denali, and designated with equipment number X-336 by the Alaska Railroad, the car was one of three used to carry a delegation that included

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university * President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...

Warren G. Harding Warren Gamaliel Harding (November 2, 1865 – August 2, 1923) was the 29th president of the United States, serving from 1921 until his death in 1923. A member of the Republican Party, he was one of the most popular sitting U.S. presidents. A ...

in 1923 to the

Mears Memorial Bridge The Mears Memorial Bridge is a truss bridge on the Alaska Railroad, completed in 1923. The bridge spans the Tanana River at Nenana and at , it is among the largest simple truss-type bridges in the world. History The bridge's namesake, Colonel ...

for a ceremony marking completion of the railroad between Fairbanks and Seward. The car was purchased by the Alaska Railroad in 1923 from the Great Northern Railroad, and was used in its service until 1945. At the urging of the Fairbanks "igloo" (chapter) of the

Pioneers of Alaska The Pioneers of Alaska is a fraternal organization that was founded in 1907 to preserve the early history of Alaska. Originally restricted to white males who entered Alaska before 1900, the organization today has about 5000 members, who must be r ...

, the car was restored in 1959–60 and given to the city of Fairbanks. It was placed in Alaskaland in 1967, created to mark the centennial of the

Alaska Purchase The Alaska Purchase (russian: Продажа Аляски, Prodazha Alyaski, Sale of Alaska) was the United States' acquisition of Alaska from the Russian Empire. Alaska was formally transferred to the United States on October 18, 1867, through a ...

. It was used for some years as the park's visitor center. The car was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

in 1978. Another car, The ''Superb'', carried Harding's remains after he died in San Francisco.Pullman Private Car Used by President Warren G. Harding Listed on National Register of Historic Places
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References

Alaska Railroad National Register of Historic Places in Fairbanks North Star Borough, Alaska Tourist attractions in Fairbanks, Alaska Warren G. Harding Territory of Alaska Railway vehicles on the National Register of Historic Places in Alaska {{FairbanksNorthStarAK-geo-stub

See also

References