General Dwight D. Eisenhower made a whistle stop trip to Nebraska City at the Missouri Pacific depot September 19, 1952, according to the News-Press files.
Ike was a Republican candidate and spoke of the evils of Democrat Harry Truman's administration. The general said the cure for the evils that existed in that day had to be from top to bottom.
Over 5,000 people cheered him at the reception. His 18-car train pulled into the depot much to the pleasure of everyone. One of the first things he said was directed to Duane Schulz and the NCHS band. He said he would like to have the band along on his trip and that nothing on the train "looked or sounded so well."
Ike posed for pictures munching on an apple. Grove Porter presented him with a bushel from the Porter Orchard and Carl Dennis of the Pat-A-Cake cafe (Torino's is at that location now) presented the general with a cake decorated in the likeness of the famous man.
School buses from Sidney, and Percival, Ia., rolled into the area before Ike's arrival and joined the other local school children.
Harold Fouts and Bernard Spencer were masters of ceremonies. Prior to the arrival of General Eisenhower, there was a warm-up speaker — Robert L. McKissick.
According to the News-Press account, Mr. McKissick, a Republican candidate for the state legislature, addressed the crowd.
The News-Press reported "He expressed disapproval of dumping garbage, deemed unfit by law to be eaten by hogs, into the Missouri river, from which our drinking water is taken. He added that he wanted to have something done to prevent its continuance. This drew hearty approval from his listeners."
Patty Erwin (Mrs. Irvin Kehlenbeck, Syracuse) was unable to see Ike when he came to town because she was working as a telephone operator. However, she almost had a chance to talk with him. A call came through from Washington, D. C. for the general but it was not possible to complete the call here and it was transferred to Auburn.
Ike got a box lunch when his train stopped in Falls City. Bill Schock of the Falls City Journal served the lunch to return a favor, according to Arthur Sweet's column, Community Chatter.
Schock, a pilot in Europe during WWII, was shot down behind the lines and held as a Prisoner of War by the Germans.
"When the Yanks liberated the captives, General Ike personally conducted Schock and his mates to the mess line and stood by while they were served double helpings of everything."
Thanks to Mel Conley for the background for the Ike story and to Mrs. Bill Golden and Gladys Wenzel. Remember, you read it in the News-Press.
Mr. and Mrs. Ruben Rathke will never forget October 1, 1975. They got a personal smile and wave from President Ford.
They stopped at a store on South 13th Street en route home not thinking about the Ford motorcade at the time. They had not planned to see the President. If they had, they would have joined the crowds.
So, as they started to return to Nebraska City they saw the traffic and backed away from the street, got out and there they stood two people along the entire area waving at the President.