Its been almost a hundred years since a president of the United States has visited Milford, Delaware.
Sunday, June 9th will mark 96 years since President Warren G. Harding’s 1923 visited Sussex County.
Before heading to Milford by car Harding first stopped in Wilmington to give a speech to the Young Men’s Republican Club. He later visited Newark, Dover and then headed south to Sussex County.
When the president arrived in Milford he found the downtown area adorned with American flags and residents lining the streets. As part of his visit, Harding toured the Milford Ballpark and took in a parade that was held in his honor. He was inducted into the Masonic Lodge #49, Tall Cedars of Lebanon and later dined at the home of Dr. Frank L. Grier.
Harding’s visit to Milford came at the invitation of the well known Grier brothers, owners of L.D. Caulk.
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After leaving Milford the president’s motorcade began the trip to Lewes, where the president was scheduled to meet the USS Mayflower, the presidential yacht, to ferry him back to DC.
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The short journey from Milford to Lewes took several hours. Harding made stops in Georgetown and Harbeson before eventually arriving in Lewes sometime between 2 and 3 a.m. in the morning.
Harding remains the only president to ever visit Milford.