In 1911, President William Howard Taft made history as the only sitting U.S. president ever to visit the Lewiston-Clarkston Valley. His one-hour stop in Lewiston drew more than 15,000 people — more than double the town’s population at the time.

In this episode of the Lewiston Tribune Podcast, managing editor Matt Baney shares the fascinating story of Taft’s visit, the humorous “Taft-sized” police escort and the heartfelt welcome the president received from the community.

We also look back at other presidential visits to the region — including Teddy Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan and Joe Biden.

Timestamps: 0:00 Intro 0:25 Background on President Taft 0:49 Taft’s trip to Lewiston 3:32 Other presidential visits to the LCV