65 Years Ago, President Truman Dedicated War Memorial Stadium

We received a ton of response to this week’s Arkansas history segment on Talk Business & Politics, which airs Sundays at 9 a.m. on Ch. 7.

Our weekly segment profiled Pres. Harry S. Truman’s visit to Arkansas in June 1949 to visit a WWI reunion of Army buddies and to dedicate War Memorial Stadium and Park. Nearly 12,000 people reportedly showed up for Truman’s remarks according to news accounts.

There were a number of receptions and a ball, as well as a parade through the streets of downtown Little Rock. Truman walked side-by-side in that parade with a newly-elected, dashing, young reformist Governor from Arkansas – the great Sid McMath. The newsreel below captured the two-day event.

Truman would return to Arkansas again in July 1952 to dedicate the Bull Shoals and Norfork dams in north central Arkansas.

Several folks emailed photos they had from their memories of Truman’s visit after our segment aired on TV and radio.