The Outrage Part II

[sandra09]

I have just watched my daily dose of The Waltons,  the episode was 'The Outrage' part II and I have some questions.
Did Franklin D Roosevelt die in a place called Warm Springs and is this in Virginia?  Was he carried by train on his last journey, travelling slowly through all the states with four members of your armed forces standing to attention at each corner of his coffin?  And lastly, did members of the public line the route in various towns, to pay their respects as he travelled slowly through?
You are probably thinking that I could have looked all this up on the Internet, I know I could, but I would much rather ask you all. 

[pabby6060]

Hello, Sandra!  Although this occurred before my birth, from the historical accounts I've read, the ending minutes of "The Outrage" were quite true to life.  A few weeks before his death, FDR had traveled to Warm Springs, Georgia to rest from wartime activities before he was to return to Washington DC in April to make a scheduled appearance before the United Nations.  (Warm Springs, Georgia was the location of what was referred to as The Little White House -- a home that FDR had built in Warm Springs because of his fondness for the area after seeking treatment for polio there years earlier. After becoming President, he continued using the home as a presidential retreat.)

After complaining one afternoon of a terrible headache, he slumped forward and lost consciousness, and was diagnosed as having had a cerebral hemorrhage.  He died later that afternoon.  Roosevelt's body was indeed placed in a flag-draped coffin and loaded onto the presidential train to be transported to Washington DC, accompanied at all times by an All-Services Honor Guard.

Because FDR's declining health had been kept secret from the public, his death took the public by surprise and was met with shock and grief across the nation (and around the world). Along the route, thousands of people flocked to the tracks to pay their respects as the train passed through.

Along the journey back to Washington DC, the city of Charlottesville, Virginia was chosen to be one of the cities in which the train carrying the President’s remains would actually stop to allow for mourners to congregate and pay their respects.  (In most cities and rural areas, the train did not stop and people simply lined the tracks while the train passed by.)  FDR had ties to Charlottesville through his son.  Franklin, Jr. had graduated from the University of Virginia in 1940, and at the graduation ceremony the President had delivered his infamous “Stab in the Back” speech denouncing Italy’s entrance into the European war.

At 6:20 AM, a two-steam locomotive pulling the 11-car funeral train stopped at the Southern Railway Station, and was met by hundreds of Charlottesville area residents.  President Roosevelt’s body lay in a casket covered with an American flag in the illuminated final car, which was filled with flowers and a guard of honor -- all standing at attention. After resting for three minutes, the train pulled away, eventually reaching Washington at 9:50 AM the next morning.  Later that day, FDR's body was transported by train from Washington DC to his place of birth at Hyde Park, where he was buried in the Rose Garden of his estate, as per his wish.

Now, I realize I haven't contributed anything of a personal nature to this event and, as you said, these are just some of the details that anyone can find by researching the internet.  But, to tie all of this to The Waltons episode "The Outrage" ... I thought it interesting that the train actually did stop in Charlottesville, Virginia, and so, it would have been entirely possible that the train passed through the area of the fictitious Walton's Mountain (Schuyler, Virginia).  And, the people flocking to the train stations and railroad tracks as the train passed through their areas is completely factual -- as well as the All-Services Honor Guard accompanying the casket at all times during the journey. So, the episode is quite realistic.  (And, to your question, the train did not travel through all states of the US -- only from Georgia to Washington DC, and then on to New York.)  I hope this helps in making the connection to the episode!

It's been almost 73 years since the passing of President Roosevelt.  Like you, I would love to hear personal stories from anyone on the forum who might have memories of being a young child at the time, or who has heard their parents or grandparents tell stories of this event in our nation's history!    


Although taken at a distance, I found the above photo of the train pulling in to the Charlottesville station courtesy of the Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society website.  FDR Funeral Train


The photo of the all-services honor guard with the casket is courtesy of the Atlanta History Center.
FDR Funeral Train Honor Guard


And the photo of people lining the route near Clemson College and Clemson Station to pay their respects is courtesy of a published historical photo collection.

[ForeverWaltons]

pabby6060 - What an excellent write up. I enjoyed it very much. Thanks for taking the time to do it. So glad you included photos too.

[pabby6060]

Thank you, ForeverWaltons !  There are so many photos available online, and it's evident how President Roosevelt's death affected the nation.  Here are a few more, courtesy of Getty Images.  I'd say this episode of The Waltons portrayed the event very accurately.
  





_
The caption on this photo is, "Navy Chief Petty Officer Graham Jackson plays 'Goin’ Home' on the accordion as Franklin D. Roosevelt’s body is carried from Warm Springs, Georgia."

[sophiegirl]

I remember my mom talking about her family going to the
Train station in Greenville sc to see Roosevelt 's train go
by. She said it was a very solemn event and people were emotional as it went by.

[carol]

My grandparents watched the train pass through Baltimore. My father was with them but he was only two years old and has no memory of it

Here is a Baltimore Sun article about it.
articles.baltimoresun.com/1991-08-20/news/1991232220_1_franklin-delano-roosevelt-funeral-train-newscaster

[nedandres]

Neat topic and information. I like the pictures. Warm Springs, I believe, is also where FDR met up with his mistress! Another part to the story.

[JeriJet]

Jan 9, 2018 8:50:38 GMT -5 nedandres said:

Neat topic and information. I like the pictures. Warm Springs, I believe, is also where FDR met up with his mistress! Another part to the story.

Now, now, Ned -- I'm not a big FDR fan, but let's assume his prime reason for spending time at Warm Springs was for treatment of his polio ... anything else, a bonus

The mere mention of polio reminds me of those scary days in the early fifties.... the great lengths my parents went to in order to protect us.... and the experimental vaccines we had an opportunity to take at school.  I say "opportunity" but didn't know of any friends who didn't take part.

[sdw]

We went to Warm Springs several years ago.I enjoyed it.If anyone has never been you need to go.

[sandra09]

Jan 2, 2018 5:24:49 GMT -5 pabby6060 said:

Hello, Sandra!  Although this occurred before my birth, from the historical accounts I've read, the ending minutes of "The Outrage" were quite true to life.  A few weeks before his death, FDR had traveled to Warm Springs, Georgia to rest from wartime activities before he was to return to Washington DC in April to make a scheduled appearance before the United Nations.  (Warm Springs, Georgia was the location of what was referred to as The Little White House -- a home that FDR had built in Warm Springs because of his fondness for the area after seeking treatment for polio there years earlier. After becoming President, he continued using the home as a presidential retreat.)

After complaining one afternoon of a terrible headache, he slumped forward and lost consciousness, and was diagnosed as having had a cerebral hemorrhage.  He died later that afternoon.  Roosevelt's body was indeed placed in a flag-draped coffin and loaded onto the presidential train to be transported to Washington DC, accompanied at all times by an All-Services Honor Guard.

Because FDR's declining health had been kept secret from the public, his death took the public by surprise and was met with shock and grief across the nation (and around the world). Along the route, thousands of people flocked to the tracks to pay their respects as the train passed through.

Along the journey back to Washington DC, the city of Charlottesville, Virginia was chosen to be one of the cities in which the train carrying the President’s remains would actually stop to allow for mourners to congregate and pay their respects.  (In most cities and rural areas, the train did not stop and people simply lined the tracks while the train passed by.)  FDR had ties to Charlottesville through his son.  Franklin, Jr. had graduated from the University of Virginia in 1940, and at the graduation ceremony the President had delivered his infamous “Stab in the Back” speech denouncing Italy’s entrance into the European war.

At 6:20 AM, a two-steam locomotive pulling the 11-car funeral train stopped at the Southern Railway Station, and was met by hundreds of Charlottesville area residents.  President Roosevelt’s body lay in a casket covered with an American flag in the illuminated final car, which was filled with flowers and a guard of honor -- all standing at attention. After resting for three minutes, the train pulled away, eventually reaching Washington at 9:50 AM the next morning.  Later that day, FDR's body was transported by train from Washington DC to his place of birth at Hyde Park, where he was buried in the Rose Garden of his estate, as per his wish.

Now, I realize I haven't contributed anything of a personal nature to this event and, as you said, these are just some of the details that anyone can find by researching the internet.  But, to tie all of this to The Waltons episode "The Outrage" ... I thought it interesting that the train actually did stop in Charlottesville, Virginia, and so, it would have been entirely possible that the train passed through the area of the fictitious Walton's Mountain (Schuyler, Virginia).  And, the people flocking to the train stations and railroad tracks as the train passed through their areas is completely factual -- as well as the All-Services Honor Guard accompanying the casket at all times during the journey. So, the episode is quite realistic.  (And, to your question, the train did not travel through all states of the US -- only from Georgia to Washington DC, and then on to New York.)  I hope this helps in making the connection to the episode!

It's been almost 73 years since the passing of President Roosevelt.  Like you, I would love to hear personal stories from anyone on the forum who might have memories of being a young child at the time, or who has heard their parents or grandparents tell stories of this event in our nation's history!    


Although taken at a distance, I found the above photo of the train pulling in to the Charlottesville station courtesy of the Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society website.  FDR Funeral Train


The photo of the all-services honor guard with the casket is courtesy of the Atlanta History Center.
FDR Funeral Train Honor Guard


And the photo of people lining the route near Clemson College and Clemson Station to pay their respects is courtesy of a published historical photo collection.

[sandra09]

Thank you so much for posting this information Pabby6060, it answered all my questions and more.  It must have taken time for you to find the photo's too. How much nicer it was for me to get an answer from someone who loves the Waltons as I do.  Thank you again.  By the way, where exactly are you from in the States?

[JeriJet]

The account of FDR's procession back from Warm Springs to Washington reminded me of the fact that my maternal grandfather was in the "crowd" when President McKinley was shot... Grandpa Williams had taken a day off from work on his family's farm (I believe he was about 16 at the time) to travel from Dansville NY up to Buffalo -- very shocking, indeed, and something he didn't really talk about.

[nedandres]

Fascinating as always your stories, Jeri. Waiting for your autobiography! Our family visited Niles, OH, in 2011, McKinley’s birthplace and also there is a nice museum in the public library there. We also saw the monument to him at Antietam battlefield. He fought there. It was the bloodiest single day battle of the Civil War, or as Grandpa would say, the War between the States. McKinley was the final president who had served in that war. Some of his presidential policies were controversial and tragic, including the genocide of over one million civilians in the US controlled Philippine Islands. Still, it is sad when anyone is assassinated! Sorry your grandfather had to witness that. Traumatic indeed!

[JeriJet]

A word about my maternal grandparents....

They came from a long line of small-farming families, and neither went further than the 3rd grade -- not uncommon at the time/place... enough to read and "do sums."

They both became avid readers ('til their dying days), I suspect with particular interest in history.... and they both were quite successful in their vocations -- my grandfather as a machinist (self-taught) eventually working at a large plant (Foster Wheeler) -- he built his first car "from scratch" (much like Jim-Bob!)... and my grandmother worked from the age of 8, at first simply doing others' laundry, which developed into doing all the laundry for the local Hotel Wagner (local, because of the VA hospital in town)... she also waitressed at the hotel, and managed to save so much that she opened her own bar-and-grill and was mightily successful at it, even introducing Saturday night live music !!

I've often thought that the advent of television prevented many folks from developing a passion for literature -- a shame -- few interests can do more for a person.

[sandra09]

Jan 9, 2018 10:18:10 GMT -5 JeriJet said:

Jan 9, 2018 8:50:38 GMT -5 nedandres said:

Neat topic and information. I like the pictures. Warm Springs, I believe, is also where FDR met up with his mistress! Another part to the story.

Now, now, Ned -- I'm not a big FDR fan, but let's assume his prime reason for spending time at Warm Springs was for treatment of his polio ... anything else, a bonus

The mere mention of polio reminds me of those scary days in the early fifties.... the great lengths my parents went to in order to protect us.... and the experimental vaccines we had an opportunity to take at school.  I say "opportunity" but didn't know of any friends who didn't take part.