Riverside, California -
President Taft's Chair, Nixon's Vows
In the lobby of the Mission Inn is a giant chair -- you can sit in it -- made for 350-pound President Taft when he visited in 1909. Also in the lobby, on the wall beneath a portrait of President Nixon, is a bronze plaque: "Richard Milhous Nixon, 37th President of the United States, was married here to Patricia Ryan on June 21, 1940." And they probably sat in the chair, too.
- Address:
- 3649 Mission Inn Ave., Riverside, CA
- Directions:
- Mission Inn Hotel. In the historic center of Riverside.
- Admission:
- Free.
- Phone:
- 951-784-0300
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Visitor Tips and News About President Taft's Chair, Nixon's Vows
President Taft's Chair, Nixon's Vows reports and tips from RoadsideAmerica.com visitors and Roadside America mobile tipsters. Some tips may not be verified. Submit your own tip.
President Taft's Big Chair We visited the Mission Inn Riverside and had the pleasure of sitting in the "Big Chair." The Inn is must place to visit when in Southern California -- be sure and take the tour so you hear and see all the wonderful things on the Mission Inn hotel.
It is hard to believe that the city was going to demolish the Inn and build a parking lot. Only one vote saved it from the wrecking ball. What a terrible mistake that would have been. [Jackie Solomon, 05/28/2009]
President Taft’s Chair Inside the lobby of the historic Mission Inn Hotel sits a custom chair constructed especially for the 27th President of the United States, William Howard Taft. Hotel owner Frank Miller had the chair commissioned to accommodate the rather large Chief Executive, who weighed 350 pounds, specially for his stay at the hotel on October 27, 1909. The chair was constructed by Miller because of an unfortunate incident in Washington when the President became stuck in a bathtub and had to be removed by five men.
While the President initially refused to use the chair, he was persuaded it would be a good idea as the regular hotel chairs would be quite challenged to hold a man of his size. He did stipulate however that he was not to be photographed in it under any circumstances. So sadly no photograph of the larger than life president exists sitting in the chair. The chair makes for a good photo opportunity and it has held many a famous person over the years.
This is but one of many interesting attractions to be found in a very famous and unique hotel that begs further exploration. [Phil Pasquini, 05/19/2009]
Nearby Offbeat Places
- Mother of the California Citrus Industry, Riverside, CA - < 1 mi.
- Sanchez's Beer Bottle Chapel, Folk Art, Riverside, CA - < 1 mi.
- World's Largest Paper Cup, Riverside, CA - 3 mi.
- In the region: Heroic Heads of the Robinsons, Pasadena, CA - 46 mi.
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