Though rare, a presidential visit to Salina is not unprecedented.

The last time a current President of the United States visited Salina was August 20, 1976. Gerald Ford, who was running for election, landed in Air Force One at the airport in Salina along with his nominee for vice president Bob Dole. According to the Ford Presidential library, they hosted a rally in Salina attended by between 5,000 and 6,000 people before traveling by motorcade to Dole’s hometown of Russell.

Prior to that, Presidents Richard Nixon and Dwight D. Eisenhower utilized Schilling Air Force Base in the 1950s  and 1960s to land at, especially when headed to events at the nearby Eisenhower Presidential Library in Abilene. According to records from the Eisenhower Library, notably on October 16, 1953, Eisenhower landed in Salina greeted by a crowd of about 35,000 people and paraded to Abilene.

Other notable presidential visits include:

• Theodore Roosevelt (May 2, 1903): President Theodore Roosevelt visited Salina during a national tour, speaking to a large crowd that included local school children and residents. 

• Franklin D. Roosevelt (October 5, 1920): Franklin D. Roosevelt campaigned in Salina while running as the Democratic nominee for vice president alongside presidential nominee James M. Cox. 
  

• John F. Kennedy (November 20, 1959): Future president John F. Kennedy spoke at Marymount College in Salina while actively campaigning for the Democratic presidential nomination.

President Donald Trump is scheduled to hold a midterm rally in Salina this Saturday, October 31. Additional details about the venue, ticketing and other speakers are not yet available.

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Photo via Dole Institute / University of Kansas