James Knox Polk visited Dover New Hampshire on July 2nd, 1847 at the age of 52. Born on November 2nd, 1795, he served as the 11th President of the United States between March 4th, 1845 and March 4th, 1849. He was the first president that retired after one term, also known as a dark horse. He also served as the 17th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives between December 7th, 1835 and March 4th, 1839 as well as the 11th Governor of Tennessee between October 14th, 1839 and October 15th, 1841. He was well noted for foreign policy success, and lowered tariffs to establish a treasury system lasting through 1913.

Polk was a supporter of Andrew Jackson, and was the last pre-American Civil War president. While committed to Manifest Destiny, he was responsible for the largest expansion of the nation’s territory which included the Oregon Territory, consisting of Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. He purchased 1.2 million square miles of land through the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo and ended the Mexican-American War – completing the acquisition of most of the current contiguous 48 states. He died three months after his four year term ended, on June 15, 1849.

Polk oversaw the opening of the U.S. Naval Academy and the Smithsonian Institute, led the groundbreaking for the Washington Monument, and issued the first postage stamps in the United States under his Postmaster, General Cave Johnson. He is ranked 8th to 12th on the list of greatest presidents for the ability to achieve his entire agenda.

While visiting Dover, President Polk was in the middle of his first term and had decided not to re-run for election. On a train traveling in the direction of Portland, Maine, Polk was prompted with four signs protesting “Whigs say Stop War and Conquest”, “End the War with Mexico”, “Abolish Slavery”, and “No slavery in the territories”. He had given a speech in Concord the previous day on July 1st about western expansion and military action against Mexico. The train stopped at 9:30AM at the Third Street Depot.

Below is the transcript of the visit:

President Polk – “It is a great delight to be here in Dover and I bid you all best wishes. I appreciate the assistance of the esteemed Governor of New Hampshire, Henry Hubbard, and I hope to visit your most worthy town and State again when time allows. I sincerely regret that I cannot stay longer to address your concerns and ease your minds, but my schedule requires that we move on to Portland. Thank you for coming and God bless!”

New Hampshire Gazette, July 2nd, 1847 – “A concourse of people assembled at the depot to manifest their approbation of the course of the Champion of the Nation’s honor. Neither the concourse nor the enthusiasm which greeted him were such as will be likely to tempt him to repeat the visit. We urge our readers who are fond of war and blood-shed, who approve of extravagance and waste and great loans and burdensome taxes to vote for the candidate who will act as Mr. Polk pleases. But those who are opposed to war, who do not approve of slavery, who are not anxious for conquest, and who deem our present taxes large enough, will vote for a representative whose views agree with their own. Let the issues in this contest be War and Slavery on the one side – Peace and Freedom on the other.”