President Harding’s Final Journey Through Utah Recalled
A Deseret News archive story recalls President Warren G. Harding's death in San Francisco on August 2, 1923, and how the train carrying his body passed through Utah on its way back to Washington D.C. Harding had visited Utah, including…
Salt Lake City, UT, August 2, 2026 —
An archive story from the Deseret News has brought to light the details surrounding President Warren G. Harding’s final journey, which included a somber passage through Utah in August 1923.
President Harding died unexpectedly in San Francisco on August 2, 1923. Following his death, the train transporting his body en route to Washington D.C. made its way across the country, passing through the state of Utah. This passage occurred just weeks after Harding had visited Utah, including a stop in Salt Lake City, as part of his nationwide “Voyage of Understanding” tour.
The tour, which aimed to connect the President with the American people and understand the issues facing different regions of the country, had brought Harding to Utah earlier in the summer. His subsequent death marked a significant moment in American history, and the train carrying his remains served as a poignant reminder of his recent presence in the state.
The Deseret News archive provides a historical account of this period, detailing the train’s route through Utah as it conveyed the late President back to the nation’s capital for his funeral and burial. The exact details of the train’s schedule and the public’s reception during its passage through Utah were not specified in the provided summary.
Story summarized from the original created by Chris Miller on www.deseret.com, see more information here.
Media gallery
