Eisenhower and the Defiance College - The Back Story

Almost anyone familiar with Defiance, Ohio, knows the story of President Eisenhower's visit to the city in October, 1953, thanks to Kevin McCann.  McCann was a former speechwriter and biographer for Eisenhower and eventually, McCann became president of the Defiance College. The plan was for President Eisenhower to visit the college, speak for 15 minutes and then lay the cornerstone for the college's new library.
Obviously, when a President of the United States makes his way to Defiance, it was historic. Preparations had to be made. A parade route was established from the downtown area out to the college, extra law enforcement was brought in, dignitaries were invited, and school was dismissed for the day so thousands of school children could view the president.

Ohio Memory Project - Defiance Library.  Ike greeting the crowds in downtown Defiance.

 Drew Pearson, a noted columnist of the day, published a column nationwide on October 20, 1953, after the event, that told some of the behind the scenes facts behind Eisenhower's visit.

"EN ROUTE THROUGH THE MIDDLE WEST.
There was a special reason why President Eisenhower stopped at the Defiance college in Defiance, Ohio, en route to the Mexican border.  That reason had to do with 200 special cigars in glass containers prepared by the American Tobacco company and labeled, 'Defiance welcomes the Eisenhowers, September 1953.'

Actually Ike got there in October, so the cigars weren't quite up to date, nevertheless he got there.

And the story behind all this is that Kevin McCann, president of the Defiance college - Dr. McCann insists upon the 'the' - had obtained a promise from the president last summer that he would stop off at Defiance, Ohio enroute home from Denver.  Dr. McCann is Ike's original biographer and wrote the book syndicated in many newspapers last year which helped to prepare for his nomination.

And having obtained the promise that Ike would stop over, McCann proceeded to get ready for him.

He spent $150 on a new cornerstone, raised a lot of money to extend the runways of the Defiance airport so Ike's big plane could land, and had the special cigars made for 200 guests.  Furthermore, the city of Defiance turned out with gala decorations - when suddenly McCann got a wire from the president, reading:

'Sorry, we won't be able to stop at Defiance on way home, Kevin.  We have to stop in Chicago to pick up the kids.'

He referred to the fact that he had to pick up his grandchildren who were visiting in-laws at Fort Sheridan, Illinois.

McCann got a bad razzing from the folks at Defiance, and for a time, he didn't feel much like living there.  However, he went to Washington, made a personal appeal to the President, and Ike finally decided to stop at Defiance in October, not September."

L to R: Mayor Rost, President Eisenhower, Gov. Frank Lausch, Sen. John Bricker, and DC President McCann

 -at the train

 (Photo - courtesy of the Defiance College Pilgrim Library Archives)

Whew...job well done, President McCann, and it couldn't have been easy.  I'm looking for a photo of one of those special cigar cases and I haven't been able to find one.  The Defiance College no longer has the Eisenhower room and the items there have been dispersed.  Wonder if any cigar cases still exist?  
Update!  Thanks to Susan for this photo of the Eisenhower cigar case!