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1912 Baker Electric Automobile Used by William H. Taft, President of the United States
Photographed at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, California. Photos by Douglas Wilkinson
This is one of the first cars owned by the White House. Although William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt had ridden in automobiles, it was not until William H. Taft became President in 1909 that the White House officially changed from horse-drawn carriages to cars. Using a $12,000 appropriation, the first White House chauffeur was given the job of identifying the most appropriate vehicles. Seeking the "best deals", he purchased a White Steamer, two Pierce-Arrows, and this Baker Electric. After Taft's term ended in 1912, the car was retained by the White House and used by the Woodrow Wilson Administration.
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