Believe it or not Ol' Homer was there that day and it was quite a show. Heard that President Rawhide was going to be talking in front of City Hall and wanted to get there early to get a photo of the Prez in front of the building. It was a cool, damp day and he was late arriving on the scene. The stage was set up on State Street in front of the bridge over the driveway next to police headquarters. Obviously that location would have been a clear shot for a sniper from the UJB building at 210 Main Street so "they" borrowed the flag that flies from the George washington Bridge every Fourth of July and hung it from the front of 210 main which blocked the windows overlooking the stage. "They" also borrowed a moving van from Holman and had it across State street just north of the RR tracks.
The presidential advance team requested the City set up a room in the Civic Center so the Prez could relax a bit and do his meet and greets and the customary photo ops etc.
The game plan was the motorcade to exit City Hall on Union Street and head to Foschini Park and take a chopper to wherever he was going next. Lo and behold as they were passing Wellington Hall at about 5:30 PM on this cold, damp autumn evening a group of residents was sitting out front and Mr. Reagan ordered the motorcade to stop so he could greet them. What an amazing coincidence!
