Vice President Humphrey Visits Wilton…

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The Wilton Advocate, September 16,1965 - "An estimated 20,000 persons including the Vice-President of the United States attended the 30th annual meeting for members of Eastern Iowa Light and Power Cooperative held at the permanent annual meeting grounds in Wilton last Thursday [September 9, 1965]. 

It was a full day of thrills and activity with the highlight for most persons coming in the afternoon when Vice-President Hubert Humphrey on two occasions went to the fences around the area where his helicopter landed to shake hands with the huge throng waiting for a glimpse of the second highest office holder in the nation. 

The weather had been bad for a week preceding the annual meeting, but it turned nice on Thursday morning and the flying conditions were perfect when the two helicopters carrying the vice-president, his official party and security guard arrived for the afternoon program.

The planes were about 45 minutes late in arriving due to a late arrival at the Moline airport but most of the crowd soon forgot about the vice-president being late. 

He left the secret service guard and broke for the two fences to meet "some of you nice Iowa folks," before he ever entered the annual meeting tent. 

Then after delivering his speech which ranged over practically all points of interest to rural Iowans, he was almost back in his helicopter when he suddenly turned and returned to the fence to meet the people. This time he spent 25 minutes introducing himself to various people in the crowd lined up against the fences."     

Vice-President Humphrey flew into Moline, Illinois where he was met by Iowa Governor, Harold Hughes before flying by helicopter to speak in Wilton. Following his stop in Wilton, the vice-president few to Des Moines where he had a press conference and made a speech to the statewide conference of the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service. 

Vice-President Humphrey was the first ever to hold this office to visit Wilton.