U.S. president · United States · Official presidential use, followed by former personal ownership

Woodrow Wilson

1919 Pierce-Arrow Series 51 presidential limousine · 120th of the series

Black 1919 Pierce-Arrow Series 51 presidential limousine displayed indoors at the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library, viewed from the front left.
The actual Wilson Pierce-Arrow in a May 3, 2011 museum photograph by Sheila Scarborough, licensed CC BY 2.0 and served byte-for-byte. No readable registration is visible.Photo: Sheila Scarborough · CC BY 2.0.
Photo details

Joyride serves the 3,264 × 2,448 Commons original JPEG byte-for-byte. No crop, resize, retouching, metadata removal, registration redaction, generation or vehicle reconstruction; responsive presentation may crop displayed edges.

Black-and-white 1913 portrait of Woodrow Wilson seated at a desk, facing left.
Woodrow Wilson1913 · Identification portraitNational Photo Company Collection / Library of Congress · Public domain in the United States.
Photo details

Joyride serves the 1,052 × 1,536 Commons JPEG byte-for-byte. No crop, resize, retouching, metadata removal or generation. This identification portrait remains separate from Sheila Scarborough’s actual-car photograph.

From the White House fleet to Wilson’s own garage

Connection
Official presidential use, followed by former personal ownership
When
White House use July 1919–March 1921 · later personal car · museum survivor
Identity
1919 Pierce-Arrow Series 51 · 120th of the series · restored museum survivor; no chassis or serial number published in the reviewed record

The Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library says a new Pierce-Arrow joined the White House fleet while Wilson was returning from the Paris Peace Conference. Finished in June 1919, it was the 120th Series 51 built. The museum’s account distinguishes this individual limousine from a generic Pierce-Arrow by model, sequence and a continuous Wilson-centered chronology.

Wilson used the car for official business from July 1919 through the end of his presidency in March 1921. The presidential seals and AAA emblem documented by the museum belong to that public-service chapter; the official use alone is not treated as proof that Wilson privately owned the car while he was president.

After Wilson left office, friends purchased the Pierce-Arrow for him to use. Edith Bolling Wilson later donated the car to the Woodrow Wilson Birthplace Foundation. The museum says it has been restored and that its engine operates, but Joyride does not infer an exact gift date or price, a chassis number, complete title-transfer mechanics, untouched components or a current private owner. The delivered CC BY 2.0 photograph shows the museum-identified car without a readable registration, while a separate public-domain 1913 portrait identifies Wilson.

Documented custody

Where the car went next

  1. June 1919The 120th Series 51 is finished

    The presidential library identifies the individual limousine as the 120th Series 51 and says it was completed in June 1919.

  2. July 1919–March 1921Official White House service

    Wilson used the Pierce-Arrow for official business through the close of his presidency; this period is recorded separately from later personal ownership.

  3. After March 1921Friends buy the car for Wilson

    The museum says friends purchased the same car for Wilson’s use after he left office, making the later relationship a former personal-ownership story.

  4. Later museum custodyEdith Wilson donates the survivor

    Edith Bolling Wilson donated the car to the Woodrow Wilson Birthplace Foundation; the presidential library documents its restoration and operating engine.

Follow the evidence

Sources for this story

The Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library establishes the individual Series 51 sequence, June 1919 completion, official-use interval, post-presidency purchase for Wilson, later donation and restoration. The record does not publish a chassis or serial number, purchase price, precise gift date, complete legal-title history, component-by-component originality or guaranteed current display status. No generic matching car, replica, generated replacement, present private owner or game-compatible vehicle is claimed.

  • 1919 Pierce-Arrow Presidential LimousineWoodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum · museum collection record · reviewed 2026-10-11 · external source

    The 120th Series 51 identity, June 1919 completion, official use from July 1919 through March 1921, friends’ post-presidency purchase for Wilson, Edith Wilson’s donation and the car’s restoration.

  • Pierce-Arrow Model 51 (6289999971)Wikimedia Commons · photographed 2011-05-03 · license reviewed 2026-10-11 · external source

    Sheila Scarborough’s CC BY 2.0 museum photograph identifies the depicted vehicle as President Woodrow Wilson’s limousine.

Reviewed

Why this is the actual car
  • Photo identity evidence

    Sheila Scarborough identifies the May 3, 2011 photograph as President Woodrow Wilson’s limousine; Commons records the photographer and CC BY 2.0 license.

  • Photo identity evidence

    The presidential library identifies its individual restored car as the 120th Pierce-Arrow Series 51 and documents Wilson’s official and later personal relationship to it.

The matching photographer, venue, date and vehicle history establish the identification; the chassis stamp is not visible in these photographs.