The Potomac

The Potomac is often called the "Floating White House" because it was originally commissioned and used as Franklin Delano Roosevelt's Presidential Yacht. The boat was first named the USCG Cutter Electra when it was built in 1934, but was later renamed the USS Potomac in 1936 and used until Roosevelt died in 1945. The boat has been visited by hundreds of thousands of people, many of whom get to enjoy a cruise, just as Roosevelt did so many times. The boat was opened to the public in 1995 after twelve years of restoration. Following Roosevelt's death, the boat went mostly unused, although there was a point that Elvis Presley owned the boat. In 1980, the boat was seized from drug smugglers and impounded at Treasure Island, where she sank. After a raising, the Potomac was dumped on the East Bay Estuary, where she sat rotting for years. The boat is 165 feet long and serves as a memorial to Roosevelt's legacy which included the New Deal and his time in office during World War II and the Great Depression. The Potomac Association is responsible for the maintenance of the boat and seeks to educate and share the history of the boat. The boat is a popular destination for history buffs and students and there are frequent field trips, student cruises and an onsite library.