William Howard Taft's Big Bathtub

William Howard Taft, president from 1909 to 1913 and later a Supreme Court justice, was known for his large size—about 6 feet tall and over 300 pounds—but the famous story of him getting stuck in a White House bathtub is false. Before a Panama Canal trip, he had a custom 7-foot-1-inch-long, one-ton bathtub installed on the USS North Carolina. Interestingly, the bathtub displayed today is a replica; the real historical record is a letter requesting special accommodations for Taft. After leaving office, Taft lost 70 pounds by cutting potatoes, bread, liquor, and tobacco from his diet, and reportedly became much happier after losing the presidency and joining the Supreme Court.

Separately, a children’s book titled President Taft is Stuck in the Tub humorously depicts Taft getting stuck in a bathtub—an exaggerated myth. In reality, Taft had multiple large bathtubs installed: a 7-foot tub in the White House, another on the USS North Carolina, one on his private yacht, and a larger tub at the Hotel Taft.

A historic large bathtub once existed in Taft’s Cincinnati childhood home, possibly original or a replica, but its current whereabouts are unknown after the National Park Service took over the site. This tub remains a true relic of Cincinnati’s bathing heritage.