Dwight D. Eisenhower — 34th President of the United States
34th President of the United States, Republican
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Term: Jan 20, 1953 – Jan 20, 1961
Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890–1969) was the thirty-fourth president of the United States, serving from 1953 to 1961. Before the presidency he served as Supreme Allied Commander in Europe during World War II, overseeing the D-Day landings at Normandy in 1944 and the final Allied campaigns against Germany. His two terms spanned a period of Cold War tension with the Soviet Union, including the Korean War armistice, the launch of the space race, and the deployment of U.S. military advisers to Vietnam. Domestically he oversaw the creation of the Interstate Highway System and the establishment of NASA, and he signed the Civil Rights Acts of 1957 and 1960.
“We sense with all our faculties that forces of good and evil are massed and armed and opposed as rarely before in history.”
Gas prices during the Eisenhower presidency
- At inauguration
- $0.29
- 1953 avg.
- On leaving
- $0.31
- 1961 avg.
- Change
- +7.3%
- −3.9% in 2026 dollars
- Average
- $0.30
- $3.60 in 2026 dollars
- Peak
- $0.31
- 1960 avg.
- Low
- $0.29
- 1953 avg.
U.S. average, regular grade · 1953 avg. – 1960 avg.
Before October 1973 only annual averages exist, so earlier months use that year's average.
Nominal U.S. national averages including taxes (EIA / BLS); regional prices vary widely. Compare all presidencies on Gas Prices by President.
Events during this term
- Korean War
War · Prices rose · 1953 avg. – 1953 avg.
During this term: pump price $0.29 → $0.29 (0.0%)