50. First Ladies National Historic Site, Ohio

               Hello!  Welcome back to our blog on the National Park Service.  For this post, we make another stop at a Presidential home as well as a site dedicated to their wives, the First Ladies, at First Ladies National Historic Site.

Entrance Sign

BACKGROUND:

               In the mid-1990s, a push was made in Congress to establish a repository for documents, research, and commemoration of the First Ladies of the United States.  The location chosen to host this library was the former home of a First Lady, Ida Saxton McKinley in Canton, Ohio.

The home of Ida Saxton McKinley.

               Ida Saxton grew up in Canton, Ohio, the daughter of the local newspaper owner and banker.  In 1871, she married William McKinley, a former Union Army officer who was embarking on a career in politics.  While William rose through the ranks of the Republican party, from member of the House of Representatives and Governor of Ohio, the couple’s personal lives were beset with tragedy.  Both of the McKinleys' two daughters died in childhood, while Ida McKinley suffered from Epilepsy.  While the McKinleys' owned other properties, they continued to spend the majority of their time at Ida’s childhood home, living with her sister’s family.  In 1896, William McKinley was elected the 25^th President of the United States, elevating Ida to the role of First Lady, however due to her ill health most of her official duties would be passed the Second Ladies, Jennie Hobart and Edith Roosevelt the wives of McKinley’s Vice Presidents.  Tragedy once again struck the McKinley family when in 1901, the President was assassinated by an anarchist.  Afterwards her health continued to decline until her death in 1907.

THE SITE:

               While it is called First Ladies National Historic Site, most of the focus and interpretation is on the Saxton-McKinley family.  The site is a joint operation between the National Park Service and the National First Ladies Library, and consists of two buildings, the Saxton-McKinley home and a former bank building.  The Saxton-McKinley house passed out of the family’s hands during the 20^th Century, and went through extensive reconstructions and remodeling until it was nearly unrecognizable until a team of preservationists acquired the house and began restoration work.  The house as it stands now has been restored to its Victorian Era appearance.

               Further down the street is the building of the former City National Bank.  This building was acquired specifically to house the archives of the National First Ladies Library.  It also functions as the site’s visitor center.

The former City National Bank building which houses the archives of the National First Ladies Library.

TRAVEL TIPS:

               First Ladies National Historic Site is located on Market Avenue in downtown Canton, Ohio.  Tours begin at the visitor center and guests are walked over to the Saxton-McKinley house.  Between the two buildings is a small parking lot and a courtyard.  There is a small admission fee.  The visitor center contains a gift shop and plays a 45-minute film on the history of the First Ladies.  The site is handicapped accessible.  Passport stamps can be found at the front desk in the visitor center, as well as directions from the site to the nearby tomb of President and Mrs. McKinley, also located in Canton.

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS:

The tomb of President William McKinley, also located in Canton.

The dining room of the restored Saxton-McKinley home, with a portrait of Ida McKinley on the wall.

An exhibit in the visitor center showcasing personal artifacts from several First Ladies.

William McKinley's office on the third floor of the Saxton-McKinley house.