Road Trip-Ohio

abamerica1776
Jun 5, 2021
8 min read

Dear ol’Ohio-a great state filled with tons of presidential sites to explore. There is a lot to do in this state and making the trip easier is the map layout of the sites. On the map, most of the sites go across the state from northeast to southwest, with a few in the middle. Each time I’ve visited Ohio for a history tour I’ve always had a great time, whether cruising down the interstate or driving through the many small towns. With the many sites you can visit, and if you plan on visiting all of them, you’ll need to book a motel room or Air BnB or VRBO, which you should do anyways so as not to run yourself ragged. If you book a room at an Air BnB or VRBO, you may find the owners and/or guests interested in your pursuits and it makes for great conversation, discussing our great history and all the fascinating sites you’re seen along the way. There’re multiple places to begin your trek across Ohio but I’m going to start in the northeast.

The biggest city in this area is Cleveland so that’s where I’ll begin. Just east of the city is James Garfield National Historic Site, the home of the 20thpresident, and it’s operated by the National Park Service. This is a great place to start your presidential trek as it has a visitor center, museum, and the Garfield home that you can tour. The museum has some really cool artifacts and will take about 20 minutes to tour. Now, if you want to tour the house, you have to purchase a ticket and select a tour time. The tour takes around 60 minutes or so. My tour had a total of three (it’s not a popular site), so you’ll likely have plenty of opportunity to ask questions, take pictures, and explore the space as you go room to room. It’s one of the better home tours I’ve been on mainly because you’re allowed to take pictures. Keep in mind that parking is free, and the site is easy to get to. (If interested, you can travel south about 24 minutes to Moreland Hills to visit the site of Garfield’s birth at a replica cabin. I’ve not been to it but as its close by to Mentor it’s at least worth considering.) At this point, either from Mentor or Moreland Hills, it’s a straight shot to Lakeview Cemetery to visit the Garfield Memorial. As the cemetery is nestled in the city, you’ll have to navigate your way to it through city streets. You may find yourself in a rundown part of Cleveland as you near the cemetery (as well as when heading out of the city to the interstate) so check your doors and be aware of your surroundings. Lakeview Cemetery is huge! but you’ll have no problem finding the memorial as there are signs to guide you. As for the memorial, it’s free as parking is available. At the memorial, take your time. It’s a big place-as far as gravesites go-as there is a lot to study and photograph. The guide/docent is a good source for answers to your questions. If you’re lucky, the guide may show you the third floor. I’ve not seen it but it’s worth asking about. And, if your luck continues, you may be able to go inside the crypt to get a closer look Garfield’s sarcophagus. Explore the memorial. It’s interesting and a lot fun. And there’s no other site like it among the presidents. Afterwards, and if you have the time, drive through the cemetery to marvel at the many memorials and vaults. The next stop will take you to either Niles or Canton to visit memorials for William McKinley.

Heading out of Cleveland to the southwest, about 75 minutes by car, will take you a small town called Niles, where you can visit the National McKinley Birthplace Memorial. The main goal here is viewing the memorial. It’s a stately structure with columns, an open-air courtyard, and a statue of McKinley. You can also tour a museum on the 25th president and the nearby McKinley birth home; the hours and days of operations are limited, two days and five hours per day a week limited, so check the website link below. I’ve not visited this site so I can’t comment on the quality of it or the amount of time you’ll spend touring. Being this is not a major site you won’t have to work around big crowds. But if you want the full McKinley experience then give it a go. If you wish to bypass Niles, then head for Canton. It’s directly south of Cleveland and takes just over an hour to drive to the William McKinley Presidential Library and Museum and Memorial, where you can visit his gravesite. The museum is not solely dedicated to him. It’s a children’s museum in part and showcases on local history, etc., with exhibits on McKinley. I didn’t tour the museum so I can’t comment on it but comments by others don’t make it sound all that great. But adjacent to the museum, atop a hill, is the McKinley Memorial. It’s a huge structure. It’s free and parking is available. To tour the memorial, you’ll have to climb what seems like endless stairs but it’s worth it. Side note: the memorial stairs are a major exercise destination so keep that in mind when you’re taking pictures of the memorial. Patience is necessary. The memorial itself doesn’t take much time to explore as it’s one giant space with the twin sarcophagi in the middle. Next to the memorial is Westlawn Cemetery where you can visit the public vault that held McKinley’s remains while the memorial was built. It’s located at the back or far end of the cemetery. Parking is available. Like Cleveland, the memorial is located in a rough part of Canton so be aware of your surroundings and keep your valuables out of sight. The last place to consider visiting before leaving Canton is the First Ladies National Historic Site as you’ll be able to tour the McKinley home; the tours are guided and are at specific times. I can’t comment on either in terms of quality but again, you’re in Canton, so why not check it out?

When you’re ready to leave Canton, I recommend heading west to Fremont, about 2h15m, to visit President Hayes Library and Museum and his home, Spiegel Grove. As there in the same location you can knock out both sites in a few hours. You can begin your visit by touring the home first or touring the museum. I recommend the museum so you can learn about Hayes and his presidency, etc., which may make the home tour a little more enjoyable. The museum does a great job presenting Hayes as well as his wife, Lucy. It covers his life with a fair amount of it on his presidency. The basement contains a vault filled with guns and weapons brought home from his son, Webb Hayes, from his time in China during the Boxer Rebellion. The front entrance of the museum has a replica Queen Victoria desk (it’s in a side room) perfect for taking pictures so keep an eye out for it. In the museum giftshop you can purchase your ticket for the house tour and the time you want to tour. The house tour takes about an hour, and you explore most of the house (it’s huge). However, you’re not allowed to take pictures. Now, whether you do it at the start or after the museum and house, the gravesite can be viewed at any time during your visit. It’s a short walk from the home, inside a gated enclosure. Before you leave Fremont, consider going to Oakwood Cemetery to view the original Hayes gravesite memorial that was moved from the home to the cemetery in the mid-1910s. The circular Hayes plot is near the cemetery entrance.

Due south of Fremont is Marion, where you can visit several President Harding sites: the Harding Presidential Library and Museum, Harding home, and gravesite. Marion is the hometown of Warren Harding and there is plenty to see of our 29th president. Last time I was in Marion the home was being restored and the presidential library was just a picture on a sign describing the future site. So, the only things I took away with me are pictures. But now it’s open for visitors so you should spend some time visiting and touring the Harding home and museum. Down the road from the home is the Harding Memorial where you can visit the gravesite. Parking is available and the open-air memorial is a beautiful structure worth your time and dozens of pictures. Now, for this site, keep in mind the white marble balances well with different times of the day so if you’re in the area for an overnight, consider visiting the memorial both morning and night. It’s really impressive under moonlight if you’re lucky to visit on such an evening. Across from the memorial is Marion Cemetery, where you can visit the public (also goes by “receiving”) vault, where Harding’s remains were held while the memorial was constructed. Be sure to check it out if you have time. It’s easy to get to as you can drive your car through the cemetery. Just look for the only gravesite that looks like a small building set against a small rise. The vault is on the National Register of Historic Places. When you’re done with Marion, and if you’re heading south to Cincinnati, the small town of Delaware has a great downtown with some great places to eat like the Hamburger Inn Diner. You won’t be disappointed.

The Cincinnati area has four sites to visit. South of Cincinnati in the hill country you can tour the Ulysses Grant birthplace. I’ve not been here so no comment on quality but as it’s a minor tourist site, and if you’re a check-list type of historian, then it’s worth the time and effort. From Marion to Point Pleasant, the site of Grant’s birthplace, is around 3 hours. Check hours of operation but the admission fee is $3, and parking is available. The website states the tour will take one hour. Thirty minutes east of Point Pleasant is Georgetown, the site of Grant’s boyhood home and schoolhouse. Again, I’ve not visited either of these sites but being within an easy drive and adding to the sites associated with President Grant it’s worth the visit. Admission is $5 and parking is available. Admission covers the home and schoolhouse.

Heading west to Cincinnati, you’ll have the opportunity to visit the William Taft National Historic Site. The home situated on a small rise is where Taft was born and spent his formative years. It is a “fee free park site.” You can tour the education center and learn about the history and legacy of Taft and tour the home as well. I’ve not been to this site but being that it’s free and has parking, it’s tough to bypass. The last stop in Cincinnati and Ohio is the Harrison Memorial in nearby North Bend to the southwest. Atop Mt. Nebo you can visit the towering memorial and see the 9th president’s gravesite. Now, I’ve visited this memorial three times and on two of those visits the memorial gate was closed. If it’s open, you can see the crypt (walk down a short hallway) and Harrison nameplate on the crypt wall. The memorial is quite large and the plaza in front of it has great views of the Ohio River. There are inscriptions on the memorial tower so be sure to reads those before leaving. Parking is available and there is no fee. Across the street from the memorial is an old cemetery where some of the Harrisons were buried, like his son, John Scott Harrison, father of President Benjamin Harrison.

Sites of Interest:

James Garfield National Historic Site: https://www.nps.gov/jaga/index.htm

James Garfield memorial cabin: http://morelandhills.com/en-US/Historical-Society.aspx

Lake View Cemetery: https://www.lakeviewcemetery.com

William McKinley Memorial and Musuem: https://mckinleybirthplacemuseum.org

William McKinley birthplace home: https://www.mcklib.org/birthplacehome

William McKinley Presidential Library and Museum: https://mckinleymuseum.org

First Ladies National Historic site: https://www.nps.gov/fila/index.htm

Rutherford Hayes Presidential Library and Museum: https://www.rbhayes.org

Oakwood Cemetery: https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/42496/oakwood-cemetery (you’ll find the address here)

Warren Harding Presidential Library and Museum: https://hardingpresidentialsites.org

Harding Memorial: Address for the Harding Memorial (taken from Google): 966-870 Delaware Ave, Marion, OH 43302, United States