As we continue our journey east, we pass into Ohio…. Ohio, a state that is the richest in presidential heritage, home to eight historic U.S. Presidents and their museums and libraries. Well sitting right in front of us are the Presidential Centers of Rutherford B. Hayes and James A. Garfield. Unfortunately we arrived in Fremont, Ohio just past 3pm so we didn’t have much time to explore the Garfield Library and his home
although his home wouldn’t be available for us to go through anyway. Rutherford B. Hayes was the 19th President of the United States, was born the 4th day of October, 1822 and died in January 1893 at 71. I’ll let you “Google” more information on President Hayes if you want because I really didn’t have my heart into his library. Maybe I’ll do better next time we’re in town. Getting back into the coach we continued on. It was just past 5 when we left and we only had 72 miles of our drive left. Just after 7pm we pulled into the Cleveland, Ohio east side Wal-Mart parking lot, made dinner, and settled in for the night. The next morning following breakfast, we took the car and drove up to Mentor to get an early start in visiting the home and museum of President James A. Garfield. For this “Presidential” stop we had as much time as we wanted and it was a good stop. As we drove into this historic site we drove past the water tower that has stood at this location since 1854 and if necessary it could still pump water from its deep well.
Across the field sat the Garfield house and the remainder of their 100 acre farm. Garfield’s congressional career began in 1863 and lasted for 17 years. In 1880 while in the Senate he was asked to nominate John Sherman for president at the Republican national Convention. When the convention deadlocked, Garfield became the nominee and was elected. His term was cut short when he was assassinated with two gun shots to the back by Charles Guiteau, a political fanatic. Guiteau had in his mind that the President was going to appoint him to a foreign political position. Unfortunately President Garfield didn’t even know the man and if he had he probably wouldn’t have gotten the job because of his mental health…
We enjoyed the tour through the Garfield home and found that Mrs. Garfield was really quite a decorator. Most of the furniture and all the wall paper (perfectly copied from the original), hundreds of books, and the pictures are original pieces.
We enjoyed the tour through the Garfield home and found that Mrs. Garfield was really quite a decorator. Most of the furniture and all the wall paper (perfectly copied from the original), hundreds of books, and the pictures are original pieces.
The den of the President was also well appointed and it was his favorite chair that I found interesting...one of the sides was lower than the other because he favored throwing his legs over one side while reading.
Their daughter’s bedroom was interesting. Today’s teens cover the walls in their rooms with pictures of rock stars or video figures, while back in the 1850’s the Garfield daughter covered the corner of her bedroom and her “Turkish Bed”
(you wouldn’t use your night time bed to lay on or even take a nap on) with all of her favorite Turkish rugs, pillows, and coverings.