July 25

I decided to visit two parks which are relatively close to my home. Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural NHS is in downtown Buffalo, NY. This was the home of Ansley Wilcox, an old friend of Roosevelt. President McKinley was in Buffalo to attend the 1901 Pan-American Exposition. Against the recommendation of his security detail, McKinley wanted to shake the hands of visitors to the show. Leon Czolgosz, an anarchist, waited in line. This was September 6. When it was his turn, he pulled a gun and shot McKinley twice in the abdomen. Czolgosz had made an earlier attempt, but did not get close enough to fire. He felt it was his duty as an anarchist to silence American oppression, and what better means than to kill the President. Roosevelt was in eastern New York giving speeches but hurried to Buffalo upon word of the shooting. McKinley appeared to improve over the next few days, so Roosevelt returned east on the 9th. But on the 13th Roosevelt was told McKinley had taken a turn for the worse. Roosevelt quickly made arrangements to travel to Buffalo a second time. On his way, he was informed McKinley had passed. Upon arrival in town, Roosevelt went from the Terrace Street train station to Wilcox’s home. A Federal judge was ready to administer the Oath of Office for President of the United States of America. Not having expected such events, Roosevelt had to borrow formal attire for the occasion. He was now the 26th President.

The home has not changed much from 1901. Tours are offered on the half-hour, every hour. Much of the furniture, coverings, and family items are original. The desk where Roosevelt took his first actions as President is in the house. A telegraph system is displayed in one room, to show how word was spread to the masses about the inauguration. One section of the first floor has been transformed into a museum of the 1901 Pan-American Exposition. This was the sole reason McKinley was in Buffalo. Granted, Czolgosz would have attempted the assassination at any venue where he could have gotten close to McKinley. Buffalo, September 6, 1901, just happened to be the point in time where it transpired. Delaware Street is a main avenue in Buffalo, so not hard to reach the park via car.

Three hours later, right down I-90, I was in Mentor, Ohio, to visit James A Garfield NHS. One has to take an exit to go north a couple miles to highway US 20, where the Garfield home sits. The road which we know today as US 20 was present in 1876 when the Garfield’s bought the home and farm (you can see the road in 19th century photos around the park), only it was composed of dirt, not asphalt. Tours of the Garfield home are given between 10 AM and 3 PM. I arrived in time for the 2:45 PM tour. Ten of us had to hang out in the VC to wait the ranger. A movie in the theater does a good job explaining Garfield’s younger days and his rise to the Presidency. The VC had a number of Garfield’s personal items, such as his famous top hat, leather boots, the bible on which he took the Oath of Office, and his Inaugural Address. A bed which was made for Garfield to be used during his recovery from the assassination attempt is also on display. The piece had a woven wire mattress, which was more comfortable than a normal bed. The intent was to make Garfield comfortable as he improved. But, 79 days after being shot, Garfield died.

The tour begins on the same path which thousands of visitors used in 1880 as they came to Garfield’s home to listen to him campaign for President. You then enter into the original part of the house, which includes the famous front porch. Garfield’s “Front Porch Campaign” became world famous. The parlor, just inside from the front porch, is where Garfield would personally greet visitors. Many of the items in the home are original to the family. The Garfield family donated the property to the NPS in 1936, along with the interior furnishings and materials. This includes the thousands of books in the memorial library. Lucretia, the President’s wife, took money donated to the Garfield Memorial in 1881 to add a large wing to the house. This addition has the expansive library, along with a new kitchen area (that area is now a small informational museum which visitors see before exiting the house). Garfield’s children and grandchildren said the library was their favorite room in the house. A piano is in the room, seeing that all five children (four boys, one girl) played the instrument.

Lucretia also added a Carriage House to the property and a windmill. Her plan was to make this an “estate”, on about 160 acres. The Carriage House is now the park’s VC. She died in 1918, towards the end of WWI.

One last note about James Garfield. He was the last President to be born in a log cabin. If a boy can rise from such humble beginnings to the most powerful position in the world, just think what each of us can do if we put our minds to a task.