William McKinley Memorial Monument and William McKinley Presidential Library & Museum
William McKinley Memorial Monument and William McKinley Presidential Library & Museum
By Christopher Skelley
He said: “It is God’s way:
His will, not ours be done.”
And o’er our land a shadow lay
That darkened all the sun.
So begins a poem by the unofficial Poet Laureate of the time, James Whitcomb Riley. The poem was written in honor of our 25th President, William McKinley, who had been assassinated in September of 1901 while attending the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York. Now, on September 30th, 1907, more than 50,000 people were in attendance in Canton, Ohio, hearing the poem firsthand at the dedication of the monument for our slain President.
William McKinley was born in Niles, Ohio, but he considered Canton his home. It is where he practiced as a lawyer, where he met his beloved wife, Ida Saxton, and where he successfully campaigned for political office: first as Congressman, then Governor, and eventually for President.
The spot where his memorial now sits is a place that Mr. McKinley personally enjoyed visiting, and is the same site he had suggested as a setting for a memorial to fallen Soldiers and Sailors.
At nearly 10 stories tall and sitting high atop a large, grassy hill, the McKinley Monument holds a commanding position above the rest of the city.
Turning onto the long, oval road and passing under the overhanging branches of huge trees that line the entrance, the Monument makes an impressive sight as it slowly comes into view.
A 50 foot wide marble staircase, with 108 oversized steps, leads up to the Renaissance-inspired, domed building.
Standing proudly out front, a 9-1/2 foot tall bronze statue of McKinley confidently faces oncoming visitors. The statue was modelled after a photo taken of the President at the Pan-American Expo, just one day before his assassination.
Climbing past the larger-than-life statue, you reach a pair of giant, bronze doors. At the time of their construction, they were the largest doors of this type in the world.
Once inside, you find the final resting place of not only President McKinley, but also of his wife and daughters. And 77 feet above the President and First Lady’s sarcophagi, in the center of the 50 foot wide dome overhead, is a red, white and blue skylight, containing 45 stars, representing each of the states at the time of the building’s dedication.
This skylight, however, was not installed until 1976, during a major renovation. The Historical Society had wisely chosen to do away with the existing clear glass skylight, replacing it with a new piece which adhered to the original design by Harold Van Buren Magonigle, the building’s architect.
Both the William McKinley Monument and the neighboring William McKinley Presidential Library & Museum sit at one end of a small park system which connects them with the Canton Garden Center and the Pro Football Hall Of Fame.
This is a beautiful, natural area with hundreds of mature trees, a river, a stream and a couple small waterfalls. A well-maintained jogging track and a gravel walking path meander through the greenery, past shuffleboard courts, picnic tables and a few ponds.
The park is a great place for leisurely strolls, biking, hiking, fishing, and bird-watching. Great Blue Herons, ducks, geese, kingfishers, hawks, and many types of songbirds can often be seen in the trees near the tranquil stream, or hunting for fish in the small river.
Whether passing through Canton or while visiting the popular Pro Football Hall of Fame, take some time to visit this beautiful and historic area.
Related points of interest include The Presidential Library, which is primarily for serious research into the people and former businesses that once resided here, but also contains a vast, archival photo collection.
The Presidential Museum is small but interesting, so it’s a perfect place to spend a few hours.
The 65-seat Planetarium inside the Museum accurately displays the Milky Way and up to 5000 stars during weekday showings.
The beautiful Ida Saxton McKinley House is available to tour, and is only a few minutes away in downtown Canton. And nearly a dozen related sites can be visited by taking the “Walk With The President” self-guided tour.
See the “McKinley Courtroom,” where the former lawyer once prosecuted cases, or the church and the actual pew where Mr. and Mrs. McKinley sat in worship at Church of the Savior United Methodist.
You can also visit the original building of The Respository, where the desk of Ida’s father, newspaper founder John Saxton, and several important front pages from history are on display.
The McKinley Monument (open from April 1 to November 1) is free. The McKinley Museum & Library (open all year) charges a reasonable fee which includes admission to the Planetarium Show.
The William McKinley Monument is located at 800 McKinley Monument Dr NW, Canton, OH. For more information, visithttps://mckinleymuseum.org/ or phone 330-455-7043.
For more things to see and do in Canton, Ohio area, visit https://www.visitcanton.com/
For more information about historic locations in Ohio, visit http://www.ohio.org/interests/history
By Christopher Skelley
He said: “It is God’s way:
His will, not ours be done.”
And o’er our land a shadow lay
That darkened all the sun.
So begins a poem by the unofficial Poet Laureate of the time, James Whitcomb Riley. The poem was written in honor of our 25th President, William McKinley, who had been assassinated in September of 1901 while attending the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York. Now, on September 30th, 1907, more than 50,000 people were in attendance in Canton, Ohio, hearing the poem firsthand at the dedication of the monument for our slain President.
William McKinley was born in Niles, Ohio, but he considered Canton his home. It is where he practiced as a lawyer, where he met his beloved wife, Ida Saxton, and where he successfully campaigned for political office: first as Congressman, then Governor, and eventually for President.
The spot where his memorial now sits is a place that Mr. McKinley personally enjoyed visiting, and is the same site he had suggested as a setting for a memorial to fallen Soldiers and Sailors.
At nearly 10 stories tall and sitting high atop a large, grassy hill, the McKinley Monument holds a commanding position above the rest of the city.
Turning onto the long, oval road and passing under the overhanging branches of huge trees that line the entrance, the Monument makes an impressive sight as it slowly comes into view.
A 50 foot wide marble staircase, with 108 oversized steps, leads up to the Renaissance-inspired, domed building.
Standing proudly out front, a 9-1/2 foot tall bronze statue of McKinley confidently faces oncoming visitors. The statue was modelled after a photo taken of the President at the Pan-American Expo, just one day before his assassination.
Climbing past the larger-than-life statue, you reach a pair of giant, bronze doors. At the time of their construction, they were the largest doors of this type in the world.
Once inside, you find the final resting place of not only President McKinley, but also of his wife and daughters. And 77 feet above the President and First Lady’s sarcophagi, in the center of the 50 foot wide dome overhead, is a red, white and blue skylight, containing 45 stars, representing each of the states at the time of the building’s dedication.
This skylight, however, was not installed until 1976, during a major renovation. The Historical Society had wisely chosen to do away with the existing clear glass skylight, replacing it with a new piece which adhered to the original design by Harold Van Buren Magonigle, the building’s architect.
Both the William McKinley Monument and the neighboring William McKinley Presidential Library & Museum sit at one end of a small park system which connects them with the Canton Garden Center and the Pro Football Hall Of Fame.
This is a beautiful, natural area with hundreds of mature trees, a river, a stream and a couple small waterfalls. A well-maintained jogging track and a gravel walking path meander through the greenery, past shuffleboard courts, picnic tables and a few ponds.
The park is a great place for leisurely strolls, biking, hiking, fishing, and bird-watching. Great Blue Herons, ducks, geese, kingfishers, hawks, and many types of songbirds can often be seen in the trees near the tranquil stream, or hunting for fish in the small river.
Whether passing through Canton or while visiting the popular Pro Football Hall of Fame, take some time to visit this beautiful and historic area.
Related points of interest include The Presidential Library, which is primarily for serious research into the people and former businesses that once resided here, but also contains a vast, archival photo collection.
The Presidential Museum is small but interesting, so it’s a perfect place to spend a few hours.
The 65-seat Planetarium inside the Museum accurately displays the Milky Way and up to 5000 stars during weekday showings.
The beautiful Ida Saxton McKinley House is available to tour, and is only a few minutes away in downtown Canton. And nearly a dozen related sites can be visited by taking the “Walk With The President” self-guided tour.
See the “McKinley Courtroom,” where the former lawyer once prosecuted cases, or the church and the actual pew where Mr. and Mrs. McKinley sat in worship at Church of the Savior United Methodist.
You can also visit the original building of The Respository, where the desk of Ida’s father, newspaper founder John Saxton, and several important front pages from history are on display.
The McKinley Monument (open from April 1 to November 1) is free. The McKinley Museum & Library (open all year) charges a reasonable fee which includes admission to the Planetarium Show.
The William McKinley Monument is located at 800 McKinley Monument Dr NW, Canton, OH. For more information, visithttps://mckinleymuseum.org/ or phone 330-455-7043.
For more things to see and do in Canton, Ohio area, visit https://www.visitcanton.com/
For more information about historic locations in Ohio, visit http://www.ohio.org/interests/history
Article and photos by Christopher Skelley
Copyright 2017 Sunny Harbor Publishing
Sunny Harbor Publishing
PO Box 560318, Rockledge, FL 32956
Phone: 321-446-7552
[email protected]
www.SunnyHarborPublishing.org
Copyright 2017 Sunny Harbor Publishing
Sunny Harbor Publishing
PO Box 560318, Rockledge, FL 32956
Phone: 321-446-7552
[email protected]
www.SunnyHarborPublishing.org