Cleveland OH Area James Garfield Home and Museum

May 13, 2017
Cleveland OH Area
James A. Garfield Home

There was a Corvair Car Club touring the James Garfield Home today.  This one caught my eye. I didn't think there were any still running.

James A. Garfield was the 20th president of the United States.  He and his wife, Lucretia lived here from 1876 until his death in 1881.  Lucretia and their children kept it in the family until 1936,and then donated it to the  Western Reserve Historical Society. "Lawnfield," as it is known, became and National Historic site in 1980.

Garfield was the last president to be born in a log cabin.  His father died before he was 2 years old and that left his family in poverty.  At 16, he went to work as a Canal boat tow boy. Within 6 weeks, he contracted malaria and was sent home.

He attended Geauga Seminary, Western Reserve Eclectic Institute and Williams College and was a Disciples of Christ minister.

He married Lucretia and they had 7 children, 5 survived to adulthood.

The five surviving children

He was elected the Ohio Senate in 1859 and studied law.

He joined the Ohio Infantry in 1861 and earned the rank of Brigadier General in the Civil War.  

He was elected to Congress in 1863 and spent 17 years there

He called Lucretia, "Crete."

He became the accidental nominee at the Republican Convention in 1880

Campaign Memorabilia

The swearing in

The Garfield Family

White House Memorabilia

He was shot in the back by Charles Guiteau, on July 2, 1881 and passed away on September 19, 1881.  His presidency lasted only 200 days.

The rest of the farm.... The Carriage House

The Windmill

The Tenants House.

The Garfield Home.

The original home has been enlarged several times, with the largest expansion coming after Garfield's death.  These are view of the back side of the home.

This is the side of the home.  The front of the house is to the right.

The front porch.

There's water in these light fixtures on the porch.  

Oops, I'm in the mirror

This is a concrete 'safe' room Lucretia had built during one of the expansions of the home.  She wanted to ensure the preservation of some of her husbands documents and mementos.

The Campaign Office