First Ladies National Historic Site facts for kids
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First Ladies National Historic Site
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The main entrance of the First Ladies National Historic Site.
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 Location in Ohio
Location in the United States
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| Location | 205 and 331 Market Avenue South, Canton, Ohio |
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| Website | First Ladies National Historic Site |
| NRHP reference No. | 01000286 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | January 31, 2001 |
| Designated NHS | October 11, 2000 |
The First Ladies National Historic Site is a special place in Canton, Ohio. It is a National Historic Site in the United States. This site honors all the amazing women who have been the First Lady of the United States.
The idea for this site came from Mary Regula. She was the wife of Ohio congressman Ralph Regula. Mary Regula often talked about the nation's first ladies. She noticed there wasn't much information available about them. So, she helped create a group to gather money and research materials. This led to the National First Ladies' Library, which started in 1996. The First Ladies National Historic Site was then created in 2000.
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What You Can See at the Site
The First Ladies National Historic Site has two main buildings. These are the Ida Saxton McKinley Historic Home and the Education & Research Center.
The Education & Research Center
Your visit usually starts at the Education & Research Center. This building is one block north of the Saxton McKinley house. It was built in 1895 and used to be the City National Bank Building. In 1997, it became part of the National First Ladies' Library.
- First Floor: Here you'll find a theater and a big space for exhibits and meetings. There's also a small library room. This room has books like those collected by First Lady Abigail Fillmore for the very first White House Library.
- Second Floor: This floor is home to the main National First Ladies' Library. It's a great place to learn more about the first ladies.
- Other Floors: These floors have rooms for meetings, storage, and offices.
The Ida Saxton McKinley Historic Home
This part of the site protects the home of Ida Saxton McKinley. She was the wife of U.S. President William McKinley. This brick Victorian house was built in 1841. It was changed a bit in 1865.
Inside, the house looks just like it did during the Victorian era. Guides dressed in old-fashioned clothes will give you a tour. You can see exhibits about President and Mrs. McKinley. There are also photos of other first ladies and beautiful Victorian decorations.
Planning Your Visit
When you visit the First Ladies National Historic Site, your ticket includes both parts. You can explore the exhibits in the Education & Research Center. You also get a guided tour of the Ida Saxton McKinley Historic Home.
It's a good idea to make reservations for the house tour. This is because only a certain number of people can go on each tour. If you are with a group of 6 or more people, reservations are required.
The National First Ladies' Library helps run this site. They work together with the National Park Service. The site is managed by Cuyahoga Valley National Park.
