William McKinley Memorial

Ohio is home to more presidents that died in office than any other state - Harrison, Harding, Garfield, and of course, our 25th POTUS, William McKinley.

McKinley’s tomb is an elegant monument at the top of a large set of concrete stairs that lead up an undulating hill. The grand stone tomb was built in 1907, standing as Mckinley’s final stop after a funeral tours that saw a grieving nation pay their respects to the man.

The vaults of William McKinley and his wife are located inside the monument, elevated some eight feet off the ground in elegant marble caskets bearing their names. The monument has no interior lighting, giving the site a cool, peaceful air.  

Next to the monument is the museum, which has a section devoted to fossils and paleontology as well as a planetarium. The upper level of the museum is devoted to the life and career of William McKinley - with many presidential artifacts on display (as well as two disturbing life-sized animatronic figures of Mr. and Mrs. McKinley).

Today, sports teams, runners, and other athletes are to be found every day running up and down these stairs. A back entrance is available for those unable to scale the stairs. The oval drive to the monument is also popular among runners and joggers - and signs there helpfully indicate yard markers along the walkway.