The First Presidential Library and Museum

Day 12 - November 11, 2015 (Great Lakes Region Trip)

We had options today. Did we want to go to the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Museum OR did we want to go to The Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center? Robin needed a break from cars so we opted to drive the 108 miles to Fremont, OH for some Presidential learning.

Auburn, IN is not far from the eastern state line. It wasn't long before we crossed into Ohio. Today we were driving due east to get to Fremont. It was nice to just relax and enjoy the scenery along the way. We saw lots of trains traveling on the roadside tracks.

Finally, we arrived at the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center, which was right in the middle of a big neighborhood. The Center is located within 25 acres of the 19th President's original estate, Spiegel Grove. Surrounded by a black rod iron fence and cobblestone walls, the property was well maintained. 

We were greeted by a new friend. There were squirrels scampering all around the grounds and up the trees. They were quite friendly. We were told that they are so used to people being around that they will eat nuts from visitors' hands. We weren't prepared with nuts so we didn't test it.

As we walked up the drive to get to the Library and Museum, we passed by Rutherford B. Hayes Home. We stopped to view the plaque showing the house was on the Register of Historic Landmarks. The grounds were beautiful with the old trees, showing their fall colors. The sense of tranquility is present on the grounds, listening to the wind whisper through the trees. Many locals enjoy the calmness as they walk or run on the paved path or one of the walking trails throughout the grounds. 

As we walked towards the Library and Museum building, we had to go in through a back entrance since the building was under renovation. They were working on a room downstairs. The front of the building was very nice, but we were getting used to "under construction" areas.

Inside, we paid our entrance fee to both the home tour and museum. Timing allowed us to take the home tour first, so we headed back to the home. We were to meet our tour guide on the large front porch. As soon as more people joined our group, our guide took us inside to the foyer. The first thing she told us was that we were not to take photography of any kind inside the house. So, unfortunately, we can only share some facts we learned about the home and the Hayes family. There are a few photographs from online, but none inside from our camera.

Rutherford B. Hayes was only 2 months old when his father died. He and his sister were raised by their mother and her younger brother, Sardis Birchard, who was a bachelor. Birchard constructed the original house (left side of the house as seen in the picture above) as a summer home that he could share with his sister's young family. The house took 5 years (1859 - 1863) to build since it was during the Civil War. Workers and building materials were difficult to obtain because of the war.

The 2 and 1/2 story house had a formal entrance hall, a large parlor, a bedroom, and kitchen quarters on the first floor. Bedrooms and storage space occupied the second story. There was a large porch on 3 sides of the house. Inside, the house had very high ceilings and was elegantly decorated, for the period of time. Wood throughout the home was dark and beautifully carved. Room furnishings were simple, yet detailed. The door frames into rooms and closets were able to be closed off by the curtains attached to the frames instead of doors. 

Over the next 20 years, Rutherford made some additions and improvements to the house. Since he was obligated with military and political commitments, Hayes did not move his family in until 1873. Even then, they only lived their 2 years until Hayes became Governor of Ohio and then President of the United States. Before returning from the White House in 1881, President Hayes had a huge addition added on and remodeled the interior. The addition added 12,000 square feet to the house, which was already large. A library, a large reception room, 3 bedrooms, and indoor plumbing were added plus a 4-story walnut and butternut staircase. The wooden staircase was massive with detailed carving. It lead to a rooftop lantern where a full view of Spiegel Grove could be seen.

In 1889, the Hayes were making changes to the home again. They removed the addition of 1873 and added a dining room and new kitchen. This was the last addition to the house, bringing it to a total of 25,000 square feet. Mrs. Hayes did not live to see this new addition completed. The Red Room (parlor) and the bedroom Sardis Birchard lived in were the only rooms of the original house that remained as through all of the remodeling and additions. Rutherford B. Hayes also died in this house in 1893.

Red Room (Parlor) - Original home

Fanny Hayes' (daughter) bedroom 

Rutherford's Private Bathroom

Study and Library

Formal Reception Room

Hayes' Master Bedroom

Hayes' Master Bedroom

We thoroughly enjoyed our tour of the home. We wished we could have taken photos because there were so many elegant rooms and furnishings that we can't share because there were no photos available. Our tour guide was great and added many details and stories which were lost due to lack of memory on our part without visual reminders.

Walking back to the Library and Museum, we enjoyed the quiet of the silent trees. Of course, it was disrupted several times by the whirring and roaring of the construction machinery.

We got inside and began the first floor of the museum. In this room were many items and displays about the life of Rutherford B. Hayes. 

Hayes' Platform Chair Used by U. S. Grant 

Buckhorn Chair Presented as Gift from Kansas

Belonged to Hayes' Parents

Haye's Desk from House of Representatives, Ohio State Capitol

Bible President Hayes Used to Take Oath of Office

Campaign Artwork for Hayes

Haviland China Used by Hayes Family

Presidential Glassware for State Dinners (Jackson through Lincoln and Hayes)

Mahogany Sideboard Used in Hayes' Private Dining Room at White House

Part of Hayes' White House State China Designed Especially for First Lady

Funeral Procession of Rutherford B. Hayes

The next room we went into was the Atrium. There was a bust of Rutherford B. Hayes on a pedestal in the middle of the room. Around the sides were little alcove areas with floral arrangements and plaques indicating the different jobs and offices he held throughout his life.

• Student, Kenyon and Harvard, 1838 - 1845
• Attorney at Law, 1845 - 1861
• Officer Civil War, 1861 - 1865
• United States Congressman, 1865 - 1867
• Governor of Ohio, 1868 - 1872, 1876
• 19th President of the United States, 1877 - 1881
• Ex-President of the United States, 1881 - 1893

On the lower floor, we saw the White House Carriage of President Rutherford B. Hayes. The information about the costs and who paid them was very interesting.

A collection of toys was also on displays. The dollhouse Hayes had built for his daughter, Fanny, was quite fancy.

 

Another area was dedicated to Indian culture.

There was a small section of furniture.

Chinese Samovar and Korean Chest

Chair & Marble-top Table, President Grant's Cabinet Room

Desk, President Grant's Cabinet Room

President Hayes' Father and Siblings were Rocked in this Cradle

Below the Atrium on the lower level was a Weapons Room. There were so many different kinds of weapons and military hardware on display.

The traveling exhibit was called, "Dressed for Life: First Ladies' & Red Dress Collection." Nine red dresses worn by First Ladies were displayed.

Lucy Webb Hayes, 1877 - 1881

Caroline Scott Harrison, 1889 - 1892

Patricia Ryan Nixon, 1969 - 1974

Rosalynn Smith Carter, 1977 - 1981 

Betty Bloomer Ford, 1973 - 1974

Barbara Pierce Bush, 1989 - 1993

Nancy Davis Reagan, 1981 - 1989

Laura Welch Bush, 2001 - 2009

Hillary Rodham Clinton, 1993 - 2001

We really enjoyed the museum. Although it was not at the signification level of many of today's presidential libraries, it was the very first presidential library and museum in the United States, opening in 1916. President Rutherford B. Hayes' second son, Webb, and his siblings started the museum. They deeded over to the state of Ohio, Spiegel Groves, the President's estate and all its holdings.

As we headed back to the parking lot, we detoured to the cemetery on the grounds. We walked one off the trails to get there. Dr. Dolittle (Dean) found animals to talk with on the way.

 Rutherford and Lucy had 8 children - 7 boys and 1 girl. Three of the boys died in infancy. 

• Birchard Austin, 1853 - 1926
• Webb Cook, 1856 - 1934
• Rutherford Platt, 1858 - 1927
• Joseph Thompson, 1861 - 1863
• George Crook, 1864 - 1866
• Fanny Hayes, 1867 - 1950
• Scott Russell, 1871 - 1923
• Manning Force, 1873 - 1874

We stopped and took pictures of the beautiful gates before we left. Then we drove around the neighborhood to see some of the ornate houses.

We left Fremont and headed back to Auburn, IN. We stopped at a Frisch's Big Boy along the way. This was another case where fond memories should remain as fond memories. We loved to go to Frisch's in high school, but our memories tasted better than our mid-afternoon meal. 

As we drove, we noticed the clouds in the sky. They were very wispy looking. The longer we drove, the sun began to set, leaving us with beautiful colors in the sunset.