Visit the Ohio Graves of 5 U.S. Presidents

McKinley National Memorial, Canton: Perched atop a hill in Canton and overlooking the McKinley Presidential Library & Museum, the 1907 McKinley National Memorial stands as a soaring tribute to the 25th U.S. president. Climb the 108 steps to the domed structure and step inside to see where William McKinley, his wife Ida and their children are laid to rest. The memorial to McKinley, who was assassinated six months into his second term in 1901, is one of the largest for a U.S. president, and the 97-foot-tall dome creates a solemn silence inside. mckinleymuseum.org

James A. Garfield Memorial, Cleveland: Standing at the southern end of Cleveland’s rolling Lake View Cemetery, the James A. Garfield Memorial tells a powerful story about the 20th U.S. president, who died after 200 days in office in September 1881 following an assassination attempt in July of that year. On the 1890-built monument’s outer walls, sculpted panels depict Garfield’s work as a teacher, Union Army major general and more. Inside is a marble sculpture of the president, while the memorial’s lower level houses the caskets of Garfield and his wife, Lucretia. lakeviewcemetery.com

Harding Memorial, Marion: The Harding Memorial at Historic Marion Cemetery was designed to achieve Warren G. Harding’s wish to be buried under open sky beside a tree. Built in 1927 as the final resting place for the 29th U.S. president, who died in office of a heart attack in 1923, the Greek-inspired circular memorial is partially open to the elements, giving it the feel of a courtyard. The 46 white marble columns echo architectural elements commonly seen in our nation’s capital, and the two black granite slabs bear the name of Harding and his wife, Florence. hardingpresidentialsites.org

Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library & Museums, Fremont: Travelers can visit the graves of President Rutherford B. Hayes and his wife, Lucy, in a wooded portion of Spiegel Grove, a 25-acre site that is home to the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library & Museums. Hayes and the former first lady are buried on a knoll that was one of their favorite spots on the property, and a granite tombstone marks the burial site. Their son, Webb C. Hayes, who helped establish the museum and library is buried nearby. So are the family’s favorite animals, including Old Whitey, a horse from Hayes’ Civil War regiment that once lived at Spiegel Grove. rbhayes.org

William Henry Harrison Tomb, North Bend: While William Henry Harrison, the ninth U.S. president, was buried in 1841 in this tomb in North Bend along the Ohio River, the 60-foot-tall obelisk that marks the spot wasn’t built until 1924. The north and south sides of the obelisk list some of Harrison’s accomplishments and titles. The tomb is also the final resting place of other family members such as Harrison’s wife, Anna, and their son John Scott Harrison, the father of 23rd U.S. President Benjamin Harrison. ohiohistory.org

For more Ohio travel inspiration, sign up for our Ohio Magazine newsletters.

Ohio Magazine is available in a beautifully designed print issue that is published 7 times a year, along with Spring-Summer and Fall-Winter editions of LongWeekends magazine. Subscribe to Ohio Magazine and stay connected to beauty, adventure and fun across our state.