June 23, 2922 - McKinley Presidential Library and Museum

From Trip Advisor I learned there was a McKinley Presidential Library and Memorial in Canton.  I had some time after the Pro Football Hall of Fame so I went over and checked it out.

I knew nothing about President William McKinley.  It turns out he was an impressive man, starting as an enlisted men in the Civil War and finishing as a Brevet Major.  He then practiced law before going into politics.  Elected the 25th President in 1897, he presided over a successful economy.  The Spanish-American War, which America won quickly and decisively, took place during his administration.  McKinley defeated William Jennings Bryan for the second time in the 1900 presidential election in a campaign focused on imperialism, protectionism, and free silver. His achievements were cut short when he was fatally shot on September 6, 1901, by a second-generation Polish-American anarchist. McKinley died eight days later and was succeeded by Vice President Theodore Roosevelt. As an innovator of American interventionism and pro-business sentiment, McKinley is generally ranked as an above-average president.

 
   
The Presidential Museum consisted of this large room filled with McKinley artifacts and information.
   
More artifacts.
   
The rest of the museum was about the County and also featured an "old town" section of various shops and businesses as they were during the turn of the century.
 
This is a small, one room "toy" store.  It struck me that these toys wouldn't keep a modern kid occupied for five minutes.
   
One room had this big model railroad layout which was impressive.
   
The county museum included this early Radio Shack TRS-80 computer.  Now my Smartphone blows this thing away.
   
A model of a barge that used to ply the Ohio & Erie Canal before the age of railroads and trucks.
   
Next to the Library/Museum was the Memorial to President McKinely.  Wow!  Not too shabby.
   
 
   
A statue of the 25th President.
   
Inside the Memorial, William and Ida McKinely rest in peace.
   
Looking up at the dome.
   

Looking down the steps.

I was glad I stopped here; this was worth seeing.
   
 
   
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