The McKinley Museum

The East and West Balconies of the McKinley Museum

Below is a brief description of some of the items in the McKinley Museum:

William McKinley




Birthplace Home &
Research Center


National McKinley
Birthplace Memorial

East Balcony
The wall of this room is lined with bronze plaques.
The first plaque depicts the dreams of the valley: men at work in iron and children going to school. The other plaques are of men who were influential in developing the Mahoning Valley.

Iron Ore -- Niles was founded on iron ore!
William McKinley, Sr. came to Niles about 1842 and leased the Maria Furnace.  William McKinley, Jr. the seventh of nine children was born in Niles in 1842.

Stones are from the foundation of the President's birthplace, which was located at 36 South Main St., Niles, Ohio. The original McKinley house was bought by a Mr. Wess and moved to McKinley Heights.  Mr. Wess operated it as a private museum until it was destroyed by fire about 1935.

Piano -- belonged to Nancy Allison McKinley, mother of the President.

Small case -- contains books of clippings sent to the museum from all over the world.

Desk -- is from President McKinley's law office in Canton, Ohio.

Chair -- was used by President McKinley at cabinet meetings.

Spinning Wheels -- from the McKinley family.

Train -- a handmade replica of the President's funeral train.
This is a working model.

Artillery -- from the Civil War

Portrait -- James Heaton, who founded Niles in 1806. 
This town was originally called Heaton's Furnace.  Mr. Heaton didn't like the name, and as the story goes, he renamed the settlement Nilestown. "Niles" was  taken from the newspaper, the Niles Register which was published in Baltimore.  Later, in 1843, the Post Office shortened the name to Niles.

The West Balcony

As you enter this part, the first case to your left contains a shovel used at the groundbreaking of the Memorial.  Also, handmade tools from the ancestral McKinley home in Ireland are displayed here.  Of particular interest are the peat and the homemade brick.

The counter case contains the official Presidential banner in wool bunting with cotton satin appliqué.

The wall on your left largely holds a photographic exhibit depicting events in McKinley's life.  The picture of McKinley taken in 1896 was a campaign portrait. The painting of the school house depicts the school that previously stood on the grounds where the Memorial now stands.  President McKinley attended class here...the Methodist Church in Poland, Ohio, which was attended by the McKinley family. Teachers of the President...an unidentified Civil War soldier...McKinley's Cabinet and official pictures...Newspapers printed the day President McKinley died.  Architectural design which was chosen for the Memorial and hanging beneath it, the Memorial on the day it was dedicated.

Front case -- souvenirs of the period, McKinley campaigns and several letters written by the president.  In the center of the case is the last official photograph of the President.

Second counter case -- a Cuban flag presented to President McKinley by the maker of the Cuban flag.

Middle case -- memorabilia of the Civil War.

End Case -- memorabilia of the McKinley family and Niles.

Standing portrait of McKinley came from the McKinley home.

End stage case -- letters of congratulations to the Association at the time of the dedication of the Memorial.

Middle stage case -- pictures of the period and the McKinley family to include memorabilia.

Front stage case -- day of the cornerstone laying for the Memorial. 
Of particular interest here is a $50,000 check from Henry Clay Frick, a financier.  Mr. Frick gave this with the provision that the library be included in the Memorial.

08/01/06