First Ladies National Historic Site - Home of National First Ladies Library & Museum, Canton

About First Ladies National Historic Site - Home of National First Ladies Library & Museum

The First Ladies National Historic Site in Canton preserves and interprets the legacies of America's First Ladies through exhibits, archives, and historic spaces. Visitors explore the Saxton-McKinley House, built in 1842 and childhood home of First Lady Ida Saxton McKinley, where the couple later resided during William McKinley's service in Congress and presidency. The campus includes First Ladies Park, museum galleries, a Victorian theater, research library, and archives housing over five thousand artifacts and more than one thousand books and scholarly works. Exhibits examine the achievements and lasting influence of the nation's First Ladies across causes including education, child welfare, mental health, veteran support, and volunteerism. The site functions as a research center dedicated to women's history and the collective stories of First Ladies who shaped the presidency and transformed the nation. The experience suits history enthusiasts, students, and anyone interested in understanding how these women influenced American leadership and global history.