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Volume 1 Summer 2004
First Ladies National Historic Site
1
In September, First Lady Laura
Bush formally inaugurated the National
First Ladies’ Library’s new Education
and Research Center at 205 Market Av-
enue South in downtown Canton with a
ribbon cutting ceremony and dedication
speech. The Center is an expansion of
the Library facilities, which includes the
Saxton House, the ancestral home of
First Lady Ida Saxton McKinley, located
a block south of the Center.
Mrs. Bush toured the renovated
building prior to speaking before an au-
dience of about 400 guests. National
and state dignitaries were also in atten-
dance.
In dedicating the building, Mrs.
Bush said, “The heartland of America is
a fi tting place to honor fi rst ladies who
are the heart of the White House.”She
praised Mary Regula, Library Founder
and President, and wife of U.S. Con-
gressman Ralph Regula, for her dedica-
tion and hard work in making the Library
a reality and said, “Thanks to the First
Ladies’ Library, the history of America’s
fi rst ladies will continue to be told one
lady at a time.”
Immediately following the dedica-
tion, Mrs. Bush met with members of
a Hartville, Ohio Girl Scout troop in the
audience who presented her with the
fi rst National First Ladies’ Library patch.
The dedication was preceded by
a reception and followed by a formal
dinner. Open house tours of both build-
ings were conducted from 1 to 4 p.m.
on Friday, Saturday and Sunday of that
week.
The seven-story Education and Re-
search Center building was constructed
in 1895 as a bank and donated to the
Laura Bush Inaugurates National First Ladies’ Library, Education and Research Center
2
NF
3
Library by the Marsh Belden, Sr. family
in 1997. It was designated as a “Save
America’s Treasure” site in 1999. The
designation was presented by then First
Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton during her
visit in Canton. It provides 20,000 square
feet of space for educational outreach
programs and includes a Victorian style
theater, meeting, reception and exhibi-
tion rooms, conference rooms, an ex-
tensive research and library facility, and
archival storage space.
Additional photos of the inaugura-
tion celebration appear on pages six
and seven.
“First Ladies on the Campaign Trail”
Exhibit Planned for this Summer
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
A new exhibit “First Ladies on the
Campaign Trail” is planned to open
later this summer. In addition to be-
ing a presidential election
year, this year marks the
40th anniversary of the
“Lady Bird Special”, a train
used by Lady Bird John-
son while campaigning for
her husband, Lyndon, in
1964. Lady Bird Johnson
was the fi rst First Lady to
campaign on her own for
her husband.
Our exhibit will center
around Lady Bird John-
son’s campaign stops,
featuring a map indicating
the cities and states she
visited while aboard the
Lady Bird Special, photographs from
the campaign, copies of campaign
speeches she made and numerous ex-
amples of memorabilia created for that
historic campaign.
Many campaign items from the
1888 (unsuccessful)
and 1892 (successful)
campaigns of Grover
Cleveland, which fea-
ture images of Frances
Cleveland – the fi rst First
Lady whose image was
used in campaign mate-
rials – will also be exhib-
ited. In addition, items
depicting Ida McKinley
from William McKinley’s
1896 campaign, will be
shown. Ida McKinley
was the fi rst candidate’s
wife whose image ap-
peared on campaign
materials and about whom a campaign
biography was written.
The role of the First Lady in cam-
paigns has changed dramatically over
time, from nonexistent, to the mere use
of her image, to active campaigner.
This exhibit will show, through the use
of photographs, copies of speeches,
quotes by the First Ladies and cam-
paign items, the evolving role of the First
Lady in the campaign process and how
important that role has become to the
election process.
The exhibit is scheduled to open
August 1.
New Education and Research
Center Offers Innovative Programs,
Services
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
The new Education and Research
Center offers a host of innovative pro-
grams and services to help educate
people of all ages about both little
known and very signifi cant contributions
of America’s First Ladies. It also houses
information about other notable Ameri-
can women who were leaders or pio-
neers in their fi elds of endeavor.
In addition to containing more than
3,000 books on, by or about former fi rst
ladies and their contemporaries, the
Center contains an archive of more than
3,500 fi rst lady photographs, artifacts
and other items, authors research pa-
pers and a 45,000-entry bibliography of
all fi rst ladies from Martha Washington to
Laura Bush. Everything is readily avail-
able to scholars and the general public
for research or simple enjoyment.
The Center will also host a variety of
community activities and events includ-
ing live presentations and productions,
documentaries on fi rst ladies, lectures
SSummer Hours and Parking
We have expanded our tour
days to include Sundays during the
months of June, July and August.
Sunday tour times are 12:30, 1:30
and 2:30 p.m. These are in addi-
tion to our regular tour hours Tues-
day through Saturday at 9:30 and
10:30 a.m., and 12:30, 1:30 and
2:30 p.m. There will be no tours
on Sunday, July 4th in observance
of Independence Day.
Please keep in mind that our
reservation policy has changed.
Reservations are still required for
groups of 10 or more. However,
reservations are recommended,
but not required, for all others.
Free parking is available for our
visitors. The parking lot behind the
Saxton House is not gated. Our
parking lot bounded by Market
Avenue South, 3rd Street SW and
Court Avenue is gated. If you’re
planning to visit us, please call for
the gate code to access our lot.
For information, reservations
and the parking gate code, please
call (330) 452-0876. We hope to
see you on a tour soon!
4 5
T
by fi rst lady authors, fi lm showings, and
conferences, seminars and workshops
focused on the presence and infl u-
ence of fi rst ladies. Electronic telecon-
ferencing will be available to students
and classrooms throughout the United
States in the near future.
The Library and its Education and
Research Center was born as a result of
Mary Regula’s personal frustration when
she tried to gather information about
Mary Todd Lincoln, only to discover a
lack of resources about one of the most
well-known fi rst ladies. Mrs. Regula,
Founder and President of the Library,
said, “This project is really about creat-
ing a living library for future generations
that will serve as a tool for learning and
exploring the historic contributions of
infl uential American women. Our main
goal is education at all levels to make
history come alive.”
Tours Available At Newly Renovated
Saxton House
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Visitors to Canton will not only have
access to the Library’s educational ma-
terials, they will also get a glimpse of a
bygone era when they tour the home
of America’s 23rd fi rst lady, Ida Saxton
McKinley. The home has been restored
with great attention to historical accu-
racy.
The former Stark Community Foun-
dation offi ces have been renovated and
now comprise the McKinley family par-
lor, library, dining room, breakfast room
and kitchen.
Tours are available Tuesdays
through Saturdays and, in June, July
and August, also on Sundays. Tours
begin at the Education and Research
Center on the half hour beginning at
9:30 a.m, 10:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 1:30
p.m. and 2:30 p.m. and on Sundays in
June, July and August at 12:30 p.m.,
1;30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m., then contin-
ue on the hour at the Saxton McKinley
House. For 1 to 9 people, reservations
are not required, but are recommended.
For groups of 10 or more, reservations
are required. Call (330) 452-0876 ext.
320 to make reservations and for more
information.
Fillmore Library Honors The First
White House Library
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
In 1850, First Lady Abigail Fillmore,
appalled at the total absence of books
in the White House, asked for and re-
ceived a Congressional appropriation
for $2,000 for the purchase of books to
create a White House Library. Using the
upstairs Oval Room, Mrs. Fillmore lined
the shelves with over 800 books. While
those books have long disappeared,
our goal is to recreate The Abigail Fill-
more Library in her honor.
By examining copies of her invoices
attained from the White House Curator,
we were able to determine the titles of
$50 Member
$100 Inaugural Circle
$250 Ida Saxton McKinley Circle
$500 Executive Circle
$1,000 First Ladies Inner Circle
$5,000 Heritage Circle
I cannot become a member at this time. However I do want to help with my gift of $__________
I am interested in volunteering my time to help with the work of the National First Ladies’ Library
Name
Address
City
State Zip
Phone ( ) –
Check Enclosed to National First Ladies’ Library
Charge my VISA MasterCard
Account #
Expiration Date (M/D/Y) / /
Signature
Please cut out this membership form and mail to:
National First Ladies’ Library
205 Market Avenue South
Canton OH 44702
Fax membership to:
(330) 456-3414
Please Call (330) 452-0876 for
more information
BBecome A Part
Of History,
Join The National
First Ladies’ Library
–––––––––––––––––––
We invite you to join our circle
of members who share our
enthusiasm for the important
work of the National First La-
dies’ Library. You can become
a member by completing this
form and sending it, along with
your check or credit card in-
formation, to National First La-
dies’ Library.
Continued on page 8
6 7
Education and RResearch esearch Center.enter.DDedication ofedication of
8 9
FPthose books purchased by Mrs. Fillmore.
We then formed a committee, headed
by rare book collector Jon Lindseth of
Cleveland, to search for copies of each
book that was in that fi rst White House
library. Other committee members in-
clude Bill Allman, Curator of the White
House; Joseph Agyemang of the Library
of Congress; and Hope Mayo, Cura-
tor of Printing and Graphic Arts at the
Harvard University Library and Immedi-
ate Past President of the Bibliographi-
cal Society of America. Working with
the Library of Congress and the White
House, every effort is being made to
fi nd exact editions in their original bind-
ings that Mrs. Fillmore purchased. As
books for the collection are found, they
will be displayed in the Abigail Fillmore
Library located on the main fl oor of our
Education and Research Center.
When Mrs. Fillmore departed the
White House in March, 1853, with only
three weeks to live, we think she would
have been pleased to know her legacy
would be preserved.
Park and Parking Lot Add Beauty
And Convenience
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
A private trust administered by
the Stark Community Foundation re-
cently donated Rotary Park, as well as
the parking lot, located adjacent to the
Saxton House, to the Library. The park
has undergone extensive renovation to
enhance its beauty, usability and safety.
Trees and shrubs have been removed
and replaced, and new tables and
benches and a sprinkler system have
been installed.
A brick walkway provides access
to the new parking lot. A brick wall ex-
tends from the park to the parking area.
The lot is bounded by Market Avenue,
South, Third Street Southwest and
Court Avenue Southwest and provides
free parking for guests, volunteers and
staff. It features a new electric gate sys-
tem.
Sidewalk planters have created
an attractive corridor from the Saxton
House to the Education and Research
Center.
First Ladies Catalogue Available
For Purchase
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
The 190-page book on the “Nation-
al First Ladies’ Library and The Impor-
tance of First lady History” can be pur-
chased at the First Ladies’ Gift Shop or
by calling (330) 452-0876. Written and
published by the National First Ladies’
Library and edited by Carl Sferrazza
Anthony, the book contains many col-
orful, historic photographs of America’s
fi rst ladies as well as reprints of political
cartoons, historic drawings, documents
and engravings. Most of these are ei-
ther part of the collection of the Library
or were obtained from public institutions
such as the Library of Congress, the
National Archives, the presidential librar-
ies and the White House.
The book features letters from the
seven fi rst ladies who are honorary
chairpersons of the National First Ladies’
Library and contains information on the
Saxton House restoration and the new
Education and Research Center as well
as how the library was transformed from
VVolunteers Needed–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Volunteers are needed to serve as
costumed docents, hostesses and
gallery greeters. If you have a love
of history and enjoy teaching and/or
performing, we need your help. To
volunteer, call the National First La-
dies’ Library (330) 452-0876.
M
a dream into reality..
Other chapters include: Photo-
graphing First Ladies, Presidential and
Political History of First Ladies and First
Ladies Social Infl uence and Popular
Culture.
An ideal coffee table book and ref-
erence guide, it retails for $34.95 plus
tax.
Many Thousands Of Visitors And
Special Guests Tour Library
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Since the Saxton House opened
in June, 1998, we have had visitors
from all 50 states and from 15 foreign
countries. Since September 5, 2003,
we have had visitors from 26 states;
the District of Columbia and six foreign
countries.
We have
hosted numerous
special guests
including sitting
First Ladies Hillary
Clinton and Laura
Bush, former First
Lady Rosalyn Carter,
Lynne Cheney, Sec-
retary of Labor Elaine
Chao, Secretary of
Education Rod Paige,
Presidential Advisor
Karl Rove, Speaker
of the House Dennis
Hastert, Director of the
National Park Service
Fran Mainella and nu-
merous U. S. Congress-
men and Senators.
Since January, 450 stu-
dents have attended special programs
including a group of 19 Mennonite stu-
dents grades 4 through 11. In March,
a teacher from a charter school named
ECOT, where students learn on the
internet, brought a number of her stu-
dents for a performance of “A Woman
of Firsts --- Dr. Mary Walker”.
We have also hosted several meet-
ings with high school teachers who are
participating in our pilot project for our
First Ladies curriculum. The current unit
being tested in the high schools covers
Abigail Adams and Abigail Fillmore. Both
Abigails were prolifi c readers and very
interested in education, which made
them appropriate subjects for this pilot
produced during the inaugural year of
our Education and Research Center.
In May, we hosted the Northeastern
Ohio Career Education Center Council.
Thirty-two teachers met to plan self-
esteem, goal and career classroom
opportunities for 95 Ohio school dis-
tricts. Their work complies with state
standards for mandated career units for
grades Kindergarten through 12.
10 11
N LNewly Acquired Collection of
Artifacts
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Our historian, researcher and archi-
vist Craig Schermer recently purchased
an outstanding 70-piece collection of
First Lady items, including dresses,
shoes, books and letters. The collec-
tion was started in the 1790s by the
Van Courtland family, who were socially
prominent in the Hudson River region
north of New York. The collection was
continued by family members through
three generations. The last member of
the Van Courtland family, who died in
the 1930s, stipulated in her will that,
if the collection was ever to be sold, it
must be sold in its entirety. When the
Van Courtland estate needed repairs,
the complete collection was sold to a
collector. After changing hands several
times, it was sold to our historian, Craig
Schermer.
The gowns in the collection date
from the end of the 18th century through
the 1920s and include those belonging
to Martha Washington, Dolley Madison,
Louisa Adams, Julia Tyler, Mary Lincoln,
Frances Cleveland and Lucy Hayes.
Two books with the signature of Mary
Lincoln on the fl yleaf are in the collec-
tion, as well as her parasol and a fan
presented to Mrs. Lincoln from a min-
ister from Prussia. Mr. Schermer has
agreed to permanently loan the entire
collection to our Library.
In addition to this phenomenal new
collection, original gowns worn by each
of the fi rst ladies from Ohio are now on
display in the main exhibit room. The
gowns and fi rst ladies include: .Anna
Tuthill Symmes Harrison (1773-1864)
- a brown silk walking dress from about
1840 with a silk-fringed shawl; Lucy
Ware Webb Hayes (1831-18898) - a
long-waisted gold evening reception
dress with a high neckline and train from
1876; Helen “Nellie” Herron Taft (1861
– 1943 )- a 1903 court reception gown
worn in Manila, featuring handmade
lace and buttons, mother of pearl and
cut steel beads; Florence Kling Harding
(1860 –1924)- the dress she wore for
her husband’s funeral in 1923, along with
the hat and shoes; Caroline Scott Har-
rison (1832 – 1892)- an evening recep-
tion gown of coral and white silk with lace
sleeves; Lucretia Rudolph Garfi eld (1832
– 1928- celery green and white silk after-
noon dress worn during the campaign of
1880; and Ida Saxton McKinley (1847 –
1907)- a red and black silk dinner dress,
worn in Columbus, Ohio 1893 – 1894.
Lynne Cheney, Cokie Roberts
Visit Library
–––––––––––––––––––––––––
Lynne Cheney, author, educator
and wife of Vice President Dick Cheney
and a Senior Fellow at the American
Enterprise Institute, visited the Nation-
al First Ladies’ Library on December
3, 2003 to sign copies of her latest
book “A Is for Abigail”. She also took
time to speak to about 80 fourth and
fi fth grade students about the im-
portance of knowing America’s his-
tory and gave the students a signed
copy of her book.
Hundreds of people waited patiently
as Mrs. Cheney autographed more than
1200 books. It is the second children’s’
history book and seventh book overall
that Cheney has authored. The Abigail
in her new book is Abigail Adams, wife
of President John Adams, but the book
lists other fi rst ladies and women who
have helped shape our country.
Proceeds from the sale of her book
are donated to charitable organizations
that promote history,
On May 17, 2004 the Library
hosted Cokie Roberts, bestselling au-
thor, ABC News political commentator
and NPR news
analyst, for a book sign-
ing for her latest book,
“Founding Mothers”.
Approximately 250
people took the op-
portunity to meet Mrs. Roberts
and have their books personally
autographed. Cokie also toured
both the Saxton House and the
Education and Research
Center during her visit.
“Founding Mothers”
tells the exciting stories of
those courageous women
who worked passionately for
the foundation of our country.
In describing these women,
Cokie Roberts says, “What
they did – with great hardship,
courage, pluck, sadness, joy,
humor, energy and ingenuity – is
what women do. They put one
foot in front of another in remark-
able circumstances; they carried
on. They truly are our Founding
Mothers.”
Both Mrs. Cheney’s “A is for
Abigail” and Mrs. Robert’s “Found-
ing Mothers” are currently available for
sale at the Library.
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National First Ladies’ Library
205 Market Avenue South
Canton OH 44702
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PAIDCanton, Ohio
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Then ThereWere Two...