On a road trip with my friend Lisa to visit multiple National Park Service sites, we stopped in Canton, Ohio to explore a lesser-known gem in the National Park Service system. The First Ladies National Historic Site is the only place in the country dedicated solely to the stories of America’s First Ladies from Martha Washington to Melania Trump. This was my third attempt to visit this NPS unit and it’s well worth the stop, especially to learn more about President William McKinley’s and First Lady Ida Saxton McKinley’s love story and her impact on the country.

The First Ladies National Historic Site is made up of two key locations:

Saxton-McKinley House: Touring the restored Victorian home of First Lady Ida Saxton McKinley and President McKinley gives you a glimpse into late-19th-century life highlighting Ida’s personal story, which included chronic illness and resilience. Can only see on a guided tour.

Education & Research Center: Located in an 1895 bank building, you can see exhibits on the lives and contributions of all the First Ladies. Rotating displays like and multimedia presentations make it engaging whether you’re a casual visitor or a dedicated history buff.

Exploring the Visitor Center

The First Ladies National Historic Site spotlights the influence and legacies of America’s First Ladies beyond White House china patterns. From Dolley Madison’s social savvy to Eleanor Roosevelt’s advocacy for human rights to Jacqueline Kennedy’s passion for the arts, you get a deeper look at the women behind the presidents. You also learn how the role of First Lady has evolved over time, reflecting changes in society, politics, and women’s leadership.

We started on the main floor of the visitor center wandering through the Eras Exhibit tracing the history of First Ladies through different eras: from the Founding Era (1776–1837) and Civil War years to the Jazz Age, Great Wars, Counter Culture of the 1970s, and into the Contemporary Era (2001–2025).

On the lower level, there’s a small theater and rotating displays. The second floor is home to the East Room Experience, where you can try out throwback tools like a typewriter, rotary phone, and cameras, or even stand at a podium and deliver some of the powerful speeches written and spoken by First Ladies such as Eleanor Roosevelt and Nancy Reagan. There’s also a kids’ zone, making this a surprisingly interactive stop for families.

Carpe Diem Coffee Break

Tours of the Saxton-McKinley House are offered Wednesday–Saturday at 10 a.m., 12 p.m., and 2 p.m. on a first-come basis. Lisa and I arrived a little too late for the morning tour. After exploring the visitor center we headed to a coffee shop recommended by one of the rangers. Carpe Diem Coffee Shop is just a few minutes walk. We enjoyed this local favorite celebrating 23 years and enjoyed our lattes sitting outside on a beautiful early fall Ohio morning before heading back for the noon house tour.

Touring the Saxton-McKinley House

Our guide, Dave, led us through the elegant Victorian home where Ida Saxton grew up and later lived with William McKinley before his presidency. The house, with an 1840s back and a post–Civil War front, was passed down through four generations before being sold and later restored.

Highlights from the tour included:

A floating staircase restored using sketches by Ida’s great-granddaughter.

A one-of-a-kind parlor chandelier, likely the original, discovered by chance in a Florida antique shop.

Tales of Ida’s brother George, whose scandalous affair ended in murder.

Being in a home where five U.S. presidents – Hayes, Garfield, Arthur, Taft, and McKinley – have slept.

Ida’s parlor with her beloved piano, and stories of her European “Grand Tour” with her sister

The upstairs suite where the McKinleys lived from 1873–1890, filled with both personal tragedy and political ambition.

On the tour you learn about Ida’s life, marked by both resilience and heartbreak. She survived a carriage accident, lost her mother and a daughter close together then a second daughter a few years later, and suffered seizures that left her lethargic. Yet she remained engaged and well-educated, often weighing in on political discussions and offering advice to her husband from her suite. She even knitted an estimated 4,000 pairs of slippers, donating them to charities across the country for fundraising auctions, quietly helping so many.

A History Stop Worth Adding to Your List

Visiting the First Ladies National Historic Site brings women’s history to the forefront of presidential history. The Saxton-McKinley House tour gives a personal look at one of America’s lesser-known First Ladies, while the visitor center highlights the evolving role of First Lady over 250 years of American history.

For travelers exploring Ohio’s National Park Service sites or anyone interested in the untold stories of women in American history, this stop in Canton is a hidden gem worth adding to your itinerary. This is also a great addition to a trip to Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton.