Located in Marion and free to visit if you're an Ohio History Connection member. There is a visitors center that has a gift shop and a small museum. The tour took us through his home which had a lot of history and has been kept in wonderful condition. We loved being on the porch where he campaigned and learning about how the property was set up during that time. You can also stop by the monument where he and his wife are buried since it's only a mile away. read more

See all

This is not only home of a presidential library, it is also the site of the home of William Harding, the 29th President of the United States. This is a compound that consist of the Harding Presidential Library and Museum, Harding's Home, a horse shoe pit where you can threw a few shoes, a sentry guard house, a press house and Christian house (Harding's neighbors). President Harding was a long time resident of Marion, so it is only fitting that the city is where the President's Museum and Library is located. As you would expect, the grounds are immaculate and well maintained. There is a huge private parking lot to park and some benches on the grounds to sit. The Harding house was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1965. The museum/library and houses were all closed during my visit, but I was able to freely walk around the campus and check things out. There are a bunch of informational placards around the grounds. I suggest making sure your check the library/museum operating hours if you plan on going into the buildings. I also suggest coupling this trip with a visit to the Harding Memorial which is about a mile and a half away. read more

See all

The Harding Home and Museum (aka the Harding Presidential Sites) includes the Harding Home and the Harding Presidential Library and Museum. The Ohio Historical Society recently completed a complete renovation of the house - spending over $1,000,000 on the renovation. The Library and Museum opened in 2020. This site is about 1.5 miles from the Harding Memorial (aka the Harding Tomb). There are guided tours of the house (hourly at the top of hour). The website indicates you can make reservations for a tour but on the day we were here - reservations were not needed. In fact, my wife and I were the only two on the 11am tour. John, our tour guide, was fantastic. He gave an excellent narration and intrepratation of how life was in the 1920's - including the political environment of the day and Harding's "porch campaign". The house is well preserved and well maintained (it is managed by the Ohio Historical Connection). Also on the grounds are the "press house" - a "kit hhouse" that was build in two days to house the media covering the campaign and the Harding Presidential Library and Museum. The Library and Museum offers self-guided tours and has a wealth of exhibits chronicling the Harding campaign and his brief time in office. read more

Maybe it was because Harding ranks towards the bottom of the list of Presidents. Maybe it was because it was brutally cold on what should have been a nice spring day. Maybe it was because it isn't a National Historic Site operated by the National Parks Service. But I expected to be underwhelmed. Boy, was I wrong. This place is a gem. The museum is excellent. It's pretty new and well thought out. The artifacts contained within it are fascinating. The videos they run are exactly what you need to better understand the man and the President. I think what I liked best about the museum is that it doesn't overload the visitor. You get what you need information wise. I'd go in a little early before the house tour and see the museum first. Give yourself about an hour. That should be enough time to see what you want to see there. The house tour was exceptional. Our guide had the heart of a teacher, and was extremely knowledgeable about both the house itself and its former occupants. My daughter asked a lot of questions. Probably too many. But our guide was patient and answered each one like it was the most important question she'd ever been asked. I was initially surprised by the nearly $50 tour charge for my family of four. But it was worth every penny. Too many places have you do a self guided tour nowadays ~ this is a welcome return to the old days when you can actually have questions and get answers. Marion isn't what one might call a travel destination. But I have to tell you that if you never make it here you're missing something special. Take some time after the tour and visit the final resting place of the Hardings at the Harding Memorial. It's a short drive from the museum and it's definitely worth a look as well. read more

See all

Former president William G Harding was our 29th president (from 1921-1923). Unfortunately on August 2, 1923, he passed away at the age of 57 from what is believed to be a cardiac arrest (Florence Harding did not consent to an autopsy and his body was embalmed an hour after he died), while he was on a cross country tour. He had plans to visit the Alaska Territory, go south along the West Coast, travel to San Diego via US Navy ship along the Mexican and Central America West Coast, through the Panama Canal, to Puerto Rico. Then to eventually return to Washington at the end of August. William Harding was known for his "return to normalcy" idea. He won the presidential election after WWI, and won the popular vote margin. After he had passed away, his vice president, Calvin Coolidge, took over office (who served 2 terms). Before he became president, after he had finished college, he ended up deciding to purchase the Marion Daily Star, a small local newspaper, with 2 friends. He had worked as an apprentice in a newspaper shop prior. He met his wife shortly after he had moved to Marion, when he was 16. Florence Mabel Kling was born to the richest man in the small town and had married a man named Henry De Wolfe, a neighbor. She was only 19 and he was 21. Her father did not approve of this marriage. Unfortunately this man was an alcoholic and gambled and spent all of her money. He eventually left her and so she and their son ended up living on her own. Because she did not want to move back home and ask her father for help, she renting rooms in her house and earned money by giving piano lessons to children in the neighborhood. She eventually divorced her first husband (whom died at the age of 35). When she married William Harding, she was 30 and he was 25. They got married in their home, in which your admission to this museum includes an excellent and informative docent led tour of their home (their home was built during their engagement). You may be surprised with how well preserved the house is. According to our docent, William Harding was best know for his front porch campaigning style. Although the concept of front porch campaigning is not new, he did almost all of his 3 months of campaigning from his front porch, in which he would give his campaign speech from his front porch and allow people to come and gather to listen (former Presidents Benjamin Harrison, James Garfield, and William McKinley also used this technique while campaigning. William Harding was the 4th president and last one to campaign this way). You can just imagine how so many people came to listen to William Harding speak. Our docent said there were thousands of people out on the lawn, in the street and even being so bold as to climb on the neighbor's roof across the street, just to listen to him (you just know the neighbors just loved that). What came out of this were small food stands that would soon develop and sell food for people to eat a meal while they listened. Reading from another presidential museum, William Harding had thought that because he was from the journalism community, many of which he was friends with numerous journalists, he thought they would not write/ print mean things about him in the paper. But he was wrong and found himself shocked when they did (lol, honestly I think this is funny). In the museum, you will see a separate lard portrait of Florence and William Harding. William Harding is posing with his dog, Laddie Boy, an Airedale. He went to cabinet meetings with William Harding and had received a lot of coverage in the newspaper. After William Harding had passed away, Florence decided to give Laddie Boy away to her favorite secret service man because she was growing ill and did not think she would be able to take care of him. So Laddie Boy moved to Boston and lived out his life. Florence Harding passed away about a little over a year after her husband died. She died of renal failure but it has been observed that a broken heart over the unexpected and sudden death of her husband was a contributing factor (she was with her husband when he passed away). Visiting this museum and touring the home was a great experience. Although I wished the museum had more information about both the former president and first lady's life in their youth. There is another wing to be constructed in the future. Admission is $16 but $15 for college students and $8 for students younger. Active military and their families are able to come in for free. read more

See all

It was great- Wish it included something about the burial site. Also it didnt discuss any of the controversial stuff with him as president...But the house was beautiful as were the grounds and the musuem- Lady in gift show is excellent... read more

This place had so much to offer. It was very informational and fun at the same time. It was obviously well loved, the tour guides were fantastic, and there were so many original items from Harding's home. I would definitely recommend this! read more

We stopped here on the way the way through Ohio and glad we did! It is open on weekends even though trip advisor shows closed. The museum was small but informative and the intro film gave just the right amount of background info. Our tour was led by Beth who was excellent. She was knowledgeable, took plenty of time and answered all of our questions. Great excursion for a road trip. read more

See all

I went here last weekend with two friends from grad school. We all studied history in college. We didn't want to make the guide uncomfortable so we didn't share with that one of us works in another presidential home and another did his dissertation on Harding's election. Overall, I very much enjoyed this trip!! The tour gives you an excellent description of Harding's campaign on his iconic front porch and the home has many authentic items belonging to a Warren and Florence. It's not filled with furniture "from the period" or "like he might have had". It's his actual stuff. The guide was very knowledgeable and gave us a good picture of Harding's relationship with Florence (and his douchy father-in-law). The intro film is very well done as well. The museum leaves a bit to be desired but my understanding is in 2020 they're going to be opening a fairly grand presidential library and museum on the adjacent property. I definitely plan on coming back in a few years. I will say the intro film and the guides don't really volunteer information about Harding's tarnished legacy (Tea Pot Dome, his affairs, etc) but if you ask they're up front about it and don't shy away from anything. Also, don't forget to visit his memorial and tomb located like a mile away!! read more

This place is great! If you enjoy presidential history - this is a great site. Staff was wonderful, helpful and full of interesting facts about President and Mrs. Harding. I strongly recommend a visit - not much in Marion, but this place is worth the visit! read more

The review by Anne is odd because the staff at the Harding Home DOES INDEED wear gloves at all times during the tour and I have found the staff to be extremely knowledgeable about history. I have been there several times, so I know that her review is not based on facts. read more

i went to the harding house and had to slip anybody anything ...it was a wonderful tour given by a knowledgeable school teacher who has worked their for over 20 summers there we no librarians in sight.....so anyone who has a chance to go please do cost is six bucks not twenty and I can guarantee no one will snap their fingers at you.....and the tomb is a mile and a half away anybody can visit that anytime its outdoors and there is no charge read more