James A. Garfield and Family
JAG and Civil Rights
This program traces James Garfield’s various attitudes toward African-Americans, his interactions with African-Americans while in the Union army and in Congress; his eloquent and determined support of the civil, political, and voting rights of blacks during Reconstruction and in the years that followed.
The 1st Front Porch Campaign
In 1880, presidential candidate James A. Garfield did something revolutionary: made himself available to the public, greeting them right from the front porch of his Mentor home! Observe the contrasts between Garfield’s presidential campaign and that of our current president.
The Death of President James A. Garfield
President James A. Garfield served just four months in office before being shot by Charles Guiteau on July 2, 1881. The president lingered for over two months, finally dying on September 19, 1881. This program details the circumstances of the shooting, the president’s medical care, and his death and funeral.
Funeral of the Century
Though not as noted in history as the Lincoln funeral, President Garfield’s lavish funeral on September 26, 1881 was at the time called “the funeral of the century.” Recount the Garfield funeral in detail and see images of a number of original artifacts from the solemn ceremony.
The Garfield Family Tree
Did you know there are still hundreds of Garfield descendants today, including many still in the Cleveland area! This presentation will focus on exploring the vast Garfield family tree, both past and present.
James A. Garfield: Passionate Reader
James A. Garfield was a devoted reader of books on all different subjects. Learn more about what he liked to read and the many books displayed in the Memorial Library and elsewhere in the Garfield home!
Mr. Garfield’s Neighborhood in Mentor, Ohio
You know that President and Mrs. Garfield’s home is on Mentor Avenue here in Mentor, but what other buildings and homes surrounded their property during their years here? This program, based on our popular neighborhood walking tour, will tell you!
“My Dear Mrs. Garfield”: Sympathy Letters to Lucretia Garfield after the President’s Death
Learn more about and hear excerpts from some of the thousands of sympathy letters Lucretia Garfield received after her husband’s assassination.
Mollie Garfield in the White House
March is Women’s History Month! Commemorate it with this talk about Mollie Garfield, only daughter of President and Mrs. Garfield. The program is based in part on the diary 14-year-old Mollie kept in 1881 while living in the White House!
Garfield Home Restoration, Part I and II
The year 2018 was the 20th anniversary of the Garfield home re-opening to the public in June 1998 after a renovation and restoration of several years. Learn more about what was done to improve the home over 20 years ago!
Victorian America
A Ghoulish Affair: Victorian Halloween Traditions
From All Saints Day to All Hallows’ Eve, the holiday of Halloween has seen many changes over the years. Séances, interest in the supernatural, and game-filled parties are just a few of the ways Victorian era Americans celebrated what we now call Halloween. Learn more about how they helped shape the spooky holiday we celebrate today!
Merry Ghost Christmas: Exploring Victorian Christmas Ghost Stories
Reading beloved classics like Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol conjures up images of spirits from the past haunting the present. But that story isn’t the only one about Christmas ghosts during the Victorian era. Learn more about some lesser-known ghostly tales that were read by the fireside during the Christmas season!
Murder Most Foul!
The turn of the last century brought us two of the most shocking murders in our history. Surprisingly, each case involved a famous American architect (thankfully NOT presidential son/career architect Abram Garfield!) and his mistress. Hear all the details in this informative and eye-opening program!
Pine Trees, Poinsettias, and Plum Pudding: The Birth of Holiday Traditions
Celebrate the holidays by learning how some of our most cherished holiday traditions came to be. Also discussed will be how the Garfields celebrated the holidays in their Mentor home!
The Lives of Domestic Servants in the 1800s
The Garfields were a middle class family before President Garfield’s death, but they often had a domestic servant or two working for them here in Mentor. Learn more about the jobs, living conditions, wages, and societal vies of domestic servants during the Victorian Era. Also hear about Mary Jane Gallagher, Mrs. Lucretia Garfield’s longest-tenured house-keeper!
“What Did Garfield Eat?”: Foods of the Victorian Era
Americans of the Garfields’ time ate very differently than we do today. Learn more about some of the foods and cooking methods used during the Victorian era.
“Which Fork Do I Use?”: Dining Etiquette in the Gilded Age
If you’ve seen shows like “Downton Abbey” you know that dining etiquette was very different a century or so ago than today! Learn more about the many rules that governed how food was served and consumed in Gilded Age America.
Victorian Christmas Music
Christmas songs and carols are one of everyone’s favorite holiday traditions, and that was the case in Victorian America as well. Learn about the origins of some of the most famous and beloved Christmas and holiday tunes.
Victorian Weddings
Many modern brides don’t realize that the wedding traditions today are steeped in history, some dating back to ancient Roman times. Become enlightened about the customs and fashions of weddings during America’s Victorian period.
Photography in the Victorian Era (Part 1 and Part 2)
The art of photography developed and improved rapidly during the Victorian era. This presentation will explore the history of photography in the United States and how it evolved during and after the Civil War!
Civil War
Battles
- The Battle of Gettysburg
- The Battle of Spotsylvania
- The Siege of Atlanta
- Fort Sumter: April 12, 1861
- The Battle of Antietam
- The Battle of Fredericksburg
- Sherman’s March to the Sea
People
- Grant and Lee
- Postwar Careers of Important Civil War Military Leaders
- The Life of Frederick Douglass
- Jefferson Davis: A Survey
- Women of the Civil War: Clara Barton and Dr. Mary Walker
- Women of the Civil War: Soldiers and Spies
- Lincoln
- The Life of Abraham Lincoln
- Re-Electing Lincoln in 1864
- The Lincoln Assassination
- The Emancipation Proclamation
- Deconstructing the Gettysburg Address
- Lee’s Old War Horse: General James Longstreet
- The Irish Brigade
- Eisenhower at Gettysburg
- The Life and Legacy of Joshua Lawrence Chamberlin
Politics
- The Early Republican Party, the Civil War, and America’s Westward Expansion
- The Election of 1864
- History of the Grand Army of the Republic
Arts, Culture and Society
- Civil War Photography Part 1 & 2
- Important Books and Authors of the Civil War
- Art Inspired by the Civil War
- The Laws of War and the Special Challenges of Civil War
- Christmas in Camp during the Civil War
- Notorious Prisons of the Civil War
Slavery and Reconstruction
- The Postwar Years of Grant, Lee, and Other Civil War Soldiers
- James A. Garfield in the Civil War and Reconstruction
- A Slave No More: Two Narratives of Emancipation
- Reinventing Freedom: The Importance of the 14th Amendment
Legacy
- The “Lost Cause” and Civil War Memory
- The National Park Service and Battlefield Preservation
- An Armchair Tour of Civil War Sites in the National Park Service
- Cleveland’s Soldiers and Sailors Monument
- The Significance of June 19
- Civil War Archaeology
Art and Architecture
An Armchair Tour of National Parks Commemorating American Arts and Culture (Part 1 and Part 2)
Everyone knows national parks for history and natural beauty, but did you know that national parks also commemorate great writers, artists, architects, and more? Learn about sites that interpret Edgar Allan Poe, Eugene O’Neill, Carl Sandburg, and more!
The Picturesque Rural Victorian Home
Following the picturesque movement and the Gothic revival in Europe, American architects shunned the simplicity of prior architectural styles, leading to the variety seen in the Carpenter Gothic style up to the “gingerbread” Victorian homes across the United States. Advances in woodworking technology and accessibility of these plans meant that even county builders and carpenters could build ornate homes. We can still see the remnants of this time in ornamental front porches and detailed woodwork in the gables of homes dating to the 1860s-1900s. Learn about the origins of Victorian architecture in the U.S. and growth in areas like Mentor, Ohio!
The Art of Lawnfield
President James A. Garfield once described his wife, Lucretia, as having “faultless taste”. The home she lovingly made for her family over a century ago, today stands fully furnished and restored as Mentor’s own James A. Garfield National Historic Site. Learn more about Mrs. Garfield’s taste and style as well as the decorative trends of the Victorian era as we explore the beautiful and impressive art of the Garfield’s beloved “Lawnfield”.
Louis Tiffany’s Interiors
Son of a wealthy designer, Louis C. Tiffany expanded and created his own style. This program will explore Tiffany’s art and his work to make interior designs, stained glass, and more for the wealthy and middle class alike.
The Garfield Home Restoration, Parts 1 and 2
The year 2018 is the 20th anniversary of the Garfield home re-opening to the public in June 1998 after a renovation and restoration of several years. Learn more about what was done to improve the home 20 years ago!
Presidents
Who’s NOT Buried in Grant’s Tomb?: Presidential Tombs, Monuments, and Memorials
Tombs, monuments, memorials…all meant to honor heroes, but what’s the difference between them? Enjoy a presentation about the various monument and memorials built to honor and remember American presidents.
Inaugural Ball Gowns & Fashions of America’s First Ladies
Trace inaugural balls throughout American history, highlighting the fashions worn through the centuries. We’ll also take a look at President Garfield’s inaugural celebration, held at the “new” Arts and Industries Building at the Smithsonian Institution.
Mourning Assassinated Presidents
Four U.S. presidents-Lincoln, Garfield, McKinley, and Kennedy-have been assassinated. Learn more about the mourning rituals of those time periods, the public funerals for each man, and the ways in which their lives have been remembered.
A Proper Washington Welcome
How does Washington, D. C. welcome new residents to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue? The answer: with a ball, of course! Trace inaugural balls throughout American history, highlighting the fashions worn throughout the centuries.
Miscellaneous
America's Best Idea--History of the National Park Service
This program will provide information about the agency’s founding in 1916 and the history of the conservation movement and ethic in the United States. Large Victorian homes required domestic workers and servants to keep them running. Learn more about the lives, jobs, and difficulties of these servants, including some of those that worked in Mentor for James and Lucretia Garfield!
History of the Western Reserve
When James Garfield’s family arrived in Ohio, it was an area of wilderness and desolation, but it held promise for hard working pioneers. Learn about this history of this area we call the Western Reserve, and the role it played in the development of northeast Ohio.
The “Tough Stuff” of American History: Interpreting Controversial History in America’s National Parks
When they hear the term “national park,” most people think of beautiful views, wildlife, hiking, and camping. But national parks also interpret American history—both the triumphant and the controversial. Learn more about some of the difficult American history being studied and interpreted in your national parks.
The Life of Frederick Douglass
Frederick Douglass was for many years the most famous black man in America. Born a slave, he escaped to the North and became a passionate, articulate voice for abolition of slavery and the civil and political rights of African Americans.
This isn’t a Road Show: The Divide between Antiques and Artifacts
As American material culture becomes ever more present, people start to wonder what their family's possessions may be worth. What may hold sentimental value to one might hold no historical value to another. This talk will discuss how museum curators and collections managers decide what does and does not get preserved and the thoughts and issues that surround it. Do YOU have anything a curator might want now or in the future?
White House Weddings
The White House has played host to an incredible eighteen weddings since 1812!While only one was for a sitting president, nine were for presidential children. Others have been for presidential siblings, relatives, and friends. Hear stories about some of the biggest and most glamorous weddings ever in the United States!
Ohio’s “Hiking Grandma”
Ohio’s Emma “Grandma” Gatewood became the first American hiking celebrity in 1955 when, at age 67, she told her children she was “going for a walk.” That “walk” ended up being the entire 2,168 miles of the Appalachian Trail. She was the first woman to hike the entire trail solo and in a single season—and she then did it two more times! “Grandma” Gatewood was a founding member of Ohio’s Buckeye Trail Association; the Buckeye Trail passes through Mentor! Join us as we discuss and appreciate the accomplishments of Ohio’s “Hiking Grandma”!
Network to Freedom: Connecting James A. Garfield to the Underground Railroad
In 2017, James A. Garfield NHS had the honor of being designated a site on the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom. This program, administered by the National Park Service, coordinates and integrates places across the country associated with the Underground Railroad. Embark on a journey to discover the Network to Freedom, and the Garfield site's connection to it. Come away knowing about other sites across the country, including several in Northeast Ohio.
