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| McKinley Monument Canton, Ohio |
Canton, Ohio will be bustling this week as football
enthusiasts from all over the country will teem into the city to partake in the
myriad activities planned for the 2014 Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement
Festival. While the Pro Football Hall of
Fame should not be missed, don’t overlook the The William McKinley Presidential
Library and Museum during your stay.
There you will find many interesting artifacts related to
the life and times of President William McKinley (the 25th President
of the United States) and his family. I
was lucky enough on my visit to be paired with a wonderful docent named Carl
Patron, who shared fascinating stories about the McKinley’s as they related to
the items on display.
If you are a “Pawn Stars” fan, you may remember a recent
episode featuring Ida McKinley’s now famous diamond tiara. The tiara was
purchased by Rick Harrison, co-owner of the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop in Las
Vegas for $43,000. Mr. Harrison was
planning to use the special tiara to raise
money for the National Epilepsy Foundation. According to Mr. Patron, “Ida McKinley had
epilepsy and so does Rick Harrison.” In
order to return the tiara to its rightful home, Rick Harrison agreed to sell
the tiara to the museum for the price he paid for it.
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| Ida McKinley's Diamond Tiara |
For the star gazers in your group, consider visiting the
Hoover-Price Planetarium during your time at the museum. Although the presentation lacked star quality, the equipment and
depiction of the night sky were out of this world.
The exercise enthusiast in your group will enjoy climbing
the 108 steps of the McKinley Monument to view the final resting place of
President William McKinley. The
impressive monument resides over the city and is a tribute to the President who
called Canton, Ohio his home.
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| McKinley Monument |
