In Focus: McKinley’s birthplace

STORY & PHOTOS

BY Robert K. Yosay

NILES

Nestled among hardwood trees, neatly trimmed grass, and finely manicured gardens on a city block on downtown’s Main Street, sits the marble-and-granite statue of William McKinley, the nation’s 25th president.

He was born in Niles in 1843; the family moved to Poland in 1852.

McKinley served from 1897 to 1901, after winning a highly contested election and was the first president to use campaign buttons to increase electoral appeal.

The National McKinley Birthplace Memorial has two lateral wings — one housing the McKinley Museum that contains an auditorium, the other the McKinley Memorial Library.

The memorial’s center Court of Honor features the statue of McKinley sculpted by John Massey-Rhind and includes busts of men instrumental in the development of the Mahoning Valley as well as politicians, industrialists and financiers.

The museum contains memorabilia of his early life, information about his service during the Civil War, and details about his quick action in the 110-day Spanish-American War, which gave the U.S. acquisition of Puerto Rico, Guam and the Philippines. Hawaii also was annexed to the United States under his watch.

McKinley was shot by Leon Czolgosz in Buffalo, N.Y., on Sept. 6, 1901. Due to infection, McKinley died Sept. 14, and became the third president to be assassinated.

The statue and memorial were built on land donated by the city. Joseph G. Butler Jr., local industrialist and philanthropist, and a childhood friend from Poland, helped raise the money for the memorial.