Hiram College buys James Garfield home

Associated Press

HIRAM, Ohio

A Northeast Ohio college once led by James A. Garfield has purchased the nearby home of the 19th-century U.S. president for $200,000.

Hiram College will allow the current resident to live there as long as she wants.

The Akron Beacon Journal reports that Hiram president Tom Chema says the house fits well with campus work to memorialize Garfield’s public service.

The college will try to raise about $300,000 for eventual renovations to the home built in 1860.

Garfield studied at Hiram’s forerunner institution. Later he taught Greek and Latin at Hiram and became its principal, the equivalent of president.

He left Hiram in 1861 to lead Civil War volunteers recruited from the Hiram area.