Ohio Road Trip- Visiting the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library & Museum

Hey there! I’m Katie, and I love traveling. While many of my favorite trips have been overseas or National Parks, I also have a soft spot in my heart for visiting places in my home state of Ohio. Throw in some historical aspect and I’m bound to be happy. Once a month I try to explore something new-to-me, and this month I finally checked off something that has been on my want-to-do list for awhile: the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library & Museum.

Getting to the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library & Museum

The site in Fremont includes the Hayes Presidential Library and Museum, along with the former home of Rutherford B. Hayes, which you can only visit as part of a guided tour. Once you arrive, there’s immediately a sense of calm. The grounds are shaded, quiet, and feel removed from everything else in town. While there’s a museum and library on site, plus the wider grounds to explore, the house itself ended up being the part I connected with most.

First Impressions of the House

From the outside, the Hayes home feels more welcoming than imposing. The wraparound verandas are one of the first things you notice. They, along with grove of trees surrounding the house, make it feel warm and inviting yet offer a lot of shelter from the city surrounding.

Inside the Home

Once inside, the house immediately feels personal in a way that surprised me. It feels like a home that still remembers the people who lived in it. Many of the furnishings are original, and the rooms are filled with books, photographs, and smaller everyday objects that make it easier to imagine actual life happening here. We were lucky enough to be on tour with just the two of us plus the guide, who was able to give up lots of information about the history of the house, as well as its occupants. It was incredible.

Something that really stood out is how the house shifts between moods. Some rooms feel more formal, tied to Hayes’s public life and presidential legacy. Others feel quieter and more domestic, like you’re seeing the quieter side of the family’s day-to-day life. That contrast keeps the visit interesting from room to room.

The Parlor and President’s Room

The tour begins on the first floor, where two neighboring rooms tell very different parts of the Hayes family story. The parlor was one of the home’s main gathering spaces, used for entertaining guests and spending time with family. Filled with period furnishings and personal belongings, it offers a glimpse into everyday life at Spiegel Grove.

Just off the parlor is the President’s Room, which served as Rutherford B. Hayes’s personal office after he returned to Fremont following his term in the White House. The room, and the adjoining bathroom/office contains furnishings, books, and memorabilia connected to his presidency. The room also reflects the work he continued to pursue in retirement. Hayes remained active in causes such as education, prison reform, and veterans’ affairs long after leaving office.

President Hayes and his first lady

Rutherford B. Hayes and Lucy Webb Hayes are often remembered for having one of the strongest and most affectionate marriages of any presidential couple of the nineteenth century. Their relationship was unusually well documented through letters, diaries, and family records, which reveal a genuine partnership built on mutual respect and admiration. Some of those letters (or rather copies) are on display at the library. The couple married in 1852 after a long courtship; their wedding photo is on display in their bedroom

Something that makes their relationship stand out is how much they seemed to value each other’s opinions. Lucy was highly educated for her era, becoming the first First Lady to hold a college degree. Rutherford often sought her advice on political and personal matters, and she was an active partner throughout his career. Friends and visitors frequently commented on the warmth between them. Even after leaving the White House and returning to Spiegel Grove, the couple remained devoted to one another. Their lives had been closely intertwined for nearly four decades, and Lucy’s death in 1889 was a devastating loss for Rutherford. He continued living at Spiegel Grove until his own death in 1893, and he was ultimately buried beside her on the estate. The bed that they both passed away in is still in their bedroom. However, I was told they have never had any ghost sightings.

Restoring the Hayes Home

One of the things I found most interesting was learning about the restoration of the house. Like many historic homes, Spiegel Grove changed over the years, and some rooms looked quite different by the time the last Hayes family members lived there in the 1960s. When preservation efforts began, the goal was to return many of the spaces to their appearance during the Hayes family’s occupancy while remaining as historically accurate as possible.

Fortunately, the family had left behind an extensive collection of photographs. These images provided valuable clues about the original furnishings, room layouts, and even decorative details such as wallpaper patterns. Using these photographs as a guide, restorers were able to recreate wallpapers and return many of the rooms to their historic appearance. The result is a house that feels remarkably authentic, while also telling the story of how it evolved through generations of family ownership.

The Grand Room and the Library

One of the most striking spaces is the grand room that was added onto the house later. It feels noticeably larger and more ceremonial than the rest of the home. The ceiling height alone changes the atmosphere, and your attention is immediately drawn to the floor-to-ceiling presidential portrait that dominates one wall. I loved the light fixtures and fireplace, all original and absolutely stunning.

In contrast, the library was the space I enjoyed most. It feels quieter and more grounded, lined with books and full of warm details that make it feel lived in rather than displayed. In the room there were several pictures of President Lincoln, who Hayes, and abolitinist, really admired.

Other features in the house

Nearby is one of the home’s most unusual features: an original elevator that is still in working order. Installed later in Hayes’s life, it reflects the family’s willingness to embrace new technology and modern conveniences. That spirit of innovation can be seen elsewhere in the house as well. Hayes was the first U.S. president to have a telephone installed in the White House during his administration, and a telephone was later added at Spiegel Grove. While those were impressive, the grand staircase is one of the most impressive features of the house.

After Hayes’s death, the estate remained in the family. His children continued to live in and care for the home, which is a big reason so much of it remains intact today. Instead of being emptied out or heavily reconstructed, it was preserved with its original character largely intact. Several of the upstairs bedrooms tell a story that extends beyond Rutherford and Lucy Hayes’s lifetimes. Their son Webb Cook Hayes (who resembles Teddy Roosevelt, don’t you think??) continued to live at Spiegel Grove and became the steward of the family estate. Rather than preserving the house exactly as it was in 1893, Webb maintained it as a family residence while carefully safeguarding many of his parents’ belongings. His efforts-and the photographs he had taken throughout the house- would later prove invaluable during the restoration work, helping preserve the appearance and character of the home for future generations.

The first presidential library

In 1916, the Hayes family made a decision that shaped the future of the estate: they helped establish what became the first presidential library in the United States. They donated the home, grounds, and Hayes’s personal papers so that they could be preserved and shared publicly. That move turned Spiegel Grove from a private family estate into a public historical site long before that was a common practice.

Inside the Haye’s museum

After touring the house we went to explore in the museum. The museum does a great job of setting up Hayes as both a president and a person. Here are some of the things you can see when you visit:

• Artifacts from his presidency – items from his White House years, including personal belongings, documents, and objects connected to his administration.
• Civil War materials – Hayes was a Union officer before becoming president, so there are exhibits about his military service, including his time as a brevet major general.
• Political career exhibits – information and artifacts from his time as Ohio governor and his contested 1876 presidential election.
• Interactive exhibits and displays – newer sections of the museum help explain the election controversy, Reconstruction era politics, and his presidency in a more accessible way.
• Lucy Hayes exhibits – highlighting her influence as First Lady, including her education, abolitionist views, and social impact (like her association with temperance).

In the Library (Research Center)

Beyond the museum, there is also a library, which is more archival and behind-the-scenes, .

• Original manuscripts and correspondence – letters written by Hayes, his family, and political figures of the time.
• Diaries and personal papers – including documents that help historians understand daily life in the White House and at Spiegel Grove.
• Photographs and family records – many of which were used in preserving and restoring the home.
• Civil War and political archives – researchers can access materials related to Reconstruction and Hayes’s presidency.
• Genealogy resources – since the Hayes Library also supports family history research, there are collections that help trace Ohio families and connections.

I ended up learning a lot more in the museum than I expected. It gave a clear picture of Hayes’s life beyond the house, especially his presidency and the world he was navigating at the time. I didn’t give myself quite enough time to explore the museum and library, there was a wealth of information!

The Grounds and Family Tomb

Visiting the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library and Museum has even more to offer! The grounds themselves are worth spending time in. The estate covers a large, wooded area, and walking between buildings feels peaceful. One of the most meaningful stops is the Hayes family tomb. It sits slightly apart from the main house, surrounded by trees, and is intentionally simple. There’s no elaborate structure around it- just a quiet, reflective space that feels very different from the more detailed interiors of the home. Scattered throughout the grounds, you’ll also notice historic iron gates and fencing, including a set of gates originally from the White House grounds.

Visitor Information

The Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library and Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and Sunday from 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM. The site is closed on Mondays. Hours can vary for holidays and special events, so it’s worth checking ahead before planning your visit. Admission is typically around $12–$15 for adults, with reduced rates for seniors and students, and discounted or free entry for children depending on age. If you have an Ohio History Connection membership it is also free! Admission includes access to the museum, library, and grounds, along with a guided tour of the Hayes Home, which is one of the highlights of the visit.

Parking is available on-site and is generally easy and convenient, with spaces located close to the museum entrance. Once parked, everything is walkable, including the museum, library, Hayes Home, and surrounding grounds. For timing, it’s best to plan for at least 2.5 to 4 hours to fully experience everything at a comfortable pace. The museum and library can take a couple of hours if you explore the exhibits in depth, and the guided house tour adds additional time depending on the schedule when you arrive. If you also want to walk the grounds and visit the Hayes family tomb, it’s worth allowing a little extra time so you don’t feel rushed.

Final Thoughts

Spiegel Grove isn’t loud or flashy, and it doesn’t try to compete with better-known presidential sites. Instead, it feels steady, personal, and unexpectedly warm. For me, the house was the clear highlight. I definitely recommend a visit if you’re interested in presidential history or Ohio history more broadly.

If you’re looking for more presidential sites in Ohio, you can also check out my posts on the Harding House in Marion and the McKinley Presidential Library & Museum and First Ladies National Historic Site in Canton. I still have a few more presidential places on my list, so stay tuned.

In the meantime, I’d love to hear your thoughts or experiences visiting Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library and Museum, or any suggestions for places I should visit next. Thanks for reading and catch you soon!

-Catching Katie