Saxton McKinley House under construction in Canton, Ohio, on August 11, 2023.
Saxton McKinley House under construction in Canton, Ohio, on August 11, 2023. Engineerchange · CC BY-SA 4.0

First Ladies National Historic Site

National Historic Site · Ohio · National Park Service

First Ladies National Historic Site consists of two properties in downtown Canton, Ohio - the home of First Lady Ida Saxton-McKinley and our Visitor Center. Come learn about how the position of First Lady has evolved over time to include a public role. The National Park Service manages the site, which sits at 205 Market Avenue South in Canton, Ohio.

The interpretation reaches beyond a single house museum. Listed topics span Architecture and Building, African American Heritage, Arts, Presidents, Social Movements, Voting Rights and Suffrage, Tragic Events, Assassinations, and Women's History. It is a stop suited to travelers already in Canton with an hour or two to spend, rather than a destination requiring a special trip on its own.

Plan your visit

Trails

1 named routes 3.77 mi of walkable ways mapped within 2 km

  • 1.49 Herbert L. Fisher Walking Track

Know before you go

Phone
(330) 452-0876
Official site
www.nps.gov
Managed by
National Park Service

Getting there

Directions on Google Maps →

On the ground

First Ladies National Historic Site consists of two properties in downtown Canton, Ohio - the home of First Lady Ida Saxton-McKinley and our Visitor Center, which together anchor most visits. Guided tours of the Saxton House run at 10:00am, 12:00pm, and 2:00pm, with tours limited to fifteen people and tickets on a first come first serve basis. Visitors can join Guided Tours, Living History and First Person Interpretation programs, watch a park film, and browse Museum Exhibits and a Bookstore and Park Store.

Outside the two buildings, downtown Canton offers city sidewalks rather than site-maintained trails. Within about 2000 meters of the site, mapped ways include the Herbert L. Fisher Walking Track at 1.49 miles and a short stretch of 3rd Street Southeast at 0.07 miles.

Photos

Practical notes

From May 1-October 31 First Ladies National Historic Site's Visitor Center will be open Tuesday-Saturday, 9:00AM to 4:00PM, closed Sunday and Mondays. Free parking is available behind the Saxton House or at a gated lot on the corner of Market Avenue South and 3rd Street SW, and visits should begin at the visitor center at 205 Market Avenue South. The site can be reached at (330) 452-0876.

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Sources: National Park Service, Wikimedia Commons / editorial, OpenStreetMap contributors · updated 2026-08-12