In 1920, the nation’s attention turned to Marion, Ohio during Senator Warren G. Harding’s “front porch” presidential campaign. One hundred years later, Marion will again be at center stage as we celebrate the centennial of Harding’s successful campaign and highlight his White House legacy.
The Ohio History Connection and Marion Technical College are working together to transform the Warren G. Harding Home Presidential Site. This collaborative effort, called Harding 2020, includes the complete restoration of the Harding Home, as well as the establishment of the Harding Presidential Center, which will serve as a visitor center, museum, archives and multi-purpose event facility.
“As we gear up for this grand event, we are proud to secure community partners along the way, the latest of which is OhioHealth in Marion who has committed to a $20,000 per year gift to the project over a five year period, “said Harding Home Presidential Site Manager Sherry Hall.
“Having OhioHealth on board with the Harding 2020 project is terrific. OhioHealth is a vital part of the Marion community, and we’re thrilled that it recognizes the importance of the Harding project at both a local and national level,” Hall added.
The Harding Home will be restored to the 1920 era of Harding’s successful “front porch” campaign, which brought national attention to Marion and solidified his presidential victory. At that time, droves of people came to Marion to hear then-Senator Warren G. Harding speak. Countless Americans watched newsreel footage of the crowds from the comfort of their local movie theaters. Now, a century later, the excitement will return to the place where that famous campaign unfolded.
“President Harding’s history is a large part of Marion’s pride. Securing the legacy through supporting the Harding 2020 project is important. It brings tourism, economic growth, and nostalgia. All wonderful reasons to be a community partner in the restoration of Marion’s past,” Bruce Hagen, president, OhioHealth Marion General Hospital said.
Harding 2020 will place Marion in the spotlight once again as we commemorate the 100th anniversary of Warren G. Harding’s election, while also allowing for a much more comprehensive interpretation of the life of our 29th President.
If you visit the Harding Home in 2020, you may feel as though Florence Harding has just rushed past in the reception hall of the house or that you’ve caught a glimpse of a newspaperman lounging on the front porch of the Press House. You’ll enjoy the grape arbor and newly planted apple trees the way the Hardings did, and you can mimic the horseshoe games played by Harding and his multitude of friends. The Press House will appear as the newspapermen saw it, equipped with typewriters, telegraph keys and perhaps a stogie or two.
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