1940s Hayes Memorial Library, Fremont OH

Honoring the memory of Rutherford B. Hayes, 19th president, the Hayes family established a presidential library, the first in the United States. Opened in 1916, this library preserves President Hayes' 12,000-volume personal library along with arcihval material from his military and political career, particularly his presidency (1877-1881). Over the years, the staff has expanded the collection to over 70,000 books which reflect Hayes' special interests, including genealogy and local history, and the Gilded Age period in which he lived.