Today we wrap up our series on Lake View Cemetery with a look at the James A. Garfield Memorial. Garfield was the 20th President of the Untied States. He was born in Cuyahoga County, Ohio in 1831. He represented Ohio in the House for nine terms. His term as President was only four months long, when on July 2, 1881 he was shot twice in a railway station on his way to New England. He would live for another 80 days before he passed on September 2, 1881.
On Memorial Day, 1890, the James A. Garfield Memorial was officially dedicated at Lake View Cemetery here in Cleveland. The monument was funded solely by private donations. The sandstone monument was designed by architect George Keller.
President Garfield and his wife Lucretia Garfield lie in a crypt inside the memorial. There is a twelve foot marble statue of him in the rotunda. Inside the rotunda there are five terra cotta panels with over 110 life size figures depicting scenes from Garfield’s life and death. Stained glass windows and mosaics line the base each representing one of the original 13 colonies, along with the state of Ohio.
The Garfield Memorial is open to the public April through November each year. Climb the stairs and check out the observation deck for amazing views of Lake Erie and downtown. This is a must see in Cleveland!
Want to learn more about Cleveland, come explore downtown with us, Tours of Cleveland, LLC. Our walking tours are offered most days of the week. See our schedule and book your walking tour at www.toursofcleveland.com.
