Our next stop was the Hayes Estate, right next to the library building.

It's huge. It started out huge, then had additions put onto it to make it even huger, adding not only horizontal square footage, but adding additional floors.

The story of the estate does not begin with Rutherford B. Hayes, though. Instead, it begins with his uncle, Sardis Birchard. After Hayes' parents passed away, Birchard became Hayes' guardian and father figure. Having amassed quite a fortune in the Fremont, Ohio area, Birchard decided to build a nice, big, comfortable house in the hopes his nephew, now rising through a career in law and politics, would come to live there or at least visit his uncle every once in a while, for pete's sake. The plan had mixed results--Hayes apparently did come to visit regularly, but maintained his residence in a less populated area while he served as Governor of Ohio. After his presidency ended, though, he returned to Fremont and to Spiegel Grove, and lived in the house for several years with his family.

A large sitting room with vintage carpet and wallpaper. There is a fireplace with a large portrait of a child hanging above it.

The home was passed down through the family, with renovations and additions added from time to time. It was donated to the state of Ohio in 1912, but the family continued to live in it until 1965. Several rooms, such as the one above, have been restored to appear as they would have during the Hayes' lifetime. Fortuately, the Hayes' unofficial family photographer (also Hayes' cousin), Lucy Elliot Keeler, took multiple pictures of the home that were used during the restoration process. Only two floors of the home's four levels are currently open to the public. The third floor served as servants' quarters, and the fourth is mainly a viewing area that also serves to let light into the rest of the house.

A narrow bed with two pillows and vintage bedclothes. The wall behind has vintage wallpaper with large yellow flowers.

If I'm remembering the tour info correctly (I should really take notes but that would disturb the vibe I guess?), this is the bedroom where both Lucy and Rutherford died. It did not appear to be haunted.

The other side of the bedroom, with the same yellow-flowered wallpaper and a fireplace with a large portrait above it of Lucy Hayes.

Another view of the bedroom.

A vintage sewing machine. From the informational placard next to it: Wheeler and Wilson Sewing machine of Lucy Webb Hayes. "This...sewing machine was given to Lucy...as a gift from her mother in 1858."

Lucy's sewing machine. If you zoom in, there's more info on the placard, and it's mostly readable. I've transcribed the very beginning into the Alt Text.

A wooden tub and toilet. The metal tub has a wooden panel over it that could cover the middle section of a person bathing in it.

The bathroom and bathtub. This room had a door leading directly outside, as Lucy had gotten tired of having Rutherford tromp mud all over the place. Rutherford also used this as a retreat when he needed a break from visitors--it has a large bookcase with a gazillion books in it. Lucy, who suffered from a few different chronic health issues, liked to soak in this tub. She could use the wood covering to preserve her privacy when the servants came in with questions.

A closer view of the wooden toilet, which looks like an upscale outhouse toilet with a hinged lid. There is a lantern hanging from a door above it.

Even presidents gotta potty.

A view straight up the stairwell, showing three landings and the brightly lit ceiling aaaalll the way at the top.

A view straight up, showing all the house's levels.

This photo shows not only the restored fireplace, but one of the photos used as a reference during the reconstruction of the room to its 19th-century state.

The picture of the fireplace shows a photo of the Grizzly-Bear Chair, made by Seth Kinman. This man and his chairs, as well of his other exploits, are worth a post all on their own. Read more about him here.

A bookcase with a chair in front of it and windows on either side. The windows are hung with white lacy curtains. Above the fireplace is a painting of two infants seemingly rising through the air, a bit ghostly and ethereal.

One of the sadder paintings in the house, commemorating children the Hayes family lost in infancy or early childhood.

A large room with a very high ceiling. The corner is dominated by a ginormous painting of Rutherford B. Hayes.

This room was built with an extra-high ceiling to accommodate Hayes' presidential portrait.

A room with a bookcase filled with artifacts. There are also a few chairs, a table, and a globe on a stand.

One of the precursors of the Presidential Library. Hayes kept books and artifacts in this room and referred to it as the "Little Smithsonian."

A large dining area with a huge table, chairs, and full place settings. The floor-to-ceiling windows on the back wall let in a good amount of sunlight.

The main dining room. This room has not been fully restored; for example the rug was not present during the 19th century. The ceiling features painted rosettes, and apparently the rather rambunctious children who lived here in the 1960s liked to use their spoons to shoot meatballs at the rosettes.

A fireplace with china displayed around a mirror above it. A placard features pictures of Lucy Hayes and Winnie, and an excerpt from one of Lucy's letters extolling the quality of one of Winnie's Thanksgiving dinners.

This section displays some of Lucy Hayes' china, as well as commemorating Winnie, the Hayes' cook. The photo in front of the fireplace is of the actual kitchen as it stands today--it was updated in the 1960s and is still used to prepare for events at the mansion.

Birchard's room, with a fireplace, dresser, and his portrait above the fireplace. He is an older man with a white beard, no moustache.

Birchard's bedroom, with his portrait hanging above the fireplace.

One of the later 19th century additions, this section was intended to serve as a reading nook for Lucy Hayes, but sadly she died before it was finished.

I took a gajillion more pictures, but this gives a decent idea of the look of this Very Large estate. Our tour guide was awesome, and told a number of stories about the Hayes family, including the more recent residents of the house. All in all, a very educational visit.

For more information on the history of the house and other related items of interest, see below.

https://www.rbhayes.org/estate/hayes-home/

https://www.wonderfulmuseums.com/museum/rutherford-b-hayes-museum-library/

https://www.ohiohistory.org/visit/browse-historical-sites/hayes-presidential-library-museums/

https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/GetAsset/NHLS/66000624_text

http://www.rbhayes.org/hayes/library/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spiegel_Grove

https://www.sanduskycounty.org/hayesgroups