James A Garfield

James A. Garfield purchased the country estate in 1876, during his service in the U.S. House of Representatives as acountry home for his young and active family, which included five boys and a girl. From the residence, he conducted his successful race for President in 1880 (the first "front porch" campaign). News reporters of the day, dubbed the estate "Lawnfield." The farmhouse, erected in 1832, was originally a small, 1-1/2-story frame structure. Between1877 and 1879, Garfield and his wife enlarged it to 2-1/2 stories, addeda porch across the front, and refurnished the interior. An enthusiasticfarmer, Garfield spent many hours tilling the soil and conducting a variety ofagricultural experiments. After his death in 1881, Mrs. Garfield returned home to Lawnfield and began an addition that would serve as a secure environment for the books and papers that recorded Garfield's long public service. Completed in 1886, the Garfield Memorial Library was the first of its kind in the country.