Walking among the giant trees on the groomed paths through Spiegel Grove, the 25 acres surrounding the President Rutherford B. Hayes mansion, it’s easy to imagine why the 19th president and his wife, Lucy, loved the wilderness.
The 31-room Hayes Victorian mansion sits next to the massive Hayes Presidential Library and Museums; the carefully tended gardens and woods are now an official arboretum.
Said to remind the family of German fairy tales, Spiegel Grove’s winding paths twist among gardens and trees, many of which the Hayes family planted more than 150 years ago.
The house was built in 1859 and much of the property was kept as gardens and a tended wood. Eventually, the museum and tomb were also added.
Location
1337 Hayes Ave. in Fremont, Ohio.
Why it matters
Spiegel Grove is more than just the property and buildings associated with the 19th president. Because of their love for the natural world, the land remained protected space within Fremont, a growing industrial city in the 1880s. The vibrant town had been little more than a fort when it was part of the War of 1812.
What to see today
While people take classes, study local culture, genealogy and tour the house and museums, they also use Spiegel Grove for their daily walks. While some events are large, like the annual Independence Day celebration, the woodland canopy is so big that it’s said that it never rains at a Spiegel Grove event.
Ask a local
Outside Spiegel Grove, stop at the Birchard Public Library’s War of 1812 cannon and see the artifact displays. Then get fresh-fried Lake Erie perch from the Tackle Box 2 and enjoy the eccentric collections decorating the beloved restaurant.
Plan your visit
rlapointe@gannett.com
419-332-2674
This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: Visit Spiegel Grove, a president’s fairy-tale woods
Reporting by Roger LaPointe, Fremont News-Messenger / Fremont News-Messenger
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
