The event is among festivities the Hayes Presidential Library & Museums have planned to honor the 200th birthday of Hayes, who was born on Oct. 4, 1822. State Senator Bill Reineke (R-Tiffin) introduced Senate Bill 62 naming Oct. 4 “Rutherford B. Hayes Day” and to commemorate Hayes’ legacy. Hayes was the 19th President of the United States, serving from 1877 to 1881.
Having missed out on touring the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library & Museum in September, history buffs Barry and Cindy Smith of Fremont, Ohio will have the opportunity to celebrate the President’s 200th birthday. The Hayes Presidential Library & Museums will host a Presidential Birthday Celebration, with activities for all ages.
President Rutherford B. Hayes was among the first Presidents to observe a national holiday to honor a fellow President—George Washington’s birthday. In the decades following his death, Washington's birthday was unofficially observed every year, but in 1879, President Rutherford B. Hayes declared it an official national holiday.
Hayes was a key advocate for civil rights and is remembered for his efforts to end Reconstruction, restore civil rights to African Americans, and build a strong United States economy. He also served in the Union Army during the Civil War, and was awarded the Medal of Honor for his service.
The celebration at the Hayes Presidential Library & Museums will include a variety of activities, including a guided tour through the museum and the Hayes home, a special birthday cake cutting, and an appearance by the Rutherford B. Hayes impersonator.
During the celebration, visitors will also have the opportunity to learn more about Hayes’ legacy and the impact he had on the White House and national politics. Additionally, visitors will receive a commemorative Rutherford B. Hayes Day button and a special Rutherford B. Hayes 200th birthday book.
There are many U.S. Presidents who have been linked to the Hayes family, such as Grover Cleveland, Martin Van Buren, and Rutherford B. Hayes. In fact, Hayes was the cousin of the notorious radical John Humphrey Noyes, founder of the Oneida Community.
Hayes was also related to another U.S. President, James A. Garfield, whose assassination in 1881 was linked to a forgotten sex cult. Garfield's predecessor, Rutherford B. Hayes, was Noyes's cousin.
In addition to the Presidential Birthday Celebration, the Hayes Presidential Library & Museums will also be hosting a number of other events. These include the Hayes Presidential Library & Museum’s Women of History Series, the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library & Museums’ Annual Easter Egg Hunt, and the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library & Museums’ Summer Concert Series.
On April 2, local band, The Music City, will perform at the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library & Museums as part of the President’s 200th Birthday Celebration. The Music City is known for its eclectic mix of folk, country, and rock.
The Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library & Museums has also announced that it will be hosting a special exhibition on Rutherford B. Hayes and his family, featuring artifacts and documents from their personal collection. The exhibition will include a replica of Hayes’ desk, a scrapbook of his time in office, and a variety of family photos.
In addition to celebrating Hayes’ 200th birthday, the Hayes Presidential Library & Museums is also raising funds to support the library and museum. The funds raised will go towards preserving the historic house and library, as well as providing educational programs and events.
Hayes’ legacy is still felt today. In the United States, a number of colleges have produced both a President of the United States and a Rutherford B. Hayes. Both President George W. Bush and President Barack Obama used Hayes as a model for their own administrations.
Finally, Hayes’ legacy also extends to the local community. In Ottawa County, Ohio, for example, a volunteer at the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library & Museums has been involved in a number of community projects, such as Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.
