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FREMONT, Ohio (AP) — The nation's first presidential library in Ohio is gearing up for its centennial celebration with a $1.3 million overhaul to upgrade its exhibits and make the facility a must-see destination for history buffs and casual visitors.
The Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center in Fremont is getting set to undergo an extensive redesign, including a new front entrance that will improve accessibility to the facility, the News-Messenger of Fremont reported (http://ohne.ws/1LMtohK).
"Basically, the whole museum is going to be different," spokeswoman Kristina Smith said.
The museum, which opened 35 years after Hayes left office, is working with the Ohio History Connection on the museum changes. Smith said parts of the museum will remain, including the Rotunda and the interactive display on President Hayes' travels during the Civil War, but there will also be additions to the facility.
A replica of the Resolute Desk — a gift from England's Queen Victoria to Hayes — will be placed in the President's Gallery, as well as a lectern where visitors can practice their presidential speeches.
Improvements will also be made to the gallery's lighting.
Smith said plans for the museum redesign and new entrance came about after the center surveyed 400 people in 2014 about their thoughts on the facility and what they'd like to see at the center. The survey was developed as part of the center's 2012 strategic plan.
The center has undergone several expansions and additions since its opening in 1916, but it's been 47 years since its last major overhaul.
All of the construction and changes are scheduled to be complete by the 2016 Memorial Day weekend, when the Hayes Center will host its Centennial Celebration.
Seven presidents were born in Ohio and an eighth, William Henry Harrison, was living in Ohio when elected, giving the state its nickname Mother of Presidents. The presidential library of William McKinley is also located in the state, in Canton.
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Information from: The News-Messenger, http://www.thenews-messenger.com
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