Buried: Canton, Ohio
Died: September 14, 1901
See him: Wow!
This presidential tomb is as big as they come. Technically Grant’s Tomb may be taller, but that one’s on flat land. McKinley’s tomb, meanwhile, is on a massive hill, towering over Canton like a colossus. Quite a few Canton residents have taken to using the long staircase leading up to the tomb for exercise – one woman told me her workout consists of going up and down the stairs ten times. She was in great shape, though if McKinley is up there watching, he must wonder why so many people come right up to the tomb without going in.
The McKinleys are indeed inside, in a black granite sarcophagus that’s carved to look like it’s actually two sarcophagi. And as the tomb doors are typically open during warm weather, the former First Couple has a great view down the hill of the greater Canton area, not to mention the William McKinley Library and Museum next door.
