Hayes Presidential raising money for critical projects The Hayes Presidential Library & Museums has secured initial funding Board member and volunteer John Havens, who to begin painting the is cataloging the Spiegel Grove trees, stands next Hayes Home cupola to one of his favorites on the property. It is an American hornbeam that is much larger than the and is working to raise typical tree of its species. additional money to complete this and two other critical Board member researches, infrastructure projects. Cost for the work on catalogs Spiegel Grove trees the exterior of the cupola, The cupola, or lantern, of the Hayes Home which is the 360-degree When President Grover Cleveland arrived is badly in need of painting. Rotting wood window area at the top at Spiegel Grove for President Rutherford B. around the windows also must be replaced. of the historic home, will Hayes’ funeral, the horses pulling his carriage start at $18,000 and could became rattled and upset. increase depending on how much wood needs to be replaced. It is Cleveland stepped out of his carriage and not clear when the contractor can begin the job. leaned up against a hickory tree while waiting A gift from the Jeanne Reed Fund of the Toledo Community for the horses to calm themselves. Foundation will cover some of the cost. Years later, the Hayes family named that “It is an important project because of the fact that it is at the top of same hickory tree, located near the Hayes the house,” said John Bell, Hayes Presidential building and grounds Home verandah, in honor of Cleveland. superintendent. “If it begins to fail and allow water into the building, During President William Howard Taft’s it is possible to damage four stories of a historic building.” visit to Spiegel Grove to see Col. Webb Cook The wood around the cupola, also sometimes called the lantern, Hayes, son of Rutherford and First Lady has not been painted in more Please see Projects, page 8 Lucy Hayes, Taft noticed a Please see Trees, page 3 Inside this issue: The Student Statesman special section This special section starts features articles, essays and a poem by Ohio high school students that fit the theme of Hayes Presidential’s special exhibit, “The Press & The Presidency.” It starts on page 9. Spring brings Glass renewal to Grove negative collection It’s hard picking my favorite time of year at Spiegel Grove. The lush green of summer, the riot of colors saved on its in fall, the stark, quiet beauty of winter . as every season arrives I way to think ‘THIS is my favorite!’ Local woman Stella Gabel is After a year of crisis, I think pictured in his photo from the garbage I am appreciating springtime Grob Negative Collection. more than ever, especially since Several years ago, a man cleaning out an old I missed spring’s arrival at photo studio on Justice Street in Fremont called Spiegel Grove last year due to our Head of Photographic Resources Gil Gonzalez. pandemic-induced closure. Christie Weininger He and some other people were shoveling glass The tender young wildflowers Executive Director photo negatives out of the basement of the former pushing their beautiful blooms out studio and planning to take them to the dump. of the earth, the soft pinks of the magnolia tree by the Hayes home and the deep fuchsia of “As long as it takes for me to get there, that’s the red bud trees lining the path down the hill – all of these how long they will shovel glass,” Gonzalez traditional signs of spring are a source of inspiration for me. recalled. “I got to take what was left.” It was an absolute delight that we were able to hold the The glass negatives Gonzalez was able to Easter Egg Roll on the grounds once again. save are the bulk of Hayes Presidential Library & Museums’ Grob Negative Collection, which We welcomed 400 adults and children to romp consists of about 2,000 5x7 studio glass negatives around the grounds, participating in all sorts of outdoor of many Fremont residents from around 1905. activities. Hearing their merry laughter bouncing off the trees did my soul good. These are glass-plate negatives of formal studio portraits of children, couples, grandparents, Even dog walkers and joggers stopped for a few babies and family groups. They demonstrate moments to take in the scene. “What a joy to see the remarkable clarity and technical accomplishment. grounds so full again,” said one of our board members who volunteered for the event. Many represent baptisms, confirmations, weddings and family gatherings of Fremont and A return to normal, even in small steps, does feel good! Sandusky County residents. The images span a The staff here has been busy, adapting as we must, and relatively short time period, circa 1900 to 1910. working hard to keep Spiegel Grove a wonderful place To learn more about this collection, visit for all to enjoy. From new programs, returning programs rbhayes.org/grob-photo-collection. and important buildings and grounds projects, read on to see what we have in store for you! Toledo Symphony Concert Band performs annual Independence Day Concert Celebrate Independence Day with a patriotic concert on Food trucks will sell lunch and snacks on site. the verandah of President Rutherford and First Lady Lucy Parking is available on the Hayes Presidential Library & Hayes’ beloved, historic home. Museums’ grounds, weather-permitting. The annual concert features the Toledo Overflow parking is available on the street Symphony Concert Band and will take place Hal & Diane and in ProMedica Memorial Hospital’s parking from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Sunday, July 4. The Hawk lots at Buildings A and B, located at 605 Third band will play a variety of music, and Civil Ave. Hayes Presidential is a short walk to the War reenactors will fire cannons in sync with east of the hospital parking lots. For updates, Tchaikovsky’s “1812 Overture.” visit rbhayes.org. Admission is free. Bring a chair or blanket for The Hayes Home and museum will be open seating on the Hayes Home lawn. from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The library will be closed. Face-coverings are required, and attendees The concert is sponsored by Hal and are asked to keep 6 feet of distance between Diane Hawk and Crown Battery and the themselves and other household groups. Ohio Arts Council. page 2 GroveFest celebrates nature, Spiegel Grove Enjoy the outdoors and nature- GroveFest showcases the themed activities during the couple’s beloved estate and its Hayes Presidential Library & nature aspects Museums’ annual GroveFest on Toledo Zoo, Perry’s Victory and Saturday, June 26. International Peace Memorial, GroveFest is from 10 a.m. to 2 Camp Fire Sandusky County and p.m. Admission is free. Birchard Public Library are among Nature organizations will offer the organizations attending. South hands-on activities and learning Creek Clydesdales will give horse- opportunities focused on the drawn trolley rides for a fee. Other outdoors, animals and plants. organizations attending are still being confirmed. This will take place at Spiegel Grove, the grounds of Hayes Ice cream will be available for Presidential and estate of President a donation. Attendees must wear Rutherford and First Lady Lucy face coverings and maintain 6 feet Nature organizations will bring of distance between themselves Hayes. Spiegel Grove has more hands-on activities to GroveFest. than 1,700 trees and is an official A participant makes a pine cone and other household groups. arboretum. bird treat at the 2020 event. Hayes Presidential staff Rutherford and Lucy raised cows are monitoring changing and chickens and planted trees requirements regarding the on the property. Lucy’s favorite COVID-19 pandemic and will pastime was fishing. She loved announce at rbhayes.org whether nature so much that her official pre-registration will be required. White House china had images Title sponsor: KeyBank of flora and fauna of the United Walter E. Terhune Memorial States, from deer and raccoons to Fund. Additional funding by fish and lobsters to birds. ProMedica and Paramount; Walmart – Fremont #1429; Walmart - Port Clinton #1445. Trees, continued from page 1 His work is especially important because Hayes Presidential was designated an official arboretum last year large tree near the verandah and walked over to look more by Arbnet, an organization that accredits arboreta. He is closely at it. helping staff and volunteers work on a master plan for the “This one’s big enough to be mine,” the rotund Taft said. property and its trees and plants. Webb named that tree for Taft. As Havens walks the grounds and points out the These are some of the stories behind the more than 1,700 different species, his love of trees is evident. He shares the trees at Spiegel Grove that John Havens has uncovered while differences in bark, leaves and other attributes and gives the tagging and cataloging the trees for Hayes Presidential. history of some of the unique ones. Havens, a member of the Hayes Presidential Board There’s the willow tree down the hill that came from a cut of of Trustees and Buildings and Grounds Committee, has a willow on the island of Elba where Napoleon lived in exile. volunteered his time for the past year on the project. He has There’s the George Washington tulip poplar that was tagged about 400 of the trees with a number, which allows planted here in 1984. It was a seedling from the original at the site to catalog each tree and any issues or unusual and Washington’s estate of Mount Vernon in Virginia.