Marion
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Marion

Marion

Central Ohio city tied to Warren G. Harding, with presidential sites and oddball historic curiosities

Marion is a small city in central Ohio, about 75 km north of Columbus. It is best known as the birthplace and home of Warren G. Harding, the 29th President of the United States. The Harding Home, a Queen Anne-style house where Harding conducted his famous 1920 front-porch presidential campaign, is preserved as a museum and open for tours. The Harding Memorial, an impressive circular colonnade of white Georgia marble designed by Cass Gilbert, marks the graves of Harding and his wife Florence on the south side of town.

Beyond the presidential connection, Marion has a handful of genuine curiosities. The Octagon House is a well-preserved specimen of the 1850s architectural craze for eight-sided homes. The Merchant Ball in Marion Cemetery is a polished granite sphere that cemetery records show has been slowly rolling since the 1890s. The Palace Theatre, a 1928 movie palace with a Mediterranean atmospheric interior, still hosts live performances. The Marion County Popcorn Festival held each September around the Marion County Courthouse claims to be one of the largest in the country.

Guide

Things to Do

Marion's main appeal is its presidential history — the Harding Home and Harding Memorial between them tell the story of the last front-porch presidential campaign and a presidency that ended in scandal. Beyond Harding, the Marion Popcorn Festival is one of the largest in the country, and the historic downtown contains some well-preserved early 20th-century architecture.

Guide

When to Go

The most popular time to visit Marion is the first weekend in September for the Marion Popcorn Festival, one of the largest street festivals in Ohio. If the festival appeals, book accommodation well in advance — rooms in Marion fill up and many visitors stay in Columbus or Mansfield.

Spring and summer are the best seasons for visiting the outdoor sites — the Harding Memorial and Marion Cemetery are at their best when the grounds are green. The Harding Home offers guided tours throughout the year, but hours may be reduced in winter. Most of the historic buildings in downtown Marion can be viewed from the outside at any time.