Harding Home

On November 13 we visited the Marion, Ohio home of Warren G. Harding and made a stop at the Harding Tomb, a white marble monument designed with similar features of a Greek temple.

Harding is often ranked at or near the bottom of the list of American presidents. We learned that his designation as possibly the worst president to date is based on scandalous actions of his cabinet members and possible personal indiscretion. Are scholars considering Harding's high approval rating at the time of his death in office, the founding of the Veterans' Bureau under his administration, or the establishment of the Bureau of Budget to help curtail federal expenditures?

In the tradition of grand presidential tombs of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Harding's memorial was complete with funding of public donations in 1927. However, the tomb was not dedicated until 1931, as President Coolidge was unwilling to preside over the dedication ceremony in fear of too closely associating himself with the Harding administration.