1901 was an exciting time in Buffalo. It was the eight largest city in the US and host to the Pan American Exposition, an event similar to a Worlds Fair. Visitors marveled at the nightly spectacle of 240,000 light bulbs outlining the exposition buildings, a sight made possible by a new technology, alternating current generated by the Niagara Falls. On top of all of that, President William McKinley was to visit the exposition on September 5 to give a speech and on September 6 meet with the public and shake hands.
All went well on September 5 but the next day as the President was shaking hands anarchist Leon Czolgosz shot him in the abdomen. Unfortunately the bullet was not removed and gangrene set in. McKinley died on September 12. Vice President, Theodore Roosevelt, was sworn in as President two days later at the house of his friend Ansley Wilcox. The house is part of the historic site.
Tour are given every hour on the half hour. The Pan American Exposition exhibit can be viewed before or after the tour. The tour gives a history of the building, the city, the exposition, and the inauguration. It’s partly guided and partly multimedia – very well done. Interactive exhibits at the end of the tour provide more information about President Roosevelt.
The museum and tour are accessible. A few of the interactive exhibits are hard to see or operate from a seated position.
The parking lot, located at the rear of the house, is large enough for RVs. Historic Site
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