Harding Home

{{short description|Historic house in Ohio, United States}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}

{{Infobox NRHP

| name = Warren G. Harding House

| nrhp_type = nhl

| image = Home of Warren G. Harding 2011.jpg

| caption = Harding Home in 2011

| location = 380 Mt. Vernon Ave., Marion, Ohio

| coordinates = {{coord|40|35|11.37|N|83|7|18.55|W|display=inline,title}}

| district_map = {{infobox mapframe|zoom=12|marker=building}}

| area = less than one acre

| built = {{start date|1891}}

| architect =

| architecture = Queen Anne Style

| designated_nrhp_type = June 23, 1965{{cite web|url=http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=453&ResourceType=Building|title=Harding, Warren G., Home|access-date=2008-06-17|work=National Historic Landmark summary listing|publisher=National Park Service|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080119060929/http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=453&ResourceType=Building|archive-date=2008-01-19|df=}}

| added = October 15, 1966{{NRISref|2007a}}

| refnum = 66000618

}}{{Warren G. Harding series}}

The Harding Home is a historic house museum at 380 Mount Vernon Avenue in Marion, Ohio. It was the residence of Warren G. Harding, 29th president of the United States. Harding and his future wife, Florence, designed the Queen Anne Style house in 1890, a year before their marriage. They were married there and lived there for 30 years before his election to the presidency.

Like James A. Garfield, an earlier U.S. president from Ohio, Harding conducted his election campaign mainly from the house's expansive front porch. During the 3 month front porch campaign, over 600,000 people traveled to the Harding Home to listen to Warren speak. George Christian (Warren's next door neighbor and Press Secretary) allowed his home to be used as Republican Headquarters for the campaign.{{youTube|4z_1xMxCWDM|Warren G. Harding: America's 29th President}} In 1920, Harding built a small bungalow-style structure behind the Christian House so newspaper reporters had workspace to type their stories.

The house is surrounded by an expansive, elaborately detailed porch. Entry to the house is through a reception hall, with a parlor on the left. A dining room and Harding's office are also in the first floor. There are four bedrooms on the second floor and a bathroom. Built-in closets are an unusual feature for the time.{{cite web|url={{NHLS url|id=66000618}}|title=National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination: Warren G. Harding Home|last=Mendinghall|first=Joseph Scott|publisher=National Park Service|accessdate=2009-04-27}}

Mrs. Harding bequeathed the house to the Harding Memorial Association. The Ohio Historical Society now operates the home as a historic house museum and a memorial. The restored house contains almost all original furnishings owned by President Harding and his wife. The adjacent press house features exhibits about the lives of President and Mrs. Harding. The collection at the Harding Home is over 5,000 original artifacts that belonged to Warren and Florence Harding.{{cite web |url=http://www.hardinghome.org |title=Harding Home |access-date=August 28, 2017 |publisher=Marion Technical College }}

On April 12, 2016, "Harding 2020", a collaboration between Ohio History Connection, the Harding Home, and Marion Technical College, detailed plans to spend $7.3 million at the site to establish the Warren G. Harding Presidential Center. Plans include restoring the home (inside and out) and its grounds to its 1920 appearance. The culmination of the work was to coincide with the 100th anniversary of Harding's election to the presidency.{{cite news |title=7.3M Harding Presidential Center opens in 2020 |work=The Marion Star |date=April 12, 2016 |url=http://www.marionstar.com/story/news/2016/04/12/harding-presidential-center-opens-2020/82900962/ }}