New Tour Takes Visitors 'Behind The Ropes' At James A. Garfield National Historic Site

The James A. Garfield National Historic Site has a new in-depth tour that allows visitors to get closer to certain parts of the president's Mentor home than ever before.

The new tour -- called “Behind the Ropes” -- will be on the second Saturday of each month, at 11 a.m. beginning Jan. 12.

This tour, not to be confused with the regular “Behind the Scenes” tour, will take participants behind the normal public barriers in select rooms in the large Victorian home of the twentieth President of the United States.

To be clear, on the "Behind the Scenes" tour, visitors are taken into parts of the Garfield home and property they are otherwise not able to see like the basement, the third floor and inside the windmill.

On the new "Behind the Ropes" tour, visitors will be inside the Garfield home but will be taken past the normal public barriers for a much closer look at some of the collection's most interesting artifacts.

They will get a closer look at many of the beautiful original artifacts on display in the Garfield home and may even have the opportunity to handle or at least touch certain pieces.

Much of this will be centered in the home's Memorial Library but other rooms will be included as well.

"'Behind the Scenes' is one of our most popular events each month," said Todd Arrington, the site’s chief of interpretation and education.

"However, we get so many questions about specific rooms and artifacts in the main house that ‘Behind the Ropes’ seemed like something the public would definitely enjoy. Hopefully the demand for this special tour will be high enough that it will become as popular as 'Behind the Scenes'"

Reservations are required for the Behind the Ropes tour and it is intended for those ages 16 and over.

Please call 440-255-8722 to make your reservation. Space is limited.

Cost is $15 per person. "Behind the Ropes" lasts between 90 and 120 minutes.