The City of Mentor maintains over 1200 acres of green space including 34 parks and public facilities. Add it all up and you have more recreational opportunities than you can find in many major cities. Plus, Mentor’s location on Ohio’s North Coast makes it a major destination for those who can’t get enough of the great outdoors.
While the sunbathers head out to Headlands Beach State Park, nature lovers enjoy hiking or birding in the wildlife habitats provided at the Mentor Lagoons Nature Preserve, Headlands Dunes State Nature Preserve and the Mentor Marsh State Nature Preserve.
For history buffs, you’ll find the home of the 20th President of the United States. In 1876, Congressman James A. Garfield purchased a small farm in the charming Village of Mentor, Ohio. Too small to comfortably accommodate the General, his wife, their five children and his mother, Garfield immediately began to add large additions around the original structure.
By the summer of 1880, work on the house was complete, just in time to welcome thousands of visitors to Mentor. In June, James A. Garfield went to the Republican National Convention in Chicago to nominate fellow Ohioan John Sherman for the party’s presidential candidate. Instead, after 36 ballots, the convention nominated Garfield. The people of Mentor erected an arch at the railroad station to greet him on his return. On one side it read, “Our townsman, James A. Garfield,” and on the other side, “James A. Garfield, Ohio’s Favorite.”
The James A. Garfield National Historic Site is the restored home of our 20th President. The home, visitor center and grounds are owned and operated by the National Park Service. To learn more about Mentor’s most celebrated resident, visit the National Park Service.
Check out some of Mentor’s best attractions featured in the 2012 Lake Erie Living Travel Guide.
While visiting, make sure to consider these other attractions or activities:
Best Places for Birdwatching — are right here in Lake County!
Gallery One — established in 1974, it’s America’s largest art source.
Headlands Beach State Park — Ohio’s longest public swimming beach.
Holden Arboretum — at 3,600 acres, it’s one of the largest in the U.S. (located in neighboring Kirtland).
Mentor Fire Museum — a 1942 fire house featuring equipment from bygone days.
