The National McKinley Birthplace Memorial, operated and maintained by the National McKinley Birthplace Memorial Association, is an excellent example of Greek Classic architecture. Designed by McKim, Mead and White and erected in two years, the memorial celebrated its dedication in 1917. The site was chosen because William McKinley attended a one-room schoolhouse that once stood on the Memorial grounds. Worldwide contributions paid for the construction of the building. Marble for the memorial was quarried in Georgia and shipped by rail to Niles. The 232-foot by 136-foot monument is constructed with two lateral wings. One wing houses the McKinley Memorial Library and the other contains the McKinley Museum and an auditorium. The center Court of Honor is supported by 28 imposing columns and features a heroic statue of William McKinley, sculpted by John Massey-Rhind. Busts of men instrumental in the development of the Mahoning Valley, politicians, industrialists and financiers line the Court of Honor, the auditorium and library. These bronze busts, mounted on marble pedestals, weigh between 800 and 1,100 pounds each.
William McKinley Birthplace Museum 