About Moreland Hills Historical Society

Our purpose is to bring together those people interested in history, especially the history of The Village of Moreland Hills and Orange Township, Cuyahoga County, Ohio with an emphasis on the birth site and youth of President James A. Garfield.

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1831, James A. Garfield birth site identified as Township 7, Range 10, the Garfield site being 50 acres in Tract 3.

1931, 100th anniversary of birth of James A. Garfield, November 19, 1831, a plaque was mounted on a large boulder in the area of the original cabin.

1976, Celebration of the Bicentennial.  A path from the Service Garage across the creek ended in the Abram Garfield Farm site Park where a Kiosk was built to hold information about the family.

1980, The Moreland Hills Historical Society was formed to gather historic facts of the area as stated in the Purpose, and to tell the story of Garfield’s youth here.  In the meantime, books, photos and memorabilia were received and placed in the Council Room or stored.  With help from the Western Reserve Historical Society areas were probed to find a firm surface for possible site of the cabin and artifacts were found and labelled from an archeological dig.

1990-92, Rebecca Elliott began raising funds to further commemorate the President’s birth site. The $54,000.00 raised and used to:

  • Design and erect a statue of the young Garfield
  • Create a brick walk funded by purchases of bricks inscribed with donor’s names
  • Build a path through the woods to the birth site
  • Build a bridge and steps to cross the creek to the birth site
  • Place plaques at the birth site telling of Garfield’s canal days, his preaching and teaching
  • Boy Scout troop built a split rail fence and planted native shrubs and trees
  • Purchase eight 8-foot-long benches from Hale Farm to be symbolic of the size of the cabin.

2017, Resolution creating and identifying the grounds adjacent to and north of the Village Hall as the “James A. Garfield Birth Site Park”.

2017-116 JAG Birth Site Park 595

The Moreland Hills Historical Society is a nonprofit organization organized under 501 C 3. Memorabilia and monetary gifts are most welcome.

The MHHS Board of Trustees meets in the Moreland Hills Village Hall Community Room, 4350 S.O.M. Center Road, Moreland Hills OH 44022. Phone 440 248-1188.