The Homes of the Garfield Children: Hollycroft

The Gardens at Hollycroft

National Park Service

Just a few hundred feet from the historic site is Hollycroft Road. It is named after the home that once stood not far from the intersection with Mentor Avenue. Hollycroft was the home of the President’s second son, James R. Garfield and his wife, Helen Newell Garfield.

Hollycroft stood on land once known as “Mrs. Alvord’s Grove”, a twenty-acre plot that bordered Congressman James A. Garfield’s farm. The older Garfield had been interested in purchasing the land in August 1879: “If I can buy an portion of Mrs.Alvord’s grove, I have determined to build there, and if I am able, will build next spring.” The future president never followed up on those plans, but in 1892, his son James R. Garfield did.

“Hollycroft” was a name derived from a combination of Helen Garfield’s fondness for holly, and an English word, “croft,” meaning a small specialty farm. Helen later stenciled images of holly in several rooms of her home. The house was completed in 1894. James and Helen, and their two boys, John Newell Garfield and James Abram Garfield, II, moved into the home in June. It was built at a cost of $10,000. It contained 35 rooms, six more than at “Lawnfield.” In time, two more sons were born to James and Helen.

Hollycroft sat amidst spacious grounds. There were many trees and beautiful gardens. It was said that the rose gardens on the west side of Hollycroft were some of the finest in this part of the country. Helen was well-known for her green thumb and also had a vegetable garden that stretched almost to the railroad tracks.

James R. Garfield became an intimate of Theodore Rooseveltand served as Secretary of the Interior from 1907-1909. Roosevelt liked and trusted Garfield. “Garfield is a great comfort to me. I see much of him and take him out to walk, and I also play tennis with him,” said TR on one occasion.

Yes, President Theodore Roosevelt played on the tennis court at Hollycroft. His signature appears twice in one of the preserved Hollycroft guest books. On the second recorded visit, September 27, 1914, TR signed his name just below Lucretia Garfield, who had been visiting her son and his family that day. It leads one to wonder if Mrs. Garfield invited the former President to her home, just a few hundred feet away, for tea that afternoon.

Helen Garfield died in 1930. Not too many years passed before James R. Garfield gave up living at Hollycroft, to join his brother Abram in Bratenahl, on Cleveland's East side. In 1940, during the wartime bombing of London, James R. sponsored two families of English refugees, housing them as guests at his Hollycroft estate. The English guests of Mr. Garfield remained there until the end of World War II. James R. Garfield died on March 24, 1950. By then, Hollycroft had been sold to new owners, who converted it into apartments. On February 24, 1965, “fire gutted the structure.” Hollycroft was no more.