President Hayes’ Birthplace to be Demolished for Marijuana Dispensary

Delaware, OH – The childhood home of the 19th U.S. President Rutherford B. Hayes is slated for demolition to make way for a new marijuana dispensary, despite protests from local historians and preservationists.

The two-story brick home on William Street in Delaware, Ohio is where Hayes was born on October 4th,1822. He lived in the home until he left for college at age 20. Hayes went on to serve as the President from 1877 to 1881.

During his presidency, Hayes oversaw the end of Reconstruction and the withdrawal of federal troops from the South. He championed civil service reform, attempted to rebuild the Republican Party in the South, and advocated for civil rights for black Americans. He was also the first president to have a telephone in the White House.

Plans submitted to the city call for demolishing the Hayes house and replacing it with a new marijuana dispensary and lounge. This has outraged local historians who want to see the home preserved for its historical significance.

“Rutherford B. Hayes must be rolling over in his grave knowing that a marijuana dispensary is being planned for his birthplace,” said James Caldwell, president of the Delaware County Historical Society. “His wife Lucy was a founder of the Woman’s Temperance Movement who banned alcohol from the White House and surely would have objected to any mind-altering substances being sold steps from where her husband was born and raised.”

While not grand or opulent, the home is considered by some as a historic landmark as the birthplace of the former president. However, the site’s current owners say restoration costs would be prohibitively expensive and argue the new dispensary will better serve the community. They intend to incorporate a small exhibit about President Hayes in the new store.

City officials are reviewing the demolition request and expect to make a decision next month. In the meantime, preservation groups are rallying and seeking injunctions to save the home. They argue Rutherford B. Hayes’ birthplace should be protected, not paved over.