Fillmore's place in history has also suffered because "even those who give him high marks for his support of the compromise have done so almost grudgingly, probably because of his Know-Nothing candidacy in 1856."[152] Smith argued that Fillmore's association with the Know Nothings looks far worse in retrospect than at the time and that the former president was not motivated by nativism in his candidacy,[153] contradicted by the letter Fillmore provided for publication that stoked fear about immigrant influence in elections.[117]

A pink obelisk marks Fillmore's grave at Buffalo's Forest Lawn Cemetery.
Benson Lee Grayson suggested that the Fillmore administration's ability to avoid potential problems is too often overlooked. Fillmore's constant attention to Mexico avoided a resumption of the Mexican–American War and laid the groundwork for the Gadsden Treaty during Pierce's presidency.[154] Meanwhile, the Fillmore administration resolved a controversy with Portugal left over from the Taylor administration;[155] smoothed over a disagreement with Peru over guano islands; and peacefully resolved disputes with Britain, France, and Spain over Cuba. All these crises were resolved without the United States going to war or losing face.