[258]

Lawnfield, Garfield National Historic Site, location of the "front porch campaign"

Garfield Memorial at Lake View Cemetery in Cleveland, Ohio

James A. Garfield Monument in Washington, D.C.

First Garfield postage stamp, 1882

Legacy and historical view[edit]
For a few years after his assassination, Garfield's life story was seen as an exemplar of the American success story—that even the poorest boy might someday become President of the United States. Peskin wrote: "In mourning Garfield, Americans were not only honoring a president; they were paying tribute to a man whose life story embodied their own most cherished aspirations."[259] As the rivalry between Stalwarts and Half-Breeds faded from the scene in the late 1880s and after, so too did memories of Garfield. In the 1890s, Americans became disillusioned with politicians, and looked elsewhere for inspiration, focusing on industrialists, labor leaders, scientists, and others as their heroes. Increasingly, Garfield's short time as president was forgotten.[260]

External video Booknotes interview with Kenneth Ackerman on Dark Horse: The Surprise Election and Political Murder of President James A. Garfield, July 27, 2003, C-SPAN
The 20th century saw no revival for Garfield. 