<P> Garfield had been a regular visitor to the shore town of Long Branch, NJ, one of the nation's premier summer vacation spots until World War I. In early September, it was decided to bring him to Elberon, a quiet beach town just to the south of Long Branch, in hopes that the beach air would help him recover . When they heard that the president was being brought to their town, local citizens built more than half a mile of tracks in less than 24 hours, enabling Garfield to be brought directly to the door of the oceanfront Franklyn cottage, rather than being moved by carriage from the local Elberon train station . However, Garfield died 12 days later . A granite marker on Garfield Rd identifies the former site of the cottage, which was demolished in 1950 . </P> <P> Chester Arthur was at his home in New York City on the night of September 19, when word came that Garfield had died . After first getting the news, Arthur said "I hope--my God, I do hope it is a mistake ." But confirmation by telegram came soon after . Arthur took the presidential oath of office, administered by a New York Supreme Court judge, then left for Long Branch to pay his respects before going on to Washington . Garfield's body was taken to Washington, where it lay in state for two days in the Capitol Rotunda before being taken to Cleveland, where the funeral was held on September 26 . </P> <P> When the tracks that had been hastily built to the Franklyn cottage were later torn up, actor Oliver Byron bought the wooden ties, and had local carpenter William Presley build them into a small tea house, in commemoration of the president . The red & white (originally red, white & blue) "Garfield Tea House" still survives, resting a couple of blocks away from the site of the cottage on the grounds of the Long Branch Historical Museum, a former Episcopal Church . The church is nicknamed "The Church of the Presidents", as it had been attended by, in addition to Garfield, Presidents Chester A. Arthur, Ulysses S. Grant, Benjamin Harrison, Rutherford Hayes, William McKinley, and Woodrow Wilson, during their own visits to Long Branch . </P> <P> William McKinley was assassinated on September 6, 1901, inside the Temple of Music on the grounds of the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York . McKinley was shaking hands with the public when he was shot by Leon Czolgosz, an anarchist . The President died eight days later on September 14 from gangrene caused by the bullet wounds . </P>

Presidents of the united states that died in office