Deer Creek State Park Lodge, Ohio

Historic Harding Cabin

Historic Harding Cabin at Deer Creek offers a retreat-like setting with the convenience of home. Once a presidential hideaway, Harding Cabin has a fascinating history. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Now carefully restored to its original state and updated with modern conveniences, it is available for vacation rentals and business retreats. Our guests enjoy the cabin’s privacy, spacious living areas and richly appointed ambiance.

Harding Cabin Features

• Comfortably accommodates eight
• A spacious livingroom
• Soft and two chairs pull-out into beds
• Fireplace
• Television and VCR
• Oversized dining room with a table that seats 8
• Kitchen with electric range, refrigerator, dishwasher, microwave and toaster, plus dishes, cookware and utensils
• Three bedrooms on the upper level
• Washer/dryer
• Full-length screened porch overlooking the 1,277-acre lake
• Outside grill
• Private boat dock

For your privacy, housekeeping service is not available. Three sets of linens are provided for your use during your stay at Harding Cabin.

Harding Cabin History

The 1 1/2 story cabin, known as the “shack," was constructed at the close of World War I on the banks of Deer Creek by US Attorney General Harry M. Daugherty.

Daugherty was the strategist for Warren G. Harding during his state and national political campaigns and a cabinet member while the Marion newspaper publisher was president.

Harding was elected state senator (1899-1902), lieutenant governor (1903-1904), and US senator 1915-1921, before being elected President of the United States in 1921.

The cabin was reported to be a favorite retreat for Harding and his close friends, known in Washington as the “Ohio Gang” or US Boys.” In addition, the hospitality of the cabin was reported to extend to supporters of the administration and those who wished to do business with it.

The Harding Cabin popped into the national limelight as a hideout after scandals were uncovered during and after Harding’s presidential term.

Perhaps the most well known of the scandals led to the conviction of Harding’s Secretary of the Interior, Albert B. Fall, on charges of accepting bribes in connection with leasing of federal oil reserves at Teapot Dome, Wyoming.

The 29th President, whose personal integrity was never questioned, died August 2, 1923, in San Francisco while on a transcontinental tour.