Skip to Main Content

William McKinley statue.

Waving McKinley, Friend of the Cotton Industry

Field review by the editors.

Adams, Massachusetts

As chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, years before he became President, William McKinley crafted the McKinley Tariff Bill, which made it more expensive to buy items manufactured overseas. This was very profitable for the stockholders of companies that made things in America, like the cotton mills of Adams, Massachusetts.

After McKinley had become President and had then been assassinated, the mill owners commissioned a statue -- sculpted by Augustus Lukeman, unveiled on October 10, 1903 -- that honored McKinley. He's supposed to be gesturing with his arm during the speech that pushed through the Tariff (a scene reproduced in full on the bas relief plaque on the front of the monument) but it looks like he's waving to the passing cars.

Roadside Presidents
Roadside Presidents App for iPhone. Find this attraction and more: museums, birthplaces, graves of the Chief Execs, first ladies, pets, assassins and wannabes. Prez bios and oddball trivia. Available on the App Store.

Waving McKinley, Friend of the Cotton Industry

Address:
2 Maple St., Adams, MA
Directions:
Downtown. At the intersection of Hwy 8/Park St. and Maple St.
Admission:
Free
Save to My Sights

Nearby Offbeat Places

Lighthouse Atop Mount GreylockLighthouse Atop Mount Greylock, Adams, MA - 3 mi.
Church with Congregation of Nude StatuesChurch with Congregation of Nude Statues, North Adams, MA - 5 mi.
Replica of the Mammoth CheeseReplica of the Mammoth Cheese, Cheshire, MA - 5 mi.
In the region:
Monument to the Mammoth Cheese, Cheshire, MA - 5 mi.

More Quirky Attractions in Massachusetts

Stories, reports and tips on tourist attractions and odd sights in Massachusetts.

Explore Thousands of Unique Roadside Landmarks!

Strange and amusing destinations in the US and Canada are our specialty. Start here.
Use RoadsideAmerica.com's Attraction Maps to plan your next road trip.

My Sights

My Sights on Roadside America

Map and Plan Your Own Roadside Adventure ...Try My Sights

Mobile Apps

Roadside America app: iPhone, iPad Roadside America app for iPhone, iPad. On-route maps, 1,000s of photos, special research targets! ...More

Roadside Presidents app: iPhone, iPad Roadside Presidents app for iPhone, iPad. POTUS landmarks, oddities. ...More

Massachusetts Latest Tips and Stories

Latest Visitor Tips

Sight of the Week

Sight of the Week

JFK's World Famous Twine Ball, Highland, Wisconsin (Mar 18-24, 2024)

SotW Archive

USA and Canada Tips and Stories

More Sightings

Favorite Quirky City Sights