President William McKinley arrirved in Buffalo on September 4, 1901. His purpose was an official visit to the Pan-American Exposition, a visit that was hoped for in May but was postponed on account of his wife's poor health. He entered the Exposition grounds late in the afternoon of September 4 at the Exposition train station north of the Electric Tower. He and his wife crossed the grounds in a carriage, exiting at the Lincoln Road gate on their way to 1168 Delaware Avenue, home of John G. Milburn, president of the Pan-American Exposition Company. They were guests of the Milburns during their planned two-day stay in Buffalo.

The next day, September 5, was President's Day on the Exposition grounds. A large covered rostrum had been constructed on the Esplanade, the largest open space on the grounds. There, at 10 a.m., President McKinley gave a speech to a crowd that filled the Esplanade. Later, after touring selected builidings, he attended a reception in the U.S. Government Building. During these events, he was only briefly in the public eye; buildings on his tour had been closed and emptied of visitors. He was guest of honor at a lunch for 200+ at the New York State Building.

After a long day, he and Mrs. McKinley returned to the grounds following dinner at the Milburns, this time to watch the Exposition illumination and fireworks from the Triumphal Bridge. Their official agenda for President's Day was ended.

Buffalo and the rest of the country awaited daily bulletins from the Milburn house detailing the President's condition, and newpapers across the country detailed what and how much the President ate, how well and how long he slept, and his state of mind. McKinley died in the middle of the night on September 14th. Vice-President Theodore Roosevelt arrived in Buffalo and was driven to the home of Ansley Wilcox at 646 Delaware Avenue. At 3:30 p.m. on the 14th, he was sworn in as President.

The directors of the Exposition closed the gates to visitors Saturday the 14th and Sunday the 15th. But the Exposition Board was not idle; the members of the committee on ceremonies handled arrangements for the President's services at the Milburn home, the body lying in state at City Hall on the 15th and exit from the city on the 16th.

Services at the Milburn home were held on Sunday morning, September 15, at 10 a.m. Furniture was removed from the big parlor on the north side of the home where the casket would be placed. "The room was crowded with flowers...They cast a heavy fragrance throughout the entire house." Two other rooms were also cleared of furniture and folding chairs arranged in each to accomodate the cabinet and as many dignitaries and influential residents as possible. Those not invited to crowd into the home stood on the lawn outside. Everyone in the vicinity of the home had an invitation; the general public was kept a block away. Much praise was given to the Buffalo police who were prompt in attending to those who fainted or jostled in the crowds.

The service was led by Rev. Dr. Charles Edward Locke of the Delaware Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church. He was described as "pale, smooth shaven, black curly hair, his dark eyes shining with tenderness." Hymns were sung by the 4-person choir of the First Presbyterian church: "Lead, Kindly Light" and "Nearer My God to Thee," both favorites of the President. Seventy minutes later, at 11:25 , the service was finished. Mrs. McKinley had listened to it from the top of the stair landing, out of sight.

While the service was underway, military detachments were assembling along Delaware in front of the house. These would escort the hearse and officials to the city hall on Franklin Street where the casket would lie in state: the band of the 65th National Guard Regiment; Companies I and L of the 14th U.S. Infantry at Fort Porter; marines; artillery; the 74th National Guard Regiment; sailors and marines from the U.S.S. Michigan. The array of troops extended along Delaware from West Ferry almost to Cleveland Avenue.

Attendees and foreign commissioners from the Pan-American lined the walkway from the porch to the street as eight Army and Navy men carried the casket half-covered with the American flag to the hearse waiting at the curb. The band played "Nearer My God to Thee." And then all was silent on the street. "So profound was this silence that the tiny ticking of the telegraph instruments in the tents could be heard plainly."

People knew that the procession would end at the Franklin Street entrance to City Hall (called Old County Hall in 2015). Crowds began to surge forward as the procession neared and police with reinforcements had to clear the way through Niagara Square. Rain began to fall around 1 p.m. as the procession turned onto Eagle and then Franklin.

To view the Edison film of the funeral procession and the body being carried into City Hall, look here. (A 7-minute MP4 file.)

"The people started forward with a rush, but were promptly checked by the police and thereafter, during all hours of the afternoon and evening, there was no confusion or turmoil among those in the lines of twos...Through the driving rain the thousands began to stream in and stream out of the City Hall. They were drenched to the skin, their clothes were sopping wet, streams of water trickled from them as they passed through the rotunda causing little pools to form which were swept up from time to time, and when the floor became slippery sawdust was sprinkled over the marble tiling and when the sawdust became sopping it was removed and more dry dust substituted for it."

Mrs. McKinley had requested that her husband's body be returned to the Milburn house so she could have one last night with him, but by sunset the crowd was still great. She agreed to allow the body to remain in City Hall overnight. Officials told the people waiting in what was now a windy night that they would all have the chance to pay their respects. The last mourners passed through at 10:40 p.m. Conservative estimates placed the number who viewed McKinley's casket in City Hall at 75,000.