Three years later, the Ohio General Assembly named the scarlet carnation the official state flower in his honor. Early in his political career, an opponent of William McKinley’s gave him a red ...

Ohio can thank superstitious President William McKinley for its state flower: the scarlet carnation. McKinley, a Niles native, adopted the red carnation as his good luck charm after he was ...

My research uncovered Ohio’s scarlet carnation, a favorite of superstitious President William McKinley who regarded it as his good luck charm. After being given the flower from a debate opponent ...