Elizabeth Township Museum
Home of the Elizabeth Township Historical Society, located in the Township Community Center. Elizabeth Township is one of five rural historic districts in the U.S.
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The Elizabeth Township Historical Society was founded in 1997. The museum is housed in two classrooms in the Center, with many pictures and historical items displayed throughout the Center. One of the classrooms is dedicated to the home, farm, community, and military, containing items that were used by the people within the community in the past, includng clothing, home furnishings, kitchen utensils, and items that were used in the everyday life of early families. The collection includes scrapbooks and books written by community members. The military section has uniforms, medals, and other items including shell casings, helmets, and pictures of veterans, plus notebooks containing information and pictures of veterans from the community, divided by war years.
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The second room is dedicated to the schools of the community, beginning with the one room schools from the 1800’s and continuing to the present, including Miami East. There are scrapbooks covering each year since 1959 to the present. Included are pictures of the schools and students of the area, along with commencement programs and other articles concerning the early schools. There is a complete set of readers from the 1940’s - 1970’s as well as early books on arithmetic, language, science, and other subjects. School archives include the histories of the schools from the four townships (Brown, Lostcreek, Staunton, Elizabeth) that make up the current Miami East Local School District, including pictures of the graduating classes, yearbooks, and sports teams. Elizabeth School scrapbooks start from the first class in 1919 and continue through 1952. Scrapbooks continue for all the classes of Miami Central as well as all their yearbooks. Miami Central School and Lena-Conover Schools combined in 1959 to form the Miami East High School. The Miami East scrapbooks contain most newspaper articles on the school, as well as news from the community. There is a large collection of sports programs from Miami County Basketball Tournaments and many of the sports programs of Miami East.
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ELIZABETH TOWNSHIP COMMUNITY CENTER
5760 Walnut Grove Rd.
Troy, Ohio 45373
HOURS: Wednesday 11:30 - 2 (Also By Appointment)
PHONE: (937) 339-5209
Brethren Heritage Center
The organization was established in 2001 as a repository for historical records and artifacts of the various Brethren denominations. There is a library section with over 10,000 books and materials and a genealogy section with maps, letters, diaries, census records, birth records, etc.
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Brethren Heritage Center
428 Wolf Creek St.,
P.O. Box 175
Brookville, Ohio 45309-0175
(937)833-5222
www.brethrenheritagecenter.org
mail@brethrenheritagecenter.org
Monday, Wednesday, Saturday 10:00 - 4:00
Fort Rowdy Museum
The name was bestowed as a result of the behavior of "Mad Anthony" Wayne's troops after completing a breastwork of brush and logs in the area leading up to the Battle of Fallen Timbers in 1794. Home of the Covington-Newberry Historical Society. Contains Civil War displays and clothing and dioramas relating to life in the Covington and Newberry Township area.
The museum is housed in an 1840 schoolhouse, which also served as facilities for the village council, a militia unit, and the village fire department.
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FORT ROWDY MUSEUM
101 Spring St.
Covington, Ohio 45318
HOURS: By Appointment
PHONE: (937) 473-2270, (937) 473-3488, (937) 676-2561
Garst Museum
The Garst Museum is named after the Garst family who donated the property to the Darke County Historical Society in 1946. The museum has extensive displays of items related to Greenville and Darke County and its history, including sections devoted to Annie Oakley and Lowell Thomas, natives of the area, in the original Garst house and an adjoining museum.
The entry and parlor of the Garst house have been restored to their original condition. The Treaty of Greene Ville and Native American artifact exhibits are on the ground floor of the house. The second floor of the house is occupied by a wide ranging military exhibit, including uniforms from the War of 1812 through the current war in Iraq.
Lowell Thomas, born in Woodington, Ohio, near Greenville, is best remembered as a radio news commentator on the CBS Radio Network; however, he was also an adventurer, explorer, world traveler, and author. The Lowell Thomas Exhibit was donated by Thomas in his later years.
The museum contains one of the largest known collection of memorabilia celebrating Annie Oakley, the marvel with a gun in the ending years of the western frontier. There are guns, clothing, posters, pictures and much more from Annie's life, shows, and Broadway performances.
There is an exhibit of rare original Currier & Ives lithograph prints in the Americana Room. Shop Through Time is a recreated series of period shops and stores lining three boulevards within the museum complex. Each shop displays artifacts portraying both the period and the theme.
Crossroads of Destiny is a new exhibit telling the history of the Treaty of Greene Ville. Greene Ville was the largest stockade fort ever built in North America and it was the scene of the most significant American Indian treaty ever negotiated. The Treaty of Greene Ville in 1795 opened the door to the settlement of the Midwest resulting in Ohio statehood eight years later. The Treaty also ended forty years of conflict over the upper Ohio Valley. There are artifacts from Forts St. Clair, Jefferson, Greene Ville and Recovery, along with Native American Indian artifacts.
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GARST MUSEUM
205 N. Broadway
Greenville OH 45331
PHONE: (937) 548-5250
EMAIL: information@garstmuseum.org
WEBSITE: www.GarstMuseum.org
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HOURS:
February through December:
Tues - Saturday 10 - 4, Sunday 1 - 4.
Closed Mondays, major holidays, and month of January.
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ADMISSION:
$8 Adults; $7 Seniors [60+];
$5 Youth [6-17] and Darke County Genealogical Society Members.
Children 5 and Under Free.
Darke County Historical Society members have free admission.
Johnston Farm and Indian Agency
Johnston Farm (formerly The Piqua Historical Area State Memorial) celebrates two thousand years of Ohio's history, from its habitation by prehistoric Indians, to its settlement by early American settlers, through the early years of the canal era. It contains ancient Indian earthworks, a restored section of the Miami and Erie canal, and the homestead of John Johnston--settler, farmer, and public official.
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Johnston served as the United States Indian Agent for western Ohio from 1812 to 1829, and is credited with keeping the Indians neutral in the War of 1812. In his role as a state canal Commissioner, he was instrumental in getting the Miami and Erie canal routed through Miami County.
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The Piqua Historical Area State Memorial was established as Ohio's 47th state historic site in 1965. Following acquisition of the area, the two-story mixed Dutch Colonial/Georgian style farmhouse where Johnston and his family lived from 1811 through 1842 was restored and furnished as it would have appeared 1829, along with its unique two-story spring house and a cider house. A mammoth double-penned log barn, constructed in 1808, is reputed to be the oldest and largest of its type in Ohio, and is still in use on the grounds. Costumed interpreters and craft demonstrators provide farm tours and display activities in the summer kitchen and fruit kiln areas.
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A mile-long section of the canal has been restored, on which Visitors can ride a replica of a 70-foot-long mixed cargo canal boat of the 1840-1850 era used for freight and passenger transport. It is pulled by two resident mules and piloted by costumed interpreters. Canal boat rides are 12:30, 2:30, and 4:00 p.m.
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Adjacent to the boat landing is a modern museum, that houses the Ohio's Woodland Indians exhibit. It presents an overview of Indian cultures of the Woodlands area (Ohio, Great Lakes, and the Northeast) beginning in the 1600s, a description of archaeological work on the site of Pickawillany village, and a discussion of both historic and contemporary American Indian stereotypes. The experiences of the American Indians who have resided in Ohio from about 1740 through the early 1800s and up to today are also interpreted. The museum also includes an exhibit explaining the construction, operation, and eventual decline of the canal system in Ohio. The site is administered by the Ohio Historical Society.
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JOHNSTON FARM & INDIAN AGENCY
9845 North Hardin Rd.
Piqua, Ohio 45356
PHONE: (937) 773-2522
PHONE: (800) 752-2619
WEBSITE: http://ohsweb.ohiohistory.org/places/nw13
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HOURS:
April, May, Sept, Oct 2014:
9 am - 2 pm Mon - Fri for groups by appointment
June, July, August 2014:
10 am - 5 pm Thurs, Fri
noon - 5 pm Sat, Sun
Closed holidays
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ADMISSION:
OHS Members FREE
Adults $8.00
Children 6 - 12 $4.00
Children 5 & under FREE
School Groups $3.00 per student
AAA and senior discounts given.
Military discounts are available to all active military and their dependents.
Museum of Troy History
The Museum is the former home of the Civic League of Troy, donated to the community in 1985 and developed by the Troy Museum Corporation to represent Troy history from 1850 to the present. The brick house, originally two stories in the front and one in the back, was built by John Kitchen, a tailor by trade, in 1847; additions were made to the back and second floor later in the 1800s, and the present kitchen was added after 1900. The parlor is furnished circa 1860, and the kitchen 1930. Another first-floor room contains exhibits which change periodically, representing various themes from Troy's history. A second room showcases Troy industries and businesses, past and present. The upper floor contains the Geisinger bedroom (circa 1800), the nursery (circa 1900), and a schoolroom (circa 1900).
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MUSEUM OF TROY HISTORY
124 East Water St.
Troy, Ohio 45373
PHONE: 937-216-6925
EMAIL: museumoftroyhistory@gmail.com.
HOURS: Saturday - Sunday 1-5
For more information contact Terry Purke, Museum Director, at museumoftroyhistory@gmail.com, or 216-6925.
Overfield Tavern Museum & Annex
The Overfield Tavern, a hand-hewed, steeple notched two story log structure, was built in 1808 by Benjamin Overfield. In its lifetime it has been a tavern, a courthouse, a jail, and a school. Restoration was begun on the building in 1996; during extensive archaeological and architectural research, the original hearth stones, bricks, and the exact location of the corner fireplaces and bake oven were discovered. Also found were fragments of baseboard, wood lath, and pieces of a cage bar. Scrapings of existing woodwork confirmed architectural details and colors. The fireplaces, as well as the interior walls, plaster work, staircases, and woodwork have all been restored. A sample of the original exterior siding was found wedged between two walls, having been encased during one of the building's previous renovations. The west, north, and east exteriors have been resided with the same style of boards and nails used on the original structure. The front of the building is unsided and was whitewashed for protection. It serves as an example of how many buildings appeared during this period. The museum is predominately furnished in early nineteenth century Ohio antiques illustrating early Miami County pioneer life. The contents are gifts from the Troy Historical Society, local individuals and families, and purchases made possible by donations. There are frequent living history programs and craft demonstrations.
The Annex across the street houses the new gallery, which serves as the learning center, library, and museum office. The gallery serves as a space for artists, exhibits, social functions, and learning activities relating to early Ohio history, preservation, and regional interests.
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OVERFIELD TAVERN MUSEUM & ANNEX
201 & 121 East Water St.
Troy, Ohio 45373
PHONE: (937) 335-4019
WEBSITE: www.overfieldtavernmuseum.com
HOURS: Saturday - Sunday 1 - 5 Hours: Saturday - Sunday 1 - 5
Ross Historical Museum
The Shelby County Historical Society Museum is located in the Ross Historical Center in downtown Sidney. One section of the museum contains a rotating exhibit, and there are three rooms containing collections of, among others, pocket watches, miniature tea sets, and Elvis and NASCAR memorabilia. A room is set aside for permanent display of historical items of interest from Shelby County, and there is a collection of historical and history publications.
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ROSS HISTORICAL MUSEUM
North and Main Streets
Sidney, Ohio 45365-0376
PHONE: (937) 498-1653
EMAIL: shelbyhistory@embarqmail.com
HOURS: Monday - Friday 1 - 5, Saturday 9 - 12
Tippecanoe Historical Society Museum
The Tippecanoe Historical Society Museum is located in a building that once housed Tipp’s post office from 1929-1939. This was the first post office to receive mail addressed to the newly named “Tipp City” (having originally been “Tippecanoe” and then “Tippecanoe City”). The museum opened its doors in 1991 and showcases the history, companies, and artifacts that are relevant to Tipp City and Monroe Township.
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The main room of the museum contains changing displays including photographs and histories of many historic homes, past and present businesses in town, information on the beginnings of Lock #15 of the Miami and Erie Canal, a display about the Chaffee Opera House, and many other bits of history. In a room in the back of the museum are historic maps that include the original lots in Tippecanoe and other old maps of the area. Obituary and burial records contain information on many families and the locations of their gravesites.
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The Grace Kinney room is filled with research materials concerning the history of Tipp City, covering a broad spectrum of subjects, including photographs, brief histories, newspaper articles, and the Olde Tippecanoe newspaper articles written for "The Independent Voice" from 2005-2009. Grace began collecting and researching the history of her beloved Tippecanoe in the 1930s and continued until her death in 1987.
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Another room is devoted entirely to school memorabilia, containing senior class photographs, some over 100 years old, a nearly complete set of school yearbooks from the late 1800s, photographs of many of the early school buildings, teachers, and students, and numerous pieces of memorabilia related to education in Tipp City. And there is a room which focuses on the Society's Oral History project, where reminiscences and information about various topics have been compiled on tapes and DVDs from panels of numerous individuals, most being long-time resident senior citizens. Numerous scrapbooks are filled with newspaper articles and family information collected and donated by local community members.
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TIPPECANOE HISTORICAL SOCIETY MUSEUM
20 North Third Street (P.O. Box 42)
Tipp City, Ohio 45371
PHONE: (937) 667-4092
HOURS: Wednesday 2 – 4 and Saturday 10 – 12 April through October,
and by appointment
WACO Museum
The WACO Aircraft Company of Troy, Ohio was the leading aircraft manufacturer of civilian aircraft in the U. S. from 1928 - 1935. Beginning in 1921 as the Weaver Aircraft Company in Lorain, Ohio, they moved to Troy in 1924 and became the Advance Aircraft Company but kept the WACO logo. In 1929, the name was changed to simply the WACO Aircraft Company. WACO produced over 80 models during the years 1919 - 1946, including the large troop-carrying gliders used in all the major invasions during WWII;the best selling Model 10, with over 1100 being produced from 1927 - 1930; over 600 Model UPF-7's for the CAA and the Civilian Pilot Training program during 1939 - 1942. WACOs were also popular around the world and sold airplanes to 37 different countries.
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Over the past 20 years, the WACO Historical Society's mission has been to preserve the history of the company and its airplanes. The WACO Museum moved recently from its site in downtown Troy and is now located at WACO Field in a 7500-square-foot reproduction of a barn hangar. Museum exhibits include a WACO primary glider; 1902 Wright Brothers Glider replica; WACO 4 replica; the Mackey Taperwing, owned by Goodrich Corp.; and a WACO UPF-7. These last two are fully functional flying aircraft. Many spectacular photo murals grace the walls of the facility. Additional exhibits feature some of the thousands of rare WACO photographs held by the WACO Historical Society and numerous WACO Factory and WWII WACO combat glider artifacts and photos. The museum also features 10 WACO RC models, some interactive scale models, radial aircraft engines, vintage propellers, a museum archive library and a museum.
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WACO MUSEUM
1865 S. County Rd. 25A
Troy, OHIO 45373
PHONE: 937-335-9226
WEBSITE: www.wacoairmuseum.org
HOURS: Wednesday 5:30 - 9:30; Saturday - Sunday 1 - 5
Wilderness Trail Museum
Museum displays include Indian artifacts, mementos of the Miami and Erie Canal era, a military room, a doll room, and several rooms of period furniture, along with a typical turn of the century bar room, a music room, and the country store.
The museum area also has a barn with historic farm equipment and a log cabin.
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WILDERNESS TRAIL MUSEUM
FORT LORAMIE HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION
37 North Main St. Box 276
Fort Loramie, Ohio 45845
EMAIL: cncjim@nktelco.net
WEBSITE: http://www.fortloramiehistory.com
Hours: Sunday 1 - 4, and by appointment