Wood County Historical Society

THE WOOD COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY IS A COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION THAT MAKES CONNECTIONS BETWEEN OUR PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE BY CAPTURING STORIES AND CULTIVATING MEMORIES OF WOOD COUNTY, OHIO AND THE COUNTY HOME.

OPERATION OF 27,000 SQ. FT. MUSEUM, HERB GARDEN, NATURE TRAILS AND NUMEROUS POINTS OF OUTDOOR INTEREST, ON A 50-ACRE SITE OWNED BY WOOD COUNTY. 1) EVENTS/EXHIBITS: THE MUSEUM HAS FIVE FEATURE EXHIBITS. "FOR COMFORT AND CONVENIENCE: PUBLIC CHARITY IN OHIO BY WAY OF THE POOR FARM" OPENED IN 2019. THIS EXHIBIT DEPICTS THE HISTORY OF OHIO'S POOR FARM SYSTEM AND INCLUDES MODERN PHOTOGRAPHS BY JEFFERY HALL OF ALL 88 OHIO COUNTY POOR FARM SITES. THE EXHIBIT WON FOUR AWARDS AND HAS BEEN THE BASIS FOR FIVE PUBLISHED ARTICLES. "UTOPIA: A VISUAL STORYTELLING OF OUR HOME" OPENED IN JANUARY 2020. EXCITED ABOUT OUR COUNTY'S FUTURE, PHOTOGRAPHER TAYLOR HOUPT AYRES CAPTURED THE WOOD COUNTY LANDSCAPE AS PART OF WOOD COUNTY'S BICENTENNIAL CELEBRATION. "PEOPLE, PLACES, & THINGS" OPENED IN SUMMER 2020, SHOWCASING OVER 1,000 PHOTOGRAPHS FROM THE WCHS COLLECTION. DUE TO COVID-19, PHOTOGRAPHS AND STORIES WERE ALSO FEATURED ON SOCIAL MEDIA. "THE MARY & CARL BACH STORY" OPENED IN OCTOBER 2020. THIS EXHIBIT CONTEXTUALIZES THE MURDER OF MARY BACH, THE TRIAL AND EXECUTION OF CARL BACH, AND CONFRONTS THE FOLKLORE SURROUNDING THE HUMAN REMAINS THAT ARE PART OF THE WCHS COLLECTION. "OVER THERE SEND WORD, THE WOOD COUNTY BOYS ARE COMING" WAS AN OUTDOOR PORCH EXHIBIT ON WOOD COUNTY'S ROLE IN WWI. 1.B) 2 EXHIBITS OUTSIDE MAIN BUILDING: "A CLEAN BILL OF HEALTH: SOCIETAL RESPONSE TO DISEASE" LOCATED INSIDE THE PEST HOUSE. "CHASING THE WHITE RABBIT: A HISTORICAL LOOK AT AMERICAN MENTAL ILLNESS" LOCATED INSIDE THE LUNATIC ASYLUM. 2) THE MUSEUM COMPLETED A VARIETY OF CAPITAL PROJECTS INCLUDING: BRANDEBERRY STONE WALL INSPECTION, REPAIRS, AND SEALING. WASH HOUSE GOT AN ELECTRIC GARAGE DOOR AND NEW SIDE ENTRANCE. SIXTEEN OUTDOOR INTERPRETIVE SIGNS TO PROVIDE A SELF-GUIDED HISTORY OF THE WOOD COUNTY INFIRMARY. NEW LOGO/BRANDING ON MARQUEE, FLAGS, AND DIRECTIONAL SIGNAGE. LANDSCAPING IMPROVEMENTS, CLEARED TRAILS, RESEALED SOUTH DRIVEWAY AND HANDICAPPED PARKING AREAS. WOODEN DECORATIVE TRASH CAN COVERINGS. LOG CABIN STEPS REBUILT. RUBBER PORCH ROOM REPLACED AND MUSEUM ROOF MATCHED TO SEAL OUT WATER DAMAGE. TRACK LIGHTING ADDED TO 3 EXHIBIT ROOMS. 2 EAGLE SCOUT PROJECTS: FIRE PIT AT LOG CABIN AND AN AMERICAN KESTREL NESTING BIRD HOUSE ON THE WEST LAWN. REPAIRED 3 BOOMTOWN BUILDINGS. PAINTED WALLS IN EAST WING HALLWAYS AND STAIRWELLS-- ALL COLORS MATCH AN ORIGINAL PAINT LAYER. PASSED BOILER INSPECTIONS FOR THE MUSEUM, ASYLUM, AND OIL DERRICK, AS WELL AS INSPECTIONS FOR ELEVATOR, FIRE EXTINGUISHERS, AND SECURITY. 6TH PAYMENT (OF 10) WAS MADE ON THE ACCESSIBILITY LOAN. 3) WCHS HAD THESE EVENTS IN 2021: ~LIVING HISTORY DAY, PIRATE-THEMED RUM TASTING, GERMAN-AMERICAN DAY, BEHIND THE SCENES TOURS, A TRIBUTE TO THE HISTORIC BARNS OF OHIO PROGRAM, LIVING HISTORY DAY WITH DRONE DROP WE HELD A VIRTUAL AND IN-PERSON SILENT AUCTION FUNDRAISER WITH A KENTUCKY DERBY THEME. DEMONSTRATION DAYS: AMATEUR RADIO, NWOH BLACKSMITHING, EARLY OHIO ON THE PORTAGE, POWER OF YESTERYEAR TRACTOR SHOW TOTAL PEOPLE SERVED IN 2021 WAS 8,602. THIS FIGURE INCLUDES MUSEUM VISITORS (1,579), OUTSIDE VISITORS (3,292), EVENT ATTENDANCE (1,035), EDUCATIONAL TALKS & TOURS (2,639). THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE VIRTUAL PROGRAM AUDIENCES OR SOCIAL MEDIA FOLLOWERS. VOLUNTEER HOURS: 3,260: 38 COMMUNITY SERVICE VOLUNTEERS AND 50 ADULT VOLUNTEERS VOLUNTEERISM INCLUDED FRONT DESK GREETERS, NEWSLETTER ASSEMBLY, PLANNING COMMITTEES, AND GROUNDS MAINTENANCE.

PUBLICATION OF OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER, "THE BLACK SWAMP CHANTICLEER" PRODUCED QUARTERLY IN PRINT AND ONLINE.