19th Amendment Centennial Exhibit

Opening on June 15

The Lorain County Historical Society invites all to the opening of a new exhibit at the Lorain County History Center in recognition of the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution, which granted women the right to vote. The history of the 19th Amendment is complex and encompasses multiple perspectives. The struggle for women’s suffrage was both long and difficult. Women and men of all races and ethnicities fought for – and against – women’s right to vote. On June 16, 1919, Ohio became the fifth state to ratify the 19th Amendment. By August 1920, the 36 states needed to ratify the 19th Amendment had done so and it became law, making women’s suffrage legal throughout the United States. However, the passage of the Amendment did not guarantee the right to vote for all American women, as women of certain ethnicities continued to face barriers to voting for decades into the twentieth century. The new exhibit commemorating the centennial of the 19th Amendment will be on display at the Lorain County History Center through 2020. Celebrate the opening of the exhibit on Saturday, June 15 with the free admission to the Lorain County History Center from 1:00 to 3:00 PM. The History Center is located at 284 Washington Avenue, Elyria. There is plenty of parking and the building is accessible. The Hickories Museum, 509 Washington Avenue, will also be open to the public with free admission from 1:00 - 3:00 PM on June 15.

Register Now for History Camp

Time is running out to register your young history fans for LCHS’s History Camp! Our camp is a week-long educational program for children between the ages of 6 and 11. This year, History Camp will be offered June 17 to 21, from 9:15 – 11:15 AM. Campers engage in fun-filled activities while learning about the past. The cost per child is $7 per day or $30 for all five days. Pre-registration is required. Click here for the camp brochure and registration form.

Open House for Janet Bird on June 26

All are invited to The Hickories to honor Janet Bird as she approaches her retirement from LCHS. Over the years, Janet’s vision and ability to create engaging presentations that appeal to all ages has shaped our educational program into what it is today. The Open House for Janet will be held at The Hickories, 509 Washington Avenue in Elyria, from 3:00 - 6:00 PM on Wednesday, June 26. In addition to attending this special event, please consider a donation to LCHS's Endowment Fund in Janet's honor. By doing so, you can have a lasting impact on the sustainability of the education program that Janet has grown with such dedication and care. Learn more about the Fund here. Come celebrate with us on June 26!

Museum Closure Dates

The Hickories will be closed on Tuesday, June 11; Wednesday, June 12; and Thursday, June 13 for a private rental. The museum will reopen for tours on Friday, June 14 from 1:00 - 4:00 PM. The Lorain County History Center will be open its usual hours, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM, during these days. Please contact the LCHS office at 440-322-3341 or lchs@lchs.org with any questions.

The Ice Cream Social is Coming!

Come join us for Lorain County Historical Society's annual Ice Cream Social on the gorgeous, shaded lawn of The Hickories museum. There will be live music, tours of the museum, antique vehicles, old-fashioned games, and plenty of food! Your ticket includes pie or cake and ice cream. Sloppy joes and hot dogs will be available for sale. WOBL will be broadcasting live. Pre-sale tickets are $5 each and available for purchase at the Lorain County History Center, 284 Washington Avenue, Elyria, Tuesday through Friday, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM. Tickets on the day of the Social are $6. Consider sponsoring the Social! We are looking for supporters at all levels, which include tickets to the event! Click here for a sponsorship form.

Annual Meeting Recap

Thanks to all who joined us for our 2019 Annual Membership Meeting! St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church on the square in Elyria was the place to be on Thursday, May 23! Thank you to Joan Van Wormer from St. Andrew’s for providing organ music and David Simmer of the Lorain County Sacred Landmarks Initiative for his interesting presentation on congregations in the county that are at least one hundred years old. During our business meeting, we welcomed five members onto our Board of Directors: Melissa Clifford, Gary Fischer, Sara Hobbs, Matt Nahorn, and Jeff Sigsworth. LCHS's 2018 Annual Report can be viewed online. Thanks to all who support our organization! Click here to see photos from the annual membership meeting.

Applications Open for Oberlin AmeriCorps Position

The Oberlin Heritage Center recently announced that the organization has been selected as a host site for an Ohio History Service Corps/AmeriCorps member for the 2019-2020 program year. Applicants are now being accepted to fill the position for a one-year term, which runs from September 2019 through August 2020. The selected participant will work part-time on projects at the Oberlin Heritage Center and part-time assisting other history organizations in the region, including the Lorain County Historical Society. Applicants must be at least 21 years old and a college graduate. Application is encouraged as soon as possible, as application reviews and interviews begin immediately. This program is managed by the Ohio History Connection. Click here for the position description.

Fundraiser for Garford Arts Fest This Friday

This Friday, June 7. the organizers of the Garford Arts Fest will be holding a "Chalk Talk" to raise money for the August arts festival. Several presenters will be giving personal and historical perspectives of the City of Elyria as they speak about "My Elyria". Speakers include Anne Michael of LCHS! The event will be held at Blank Slate Elyria, located at

2 Kerstetter Way, Elyria, from 7:00 - 9:30 PM. Admission is $6 per person. Click here for more information.

See Spirit of ’76 Paintings in Wellington

Time is running out to see the two original “Spirit of ’76” paintings by Archibald M. Willard that have been displayed at the Spirit of ’76 Museum in Wellington since last year. While the museum will continue to exhibit its current display of extensive Willard paintings on loan by collector Dan Zivko, the two “Spirit of ‘’76” pieces are being returned by June 21. If you haven’t made it to the museum to view these historical works yet, now’s the time! Museum Tour Hours are Saturdays and Sundays 1:00 - 3:30 PM, Mondays and Fridays 9:00 to noon; Tuesdays and Thursdays 1:00 to 4:00 PM. Please consider calling ahead to 440-647-4367 to check the status of the Willard paintings, or just come and enjoy the three wonderful floors and mezzanine of history from Southern Lorain County on display!

Columbia Historical Society June Tour Plans

Speaking of the Spirit of '76 Museum and Archibald Willard, the Columbia Historical Society will be taking a road trip for its June meeting! On Saturday, June 8, the group will be touring the Wellington museum. There will be a group carpooling from the Baptist Church parking lot in Columbia at 9:00 AM. The group tour of the Spirit of '76 museum will start at 10:00 AM. After the tour, the group plans to have lunch in Wellington. If you are interested in attending, call Jim Broginski at 248-506-3263.

African American Civil Rights Movement in Ohio Webinar

Heritage Ohio is offering a webinar on June 12 to expand your knowledge about the African American Civil Rights Movement in Ohio and learn about documenting the connection between people and events def ining the movement and significant places where its history happened. Barbara Powers with the Ohio Historic Preservation Office will share information about their project to project to research, document, and assist in the preservation of historic properties associated with African American history and the Civil Rights Movement in Ohio during the 20th century. The webinar will present important themes, individuals and organizations defining the Civil Rights Movement as well as buildings and sites associated with the history of the movement. Participants will learn how to get started nominating historic properties associated with the Civil Rights Movement to the National Register of Historic Places. The webinar takes place from 1:00 - 2:00 PM on Wednesday, June 12. It is free for Heritage Ohio members. Click here to register.

Historic Tax Credit Coffee in Elyria

Have you been wondering about historic tax credit programs available in Ohio? Wondering about the application and review process? On Monday, June 24, Heritage Ohio will be presenting an easy introduction to the 20% federal historic tax credit and 25% Ohio historic preservation tax credit, which you can use to rehabilitate your historic building. You are invited to come chat at a quick informal get together to learn about how the historic tax credit programs work and meet the people who manage them. This get-together will be held from 8:00 – 9:00 AM in the Elyria Police Station Community Room, 18 West Avenue, Elyria.

Program About D-Day Presented by Brownhelm

The Allied invasion of France on June 6th, 1944 marked a turning point in World War II. The largest amphibious invasion in history, D-Day was the result of years of planning and preparation. The invasion put the Allies on the road to victory over Nazi Germany, but it came at a great price. Join Brownhelm Historical Association Trustee Eric Rivet on Thursday, June 27 from 6:30 – 8:00 PM for a discussion of D-Day and an opportunity to handle original and reproduction uniforms and equipment used by the soldiers that landed in Normandy. This program will be held at the Historic Brownhelm School & Museum, 1940 N. Ridge Road, Vermilion. It is free and open to the public.

See the New Toni Morrison Documentary

in Lorain

Come to Lorain’s historic Palace Theater to see the new documentary film, Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am on Friday, June 28 at 7:00 PM and Sunday, June 30 at 2:00 PM. The film offers an intimate portrait of Morrison, an author and American icon whose early life was shaped by Lorain, Ohio. The Lorain Historical Society will host an opening reception prior to the Friday evening showing. Guests will have an opportunity to meet with the producer of the film, Johanna Giebelhaus, who did extensive research for the film at the historical society and the Lorain Public Library. A Q&A session with Giebelhaus will follow both showings of the film. Tickets are $10.00 and can be purchased online or at the Lorain Palace box office. The Lorain Palace Theater is located at 617 Broadway Ave, Lorain. Click here for more information.

Mark Your Calendars for Victoria Woodhull: Shattering Glass Ceilings

On September 26, LCHS will present the new storytelling program by Eden Valley Enterprises entitled, “Victoria Woodhull: Shattering Glass Ceilings.” Hear the remarkable story of Victoria Woodhull, an Ohio native and fearless female who spent her life doing things that women in her time didn't do, including being the first woman to run for President - in 1872! Woodhull ran for president under the banner of The Equal Rights Party. She supported universal suffrage for women, an eight-hour work day, a national education system, and world peace with the creation of an international body to help prevent war around the world. Radical ideas in her time. In 1871, Victoria was the first woman to publicly address Congress with her declaration that the 14th and 15th amendments already gave women the right to vote. She was an outspoken advocate of spiritualism and the revolutionary idea that women should have the right to choose who to marry and whether to divorce. She and her sister, Tennessee Claflin, were suffragists, newspaper owners and the first women stockbrokers on Wall Street. This program will be held on September 26 at 7:00 PM at the Lorain County History Center, 284 Washington Ave, Elyria. It will be free and open to the public. Save the date!

Please remember Lorain County Historical Society in your will or trust.

Inspired by Lorain County’s past to shape the future!

The Lorain County Historical Society collects, preserves, interprets, and presents the history of Lorain County.