Grant Program Funded Through Voluntary Donations by Ohioans
COLUMBUS (3-24-26) — The Ohio History Connection is pleased to announce that it has awarded 15 Ohio History Fund grants to community history organizations.
Now in its 14th year, the Ohio History Fund is a competitive matching grants program that is one of six “tax check-off” funds found on Ohio’s income-tax return forms. It is funded in part through Ohio taxpayers’ voluntary contributions.
Megan Wood, Executive Director & CEO of the Ohio History Connection
“The Ohio History Fund allows us to preserve and share Ohio stories by supporting history projects all over the state. Local history helps us understand where we came from and gives us a sense of identity and place, inspiring pride in our communities.”
The Ohio History Connection awarded $194,657 in grants this year, its second highest amount ever. Since the program started in 2012, the Ohio History Fund has made a total of 164 grants to history and cultural organizations across the state, totaling more than $1.8 million.
Ohio History Connection representatives will visit grant recipients to honor their achievements. A schedule of confirmed visits is included before the list of recipients; to RSVP or for a schedule of remaining visits, please contact Neil Thompson, Marketing Department Manager, at 614-917-9348or nthompson@ohiohistory.org.
- Thursday, March 26: Fort Recovery Historical Society, 2:15 p.m., 1 Fort Site St., Fort Recovery
- Thursday, March 26: McKinley Presidential Library, 10:30 a.m., 800 McKinley Monument Dr., Canton
- Friday, March 27: America’s Packard Museum, 12 p.m., 420 Ludlow St., Dayton
- Friday, March 27: Sauder Village, 12 p.m., 22611 State Route 2, Archbold
- Monday, March 30: Campus Martius Museum, 12:30 p.m., 610 Second St., Marietta
- Wednesday, April 1: Shore Cultural Center, 2 p.m., 585 E. 222nd St., Euclid
- Thursday, April 9: Worthington Historical Society, 10:30 a.m., 50 W. New England Ave., Worthington
- Friday, April 10: Village of McDonald, 1:30 p.m., 451 Ohio Ave., McDonald
- Friday, April 10: Mariemont Preservation Foundation, 2:30 p.m., 3919 Plainville Road, Cincinnati
2026 Ohio History Fund Grant Recipients
America’s Packard Museum, Dayton
$4,000 for “Driving Forward Strategic Planning at America’s Packard Museum”
The History Fund grant will enable the museum to hire a facilitator to coordinate the development of its first strategic plan. The time is right. The planning effort builds on previous efforts to improve and make sustainable the museum’s physical plant and improve its collection management practices. The planning process will engage museum stakeholders to set goals for the plan, outline strategies for achieving them and set benchmarks by which the museum will assess its accomplishments.
$4,137 for “Cleveland Heights Scanning and Conversion Initiative”
The project will digitize and make available historical records that relate to the evolution of the city over the last 100-plus years. The targeted documents include public meeting minutes, building permits and early planning records, which date from the year the municipality was officially incorporated in 1903 and become city in 1921. The city will use the platform provided by Ohio Memory to give access to material that is not available anywhere else. The grant will enable the purchase of a scanner, which one panelist described as their top choice for a project like this.
$19,327 for “Shore Cultural Centre Historic Preservation Restroom Rehabilitation Project”
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Shore Cultural Centre was Euclid High School until 1982. Described at a “significant piece of Euclid’s architectural and social history” the project will make two of its restrooms accessible as per the Americans with Disabilities Act. The project will be an example of “adaptive reuse” in that the restroom will be modified for all to use while maintaining the historic appearance of the building according to the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation.
$19,237 for “Dunbar Historic District—Emanual Hoover House Renovation”
The Emanual Hoover House, built in 1883, is a “contributing structure” to Dayton’s Dunbar Historic District and is across from the home of poet Paul Laurence Dunbar. Despite the Hoover house’s famous neighbor, it is one of 26 houses in the district that have suffered from decades of disinvestment. Dayton Preservation Works, a nonprofit led by experienced preservationists, is revering this unfortunate trend one house at a time. The grant will continue the rehabilitation of the Hoover House by installing new heating, ventilation and air conditioning system in the house and making much-needed plumbing repairs. Proceeds from the eventual sale of the house will continue to finance DPW’s efforts to preserve and rehabilitate historic housing stock in the city.
$13,549 for “Mail Pouch Mural Restoration”
Downtown Chillicothe will restore the historic Mail Pouch Mural, a once-common but now rare example of early 20th-century advertising art and one of the downtown’s most recognizable landmarks. The restoration will be completed by a nationally recognized specialist in Mail Pouch murals, who will recreate the design using historically appropriate methods and materials. The project will include the installation of lighting to showcase the restored mural. The grant will support the staff time, promotional efforts and the time and materials for the project’s electrician.
Fort Recovery Historical Society, Fort Recovery
$19,000 for “3rd Annual Beyond the Battlefield: Native Days for 4th Graders and the Public”
The Fort Recovery Historical Society will engage approximately 400 Mercer County fourth-graders, their families and the public with Native cultures, past and present. They’ll learn from citizens of Federal Recognized Tribes whose ancestors fought at a battle there in 1791 that came to be known St. Clair’s Defeat. As one reviewer noted “what is beautiful about this proposal is the fourth-grade students will meet members of the Wyandot, Miami and Eastern Shawnee tribes … instead of being … people they read about, (the students) will meet (Tribal) members who (the students) can talk to and learn from.” The project builds on experience of two previous “Beyond the Battlefield” programs and extends it be creating a program for area fourth-graders that addresses state learner outcomes. Grant funds will pay the fees and lodging for Tribal members and the cost of program materials.
Friends of the Museums, Inc., Marietta
$15,300 for “Invisible Ground in Historic Marietta”
The project engages students and adult visitors to the Campus Martius Museum by creating virtual reality experiences around two of its iconic places. These are the Ohio Company Land Office and the Campus Martius stockade, of which the surviving section is the Rufus Putman House inside the museum. The virtual experience will be available to anyone with a cellphone free of charge, but the project serves those without smartphones, too. The project will also erect interpretive signage about both places outside of the museum, which will also be accessible. Another component of the project will be the creation of programs for school groups, adult tour groups and the general public. Grant funds will support staff time to complete the project, costs associated with creating virtual reality experiences and promotion
Great Trail Council, Boy Scouts of America, Stow
$20,000 for “Historic Camp Manatoc Dining Hall Fire Suppression System”
Listed in the National Register of Historic Places, the dining hall of Camp Manatoc was built in 1932 and is its last remaining original building. It’s also built of now-rare wormy chestnut and is under threat of fire, as all wood buildings are. The current fire suppression system is past its useful life and require frequent, expensive maintenance. A grant from the History Fund enables the Great Trail Council to replace like with like, exchanging the current system with a similar new system. A new system will provide more consistent protection for the hall and be less expensive to maintain. The project will maintain the hall’s historic fabric and appearance and conform to the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation.
Loveland Museum Center, Loveland
$5,194 for “Digitization of 3-D Replica of Late 19th Century Loveland”
The History Fund’s review panel believes that the Loveland Museum Center’s modest grant will have a big impact on their museum and its visitors. The grant will enable the museum to install an interactive digital display about the effect of the railroad on Loveland in the late 19th century. The digital display will replace a 3-D model, representing the community during this same period. The display will enable the museum to show archival images, so instead of relying on the 3-D model, visitors can see the real thing (as photographed) and learn more by reading related historic documents, also available through the new digital display. The removal of the model also frees up more floor space for other uses. The organization will use grant funds primarily to support the deployment of the screen, on which the museum will show the display.
Mariemont Preservation Foundation, Cincinnati
$3,500 for “Ferris House Museum Chimney Repair”
The grant will enable the Mariemont Preservation Foundation to continue work necessary to convert the Eliphalet Ferris House into the Mariemont Historic Museum, as envisioned originally in Mariemont’s community plan of 1923. The grant will support work to repoint and repair the house’s chimney. Conducted by an experienced contractor, the work will preserve the historical integrity of the structure and adhere to the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation. The Ferris House, built between 1802 and 1812, is one of the oldest brick buildings in Hamilton County and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
McKinley Presidential Library & Museum, Canton
$14,293 for “Legacy Revived: Exploring Stark County’s Rich Black History”
Comprising many elements, the project will enable the organization to more fully share Stark County’s history by representing the historical experiences of the African American community. This effort is part of the institution’s strategic plan and it is timely because the museum hired its first curator of Black history in 2025. Grant funding will support a new exhibit, “Legacy Revived: Exploring Stark County’s Rich Black History,” transcriptions of oral histories (which will be used in exhibit research), the publication of an exhibit catalog and the creation of a podcast featuring lesser-known stories from Stark County history, set to launch later in 2026.
Sauder Village, Archbold
$13,940 for “Sauder Village Light Mitigation Project”
Ultraviolet and infrared light fades colors on and damages museum artifacts if not blocked. Sauder Village proposes using time-tested best practices to protect artifacts displayed in its 1920s Main Street site. The collection care staff and a trusted outside contractor will install tinted film to reduce visible light when the buildings are open to the public and roller shades to completely block the light when buildings are closed. The staff will also install equipment data-loggers to help them monitor (and mitigate as needed) the environmental conditions the artifacts are exhibited in. Because Sauder Village is a living-history village, its artifacts are not just in storage–they are an integral part of the experience, providing rich sensory details. Grant funding will cover the cost of installing window tinting.
$16,696 for “The McDonald Millworkers Trail”
The village was founded in 1918 as a company town for U.S. Steel, and until the mill was demolished in 2025, the steel industry had been at the center of village life. To honor its heritage, the village is creating a memorial to its heritage in the form of a “Millworkers Trail” through Woodland Park. The trail will feature interpretive signage about the village’s history and notable events, the local steel industry, and the experiences of millworkers. Trail developers will collaborate with local schools to plan programs using the trail. The municipality devotes its resources to providing essential emergency services and infrastructure. The History Fund is a perfect fit to support sharing the village’s history through this well-planned project. Grant funds will be used to purchase supplies to build and promote the trail.
Worthington Historical Society, Worthington
$9,000 for “Old Rectory Structural Support Project”
The project will allow the Worthington Historical Society to stabilize the structure of its c. 1845 headquarters, the Old Rectory. To preserve the house, listed in the National Register of Historic Places, the society will engage an experienced contractor to reinforce compromised floor framing. The grant will support repairs to stabilize the floor. The review panel was especially impressed that the society’s grant request was backed up by a report from a structural engineering firm, demonstrating the work be undertaken soon. Although it is not anticipated that the structural work will affect the appearance of the building, the society will engage a contractor that is sensitive to the historic nature of the building, understanding the work must conform to the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation. The Old Rectory hosts 2,000-plus visitors annually and supports daily staff and volunteer work.
Youngstown State University, Youngstown
$17,574 for “Mahoning Valley 250 Exhibit: A Celebration of Change-Makers and their Communities”
Drawing on the talents of historians at the Mahoning Valley Historical Society, the Trumbull County Historical Society and the Youngstown Historical Center of Industry and Labor, Youngstown State University will spearhead the development of exhibits that the showcase the Mahoning Valley’s place in American history, in celebration of America 250, the U.S. Semiquincentennial. Plans call for the creation of a static exhibit at the Youngstown Historical Center of Industry and Labor, traveling banner exhibits for the region’s other museums and publics libraries and an online exhibit. Representing the strengths of the partners’ collections, the exhibit will address the themes of: Indigenous History, the Underground Railroad, Immigration, Innovation in Manufacturing and Amusement & Recreation (in contrast to focusing on its recent history as a buckle on the Rust Belt). Once completed, the project will stand as a model for cooperation among historical organizations and foster pride in the region’s shared cultural heritage. Grant funds will primarily support staff time for the project partners and the costs of exhibit design.
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About the Ohio History Fund
Ohio History Fund grants help support local history and preservation-related projects in communities throughout Ohio. The grants are funded by Ohio taxpayers who select “Ohio History Fund” as a donation fund on their state tax returns. For just the average donation of $13, you can help repair a roof on a historic home, expand a popular history tour at a local museum and provide public access to rare museum collections. For more information about the History Fund grant program, go to ohiohistory.org/historyfund or contact the History Fund at historyfund@ohiohistory.org.
About the Ohio History Connection:
The Ohio History Connection is a statewide history organization with the mission to spark discovery of Ohio’s stories. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization chartered in 1885, the Ohio History Connection carries out history services for Ohio and its residents. This includes housing the State Historic Preservation Office and the official state archives and managing more than 50 sites and museums across Ohio.
For more information, go to ohiohistory.org. The Greater Columbus Arts Council and the Columbus Foundation provide support for Ohio History Connection programs.
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Mercer County Outlook 