Hancock Historical Museum facts for kids
The Hull-Flater House
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| Former name | Hull-Flater House |
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| Established | 1970 |
| Location | 422 West Sandusky Street Findlay, Ohio |
| Type | History of Ohio |
The Hancock Historical Museum is a cool place in Findlay, Ohio. It helps keep the history of Hancock County, Ohio alive. This museum is a non-profit group, meaning it's not trying to make money. It gets its funding from private donations. You can find it in the old Hull-Flater House at 422 West Sandusky Street. The museum is also part of the Ohio Local History Alliance [].
Contents
Discovering the Museum's History
The Hancock Historical Museum first opened its doors in 1971. It was founded in 1970 to collect and share local history. In 1972, the museum received a special gift. This was the Little Red Schoolhouse, which retired teachers helped to fix up.
Expanding the Museum's Space
The museum grew bigger in 1985. An addition was built at the Sandusky Street property. This new space gave them more room for exhibits and meetings. A barn was also added to the property. Later, two historic homes were moved to the museum site. These were the Crawford Log House and the Davis Homestead.
Special Projects and Events
The museum has hosted many interesting events. One popular event was the Historic Barn Tours. These tours showed off old barns built between the 1850s and early 1900s. The museum also worked with the University of Findlay. They explored the history of farming in the area. This project received money from the Ohio Humanities Council.
Exploring the Museum's Collections
The Hancock Historical Museum has many cool things to see. Its main campus is on Sandusky Street. It also has other historic buildings nearby.
The Sandusky Street Campus Buildings
The main building is the Hull-Flater House. This is a large, two-story Victorian house. It was built around 1881 and has seventeen rooms. Many rooms are set up just like they were long ago. You can see old parlors, bedrooms, and even playrooms.
Other historic buildings are also on the property. These include the Crawford Log House, built in Biglick Township. There's also the Davis Homestead, built in 1842. The De-Wald Funk House, from the 1860s, is there too.
Main Exhibits at the Museum
The museum has permanent exhibits that tell different stories. You can learn about the Gas and Oil Boom of the 1880s. There are also displays about Findlay Glass. Other exhibits cover the Civil War and World War II.
A barn behind the Hull-Flater House shows farming life. It also displays old ways people traveled in Hancock County. The museum also has changing exhibits. These might feature social life or businesses in Findlay. The museum keeps many old documents and photos. People can use these for research during museum hours.
The Buckeye Steam Traction Ditcher
One special item is the Buckeye Steam Traction Ditcher. These machines were the first successful trenching machines. They were used to lay drainage tiles in fields. The museum's ditcher is very important. It was named an International Historical Mechanical Engineering Landmark. This honor was given by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.
Visiting the Little Red Schoolhouse
The Little Red Schoolhouse is a historic one-room schoolhouse. It is maintained by the museum. You can find it on County Road 236. It was built in 1882 and closed in 1936. After closing, it was used to store grain. Now, it looks just like a school from the 19th century. It has oil lamps, a wood stove, and outdoor restrooms. The museum offers tours of the schoolhouse. They also have special programs for local students.
Riding the Riverside Train
The Riverside Train is another cool part of the museum. It's a miniature train that used to be at Riverside Park. This small, ridable streamliner train and its cars are from the 1930s. It moved to Riverside Park in 1951. The train stopped running in 1977. But it was fixed up in 1998 and is now running again. You can find it on County Road 236.
