The Pioneer and Historical Society of Muskingum County facts for kids
| Predecessor | Muskingum County Pioneer Association Old Settlers Association |
|---|---|
| Formation | 4 March 1890 |
| Type | Non-profit |
| Purpose | Preserving the history of the Zanesville and Muskingum County region of Ohio |
| Location |
|
| Services | Maintains historical documents and large, representative collection of Weller Pottery. Operates Dr. Increase Mathews House and Stone Academy |
The Pioneer and Historical Society of Muskingum County is also known as the Zanesville Historical Society. It is a group in Zanesville, Ohio, USA. Their main goal is to save and share the history of the Zanesville and Muskingum County area in Ohio. This group is a non-profit organization. This means they use any money they make to help their mission, not to make a profit for owners. They manage several important historic places in and around Zanesville.
Contents
What the Society Does
The Society helps people learn about the past. They keep old papers, photos, and objects safe. These items tell the story of the Zanesville and Muskingum County region.
Historic Buildings They Care For
The Society looks after two special historic buildings:
- Dr. Increase Mathews House: This house was built in 1805. Dr. Mathews was one of the people who helped start the town of Zanesville.
- Stone Academy: This building was put up in 1809. It was once thought to be a possible state capitol building for Ohio. It was also a meeting place for groups that wanted to end slavery, called abolitionist societies. A famous writer named Elizabeth Robins once lived there and wrote about it.
In 1993, the Pioneer and Historical Society of Muskingum County received an award. It was called the Preservation Merit Award from the Ohio Historic Preservation Office. They got this award for their great work in fixing up and protecting the Stone Academy.
How the Society Started
This historical society is one of the oldest in Ohio. It officially started on March 4, 1890. It took over from two older groups: the Muskingum County Pioneer Association and the Old Settlers Association. The Society was reorganized in 1924. After that, they reopened their history exhibits to the public in Memorial Hall.
Important Collections
The Society has many old and important historical documents. These papers help us understand what life was like long ago.
Dr. Mathews' Papers
Among their collections are the journal and other papers of Dr. Mathews. He was a pioneer who first explored the Zanesville area in 1798. His family gave these important papers to the Society in 1943.
Other Historical Documents
The Society also has papers from Thomas Merritt. He was born in 1759. He fought for the British in the American Revolution in 1782. Later, he was a Major in Canadian forces during the War of 1812. The Society also owns very old documents like land grants. These are official papers that give someone ownership of land. They also have military commissions. These are papers that give someone an official rank in the military. Some of these documents were signed by famous US presidents. These include George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe, and Abraham Lincoln.
Weller Pottery Collection
In 1958, the Society received a very special gift. It was the world's "largest and most representative collection" of Weller art pottery. Weller was a company that made beautiful pottery in Zanesville until 1948. This collection shows many different types of pottery they made.
