Western Reserve Historical Society facts for kids
The Western Reserve Historical Society (WRHS) is a group that studies and shares history in Cleveland, Ohio. It runs the Cleveland History Center, which is a cool place with lots of museums in an area called University Circle.
This society started way back in 1867. That makes it the oldest cultural place in Northeast Ohio. WRHS focuses on the history of the Western Reserve, which is a special part of Ohio. In 2017, WRHS celebrated its 150th birthday!
Contents
What is the Cleveland History Center?
The Western Reserve Historical Society began in 1867. It was first part of the Cleveland Library Association. Its first president was Charles Whittlesey, a geologist and historian.
The society first opened to the public in 1871. It moved to its current spot in the late 1930s. It is located in University Circle, a busy arts and culture area in Cleveland.
The main goal of the Western Reserve Historical Society is to help people learn about American history. They do this by exploring the history of Northeast Ohio. They collect, save, and show off items from all the people of the Western Reserve.
How the History Center Started
The Western Reserve Historical Society is Cleveland's oldest cultural place. It was created in May 1867. It was part of the Cleveland Library Association. Starting groups like this was a big trend in the United States. These groups collected and saved important papers and objects.
At first, the society focused on the history of Cleveland and the Western Reserve. Now, it mostly looks at the history of Northeast Ohio.
From 1867 to 1898, the society was downtown. Its collections grew very fast. Important people like John D. Rockefeller helped support it. The collections became so big that the society became its own group in 1892.
In 1898, the society moved to the University Circle area. It moved into a large new building. In 1938, it moved to its current spot. This is when it got the Hay-McKinney mansion for its museum.
Today, the Cleveland History Center has many things. It has a research library. It also has the Crawford Auto Aviation Museum. There is a special wing for fashion exhibits. Two historic mansions are also part of it. Plus, there is a fun hands-on gallery for kids.
In 1957, WRHS received the Jonathan Hale homestead. This is in Bath, Ohio. Now, it runs the 90 acres of Hale Farm & Village. This is a living history museum. It shows what life was like in the 1800s. You can see farming and crafts like glassblowing.
The society started collecting items from different groups of people. This began in the late 1960s. They gathered items from African-American, Jewish, Italian, Irish, and other communities. This helped them have amazing collections. These collections show the history of cities and immigration. They also have items about the American Civil War and old cars.
By the early 1980s, WRHS was one of the biggest historical societies. In 1986, its library had about 250,000 books. It also had six million old papers.
What to See at the Cleveland History Center
The main building in University Circle is called the History Center. It has several cool places to visit:
- The Crawford Auto-Aviation Museum has over 150 old cars and airplanes.
- The Euclid Beach Park Grand Carousel is a restored carousel. It was built in 1910. It opened again on November 23, 2014.
- The History Museum has changing exhibits. These shows tell stories about local history.
- The History Museum also includes:
- The Hay-McKinney Mansion. This is a big house built in 1911. It has fancy rooms from the early 1900s.
- The Bingham-Hanna House. This house was built between 1916 and 1919. It has 35 rooms.
- The Chisholm Halle Costume Wing. This wing has over 30,000 clothes. They range from the late 1700s to today.
- The Library and Archives has over 20 million old papers. You can use them to research your family history. You can also learn about Northeast Ohio history. It has the world's largest collection of Shaker materials. Other big collections are about the Civil War and cars.
Hale Farm and Village
Hale Farm & Village is in Bath, Ohio. It is a "living history museum." This means it shows what life was like in the 1800s. You can see farming and old crafts. These include glassblowing, pottery, and weaving.
Hale Farm's main goal is education. It brings the past to life. You can see old buildings and crafts. You can also see farming and gardens.
Hale Farm & Village shows rural life in the Western Reserve. It tells the story of the Hale family. Jonathan Hale came in 1810. His great-granddaughter, Clara Belle Ritchie, gave the farm to WRHS in 1956. She wanted it to be a museum. She hoped many people would learn about the history of the Western Reserve. In 1973, Hale Farm was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
Hale Farm & Village is in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. It is like an outdoor classroom. It has 32 historic buildings. It also has old types of farm animals. There are gardens and crop fields. Staff wear old costumes. They show how people did crafts long ago. There are programs all year to explore American history.
Some buildings at Hale Farm:
- Jonathan Hale House
- Jonathan Goldsmith House
- Fritch Log Cabin
- Log Smoke House
- Sugar House
- Sawmill
- The John A. McAlonan Carriage Manufactor
- The Stow House
- The Saltbox House
- The Jagger House
- Schoolhouse
- The Land Office
- The Mary Ann Sears Swetland Memorial Meetinghouse
- The Wade Law Office
- The Jonathan E. Herrick House
- The Aten Log Barn
Some crafts you can see at Hale Farm:
- Potter
- Glasswork
- Blacksmith
- Spinning and Weaving
- Basket Making
- Broom Making
- Candle Making
Other Places WRHS Helps With
- Shandy Hall is in Geneva, Ohio. It was built in 1815. It shows what early life and buildings were like in the Western Reserve. Shandy Hall is being preserved. It is not open to visitors right now.
- Loghurst was built in 1805. It is in Canfield, Ohio. People think it is the oldest house in the Western Reserve. Loghurst is still part of the WRHS collection. The Canfield Heritage Foundation now takes care of it.
- The society also owned Lawnfield. This was President James A. Garfield's home in Mentor, Ohio. The Garfield family gave it to WRHS in 1936. In 2008, it was given to the National Park Service.
