MCHS Combined Service Appeal
The Combined Drives are held in Communities which support the generous service organizations, which serve them year after year.
The Mission Statement of the Mercer County Historical Society, Inc. is To Preserve Mercer County’s History and To Educate the public about that History. The Members of the Mercer County Historical Society, Inc. thank each and every citizen and organization which honors the Mercer County Historical Society by gifts through the Celina Combined Services Appeal, and other Combined Drives in appreciation for their help throughout the year. These gifts enable the Historical Society to serve you.
First, the Mercer County Historical Society thanks the Mercer County Commissioners. The Mercer County Historical Society has been able to provide services to the public at no charge, since 1957, when the Mercer County Commissioners first planned and created the Mercer County Historical Society and Mercer County Historical Museum, at their July 1957 Budget Hearings for 1958. The Commissioners made it possible for the Mercer County Historical Society to be established in the year 1958, with opening ceremonies for the Mercer County Historical Museum on September 8, 1959. The Society also thanks the Commissioners for purchasing the Riley Home, to be the new county building for the home of the Mercer County Historical Society on May 27, 1975, and for the employment of the Ohio Public Employment Retirement employee, as Director of the Mercer County Historical Museum, 19752004.
Second, the Historical Society thanks you, the public, for providing the collections of exhibits at the Mercer County Historical Museum. These exhibits include historic furniture, old musical instruments, history books, early kitchen exhibits, past medical instruments, U.S. Military arms and accoutrements, sewing arts of spinning wheels and related arts, school room and sports exhibits, rare wooden tools and the evolution of early tools, farrier hand tools, and blacksmith tools. The Society has provided annual historical exhibits related to prehistoric Indian Artifacts, U.S. Military exhibits, popular historic post card exhibits. Special Exhibits have included Quilts, Hope Chests and Wedding Gowns, local artists and photographers, rare glass collections, and other historic collections. The New Idea Historic Preservation Committee publishes New Idea Company History books. The Virus has NOT closed down the Mercer County Historical Society. The President answers weekly emails and phone call requests for historical research from local citizens and across the nation. The Museum is open by appointment.
Third, the Society thanks you for attending the tours and the lecture series by scholars about Ohio history. The President wrote grants to the Ohio Humanities Council to provide public lecture series about Ohio’s rich history. The Museum Director and/or the Historical Society President has provided guided tours to School Classes, to tourist groups, and to area organizations. The Museum Director served as the public speaker for schools, and for service organizations across the County.
Thank you for providing the history of villages, families, service organizations, schools, and churches to be included in the Archival Collections. This research enables the Mercer County Historical Society to publish over 30 local history books. Thousands of local history books have been sold.
Thank you for your interest in the newest local history book, OIL AND GAS BOOM, MERCER COUNTY AND MIDWEST OHIO, which will be available as of Sunday, September 27, 2020, 1 – 4 p.m. at the Museum, 130 East Market, Celina. On Sunday, the book will be available at a ten dollar discount for our Guests. The prepublication book price is $45.
The Combined Services Appeal gifts, the Memberships, the private gifts, and other donations to the Mercer County Historical Society under the stewardship of the Mercer County Civic Foundation, all come together to enable the Mercer County Historical Society to serve you. Thank you for being there.
Mercer County Historical Society President Joyce Alig, may be contacted at 3054 Burk-St. Henry Road, Saint Henry, OH 45883, or histalig@bright. net or 419-678-2614.