Brandi Wilson: Marion County Historical Society open for the season

This year is shaping up to be a busy one for the Marion County Historical Society, and nothing makes me happier. We have officially opened for the season and are ready to welcome visitors to Heritage Hall. We are excited to showcase our vast collections, especially favorites like the Wyandot Popcorn Museum. Did you know this is one of only two popcorn museums globally? Located under a colorful circus tent is the most extensive, most impressive collection of popcorn wagons and peanut roasters in the United States. These priceless wagons date back as far as the turn of the century and have been restored to their original condition.

We also have some new additions debuting this year. The Woodland Elves Secret Forest Collection, based on the book series "The Woodland Elves" by Shary Williamson and illustrator Jay Johnston, is on full display. We are sharing with the young and young at heart that imagination knows no boundaries, and when we use our eyes and ears to see with our heart, we can pass the joy of life around.

The Buckeye Telephone Collection keeps alive the memory of the items that made the telephone industry what it is today. As service and system changed, many things have been donated from local telephone companies. View various open-wire insulators, operator switchboards, wall-mounted magneto crank phones, maps, phonebooks, testing gear, phone booths, and much more. I am excited to share the tale of the beloved rotary phone, how when you dialed the wrong digit, you had to hang up and start all over. Will the youth of today ever know such hardship?

We are also unveiling the Honorable Mary Ellen Withrow collection. Mary Ellen Withrow's bevy of personal documents, photographs, and awards are housed at Heritage Hall. A Marion County native and trailblazer, Mary Ellen was the 40th Treasurer of the United States. Withrow is the only person to have held the post of treasurer at all three levels of government — local, state and national. In addition, she is a Guinness Book of World Records holder for having her signature on more currency than anyone. These are just a few of the extraordinary things we will share with visitors to Heritage Hall.

On June 2, starting at 4 p.m., we will do a triple-ribbon cutting ceremony to welcome the Woodland Elves, Buckeye Telephone and Honorable Mary Ellen Withrow collections to Heritage Hall.

You can visit Heritage Hall, located in Downtown Marion at 169 E. Church St., 1 - 4 p.m. Wednesday - Sunday; admission is $6 for adults, $5 for seniors, and $3 for children 5+.

We also own and operate the Historic Linn School, built in 1897. The one-room schoolhouse had fallen into decay when it was rescued and restored through the partnership of two brothers, Oliver and Merle Hamilton, along with The Quality Masonry Company, Inc. Now open to the public, Linn School is much the same as when the Hamilton brothers attended classes there from 1909 to 1917. We are open to the public from 1 to 4 p.m. the first and third weekends of the month from May through September and by appointment. Admission is $2 for adults and $1 for children 5+. The Linn School is located north of Marion at 2481 Marion-Bucyrus Road (Ohio 4).

Aside from operating the museum, the Marion County Historical Society hosts a variety of events throughout the season. Not to boast, but MCHS does know how to throw a dinner (or lunch) party. Join us for our Presidential Luncheon on May 26, First Ladies Luncheon on Aug. 6, or the Dinner with the Presidents on Nov. 5. You do need a ticket to attend each of these events, but you will not want to miss out on delicious food and entertainment. The menu is based on the president's time in office, and recipes are from the White House cookbook.

We have even more planned as the year unfolds. I will share details in the coming months about events like our drive-thru chicken BBQ, History Alive: Thirsty 30's, and two educational programs we will host this fall.

For more information on these events, visit marionhistory.com or follow us on Facebook @marioncountyhistoricalsociety. In addition, you can purchase tickets by calling 740-387-4255. We appreciate you helping us with our mission of collecting, preserving and sharing.

Brandi Wilson is the director of the Marion County Historical Society. She can be reached at 740-387-4255 or mchs@marionhistory.com.

This article originally appeared on Marion Star: Brandi Wilson: Marion County Historical Society begins its 2022 season