Historian Gregory Edmonds will present a program on The Buffalo Soldiers Friday, March 22 at 7:30 in the meeting rooms of the Westerville Public Library. Learn about the importance and  significance of these men who were members of segregated cavalry and infantry regiments that the U.S. Army formed in 1866 on the western frontier. This program is free and open to the public. Doors off the parking lot of the library open at 7:00pm.

Frank E. Dobson, Jr. Ph.D, Chief Diversity Officer of Otterbein University, will be sharing the story of Cardiss Collins, the fourth Black woman to serve in the U.S. Congress and the first Black woman from the Midwest to do so. Dr. Dobson and his daughter Jasmin wrote a children’s book about this important woman who served in Congress for 24 years. The book can be purchased and signed at the event.

Westerville went from a dingy, muddy village of simple one and two-story frame buildings in the mid 1800’s to the thriving, 21st century community of today. The beautiful Uptown streets lined with substantial Italianate brick buildings, home to restaurants and shops, reflect the success of Westerville. The can-do spirit of Westerville residents brought about all the successes of our Uptown with its lovely buildings and its standing as the heart of our town.

There is so much history between the birth of that mundane small village to the desirable award-winning community of today. That history has been honored and communicated through our robust plaque program. The second round of plaques sponsored by the legacy of Terry Hayman through the Columbus Foundation are up and garnering attention not only from our community but also from other towns that want to replicate our program.

The Westerville Historical Society wants to honor our Uptown and the successful plaque program with a presentation about the history of the buildings which anchor the Uptown by former Mayor Kathy Cocuzzi. Her presentation will share information about the people, the businesses which have shaped the Uptown and will also include information on some dramatic events that happened there. Current Westerville City Council member Dennis Blair, who has been instrumental in the plaque project, will share information about the history and impact of our plaques. Join us at the Westerville Public Library on Friday, January 26 at 7:30 for this program. The public is welcome to this free event.

Tour the house decorated for the holidays, listen to music in the parlor and enjoy refreshments. Open to the public and free. Donations appreciated. No reservations required.

Tour the house decorated for the holidays, listen to music in the parlor and enjoy refreshments. Open to the public and free. Donations appreciated. No reservations required.

Tour the house decorated for the holidays, listen to music in the parlor and enjoy refreshments. Open to the public and free. Donations appreciated. No reservations required.

Join us on Sunday, November 12, 2pm in McVay Hall at Church of the Messiah for our annual meeting and program. Edwin L. “Dubbs” Roush: Always a Leader is the subject of this year’s presentation given by Dan Roush, his son.

The program and dessert buffet are open to the public.

Reservations are required. The cost is $6. for members and $8 for non-members. To register you can mail a check with a note indicating the number of members and number of non-members attending to WHS, P.O. Box 1063, Westerville, OH 43086

National Women's Equality Day will be celebrated at Hanby House, 160 W. Main St., Westerville, OH. Leslie Blankenship will be presenting a first-person program at 1:30, 2:30, and 3:15 on Isabella Coit Kelton, an important Central Ohio suffragette who was a founding member of the Franklin County League of Women Voters. Hanby House will be open for tours and William Hanby’s championship of higher education for women will be highlighted. The Franklin County League of Women Voters will be registering voters. No reservations are required and the event is free. Donations appreciated. 

Youth can make a clothespin doll to take home. Supplies provided. Hanby House will be open for tours. Free and open to the public.

Join us on the lawn at Hanby House for an ice cream social to celebrate the 190th birthday of Benjamin Hanby. The Hanby House will be open. Free and open to the public, donations appreciated.

Dave Henry, the Mud Man, will be demonstrating pottery-making on the lawn. Hanby House will be open for tours. Free and open to the public.

Join us on the lawn at Hanby House to play some old-fashioned games. Hanby House will be open for tours. Free and open to the public.

Learn how to bake a brownie outdoors. Hanby House will be open for tours. Free and open to the public

Join three authors in our garden to hear about their books and how they create them. Frank Dobson, interim Diversity Officer at Otterbein has written a book with his daughter Jasmin about Cardiss Collins, the 4th Black Congresswoman; Phillip Martin, international art educator, illustrator, author, and creator of 62 community murals in 26 countries, will be sharing his latest book on a Liberian folk tale among others; Karen Meyer has authored 8 historical novels for middle grade readers and will be sharing her latest about the Underground Railroad in Ohio. Hanby House will be open for tours. Free and open to the public.

Author Bios:

Frank E. Dobson, Jr., Ph.D. has published two novels, Rendered Invisible: Stories of Blacks & Whites, Love & Death (2010, Plain View Press) and The Race is Not Given (1999, SterlingHouse).  Frank has also published poetry, personal essays, short fiction, and scholarly work.   Most recently, Frank has co-authored with his daughter, Jasmin Dobson, a book for young readers, Cardiss Collins: A Congresswoman with Courage. That book, on the 4th Black woman to serve in Congress will be in print later this year.  Frank works at Otterbein University, as Interim Chief Diversity Officer, where he loves teaching and working with students. 

Phillip Martin has always had a traveling bug. He traveled around some of the world before and during his time in the Peace Corps. Once he experienced life overseas in Liberia for an extended period, twenty years, he moved on to Morocco, the Philippines, Zambia, and Belgium where he taught art at international schools. In Africa he was introduced to the concept of community murals. Martin has painted 62 murals in 26 countries including in U.S. Embassies. During the pandemic trapped at home with his computer and art supplies, he began writing and illustrating children’s books. Some of the stories are folk tales that he has gathered along his journey. His most recent book is a Liberian folk tale that he collected as a Peace Corps volunteer. For more information, go to phillipmartin.com

Karen Meyer has authored eight historical novels for middle grade readers. She weaves real pioneers and events from Ohio's past into a mystery or adventure. Her passion for history began in her school days with field trips to Ohio’s historical sites. For nine years as an Air Force wife, she lived in places as far away as Labrador. Seeing new lands gave her a window on regional and national differences and confirmed an appreciation for her own Ohio roots. Karen visits classrooms and retirement centers in costume as Grandma Sarah, one of the characters in her first two novels. Ohio’s rich Underground Railroad history comes to life in her latest novel, Secrets in the Sky Nest. Visit her website - ohiofrontierhistorylady.com

Join us for a gardening day at Hanby House. Youth will be planting a pot with a seed to take home to watch it grow. Supplies provided. The house will be open for tours. Free and open to the public.

Hanby House will be open for tours and music on Saturday May 27 from 1-4PM. Join us for a guided tour of the home and learn about life in the Civil War era and the work of the Underground Railroad. Free Event. Civil War era music will be performed by Dan Epley

Join us as Dr. John Bickers, an assistant professor of history at Case Western Reserve University and a citizen of the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma, shares information about the Indigenous nations' decisions leading up to the War of 1812. Following the Treaty of Greenville (1795), dozens of Indigenous nations across the Great Lakes region and the United States had agreed to a new peaceful alliance, which was intended to end the decades of warfare across the Ohio Country and provide space for Americans and Native peoples to live as neighbors. Learn about the violations of this treaty and the subsequent thought process as tribal nations and individual tribal citizens had to decide how best to respond, with accommodation to maintain peace or military resistance to protect their rights.

This program will take place in the Westerville Public Library meeting rooms

Many times, the stories of veterans end with their service during a war. What happened to the Black Civil War soldiers after their time in uniform? Retired educator Paul LaRue will examine the challenges and opportunities faced by Black Civil War Veterans following their service in the war. This program is open to the public and free of charge.

Paul LaRue is the recipient of numerous state and national teaching awards. He currently co-chairs the America 250-Ohio K-12 Education Committee. In January he was elected president of the State Board of Education.

On Tuesday, February 7th at 7pm. Gregory Edmonds, President of the Ohio Memorial Chapter of the Tuskegee Airmen, will share the history of the brave individuals who answered the call to duty for their country during World War II. They fought against obstacles at home and overseas. The Tuskegee Airmen were some of the first Black military aviators in the U.S. Army Corps. The program includes a showing of the 15-minute film, Double Victory, followed by a presentation about these heroes. The meeting is free and open to the public in the first-floor meeting rooms of the Westerville Public Library. To register go to the library website, or click the button below.

This meeting of the Westerville Historical Society features Gary Gardiner. He will be presenting about his life as a photographer, leading up to his more recent activities of capturing historic moments in Westerville history.

The meeting will take place at the Westerville Public Library, 126 S State St Westerville, OH

Hanby House Christmas Open Houses will feature an 1850s home decorated for the holidays, guided tours, music and refreshments. These events do not require reservations and are free. Donations are appreciated. Special feature this year is the art of Phillip Martin, a collection of emu eggs painted with depictions of the lyrics from "Up on the Housetop".

Hanby House Christmas Open Houses will feature an 1850s home decorated for the holidays, guided tours, music and refreshments. These events do not require reservations and are free. Donations are appreciated. Special feature this year is the art of Phillip Martin, a collection of emu eggs painted with depictions of the lyrics from "Up on the Housetop".

Hanby House Christmas Open Houses will feature an 1850s home decorated for the holidays, guided tours, music and refreshments. These events do not require reservations and are free. Donations are appreciated. Special feature this year is the art of Phillip Martin, a collection of emu eggs painted with depictions of the lyrics from "Up on the Housetop".

Sunday, September 25th from 2-5pm the Hanby House will be open for tours and will be presenting a program title “The Underground Railroad in Westerville: People and Places.” September is International Underground Railroad Month. Information on individuals who were involved in the effort to guide freedom seekers to safety and images of the UGRR sites will be available

From 1940 to 1990, Otterbein University recorded its football games on 16mm film. In the early 2000s, the Athletics Department gave these films to the University Archive. Twenty years later, a combination of technology, financial support, and scholarly insight has allowed us to begin digitizing the films. Join us at the Westerville Public Library on Friday, September 16th at 7:30 for the program - A Moving Legacy: Historic Sports Films of Otterbein. Otterbein Archivist Stephen D.Grinch, and Project Consultant Dr. Rusty Wilson, will tell you the history of the films, how the project came into being, and then showcasesome of the unexpected treasures hidden in these dusty old reels.

Hanby House will be open on Thursday, September 15 from 1-3 as part of the Ohio History Connection’s “Open Doors” programming. Sites around Westerville are participating in this effort to open buildings to the public. Visit Westerville is spearheading the series of events for our community. To see a list of sites that will be open and schedule go to https://www.visitwesterville.org/events/

Join us Saturday, August 20 from 1pm-4pm at Hanby House for the last event in our Art and History Series. The Westerville Senior Center quilters are going to be demonstrating quilting techniques in the garden. The house is open for tours and staffed by our guides. This event is free and open to the public. In the event of inclement weather the quilting demonstrations will take place indoors. 

Westerville Historic Society is partnering with Community Artists of Westerville to feature the watercolor art of Arta Noor and Richard Leavy. Come enjoy the creations of these two talented local artists, and take a tour of the Hanby House too. This event is free and open to the public.