Two Metro Park Naturalists will be presenting the history of Inniswood Park and Sharon Woods Park – both located in Westerville. This event is open and free to the public. The event will take place at the Senior Center at the Westerville Community Center, 350 N Cleveland Ave Westerville, OH 43082. Enter at the south door only.
Morning Rotary Field of Heroes is honoring the United States 250th celebration with the theme of “WE the People” with a tribute field that commemorates seven events that challenged our nation’s character and its people: the American Revolution, the Civil War Women’s Suffrage Movement, the Great Depression, World War II, the Civil Rights Movement, and September 11th. This field will display red, white and blue poppies. Participants in the 5K on Sunday morning will receive a challenge coin featuring the American flag, the Statue of Liberty, and the Declaration of Independence scroll. This event takes place at the Westerville Sports Complex on Cleveland Ave, across from the Westerville Community Center.
Morning Rotary and the Westerville Historical Society are presenting a Cemetery Walk featuring Revolutionary War veterans, War of 1812 veterans, and pioneer families. Parking will be at W.A.R.M., 150 Heatherdown Dr, Westerville. No parking in the cemetery. This event is free and open to the public
Join us for a walking tour of the former sites of the Hanby House and learn local history along the way. The Hanby House will be open for tours. The special walking tours begin at 1:15pm, 2:15pm and 3:15 pm. This event is free and open to the public. Tours start at the Hanby House, 160 W. Main St, Westerville, OH 43081
Join us for a special presentation about the history of theaters in Westerville. The Hanby House will be open for tours from 1pm to 4pm. The special presentations will take place at 1:30pm, 2:15pm, and 3pm in Shoemaker Cottage behind the Hanby House. This event is free and open to the public.
Join in the celebration of the 250th birthday of our country with an ice cream social, crafts, music and games. The first 750 attendees will get complimentary ice cream treats. This event will take place on the lawn of the Hanby Elementary School, 56 S State St, Westerville, OH. This event is free and open to the public.
Join us at the Hanby House for a look at under-told local history stories. These stories are featured in a series of murals commemorating America’s 250th anniversary. Meet a few of the artists who were involved. Presentations begin at 1:30pm, 2:15pm and 3:00pm. The Hanby House will be open for touring. This event is free and open to the public.
Join us at the Hanby House for presentations on the Pioneer History of Westerville at 1:30pm, 2:15pm, and 3:00pm. Learn about the journey the settlers took from Connecticut to the state of Ohio and the early years after they arrived. The Hanby House will be open for tours. This event is free and open to the public.
Join us at the Hanby House as we celebrate the 85th anniversary of the founding of the Westerville Historical Society and the 100th anniversary of Dacia Custer Shoemaker saving the building from being torn down when she received it as a birthday present from her husband. At 2:00pm there will be a ceremony dedicating a bench donated by the Westerville Lions Club. Light refreshments will be served, and there will be music. The Hanby House will be open for tours. This event is free and open to the public.
William Hanby was a saddle maker working with leather as his trade. The Hanby House has a collection of old tools including some owned by Hanby. Learn about these tools and their usage at presentations and a display of them at 1:30, 2:15, and 3:00 in Shoemaker Cottage behind the Hanby House. The house will be open for tours. This event is free and open to the public.
Join us at the Hanby House for a program on the Underground Railroad in Westerville. The Underground Railroad presentations will take place at 1:30pm,2:15pm, and 3:00pm in the Shoemaker Cottage behind the house. The Hanby House will be open for tours from 1pm to 4pm. This event is free and open to the public.
The Westerville Symphony will be unveiling an original piece of music by Jennifer Merkowitz for the U.S. 250th celebration. The piece “Til All Success Be Nobleness” is inspired by the Temperance History of Westerville. Tickets are available on the webpage of the Symphony at westervillesymphony.org There will be a pre-concert talk with the composer and local historians in Cowan Hall at 4pm about the new piece of music and the connection to local history
Stephen Grinch, Otterbein archivist, will share details of the life of local resident
Sanders Frye who invented the first automatic bowling pinsetter. Frye was the business manager of Otterbein University and a miniature train hobbyist. This program will be Friday, March 27th at 7pm at the Westerville Public Library.
Doors to the library open at 6:30. This programs is free and open to the public.
Join us at the Westerville Public Library on Friday, January 23rd at 7pm to learn the backstory about the Anti-Saloon League Collection and how it became the Westerville History Museum. Jackie Barton, manager of the History Museum at the library will be presenting. You will have the opportunity to view rare items that have not been onsite since 1974.
Topics will include:
*How did the Westerville Public Library come to hold the nation’s largest prohibition collection?
*Did this archive almost leave Ohio and how did it end up staying here?
*Where has it been stored for the past 50 years and what is happening now?
*What is in the collection?
Doors to the library open at 6:30. This programs is free and open to the public.
The Hanby House welcomes you to celebrate the Christmas Holiday by coming to our December Open Houses. The 1850s home is decorated for the holidays. There will be music in the home's parlor and refreshments in Shoemaker Cottage adjacent to the Hanby House. These events are free and open to the public. Donations appreciated.
The Hanby House welcomes you to celebrate the Christmas Holiday by coming to our December Open Houses. The 1850s home is decorated for the holidays. There will be music in the home's parlor and refreshments in Shoemaker Cottage adjacent to the Hanby House. These events are free and open to the public. Donations appreciated.
The Hanby House welcomes you to celebrate the Christmas Holiday by coming to our December Open Houses. The 1850s home is decorated for the holidays. There will be music in the home's parlor and refreshments in Shoemaker Cottage adjacent to the Hanby House. These events are free and open to the public. Donations appreciated.
The annual meeting and dessert buffet of the Westerville Historical Society will be Sunday, November 9th at 2:00pm at Church of the Messiah in the McVay Hall. The program will be Hoover Reservoir: Its history and impact presented by Gary Houtz and John Bokros. This is a reservation event. Registration is $6 for members and $8 for non-members. To register you can send a check to WHS P.O. Box 1063, Westerville OH 43086-7063. If you have any questions, please contact WHSpres@westervillehistory.org
Join us at the Hanby House and learn about the sites and people who were part of the Underground Railroad in Westerville.
2025 marks 150 years since the beginning of the Westerville Whiskey Wars which put the community on the map of anti-alcohol “holy places”. Join us as we explore Bishop William Hanby’s action during this turbulent time for our town.
In July, 1875 Henry Corbin opened a saloon in Westerville and the Whiskey Wars began. Bishop William Hanby had a prominent role in this anti-alcohol battle. There will be presentations at Hanby House on Saturday, August 2 at 1:30; 2:15 and 3:00 to share some of the stories of these dramatic events in our community's history and the Hanby connection. The house will be open for tours from 1-4pm. This event is free and open to the public.
Ben Hanby’s birthday is July 22 and we are celebrating with ice cream treats and music.
The Hanby House will be open for this special Westerville tradition. Come enjoy the kitchen garden at the Hanby House and also guided tours of the historic house.
Join us for sweet treats and Westerville history stories. Make your own s’more and enjoy it while listening to some interesting history stories.
Katy Kaslow from the History Museum at the Westerville Public Library will give presentations on Squire Fouse and his family who lived in the Hanby House in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Squire was freed at the end of the Civil War and moved to Westerville. His son William Henry Fouse was the first black graduate of Westerville High School and Otterbein.
Stephen Grinch, archivist at Otterbein, will share information about the early female students and faculty at Otterbein University including Kate Winter Hanby, Ben Hanby’s wife.
Join us at the Hanby House for a presentation on the history of the local cemeteries and the stories of some of the veterans buried in them. Saturday, May 31 from 1-4pm. Presentation will be given several times, so show up when convenient for you.
Learn about the history of the cemeteries in Westerville and the personal stories of some of the veterans who are buried in them.
In commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the installation of the iconic Uptown marquee on the State Theater building, the Westerville Historical Society will present a program titled 'Historic Theaters of Uptown Westerville'. This program will spotlight the stories of the historic movie and live entertainment theaters in Westerville. Join us on Friday, March 28 at 7:00pm in the Westerville Public Library meeting rooms for this special event.
Learn how educator and activist William Fouse broke barriers and left Westerville with a powerful legacy for Black history and American history. He became the first Black graduate of Westerville High School and Otterbein University, and he spent his life fighting for equal educational opportunities for Black students, but he didn't do it alone. The stories of Fouse and his support network give us insight into the legacies of racism and slavery, the leadership and creativity of local Black activists, and their lives' continuing relevance for today.
This presentation will be given by Museum Specialist Kathryn Kaslow and is based on the Westerville History Museum's exhibit "The World of William Fouse." The exhibit will be open for browsing 30 minutes before the start of the program.
One special notice about this program - it will be starting earlier than past programs have. The History Museum exhibit about William Henry Fouse will be open at 6:30 for attendees to visit. The program and meeting will start at 7:00pm. The museum will not be open after the program. Future programs will all start at 7:00pm. No registration is required for this event and it is open to the public.
Join us as we celebrate the holidays in an historic home decorated for the occasion, with music in the parlor and sweet treats in the adjacent Shoemaker Cottage. The home of Ben Hanby, composer of “Up on the Housetop” will be open to the public on Tuesday, December 3rd and Thursday, December 5th from 7:00-9:00pm and on Saturday, December 7th from 10:00am-2:00pm. Get in the holiday spirit with a visit to Hanby House. No admittance fee – donations encouraged.
Join us as we celebrate the holidays in an historic home decorated for the occasion, with music in the parlor and sweet treats in the adjacent Shoemaker Cottage. The home of Ben Hanby, composer of “Up on the Housetop” will be open to the public on Tuesday, December 3rd and Thursday, December 5th from 7:00-9:00pm and on Saturday, December 7th from 10:00am-2:00pm. Get in the holiday spirit with a visit to Hanby House. No admittance fee – donations encouraged.
Join us as we celebrate the holidays in an historic home decorated for the occasion, with music in the parlor and sweet treats in the adjacent Shoemaker Cottage. The home of Ben Hanby, composer of “Up on the Housetop” will be open to the public on Tuesday, December 3rd and Thursday, December 5th from 7:00-9:00pm and on Saturday, December 7th from 10:00am-2:00pm. Get in the holiday spirit with a visit to Hanby House. No admittance fee – donations encouraged.
Hanby House is providing two walking tours to visit sites in the Uptown area with connections to the Hanby family. You can participate in these special walking tours by meeting the tour guide at Hanby House. The first tour begins at 1:30pm and the second at 2:30pm. The house will be open for visitors from 1:00 to 4:00pm.
This program of the Westerville Historical Society will focus on the iconic restaurants past and present of Uptown Westerville. John Bokros will be presenting interesting information and photos of these businesses. There will be time to share your personal memories and artifacts of these restaurants.
See event details below
Come to the Hanby House to hear the story of Dacia Custer Shoemaker. Dacia's father grew up in the household of General George Custer and also fought in the Civil War. Dacia saved the Hanby House from being torn down and was the first curator of the property. Learn about this impressive woman and her family. The programs and tours of the house are open to the public and free of charge.
Who was involved with the Underground Railroad in Westerville? What buildings were part of this secret network? Beth Weinhardt will share information on the families and structures that were part of the effort to help freedom seekers travel through Ohio on their way to freedom in Canada
