Because Pickawillany, as both a Miami Indian town and an English trading enterprise, existed for such a relatively short period of time, items recovered during our excavations provide small snapshots of interactions between Europeans and Native cultures at almost one particular instant of time. That is, of the European material culture being infused into and absorbed by the Native populations of the trans-Allegheny west. To date we have recovered nearly 1500 items from the site of Pickawillany but they are mostly things collected from the plow zone during out metal detector surveys as well as a few isolated surface finds. Our present excavations are the culmination of several years of mapping, metal detecting and comprehensive geophysical work (remote sensing) that included magnetometer, electrical resistance and ground penetrating radar surveys. Gone (hopefully) are the days of seemingly endless test pit excavating looking for something you may or may not be lucky enough to locate. When our data were complied and compared the same relatively small area of our 35 acre site repeatedly showed the best promise, no matter which type of survey was employed. It’s just not practical to go out and dig a hole at random hoping to get lucky nor is it sound or legitimate archaeological technique.
This year’s work centered on a number of large anomalies located within about 25 meters from one another that were identified during previous magnetometer surveys.

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How can Ohioans pay more attention to this important part of our history?

What do you think, Ohio?

Let’s be real. History and culture in Ohio are threatened, as they are elsewhere, by the economic realities of 21st century America. While Ohio is home to major cultural centers in its major cities, internationally renowned historic sites and museums, parks, world-class libraries and arts organizations, these cultural resources and institutions – as well as the travel and tourism industry that supports them – are reeling from a combination of economic woes exacerbated by huge state budget reductions.

The Ohio Historical Society and the Ohio Arts Council, for example, now receive about the same amount of annual state support they received in the mid-1980s. A lot of history has accumulated over the past quarter century. Resources have not.

Research indicates that there is a clear tie between those who say that history is important and civic participation. People connected to history are simply more engaged citizens. They are 23 percent more likely to do things like vote, join community organizations and find other avenues for civic engagement than those who say they do not think history is important. That’s good. Quite frankly, the future of history in Ohio is threatened and you are needed now more than ever.

The real stuff of history is located in your community and its institutions – the local archives, libraries, museums and the older buildings and neighborhoods throughout Ohio. Got any good stories? Tell us why history matters to you…

Sure enough, the budget news is grim. The state budget signed on Friday makes an unprecedented disinvestment in history. The state reduced funding to the Ohio Historical Society from $13.5 million in Fiscal Year 2008 and $12 million in 2009 to $7.9 million in 2010 and 2011 – a whopping 42.5 percent reduction in just two years! In other words, Ohio is allocating a mere .69 cents per Ohioan to preserve its state history. That is the lowest allocation of state dollars to the Ohio Historical Society (in non-inflation adjusted dollars) since 1986. For more information about the Society’s recently announced budget cuts, click here.

Unfortunately, the bad budget news did not stop there. History supporters learned after budget passage that the OHS income tax check-off provision was removed from the state budget, despite bipartisan support from the House and Senate (House Bill 75 and Senate Bill 60). The Society had planned to use the voluntary contributions from the tax check-off for a competitive matching grants program for local history-related organizations. Additionally, standardized tests for 5^th and 8^th grade social studies were dropped (4^th and 7^th grade writing tests were also eliminated) as budget-cutting moves.

All of this begs the question: Does history in Ohio have a future?

We at the Ohio Historical Society are convinced that it does. The financial crisis has forced us to look hard at the way we do business. We have to work smarter than we ever have before. In the near future, we’ll be communicating how the Society is reconfiguring our programs and services to maximize our impact on history efforts throughout the state in an era of shrinking state support.

History in Ohio does have a future. However, whether that future will be one in which history thrives or merely survives depends largely on what you and I do in the present. “History is to the nation as memory is to the individual,” Ohio native Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr. once wrote. Despite tremendous budget challenges, the importance of history and preservation will re-emerge in Ohio, but perhaps in non-budgetary ways. One of Ohio’s greatest strengths is its history – not only because of the stories and national impact – but because it is a powerful tool for facing the future and contributing enormously to the quality of life.

According to a recent survey of Ohioans by the University of Toledo’s Urban Affairs Center:

• 86% say that history and historic sites are important to them.
• More than half say history is important to their career.
• More than three-fourths say they think about the past when making important decisions.
• Generally, Ohioans perceive that Ohio invests the same or less on history than neighboring states and that they are inclined to think that Ohio’s elected leaders should invest more.

Thank you for your budget advocacy efforts and choosing to be engaged citizens. Now is not the time to stop. The Ohio Historical Society would like to encourage you to stay engaged at the local and state levels and to participate in public forums this fall to further discuss the future of history in Ohio. Stay tuned for more details. In the meantime, please feel free to send us your questions or comments to me at govrelations@ohiohistory.org.

The Buckeye Council for History Education invites you to attend our 2009 annual conference at the Ohio History Center in Columbus, Ohio on July 23-24, 2009. Our conference theme is Programs, Progress, and People: Innovation in History. It reflects next year’s National History Day theme and a timely interest in the WPA and the New Deal as innovative programs.

Teacher Open House

All educators and their families are welcome to attend the Teacher Open House on July 23, 2009 from 10 AM to 5 PM at the Ohio Historical Center. Come learn about resources available to history educators in central Ohio. Admission is free.

Evening Reception and Dinner

Conference attendees are also invited to attend our opening reception and dinner, Thursday, July 23, 2009. Nick Taylor, author of American Made: The Enduring Legacy of the WPA, will speak on ” The WPA and Ohio: Some High (And Not So High) Lights.”
Please register if you plan to attend.

Conference Sessions and Luncheon

The conference will be held at the Ohio Historical Center and will run from 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM on Friday, July 24, 2009. Sessions will be led by academic and public historians, top educators from the state of Ohio and professional archivists and curators. Lunch will be provided. See the detailed schedule at www.gatewaytohistory.org/bche

Our keynote speaker at this year’s conference luncheon will be Timothy Messer-Kruse, Historian, Professor and Chair of the Department of Ethnic Studies, Bowling Green State University, and author of Banksters, Bosses, and Smart Money: A Social History of the Great Toledo Bank Crash of 1931.

Conference registration is free with a Buckeye Council for History Education membership. If you are not yet a member of the Buckeye Council for History Education, please click here to purchase a membership. When you have purchased a membership, please return to this page to register for the conference.

Questions/Concerns? Contact us at bche@ohiohistory.org

Thursday, July 2 @ 3 pm

Monday, July 6 @ 10 am

Tuesday, July 7 @ 2 pm 

We need your voice! Don’t let Ohio History die! Please join us and other history supporters at the Statehouse and let the General Assembly know that HISTORY MATTERS!

You don’t have to speak at the hearings, but we need you to demonstrate your support by filling the hearing room and halls.

The best days to attend are Monday and Tuesday.

If you are able to attend the event please let us know by emailing govrelations@ohiohistory.org. Rep. Sykes’ office will alert OHS when new information is available, or if changes occur to the schedule, etc. We will alert those that plan to attend via email as soon as possible.

If you have any questions, please contact OHS’ government relations office at govrelations@ohiohistory.org.

Continue reading for more information and speaking points.

Speaking Points:

• Ohio’s history is a clean and constantly renewable natural resource that, with proper stewardship, will not be depleted. Authentic local history cannot be outsourced.

• The Ohio Historical Society reflects our state’s abundance of history that tells a quintessential American story as comprehensive as the American experience itself. The Ohio Historical Society offers not one, but multiple, points of access to Ohio’s history. It is the state’s museum curator, state archivist, historic preservationist, history interpreter, educator and its collective memory.

• The historic sites of the Ohio Historical Society reflect the geographic and topical diversity typical of Ohio. The Society helps maintain and provide access to prehistoric monuments, battle forts, sites dedicated to early transportation, places that highlight nature, technology and even space exploration. As the state’s primary portal to Ohio history, the Ohio Historical Society works to reveal the distinctive character of the first truly American state and its people.

• Connecting with history clearly allows people to connect with feelings of civic pride and responsibility, according to Exploring the Public Value of Ohio’s History, a February 2009 report by the University of Toledo’s Urban Affairs Center. There is a clear tie between those who say that history is important and civic participation – they are 23 percent more likely to do things like vote, join community organizations and find other avenues for civic engagement – than those who say they do not think history is important.

• Ohio is home to 42,350 irreplaceable archaeological sites and more than 92,000 historic properties that have been recorded.

• The historic cities, neighborhoods, buildings and farms in Ohio help tell a national story with an abundance of special places with a diverse blend of cultural influences. This is reflected in Ohio having the third-highest number of National Register of Historic Places listings in the country (nearly 3,700).

• Ohio means family and friends. Our state has been among the most-populated for more than 150 years. It is also near the top among states with the most native-born residents still residing in Ohio. History well remembers the accomplishments of many notable Ohioans such as Ulysses S. Grant, Paul Laurence Dunbar, Wilbur and Orville Wright, Annie Oakley, Roy Rogers, Clark Gable, Bob Evans and Neil Armstrong.

Exploring the Public Value of Ohio’s History, a report by the University of Toledo’s Urban Affairs Center in partnership with the Ohio Historical Society, shows that Ohioans do care about history. Results from four separate surveys conducted by the Urban Affairs Center indicate that most respondents expressed a deep appreciation for history, feel a personal connection to it and want their state to do more to demonstrate enthusiasm for history as an educational tool and a force for stronger civic engagement. The report also discusses economic opportunities associated with Ohio history and makes recommendations for policies and programs.

“This report clearly demonstrates that history is important to Ohioans,” said Bill Laidlaw, executive director and CEO of the Ohio Historical Society. “We commissioned this study in an effort to better define how the public perceives history and how it values the past. We hope the findings will benefit decision makers—state policymakers, history advocates and organizations, educators and, especially, the public.”

About the Survey
Exploring the Public Value of Ohio’s History summarizes survey data from four different points of view: historic site administrators, visitors to historic sites and museums, social studies teachers and the general public. In all, 2,341 people, almost all of them Ohio residents, responded to surveys either by phone, in person or online during the fall of 2008. The goal was to capture the extent to which people from varying perspectives care about and perceive of the public value of history in their daily lives.

The report helps answer basic questions, such as: What events, memories and timeframes do people consider history? Do people care about their own past or that of their community? How do people prefer to use history or learn from it? Do those who say they value history differ in any way from those who say they do not? Finally, the report discusses the value of historic preservation, offers recommendations for linking history with public policy opportunities as well as 10 case studies, or examples, of how history and historic preservation activities today are strengthening communities and adding value to the public.

History, Historic Sites Valued by Public and Teachers
Responses from the general public surveyed revealed that Ohioans view history in surprisingly broad and inclusive ways. Ohioans are more likely to cite personal examples of history they lived through or remember, even as recent as Hurricane Katrina (93 percent), before citing more distant, grand events of history, such as Ancient Rome (71 percent) or World War II (50 percent).

Overall, Ohioans expressed an impressive appreciation for their state history—both at personal and more global levels. Among those surveyed, 86 percent say the state’s history and historic places are important to them. People also value history at a personal level: 76 percent said they think about the past when making important decisions; 72 percent looked to historic figures as roles models; and 94 percent said their family history is important to them.

People who visit Ohio’s historic sites felt overwhelming satisfaction with the learning (99 percent) or entertainment opportunity (96 percent) provided by the historic site or museum. Nearly 100 percent of those surveyed agreed or strongly agreed that the visit was an opportunity to engage in quality family time. While 93 percent said that they would make a return visit within two years, almost all said they would recommend the site to others.

When it comes to teaching history, all the Ohio social studies teachers surveyed said that field trips to local historic sites enhanced the student’s learning experience and helped the teacher be more effective in the classroom. Also, teachers asserted that neither society nor the government put enough value in teaching history, especially the history of their own communities. Educators said they turn to local history organizations (archives, historic sites, etc.) to obtain primary source materials (90 percent), but want an even deeper integration of Ohio’s history in their classrooms. One teacher observed that “no one bled on the field or bravely stood up against tyranny because x=5. Children grow into responsible citizens inspired by serious study of they history.”

Another finding shows that engaging with history clearly allows people to connect with feelings of civic pride and responsibility. Almost all of the survey respondents said their visit to an Ohio site made them proud to be an American. Additionally, there is a clear tie between those who say that history is important and civic participation – they are 23 percent more likely to do things like vote, join community organizations and find other avenues for civic engagement – than those who say they do not think history is important.

The report concludes that Ohio would benefit by capitalizing on the economic and public policy opportunities that integrate Ohio history, tourism and historic preservation. Investing in Ohio’s school reform efforts, the upcoming Civil War sesquicentennial, heritage tourism promotion, historic preservation projects throughout the state and a competitive matching grants program for local history-related organizations are a few examples of opportunities for Ohio’s leaders to connect meaningfully Ohio’s history with its future.

“We know that history plays a defining role in our personal and democratic beliefs, but the emphasis on the study of history as well as our society’s investment in our state’s heritage has significantly waned,” Laidlaw said. “This report shows that Ohioans deeply value their history and that the time to invest in it, in our schools and in our communities, is now.”

Countdown Complete

Today is June 30, the last day of the fiscal year for the state of Ohio. As you look through the articles featured over the last 13 days, you’ll learn about some of the Ohio Historical Society’s outreach programs and historic sites. However, there’s so much more that we as an organization do for Ohio’s history. From special events, like Dickens of a Christmas at Ohio Village and Celebrations at Fort Ancient, to Distance Learning programs and the Archives-Library, the Ohio Historical Society helps to enrich our state’s culture by preserving its heritage. What’s in store for FY2010? Drastic budget cuts that, if enacted, would not only jeopardize Ohio’s past, but its future. You can make a difference. Save Ohio’s History today by e-mailing your state officials.

At the Piqua Historical Area, visitors can view examples of both early American and Indian culture at one location. John Johnston’s farm is the focal point of the property. Johnston owned the farm from 1804 to 1849 and was Indian Agent for western Ohio from 1812 to 1830.

John Johnston, Indian Agent

Born in 1775 in Ireland, Johnston’s family moved to Pennsylvania while he was a young child. In 1812, President James Madison selected Johnston as the Indian Agent overseeing the native reservations in western Ohio. His office was located in Piqua. Johnston faced numerous difficulties in helping the natives. First, the state and the federal governments only minimally assisted the Indians. While all levels of government hoped that the natives would adopt the lifestyle of white people, few serious attempts were made to teach them these customs. Many white Ohioans preferred that the Indians leave the state. Several of these people profited from selling alcohol to the Indians and some illegally settled on the natives’ land. Johnston also helped negotiate the Treaty of Upper Sandusky in 1842. This treaty resulted in the Wyandot Indians selling their land and moving west of the Mississippi River.

Johnston played an important political and social role in Ohio as well. He was a strong advocate of the Whig Party. In 1844, he was one of Ohio’s delegates to the Whig Party national convention in Baltimore, Maryland. He delivered impassioned speeches in favor of Henry Clay, the Whig candidate, from Piqua to Baltimore. With his wife, Johnston formed the first Sunday school in Miami County. He helped found Kenyon College and also served on the board of trustees of Miami University. Johnston also published one of the earliest histories of the Native Americans that once called Ohio home. He died in 1861 in Washington, DC.

Lots to Do At the Piqua Historical Area

The Ohio Historical Society now maintains John Johnston’s farm as a state memorial.

The brick farmhouse and outbuildings, including the large barn, have been restored. A restored section of the Miami & Erie Canal runs through the site. Visitors may ride the reconstructed canalboat, General Harrison, which is pulled by two mules. The museum features the history of Ohio’s historic Indians from 1760 to 1860. The site of an 18^th-century English trading post, Pickawillany, has recently been added to the property and will be incorporated into the interpretation of the site over the next few years.

Over 16,000 people visited the site in 2008, including 3,684 school children from schools throughout western Ohio and eastern Indiana. Its diverse history enables the site to address many of the benchmarks identified by the Ohio Department of Education. Already in 2009 the site has hosted approximately 2,500 students this spring. The Piqua Historical Area also serves Miami County as the host site for the Piqua Heritage Festival, which brings an additional 80,000 – 100,000 visitors here each Labor Day weekend.

The Piqua Historical Area is on North Hardin Road, just of State Route 66, 3.5 miles northwest of Piqua in Miami County.

This Place Matters!

The Piqua Historical Area State Memorial celebrates two thousand years of Ohio’s rich history from prehistoric Indians to Ohio’s canal era. Help keep this historic site open to the public by contacting your legislators today! Let us show you how.

Many Ohioans get their history not only from books or their teachers, but the signs that dot the state’s highways and streets.

For 52 years, the Ohio Historical Society’s Ohio Historical Markers Program has been a vital and vibrant educational tool that informs residents and visitors about significant aspects of Ohio’s past. Ohio Historical Markers, located in every county in the state, identify, commemorate and honor the important people, places, and events that have contributed to Ohio’s rich history. The Ohio Historical Society works with local partners and sponsors to produce historical markers. These partners, such as local historical societies, choose topics, research historical materials, draft marker text, and submit applications for markers.

History on a Stick

The markers, made of cast aluminum and erected along roadsides in all 88 counties, pay tribute to Ohio’s natural wonders, Native Americans and settlers, government and politics, entertainers and artists, athletes, inventors, struggles for freedom and equality, business and industry plus other diverse topics.

“Ohio has many things to appreciate, even to brag about,” said William K. Laidlaw, Jr., executive director and CEO of the Ohio Historical Society. “Historic markers have transformed our landscape into a history lesson of interesting places, people and events.  These signs are a passport to the state’s historic places like Serpent Mound in Adams County, the birthplace of Thomas Edison in Erie County and to the Battle of Fallen Timbers in Lucas County. They are a vital educational tool, informing residents and visitors about significant aspects of Ohio’s past.”

About the Ohio Historical Markers Program

In 1953, the Ohio Sesquicentennial Commission began erecting Corporate Limit Markers, the blue, Ohio-shaped markers erected at a town’s or city’s corporate limits noting in 13 words or less something historically significant about the place. By 1957, however, many people felt these brief descriptions were not enough to describe all the historically significant events, people or sites within a community. The original Markers Committee, developed by the now decommissioned Sesquicentennial Commission, established the Ohio Historical Markers Program to be coordinated by the Ohio Historical Society.  The new markers could have 90 to 300 words on them to denote significant events, people, and sites in or near communities.

The first Ohio marker, erected in Akron in 1957, tells of the significance of Portage Path, the famous portage or carrying-place between the Cuyahoga and Tuscarawas rivers, to the settlement of Ohio. At the close of 2007, there are more than 1,200 markers statewide that provide a tangible record of Ohio’s history.

“Although the Ohio Historical Society sets standards to ensure that the subjects of Ohio historical markers are historically significant and that the information included on the markers is accurate, the program is a true grassroots effort where local people decide what’s historically important about their communities and work together to make the marker a reality,” Laidlaw said.

The program, administered by the OHS Local History Office, allows individuals, public agencies or private organizations to nominate historic properties, persons and events of significance on a local, state or national level for consideration. Nominations should address at least one important aspect of Ohio’s historical, natural or physical development in one of the following areas: history, architecture, culture, archaeology, ethnic associations, natural history or folklore. The text for the marker is researched and written by the nominator. Once approved by the Ohio Historical Society, the sign is then manufactured by Sewah Studios in Marietta.

A grants program was established in 2006 to help organizations and communities defray the cost of historical markers. Up to 20 marker applications each year are selected to receive $750 to defray the total cost of a historical marker, which ranges from $1,900 – $2,150.

“History is important,” Laidlaw said.  “Knowing the past helps us know ourselves and our place in today’s world.”

Visit www.remarkableohio.org and plan your next history vacation in Ohio.

Local History: Worth the Investment

Ohio’s historical markers program is recognized as one of the best and most democratic in the nation. State funding for the Ohio Historical Markers is leveraged to attract nearly $100,000 of private revenue, nearly doubling the state’s investment. However, if OHS funding for this longstanding local history program is cut, no more new markers will be erected and Ohio will not be so remarkable any more. Please contact your legislators today and ask them to support the Ohio Historical Society’s Marker Program.

Tomorrow: Meet Two Mules and General Harrison…