Ohio History Journal

HISTORICAL SOCIETY BUILDINGS.

 

COMPILED BY THE EDITOR.

On the following pages are presented brief statements of

what Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota, all younger states than

Ohio, have done for their historical societies. Half-tone cuts of

the New Hampshire and Ohio buildings are also shown.

Other states and a number of cities have erected buildings

not less notable.

The Historical Society of Buffalo has a building of which

any state might be proud. The work of this society ranks high

and its publications are recognized as authoritative.

San Francisco, within the current year has received through

the generosity and public spirit of M. H. de Young a memorial

museum and buildings valued at over $5.000,000. The magnifi-

cent group of buildings in which the museum is housed is located

in the famous Golden Gate Park. Through years to come it will

speak of the triumph of American civilization and the crowning

glory that marks the westward course of empire on this conti-

nent. It is fitting that while Liberty Enlightening the World

stands at the port of our eastern metropolis, the muse of history

should look upon the ocean from her palace at the gateway of

the Pacific Slope.

No state west of the Allegheny Mountains has contributed

more to the service of American progress than has our own

Ohio. We are justly proud of the record. Our orators elo-

quently admit this on the platform and the hustings. Assuredly

Ohio will do her full share in providing for the preservation of

the relics, sources and monuments of her remarkable history.

 

ILLINOIS

The State of Illinois is erecting a Centennial Memorial

Building which will cost when completed and equipped over

$1,500,000. $950,000 has already been appropriated. This will

provide quarters for the Illinois Historical Society and its State

Museum, including a Lincoln Room, the Illinois State Library,

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548      Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

an auditorium and a few minor offices.  The cut herewith

presented shows that the State of Illinois has entered the class

of New York in liberal manifestation of interest in her history.

 

"Growth and development beyond the prophet's most san-

guine expectations have thus far marked the progress of Ameri-

can life; who is brave enough to predict that the mighty current

shows even the slightest signs of diminution?  The problem

therefore is, while planning wisely and sanely for today to let

each step be a preparation for the marvelous unseen activities

of tomorrow.

"The Centennial Building will thus be seen to have a dual

importance- important not only as a monumental memorial

marking in enduring stone the completion of the first hundred

years of a great State's existence, but important also as a symbol

of greater achievements by that State and its people in the years

that lie before. A double vision has inspired and directed those

who have had the work in charge -a vision of the past and a

vision of the future.

"Not only with regard to the setting and surroundings of

the Centennial Building, but in planning the building itself, has

the idea of future development been kept firmly in mind, so that

the oft-repeated error of building a structure which becomes

outgrown and crowded after a decade or two might be avoided."

-Edgar Martin, Supervising Architect.

 

WISCONSIN

Wisconsin, although admitted into the Union forty-five years

later than Ohio, has excelled all other states carved out of the

Northwest Territory, in collecting, arranging and safeguarding

the sources of local, state and national history.  Ohio students

and authors, after they have exhausted the scattered resources

in their own state, must go to the Wisconsin Historical Society

to consult books, maps and manuscripts that cannot be found

elsewhere in the Mississippi Valley. So interested in the history

of their state have the people of Wisconsin become that they do

not wait for gifts and bequests. The state appropriated for the

erection of a building for her historical society, $650,000. Sub-

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Historical Society Buildings.        549

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550      Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

sequent appropriations have been made for equipment and the

value of this noble structure, to which the citizens of the entire

state contributed and in which they take an especial pride, is not

less than $1,000,000.

There is now in this building which is located near the state

university perhaps the most valuable collection on American

history to be found in any institution west of the Allegheny

Mountains.  Students of local history from other states of the

Middle West must go to Wisconsin for their sources of informa-

tion. This state through a number of years has built up a living

monument in its library of books, documents and manuscripts.

In this respect Wisconsin has set a notable and noble example

for her sister states.

MINNESOTA

Minnesota, a comparatively young state, is following the

example of her adjoining neighbor, Wisconsin.  The stately

building pictured above on May 11, 1918, was dedicated with

appropriate ceremonies. For it the state appropriated $500,000.

 

"The Minnesota Historical Society was organized in 1849,

under territorial charter, and for many years has looked forward

to having a building of its own.  A fund was gradually ac-

cumulated for the purchase of such a building, in the event of

the society having to build for itself. This, however, was not

a large sum, and it would have been many years before the

society itself could have built a proper home. When the present

Capitol was built, rooms were provided for the society in the

basement and these served our purpose for some years.  In

1913 the legislature, recognizing the need, made a very generous

provision, an appropriation of five hundred thousand dollars,

for the building, the society agreeing to pay seventy-five thou-

sand dollars for the purchase of a site and for furnishing the

building.  The site first selected by the board of control, and

approved by the society, was purchased from this fund at a

cost of thirty-five thousand dollars. The title was acquired by

the state, and the state still owns the property.  Before plans

for the building had been perfected, it was recognized by the

board of control and the society that a mistake had been made

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552      Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

in the selection of the first site, and the legislature was asked to,

and did, amend the bill, so as to provide for the erection of a

building upon a site to be selected by the society." - Charles P.

Noyes, at dedication of Minnesota Historical Building.

 

NEW HAMPSHIRE

This beautiful and substantial structure was erected at a

cost of over $600,000.  New Hampshire has many creditable

library, educational and institutional buildings; New Hampshire

has and will have only one historical society building. No other

structure will rise to rival it or share in its distinctive purpose.

By his generous gift Edward Tuck has erected an enduring

monument to himself as well as to his native state.

In recent years public spirited, patriotic persons with ample

fortunes have done much to encourage the preservation of local

and state history.  Such citizens have erected substantial build-

ings for their historical societies.  In some instances they have

been aided by the municipality or the state; in others they have

provided without assistance for such buildings.  A  notable

example is seen in the splendid building that has been erected

for the New Hampshire Historical Society through the gener-

osity and public spirit of Edward Tuck.

Opportunities to do much in this line are still open to

wealthy, public spirited men of Ohio. Colonel Webb C. Hayes,

as will be seen by reference to the concluding page of this

circular, has presented to the Ohio State Archaeological and His-

torical Society the homestead of his father, Rutherford B. Hayes,

former President of the United States, and created trust funds

for the maintenance of this splendid property including the

Memorial Library Building at Spiegel Grove. The opportunity

remains for patriotic citizens of the state to contribute to the

collections of the Society, to provide funds for publications or

an additional building and thus to link their names permanently

with the incomparable history of the Buckeye State.

 

OHIO

Above is a small cut of the museum and library building

of the Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Society. This

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554       Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications. is really the High Street front of a structure which when com- pleted will extend 250 feet back on the grounds of the Ohio State University.  The present building awaits funds for addi- tions in accordance with the original plan. $100,000 was appro- priated for this building, and it has been so carefully expended that perhaps no state building in Columbus exhibits a more satisfactory return for the investment.  It is well lighted and thoroughly fireproof.  It stands at the main entrance to the Ohio State University grounds and continually invites students from every section of the state to its museum, illustrating the archaeology and history of Ohio, and to its growing library which

in time will take rank with the historical libraries that have been built up in other progressive states. Within the past year the Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Society has been greatly encouraged by the manifesta- tion of an awakened public interest in its important work. Within that period gifts in cash, real estate and relics valued at not less than $70,000 have come to the Society through the agency of public spirited citizens of the state.  This includes $47,000 earned by motion picture films of Camp Sherman and transferred by Governor James M. Cox to the Society to be used in constructing wholly or in part an addition to the present building which shall be dedicated to the soldiers of the World

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Historical Society Buildings.           555 War. This sum is now available if adequately supplemented by appropriations from the Legislature and gifts from other sources. The present building is already overcrowded.  Ohio's share of the relics of the World War will soon be transferred from Washington to the custody of our state.  Most of them will come to the Society.  Provision must be made for their care and preservation. In the October QUARTERLY is an address delivered by for- mer Governor James E. Campbell, President of the Society. It sets forth what Colonel Webb C. Hayes has done by the trans- fer to the state in the custody of the Society property worth over half a million dollars.. If the state will do its part other public spirited citizens will be encouraged to follow the gener- ous and patriotic example of Colonel Hayes.

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