Dublin Historical Society
One year ago, the Dublin Historical Society celebrated its 50th anniversary with the opening of its museum in Historic Dublin, marking a major milestone and fulfilling a dream decades-in-the-making.
Now, with a permanent space to display its collections and share the city’s rich history, the Dublin History Museum is not only preserving the past, but reshaping how Dublin is experienced today – acting as hub for community engagement, volunteer collaboration, storytelling and connection.
Finding a home for history
“(The Society) has always had aspirations for a brick-and-mortar facility,” says Mike Jewell, current president of the Dublin Historical Society. “There were a lot of people that wanted this to happen.”
For decades prior, the Society housed its collections in and operated out of multiple temporary locations, including but not limited to: the Fletcher Coffman Homestead and Davis Log Cabin; the Dublin Community Church, library and justice center; and the old city hall.
When the property located at 35 S. High St. in Historic Dublin – otherwise known as the historic J.G. Butler house – hit the market shortly before the Society’s 50th anniversary, the Society seized its opportunity.
With help from the community – including a bed-tax grant from the City of Dublin and substantial sponsorships from Crawford Hoying and Performance Columbus – the Society signed a lease for the property on March 1, 2023.
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Read more about one of the Eger descendants who remembers growing up at 35 S. High St.
A labor of love
Dublin Historical Society
Dublin Historical Society
Dublin Historical Society
Dublin Historical Society
Acquiring the J.G. Butler house was only the beginning – what truly brought the Dublin History Museum to life was generous donations and hundreds of hours of volunteer work.
“We had a huge meeting before our opening and said, ‘If anyone wants to help us open this museum, come help us,’” says Katie Cook, vice president and secretary of the Society. “We listed a bunch of different skills that we could use.”
From there, a group of about 40 volunteers – ranging in age from 15 up to 90 – was assembled and organized into committees, each led by a Leadership Dublin guide. Volunteers were kept on track by Society Trustee John Leppert’s extensive punch list.
Given the house’s historic status, as little as possible was changed.
“We kept everything as original as we could,” says Leppert. “The floors, the staircase, the plaster walls, the molding, baseboards and door frames… are all original. The only thing we did was (remove) the kitchen and (refurbish) the bathrooms.”
Research and design efforts were driven by Julie Duffy, Gina Kantner, Senior Historian/Past President Tom Holton and his wife, Gayle Holton, while fabrication and renovation efforts were spearheaded by Jewell, Leppert, Cook, Jim Early, Kari Parsons and Linda Zack. The group also received material donations from Home Depot, Lowes and several other organizations.
“We did (all) that without hiring a company because we had so many talented people,” says Cook.
At the end of the journey, which was completed in just seven months, the only out-of-pocket expense was new carpeting.
“People came to help whenever they had time. You could stop over here, and almost every day, somebody was in here,” says Jewell. “It was truly a labor of love.”
The Museum celebrated its grand opening on Oct. 19, 2024, just one day after its 50th anniversary, with a heartfelt ribbon cutting ceremony featuring former Society presidents and founding Society members, celebrated by the Dublin Cornet Band and a painting of the Museum commissioned by the Dublin Arts Council.
More than a museum
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Walking into the Dublin History Museum today, visitors are greeted with exhibits that range from timelines tracing Dublin’s transformation from a small quarry town to a thriving city, to unique artifacts such as a paper wedding dress from the 1940s.
“We wanted a museum here that reflected Dublin, and not just a collection of stuff,” says Gayle. “We wanted it to be presented in a way (so) that people can really see what’s there rather than having to dig.”
From the rotating notable people exhibit to the sports display, each room tells its own story, and together they create a space where the past feels both preserved and alive.
Not only has the Museum permitted the Society to create this unique learning center, it has also allowed it to expand its reach to both its partners and the public alike. The space has also quickly transformed into a place where the community can gather – offering many more meaningful benefits than the Society could have imagined.
Since opening, the Museum has been utilized for field trips and school curriculum, summer camps, family and school reunions, and serves as a meeting space for several other nonprofit organizations as well as a training hub for multiple volunteer groups.
“(Our first year in operation) has been highly successful, without a doubt,” says Clayton Rose III, Society treasurer and trustee. “We’re learning as we go, and… there’s no doubt there’s momentum. Now, it’s just keeping it going.”
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Dublin’s story continues
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While the first year of the Dublin History Museum was dedicated to establishing a home, the next will be about imagining what else is possible within it.
The Historical Society will continue to put on its usual programming such as the Historic Dublin Walking Tours, Christmas at Coffman Homestead (including Visit Santa at the Museum this year) and its Second Sunday Speaker Series, and the group is also looking forward to additional opportunities.
One of those includes a new exhibit dedicated to the history of the Memorial Tournament, planned to coincide with the tournament’s 50th anniversary next year. The Society is also working closely with America 250 in honor of the country’s 250th anniversary next July.
The Society also hopes to become more involved with Historic Dublin events, Dublin City Schools curricula, upcoming city anniversaries and additional Dublin nonprofits and corporations.
Most importantly, the Society looks forward to incorporating more recent traditions into the Museum alongside its current displays – including in video form – to continue telling the story of Dublin.
“Our mission is to collect and tell those stories before they’re totally lost,” says Tom. “That’s the unique role we’re playing in the community that nobody else is doing.”
For more information about the Dublin Historical Society, its programming and the Dublin History Museum, visit www.dublinohiohistory.org.
Ella Jay is an assistant editor at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at ejay@cityscenemediagroup.com.
