Aurora Historical Society

Save the Date for the Antiques Appraisal Fair

admin — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 16:17:53 +0000

The Aurora Historical Society will host an Antiques Appraisal Fair, Consignment Shop & Cafe on Saturday, October 13, from 10 am to 3 pm in the library gallery and Aurora Historical Society Museum. Details:

- Appraisals will be conducted of collectibles by knowledgeable dealers.
-Antique items will be available for purchase.
-Delicious home-made soups, sandwiches and desserts will be featured.
-Admission prices: $5 for one appraisal
$10 for three appraisals

For more information please contact Kathlyn Brown at 330-562-7034 or kathlynbrown67@gmail.com

Wedding Attire Exhibit

admin — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 16:01:11 +0000

New Exhibition at the Museum

The Aurora Historical Society is excited to announce its latest exhibition on clothing, entitled Wedding Attire: Gowns & Formal Wear of Yesteryear. The exhibition features a variety of formal attire and accessories that people wore to and for weddings. The gowns featured are donations and reflect the style & beauty of wedding dresses. Some of the gowns are not what we would today consider wedding dresses because they are not white, however, the trend to wear a white dress on your wedding day did not become popular until 1840, when Queen Victoria marriage to Albert of Saxe-Coburg. She chose the color to accommodate some favorite lace she owned. As a result, many brides now wear white gowns on their wedding days.

The exhibition features more than just a few gowns. Also on display are wedding invitations from local Aurora families such as the Goulds, Harmons, Parsons, and Treats. They are from the late 1800s to early 1900s and are similar to ones we still send today! Men’s formal attire is represented by top hats and detachable collars. Women’s accessories include fancy hand-fans, purses, gloves, and wedding slippers.

An interesting newspaper clipping displayed announces “Aurora WAVE is Bride.” The November 14, 1945 article and photograph publicize the nuptials of “Miss June L. McCleary, Aurora, Becomes Bride of Army Officer.” McCleary married D.R. Gilkison after serving her country during World War II. WAVE is an acronym for “Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service,” and consisted of women who enlisted and served in the U.S. Naval Reserve during a time period when it was generally not socially acceptable for women to be in military service, except during times of extreme urgency.

In addition to the artifacts are some interesting wedding trivia that explains a number of the traditions we include in our wedding ceremonies, such as why the groom stands on the bride’s right, why we wear wedding bands on the fourth finger of our left hands, and fun traditions and superstitions from a variety of cultures.

We hope that you will visit the exhibition as well as donate photos (originals or scanned copies) of your or your family’s Aurora weddings. We also accept any Aurora related items, as well as artifacts relating to World War II, Sea World, Geauga Lake, Aurora Schools, etc.

A visit to the museum is free. We are open Mondays and Wednesdays from 2-4pm and by appointment Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 11-3. For additional information or to donate artifacts, images, or to make a monetary contribution please call 330-995-3336 or email aurorahist@windstream.net

Marcelle visits KSU Museum

admin — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 17:49:11 +0000

My intern Natasha Davis-Harris and I visited the Kent State University Museum, more popularly known as the Fashion Museum. The trip was designed to show Natasha how other museums store, display, and exhibit their artifacts as well as confirm that we, at the Aurora Historical Society, were properly caring for our costumes and material artifacts. Joann Fenn, Assistant Professor and Collections Manager/Museum Registrar directed our tour. As Professor Fenn took us through many different storage areas, we discovered that we care for our collections in very similar ways. KSUM has more hanging storage space and follows a directive from the 1980s for storing its artifacts in open closets, covered with hanging blinds, making it easy to see what items are available. They also utilize acid-free boxes for fragile items and items that do not fit into the closets as well as using acid-free non-buffered tissue paper to protect clothing, shoes, hats, purses, and related items stored in boxes and drawers.

Exhibition of clothing and other artifacts is carefully done on manikins created in-house using foam core, muslin material, and non-buffered tissue paper to fill out sleeves, hats, and coats. Due to the small sizes of the clothing from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, modern manikins and other display devices are often too large; hence design of their own displays makes more sense than buying costly ready-made ones and cutting them down.

The museum recently changed the way it exhibits its collection. It currently employs minimal text describing artifacts and relies on full-color glossy brochures to explain the artifacts displayed and contextualize the exhibits. This technique allows visitors to focus exclusively on the artifacts displayed and then to read the brochure text to find information about its date, fabric, style, etc.

The KSUM was a wonderful museum to tour and Natasha and I came away with many new ideas regarding our displays in the Aurora Historical Society museum. We enjoyed the Katharine Hepburn exhibition as well as the decorative arts display. KSUM utilized a new way of displaying some of its collectibles, putting a collector’s entire collection on display rather than one part of it. This allows the visitor to see the myriad and disparate things that one person might collect in his or her lifetime

Our visit was a great way to meet with professionals in the museum field, see how other institutions function behind the scenes as well as what new ways they employ to display their artifacts. We always can learn from others and as we continue to visit other museums in our area, we will continue to bring new ideas, techniques, and concepts to AHS.

Lincoln Is Coming in 2013 Here’s the Schedule

admin — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 17:00:51 +0000

The American Library Association Public Programs Office has chosen the Aurora Historical Society to host Lincoln: The Constitution and the Civil War, a traveling exhibition developed by the National Constitution Center, Philadelphia, and the American Library Association Public Programs Office, with the generous support of the National Endowment for the Humanities. AHS President John Kudley said that the exhibition will tour the country from October 2011 through the fall of 2015. It will appear in Ohio only eleven times. The exhibition will be on display in AHS’s museum from February to April 2013
Calendar of Events 2012 – 2013

2012
May 17
Dinner Meeting with speaker Mary Todd Lincoln as portrayed by Charlene Connors
Reservations Needed

July 4
Walking Tour of the Aurora Cemetery led by Dick Fetzer
Historical Society Booth—Kiwanis Moore Park

September 29 – 30
Pioneer Days at Sunny Lake Park
Lincoln & Civil War Encampment
Historical Society Booth

November 3
American Girl Tea featuring Addy Walker
2:00 p.m. at the Library Gallery
Sponsor: Aurora Memorial Library
Reservations Needed: 330.562.6502
(girls 4-12)

October – November
Aurora City Schools Curriculum Programs about Abraham Lincoln, the Civil War, & the Constitution

2013
February 18 – 23
Scavenger Hunt featuring quilt codes & Civil War era clues
Sponsor: Aurora Memorial Library
Information: 330.562.6502

February 23
Grand Opening of the Abraham Lincoln: the Constitution & the Civil War Exhibition
“We Made History” Event featuring Presidential Re-enactors
Aurora Community Theatre & Gallery
Tickets to Program, exhibition free

February 27
Adult Book Discussion: Mrs. Lincoln & Mrs. Keckly: the Remarkable Story
by Jennifer Fleischner.
Sponsor: Aurora Memorial Library Information: 330.562.6502

March 9
Teen Book Discussion: Trouble Don’t Last
By Shelley Pearsal 1:00p.m. Library
Sponsor: Aurora Memorial Library
Information: 330.562.6502

March 16
Dr. Daniel Kilbride, Associate Professor & Chair, History Dept. at John Carroll University: “Lincoln & Civil Rights during the Civil War.”
Dr. Diane Barnes, Associate Professor, Youngstown State University: “Abolitionists & Lincoln.”
5:00 p.m. Aurora Community Theatre
& Gallery

March 26
Aurora Cooks Group featuring recipes & cookware of the Civil War era. Gallery at 5:30 p.m. Sponsor: Aurora Memorial Library Information: 330.562.6502

March 30
Dr. Peter D’Onofrio, President, Society of Civil War Surgeons: “Medical Advancements in the Civil War.”
5:00 p.m. Aurora Community Theatre
& Gallery

April 5
Closing Day of the Abraham Lincoln: the Constitution & the Civil War Exhibition

AHS hosted the Smithsonian Institution’s traveling exhibition, Key Ingredients: America by Food in 2008. The event, supported by many local groups, organizations, and businesses, was a great success and attracted over 1,500 people to Aurora in a six week period. If you are interested in this project, please contact Marcelle Wilson for volunteer activities, planning committee work, or sponsorship opportunities at 330-995-3336 or via email marcelle10@juno.com. The museum is free and open to the public from 2:00 – 4:00 pm on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays and by appointment from 11:00 – 3:00 Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

Sesquicentennial Photos 1949

admin — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 17:59:01 +0000

Here are over 300 photos from the Sesquicentennial celebration.

Scanned by The Portage County Library

Scenes from the Grand Re-opening

admin — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 17:36:53 +0000

On May 22 the Historical Society re-opened the museum and archives we had a great time. Thanks to all the volunteers, take a look here

Livia Ward Wins Scholarship

admin — Tue, 17 May 2011 11:46:14 +0000

Aurora High School senior Livia Ward is the 2011 winner of the $1,000 Aurora Historical Society’s Veron Biggar Scholarship. Livia created a PowerPoint presentation entitled Mid-Century Aurora Businesses: As Seen Through the Eyes of A Local Family. The program chronicles the history of the Hanes’ and their connections to Aurora via their real estate, barbering, and construction companies.

The history covers eighty years and mainly utilizes primary sources in the form of oral history interviews and photographs as its sources. The program is well written, thoughtful, and contains original research which will add to the AHS’s data regarding local business in the twentieth century.

Livia Ward’s project helps the AHS meet its mission, which is to enhance and maintain the community identity of Aurora by preserving & communicating its’ rich history. After graduation in June, Livia will attend Kent State University’s College of Business Administration.

To see this exhibit, as well as the four other scholarship exhibits, make an appointment. The Aurora Historical Society plans its grand reopening for Sunday, May 22, 2011 from 2-4 pm. This event is free and open to the public.

Aurora 1949

admin — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 20:27:06 +0000

Do you remember this Sesquicentennial Celebration? We’d love to know who some of these folk are. This was filmed by Otto Jackson who lived in the house that Anna Maria of Aurora now occupies. Donated by Otto Jackson, Jr. Watch the parades and games on the lawn of the city Hall & Church. And near the end, a baseball game is on a ball field where Craddock School now stands.

From July 1949

Storeroom and Museum Status

admin — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 17:38:38 +0000

We are slowly re-organizing and re-indexing all items that were moved from the storage room during the flooding. Here are some photos of the room with the new shelving and organizational floor plan. All items are being entered into our Past Perfect Software catalog as we go.

2011 Programming

admin — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 16:56:49 +0000

by Marcelle Wilson

The Aurora Historical Society often teams up with members of the Aurora Memorial Library to provide programming for the community. The library staff has planned many fine programs for this year and AHS will participate in five of them.

In February, AHS volunteers will be needed to help with a Girl Scout restoration badge.

From June 14 through July 19, the library holds its summer reading program. AHS will need volunteers to open the museum on Tuesdays at 1:00 pm and Wednesdays at 11:00 am so that readers and their parents can visit us before their library program starts.

On July 5^th, AML is holding its Ice Cream Festival. AHS will hold a scavenger hunt in the museum and donate money toward the cost of ice cream. This event will also need volunteers to help out.

In October, the AML always holds a Halloween Party. This year AHS hopes to put on a Cemetery Walk. This walk will introduce some of Aurora’s deceased personalities to current residents and help describe what life was like in Aurora decades and even centuries ago. This Cemetery Walk will only occur with the preparation and planning of dedicated volunteers who want to research various Aurora figures and prepare their stories as well as lead the walk. This walk is designed to be educational not scary, and thus is a family friendly event. AHS will also provide a PowerPoint presentation of the walk for those unable to attend it or in the event of its cancelation due to inclement weather.

The last program of the year occurs in November with Santa’s arrival in the library. AHS has been involved with this for many years now, lending its lobby for use by Santa and Mrs. Clause as they pose for pictures with local children. This year we hope to expand our participation to include museum tours and a child-friendly activity held in our library.

Once again, the success of this, and all of the aforementioned programs, is dependent on members of AHS volunteering to plan and staff these programs. Our desire is show case the museum and attract visitors as well as new members. To achieve that goal, we need to get more people into the museum, which is often referred to as “Aurora’s best kept secret,” and show them why they should be concerned with preserving Aurora’s history and becoming active members of the society. If you and a few friends would like to volunteer to help create a program or open and staff the museum, please call B. Koglman or Marcelle Wilson. You can be involved in one event or several, whatever fits into your schedule. You will be rewarded with the excitement and enthusiasm that local children and their parents exhibit at the new and interesting artifacts on display and fun events planned for their enjoyment.