(Submitted by Wood County Historical Center)
A grand opening celebration for the new exhibit, “For Comfort & Convenience: Public Charity in Ohio by Way of the Poor Farm,” will take place on Friday, Feb. 22, with a ribbon cutting at 4:45 p.m. followed by a public reception and self-guided tours from 5 to 8 p.m. Exhibit photographer Jeffrey Hall will share remarks at 6 p.m. about his 5,000 mile journey to Ohio’s poor farm sites. This event is free and open to the public.
The exhibit depicts Ohio’s earliest form of public charity, the poor farm, by representing all of Ohio’s 88 counties. Historical documentation shared from many counties can be seen within diorama-style exhibits, along with 120 modern-day photographs of each county taken by Hall over the last two years.
This exhibit was made possible by the Ohio Arts Council and the Ohio Humanities Council.
The museum will be open for self-guided tours Monday – Friday, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. and weekends from 1 to 4 p.m. (closed on government holidays). Admission is $7 for adults and $3 for children, with discounts for seniors, students, and military. Historical Society members receive free admission as well as a gift shop discount. The museum offers free admission to all visitors on the first Friday of each month, courtesy of the Bowling Green Convention & Visitors Bureau. The museum is handicap accessible and group tours are welcome.
All events detailed at woodcountyhistory.org or by following the Wood County Historical Museum on social media. The museum is located at 13660 County Home Road in Bowling Green.
