Newsletter
March - April
2009

The eternal hope of spring brings with it the opening of the 2009 Mount Sterling Community Museum. This year marks the thirty seventh year that the museum has been in existence at the Mount Sterling Public Library location. This years hours of operation remain the same: Tuesdays and Thursdays - 10:00am to 2:00pm and Saturdays - 9:00am to 1:00pm. Special programs by the museum will include: "Remembrance Day at the Museum", Saturday, May 23, 2009 from 9:00am to 2:00pm; "Good Ole' Days Festival" at Veterans Field, Friday thru Sunday, September 25 - 27, 2009 and the "Old Fashioned Christmas at the Museum", Sunday, December 20, 2009 from 1:00pm to 4:00pm. The museum will be closed: "Good Ole' Days Festival", Saturday, September 26, 2009; Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 26, 2009, and Christmas Eve Day, Thursday, December 24, 2009.
The display theme, "The Games We Played", featuring card and board games from the past, will be the museum's main exhibit for the months of March and April, 2009. The games range from the years 1900 to 1990. Some of the games on display through the ninety year period with the edition year included are: American Checkers (1900), Brinkman's Baseball (1913), Poosh-M-Up 4n1 (1928), Man-Di-In Chinese Checkers (1929), Touring Game (1935), Dominoes (1935), Contack Card Game (1939), Authors and Old Maid Card Games (1943-1947), Hi Q (1948), assembly Line (1953), Sorry (1955), Monopoly (1958), American Heritage Games (1961- 1963), Flinch (1963), Password (1962), Scrabble (1962), UNO (1972), Pay Day (1975), Hangman (1976), Operation (1980), Perfection (1985) and Up Words (1988).
The genealogy department now has all of the entries for Pleasant Cemetery on line up to and including all of 2008. Rebecca Rector and Melissa Reece have been working hard transferring Pleasant Cemetery records to our website. Our next task is to check all of our records of the smaller cemeteries to insure accuracy. Some of this cemetery websites will also require the adding of some photos and maps. We seem to be making good progress in this portion of our genealogy department. When the work is finished the genea;logy department will have fulfilled one of our main objectives here at the museum - to have a complete, workable cemetery website. Also, under genealogy, the speed at which our micrfilm of old Tribunes is being tranferred to DVd discs is increasing. We now have discs for 1901 through 1909 Tribunes. This will enable us to bring up any portion of those newspapers (including obituaries) on our computer.We will be able to isolate those special areas, such as obituaries, and then make copies of them. These discs will be made available to our patrons so that they will be able to search our records for their genealogical projects.
As the weather keeps improving we hope to continue our historical interview series. Sometimes these conditions become a real concern for those senior citizens being interviewed. It's nice to have the interview conducted at the museum, as it does provide for a nice backdrop; however, we have conducted, and will continue to conduct interviews in the place of residence of the individual being interviewed if they so desire. If you know of individuals who have not yet been interviewed, who have been associated with the Mount Sterling area over a long period of time, and would like to be interviewed please let us know by calling the library/museum phone at 740-869-2430. We feel that these interviews on DVD discs will serve as a historical record for the future citizens of the Mount Sterling area. They will also benefit future generations of family members who will be able to not only witness, but also hear and understand the voices of their ancestors from long ago.
The museum is trying every week to reach out to the community by placing historical articles, photos and columns in local publications. The "Into The Past" article appears in the Tribune and the Press once per week, and the "Moments In Time" column occurs in just the Mount Sterling Tribune each week. The new photo section called "Traveling Thru Time" can be found in our new free community paper, The Community, weekly. Museum exhibits and display photos and stories will also be found in these publications, as well as the Madison Messenger. So, keep your eye open for this informitive material.
Our "out reach" program involves taking the museum to the people whether it be in nursing homes, senior centers, the community center programs, schools, clubs, and organizations. If these groups can't make it to the museum we will put together an array of items that are representative of what we have at the museum, and then bring them to share with these groups. Of, course, we encourage everyone to come to the museum if at all possible. There is just so much more to see here at the museum than what we could possibly be able to bring to a group's facility. For reservations for this program, or for group reservations to tour the museum just let us know by once again calling the library/museum at 740-869-2430.
The success of our museum is based on the concept of sharing, whether through donations, or loans from the community. If you have an item you wish to share with the community of Mount Sterling pertaining to the past, whether long ago or recent, please let us know so that the museum can continue to be the place where "History Comes Alive"!

Some of the most recently recorded acquistions to the museum include:
1912 - "Tredwell's Third reader" - Ottie Hockman Estate
1850 - Copy of Photo of Abraham Reid Alkire - Thad Connollly
2008 - 4 copies of the O.H.S. "Timeline" magazine - Nola Freeman
1920's - Hair Curling Iron - Morehart Family
1920's - Mason Jar Lid Opener - Morehart Family
1901 - Canning Jar Lid Wrench - Morehart Family
1940 - "Merry Christmas" 78 rpm Record Album - Nola Freeman
1947 - Kay Kyser's "Campus Favorites" Record Album - Nola Freeman
1940's - Ella Logan Record Album
1940's - "Barber Shop Melodies" Record Album - Nola Freeman
1940's -"Square Dances" Record Album - Nola Freeman
1950 - "Don Baker Organ Music" Record Album
1920's - 1930's - Two Pairs of Scissors - Peggy Riley
1950's - 1960's - Bank Coin Holders - Peggy Riley
1999, 2004,2005 - Pumpkin Show Publicity Tickets - Peggy Riley
1970's - TWA Playing Cards - Joe Morris
1940's - Yellowstone National Park Photo Album - Paul Morehart
1999 - August 9th Issue of the Tribune - Peggy Riley
1976 - Bicentennial Calendar of adams SOhio Distributor - Peggy Riley
1997 - Jack's Auto Parts Caledar - Peggy Riley
1934 - Mt Sterling Tribune, Feb. 22, 1934 - Lester Lewis
1950's - Lux Laundry Detergent Box - Clyde & Mary Bandy estate
1920's - Apple Peeler - Clyde & Mary Bandy Estate
1930's - Cherry Pitter - Clyde & Mary Bandy Estate
1920's - Man's Straw Boater Hat - Clyde & Mary Bandy estate
1930's - 1960's - 3 Shaving Muggs and Brush - Steve & sandy Venturini
1960's - Rubber Canning seals - Peggy Riley
1965 - Burrough's Typewriting Ribbon - Peggy Riley
1950's - Sales Tax Stamps - Peggy Riley
1950's - Kazoo made in Eden N.Y. - Peggy Riley
2008 - Addition to Five Points U.M. Church History - Lynn Huston
1969 - Baby's Milk Bottle (Fayette Co. Hospital) - Peggy Riley
1973 - U.S. Seal on Metal Plate - Mary Fryer
1940's - Artie shaw 78 rpm Record Album - Denny Morris
1940 - Portable Royal Typewriter Ribbon Can - Denny Morris
1936 - 15 "Bricker Day" Phoyos - Frank & Pat Darling
1896 - 1917 - 3 Carter Family Photos - Decedents of Carter Family
Circa 1000 AD - Archaic Dove Tail Flint Blade - Terry Abernathy
1952 - 1998 - Local Newspaper Articles  - Elaine Roll

Newsletter
December - January
2008 - 2009

The end of November brought with it the close of the fall exhibits at the Mount Sterling Community Museum. Many individuals from the area, and some from further distances, shared their collections of clothing from the past so that we were able to have a successful display in the museum of "Fashions of the Past". A special "thanks" goes out to those that contributed that little extra to this display that was appreciated by one and all. Among those who gave freely were: Barb Barker, Nola Freeman, Casey O'Neill, Peggy Riley, the Lehman family, the Morehart family, and the Bandy estate. The other two featured exhibits, "Farm Tools of Yesteryear" and "Baseball in Mount Sterling" were also well received by the public. Also on display were "Political Items of Long Ago", just in time for the 2008 presidential elections. A large case with political campaign buttons, ribbons and badges made up the bulk of the presentation, with current presidential memorabilia being added to the display. Featured collections of Bertha Townsley and Ruth Hughes also appeared on our "hands on" table for individuals to leisurely look through. Townsley's album of post cards from her around the world tours in the 1940's through the 1960's give us a look back at different places in different times, while the Hughes collection of what was happening in the Mount Sterling area from 1918 through 1996 is very revealing. These collections will continue to be on permanent display.
Preparations for our Christmas exhibit began the final week of November at the museum. We are featuring three main displays once again this year: "Nativity Sets of Long Ago", "The Toys of Christmas Past", and "Contemporary Christmas Decorations" from different time periods. Nativity sets from Italy, Germany, China, Yugoslavia, Hungary and the United states, some dating to the late 1800's, will provide viewers with a different visual perspective, while the other two featured displays will bring back Christmas memories from the past in the form of toys and decorations. The entire museum will be decked out in its finest Christmas regalia. As always, we're asking for the community's help with these displays. Please consider sharing some of your older Christmas related artifacts with the community by either loaning or donating these items to the museum. Old photos, paintings, toys, advertisements and decorations are always welcomed to make our exhibit more appealing to our visitors. Our Christmas decor at the museum will remain in place through all of December and January. Even though the museum will be closed to the public during January and February special group tours can be arranged by calling the library/museum at 740-869-2430. Mark your calendar for Sunday, December 21, 2008, 1:00pm to 4:00pm, as we will be celebrating an "Old Fashioned Christmas at the Museum". Christmas music will be played as visitors view the seasonal displays, and Christmas cookies and punch will be served to all. Everyone will also receive a small Christmas token of our appreciation. At this joyous time of the year we hope that all will be able to attend this year's event. It will be a great opportunity to renew old acquanintances and establish some new ones.
With the help of our new genealogy aid, Rebecca Rector, we have been keeping our obituary files updated, as well as improving and revampimg the Hughes Collection. Our family file collections are constantly increasing. Every time an individual gets information on a family name from our department we in turn request any material they might already have in their possession. With this type of sharing we are able to accumulate a considerable amont of information on local area families. Many times the material in the family files increases to the point where it is then placed in a family album, and placed on our genealogy shelves. We are now also hopeful that the needed corrections, and updates, to our local cemetery records on our web page (www.mtsterlingpubliclibrary.org) can at last be made. we can assure you that keeping our web page updated is one of our top priorities. In the near future we hope to have all of our microfilmed Mount Sterling Tribunes tranfered to computer discs. We also hope to have this done with London and Madison County papers dating from 1833 to 1986. Of course, this will enhance the accessibilty to obituaries and additional records in those papers for our local genealogists.
Our "out reach" program, "The Museum in a Trunk", has been keeping the museum personnel quite busy the last couple of months. This program allows us to bring the museum to schools, nursing homes, church groups, etc. Items from the museum, as well as their significance, are presented in a mutual sharing experience. Most recently our "road show" traveled to the Meadowview Senior Apartments. Contact the library/museum at 740-869-2430 to find out how your group or organization can be a part of this program, or receive a guided tour of the museum.
In this season of giving we hope that the museum/genealogy department will be able to continue to give back to the community by sharing what we have with all those who are interested in preserving the past of the Mount Sterling area - we hope that we can be your "caretaker of the past"!

Some of the most recent acquisitions to the museum include:

1943 - U.S. Army Artillery Shell Casing - Barb Barker
1945 - Tannehill Drug Store Post Card (hand bill for creo-terpin) - Bret Wilson
1930's - Hill's Dairy Metal Stamp (for milk bottles) - Bret Wilson
1960's - Danny's Restaurant Ash Tray - Bret wilson
1965 & 1968 - Mt. Sterling tribunes - Leonard and Patty Rodgers
1983 - South Central Ohio Shopper's Guide (Mt. Sterling's History) - Leonard &
Patty Rodgers
1910 - Two Photos of Cattle in Front of Citizens Bank - Leonard & Patty Rodgers
Cica 1914 - Balloon Tire Gauge - Rodger Baker
1930's - 1940's - Ronson Lighter - Rodger Baker
1930's - Truck Driver's Chauffeur's License - Rodger Baker
1965 - Pickaway County Map - Paul Morehart
1945 - U.S. Ration Stamps - Paul Morehart
1930's - Wicker Baby Carriage - Ann Rutledge Albrecht
1975 - M.P.H.S. National Honor society Program - John Timmons
1917 - W.W.I U.S. Army Helmet - Vernon Houser
1940's - Pie Pan Canteen (made by boy scouts) - Vernon Houser
Circa 1900 - Penny Candy Jar (from Tannehill Drugs) - Rachael Morehart
1968, 1971, 1973 - Issues of the Mt. Sterling Tribune - Ottie Hockman Estate
1940's - 2000 - Masonic Memorabilia - Ottie Hockman Estate
1948 - Blueprint & Model of Hockman Home - Ottie Hockman Estate
1940's - 2000 - Rotary Club Memorabilia - Ottie Hockman Estate
1966, 1978, 1980 - Issues of Mt. Sterling Tribune - Harold Houser
1878 - Methodist Hymnal - Ottie Hockman
1956 - 1978 - Three Protraits of Hockman Feed & Grain Company - Ottie
Hockman Estate
1950's - Two Tannehill Drug Bottles - Ottie Hockman Estate
1950's - Two Stain Remover Bottles - Ottie Hockman Estate
1960 - Smith Carona Portable Typewriter - Peggy Riley
1940's Milk Can (used to serve drinks @ M.S.H.S. Football Games) - Ann Rutledge
Albrecht
Circa 1900 - K. of P. Cemetery Flag Holder & 1950's 48 Star Flag - K. of P. Lodge
1920's - 1930's - 78 rpm Record Albums - Nola Freeman
1960's - Plains H.S. Pennant - Morehart Family
1930's - 1940's - 78 rpm Record Albums - Morehart Family
1970's - Pioneer Dress (made & worn by Rachael Morehart) - Morehart Family
1950's - 1960's - Sportman's Jacket (belonged to Don Morehart) - Morehart Family
1936 - Mount Sterling Homecoming Program - Morehart Family
1960's - Harrisburg Savings & Banking Co. Money Clip - Peggy Riley
1960's - Coin Holder (re-elect Dale Stubbs) & Monroe P.T.O. Rules - Peggy Riley