The Story of Public Charity in Ohio at the Wood County Museum

Venue Reviews  |  Posted by: Tedd Long  |  07/16/2021

If you are looking for a great way to spend the day with your family this summer, make sure you check out the Wood County Museum in Bowling Green. We made the short trip down from Sylvania during the middle of the week to avoid any crowds and we had the place pretty much to ourselves.

My wife uses a wheelchair, so we took advantage of the handicapped parking and elevator entrance in the back of the main building. The elevator was modern, clean, and very convenient, providing easy access to all the museum floors. On the first floor, we were greeted by Michael McMaster, the museum's Education Coordinator. He gave us an excellent overview of the facility with tips on navigating the exhibits using an old photograph hanging outside the gift shop as a guide. Michael's introduction was perfect—he took his time to help us fully appreciate what the museum had to offer and it helped put things into context.

We started our self-guided tour by heading upstairs to explore the museum's main exhibit, "For Comfort & Convenience - Public Charity in Ohio by Way of the Poor Farm." This fascinating and thought-provoking display "examines the architecture and design of institutional life in Ohio up until the 1930s." It's a journey back in time exploring "poor farms" throughout the state. You will learn how early standards in social welfare practices developed by these pioneering institutions are still used today.  The Wood County Museum is uniquely qualified to host this exhibit since it is housed in buildings that once served as the poor farm for the county during the heyday of public charity farms and infirmaries.

The exhibit uses photographs by Jeffrey Hall and historical documentation intermixed with other artifacts and interpretive displays to tell the story of early public charity in Ohio. Also included are in-depth profiles of the folks responsible for managing and supervising the Bowling Green poor farm back in the day. Kudos to Holly Kirkendall, the museum's curator, for mounting this noteworthy exhibit. She used a lot of imagination and creativity to tell this important story.

In addition to "For Comfort & Convenience," the museum also offers a large and impressive display of photographs from the Wood County Historical Society collection called "People, Places & Things." This display is on the first floor and covers the history of Wood County, including the oil boom years. Make sure you also check out "Utopia," an excellent storytelling exhibit based on the remarkable photography of local photographer, Taylor Houpt Ayres.

While the exhibits are first class and will certainly keep your interest throughout your tour, the buildings and grounds are also part of the attraction at the Wood County Museum. Our grandkids enjoyed finding the purposefully sanded spots on the walls that show the different paint colors used in the past. In addition, the grounds feature historical structures built generations ago to serve specific purposes. Besides the big house or infirmary, there is a pole barn, corn barn, wash house, pestilence house (for infirmary residents with infectious diseases), and a handsome handmade stone wall. We especially enjoyed the beautiful herb garden located between the big house and the ice ponds. While there were more buildings and a pauper's cemetery to see, we decided to come back later this summer to explore. The 50-acre museum grounds are open to the public daily starting at 8:00 AM until 30 minutes past sunset and are maintained by the Wood County Park District. There are plenty of picnic tables for family outings.

The Wood County Museum is a unique venue showcasing displays you can't find anywhere else. The staff is amicable and happy to share their knowledge. Don't miss it! For more information, visit www.woodcountyhistory.org.

Plan Your Visit

What: The Wood County Museum

Where: 13660 County Home Road, Bowling Green, Ohio 43402

Hours: Weekdays: Monday - Friday 10 AM to 4 PM; Extended evening hours until 8 PM on the third Thursday of each month. Weekends: Saturday & Sunday 1 PM to 4 PM

For the Kids: Our grandchildren kept connected with our self-guided tour with the Animal Crossing Scavenger Hunt that Michael McMaster shared with us upon our arrival. It is a simple game that worked perfectly! Click here for a link to a video that explains how it works 

Cost: Individual (age 13-64) - $7, Seniors (65+), Students w/ valid ID, Veteran, or Active-duty Military - $6, Youth (age 6-12) - $3, Youth (age 5 & under) & WCHS members FREE.

Parking: Parking is free.

For more local history, check out my history blog at www.holytoledohistory.com.