Open to General Public

The Monroe Ohio Historical Society is pleased to announce that the Museum will be open December 3, 2022 from 4 PM to 8 PM. The Museum and 1910 General Store next door have both been beautifully decorated by outstanding MHS volunteers. Docent Guides will be available for walks around the House of History and the General Store. There will also be a special room where children can write Letters to Santa. Be sure to look for cookies. Stop by for a visit.

At 6 PM a walk to the City of Monroe Administration Building to listen to our High School Choir and wait for the arrival of Santa and Mrs. Claus in our biggest fire truck. At 6:30 the Christmas Tree will be lighted.

Other Monroe Organizations, The Optimist Club, DAR (Daughters of the American Resolution), and Life Church in Monroe will be at the lower level of the City Building under a warmed tent with tables to greet you and offer information about their organization in Monroe. Some offer interesting Holiday Treats.

Past Events

General Membership Meeting – Thursday, September 29, 2022, at 7 PM
6 East Ave., Monroe, Ohio

Native American Tribes Topic of Next Monroe Historical Society Meeting

Kathy Creighton, Director of the Butler County Historical Society, will present “Native Americans of the Miami Valley” Thursday, September 29 beginning at 7:00pm at the Monroe Community Room, 6 East Avenue. 

Kathy’s presentation will include the seven Native American tribes that lived in the Miami Valley area including the Paleoindians; the Archaic; the Adena; the Hopewell; the Fort Ancient; the Miami; and the Shawnee.  Kathy will focus on the people, their customs, and the legacy they left behind for future generations. 

Monroe is the sight of the ancient Adena Mound, now the location of the Monroe Mound Cemetery.  It serves as the resting place for many of Monroe’s first settler’s, immigrants, and residents.  The Monroe Historical Society also has an interesting array of American Indian artifacts located at its main museum located at 10 E. Elm Street.

The main museum and the 1910 General Store located next door will also be host to an open house on Saturday, August 6, September 3 and October 1 from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm.

The presentation as well as admission to the museums are free. Light refreshments will be served at the presentation.

For additional information, call (513) 539-2270 or email at info@monroeohhistoricalsociety.org.

Monroe Historical Society Holiday Open House December 4
 
The Monroe Historical Society will present its annual Holiday Open House on Saturday, December 4 from 11am-2pm at its main museum at 10 E. Elm Street and Main Street This event is free and open to the public.   
 
One of the most popular exhibits for 2021 has been the LeSourdsville Lake/Americana and Fantasy Farm amusement parks room. This exhibit will bring back all those great memories of our beloved amusement parks that was the home to thousands of family reunions, church outings, work picnics and great summer jobs!
 
Other popular exhibits include the 1924 Prospect fire engine restored by the Monroe Fire Department, the 1910 General Store, Lemon-Monroe Schools, life as it was in the early 1900’s and lots more. 
 
For more information, contact the Monroe Historical Society by visiting our Facebook 
page at MonroeOhioHistoricalSociety, website at MonroeOhHistoricalSociety.org
or call the society at 513-539-2270.

General Membership Meeting – Thursday, January  30, 2020, at 7 PM
6 East Ave., Monroe, Ohio

Meeting Program: Susanna Wesley: “Mother of Methodism”

After the Society members conduct their business meeting, there will be a program about Susanna Wesley who is sometimes called the Mother of Methodism. 

This strong woman was born in the year 1669, the 25th of 25 children in her family.  She married at the age of 19, ended up having between 17 – 19 children of her own, and was the primary source of their education.  Her story includes many difficult experiences which she overcame by tapping into her religious background and beliefs. 

Mrs. Wesley strongly influenced her children and their futures.  One of her sons, John Wesley, went on to become a founder of what we know today as the United Methodist Church.  Another son, Charles Wesley, wrote approximately 6500 hymns, many of which are still sung today within the Church.

Darlene Gage will portray Susanna Wesley while dressed in clothing from that time period.  Mrs. Gage has been a successful living history performer for over 16 years.

Please join the Historical Society for this event that is free, open to the public, and for all ages.  Light refreshments will be provided.  

Please direct any questions to the Society by 

Christmas on the Plaza!
201 S Main St. Monroe, Ohio
Join us on Saturday Dec 7 at 5:30 PM, and watch Santa Claus as he lights up our Christmas Tree! We will have cookies and kids can write letters to Santa!

General Membership Meeting – Thursday October 24, 2019 at 7 PM
Please note that the meeting date has been changed from October 31 to October 24 due to a scheduling conflict with Halloween. Additionally, this meeting’s agenda includes the election of the Historical Society Board Officers. All active, dues-paying members who attend the meeting will be invited to submit their votes to elect the Officers who will serve for the years 2020-2021.

Meeting Program:
Mary Ann Bickerdyke:
American Civil War “Mother” to Many
After the Society members conduct their business meeting, there will be a program about “Mother” Bickerdyke, as she became known to thousands of Civil War soldiers.

Darlene Gage will present the story of Mrs. Bickerdyke while dressed in Civil War period clothing. Mrs. Gage has been a living history performer for 16 years and has studied our American history to learn about Mary Ann Bickerdyke’s life and contributions.

Please join the Historical Society at the Monroe Community Room, located at 6 East Ave, for this event that is free, open to the public, and for all ages.  Light refreshments will be provided. ​​

Please direct any questions to the Society by
visiting its Facebook page at MonroeOhioHistoricalSociety
visiting its website at MonroeOhHistoricalSociety.org
calling 513-539-2270

​Saturday, Sept 28, 2019  8-11pm -MHS Paranormal Investigation
Monroe Historical Museum – 10 E Elm St
The Monroe Historical Society hosted another paranormal investigation with ParaVizionz, a professional investigation and research team. Small groups of guests spent time in various locations within the Chickahominy Museum and the 1910 Museum.

General Membership Meeting – Thursday August 29, 2019 at 7 PM
MAIL ORDER HOUSES FROM SEARS, ROEBUCK & CO
After a brief business meeting, there will be a program about homes that were purchased from mail order catalogs in the early 1900’s.  Blueprints and building materials were shipped to the purchaser to build a home. 

​Cindy Catanzaro is an expert about this subject and she has agreed to share the results of her research about homes in Monroe and the surrounding area.  Come and see the original blueprints from 1936 of a home on Lebanon Street.  (The cardboard shipping tube used to mail the blueprints has stamps totaling only 8 cents!)  You will be amazed by how many homes we have locally and how many companies used to sell homes through a catalog!!

Could YOUR house be one of these??

​Please join the Historical Society at the Monroe Community Room, located at 6 East Ave, for this event that is free, open to the public, and for all ages.  Light refreshments will be provided. ​

General Membership Meeting – Thursday May 30, 2019
​The Monroe Historical Society has a General Membership meeting scheduled for Thursday May 30, 2019.  It will start at 7pm and will be held at the Monroe Community Room, located at 6 East Ave.

After a brief business meeting, there will be a program about the history of the Miami and Erie Canal, which ran through Middletown.  View old photos and sketches while listening to local celebrity historian Mr. Roger Miller provide intriguing facts and stories about its existence.

Tuesday, Apr 2nd, 2019
Wolf Den 11 from Monroe Cub Scout Pack 54 came to visit the Monroe Historical Society’s Museums on April 2.  The Society President, Kristie McElfresh, led a tour through two of the museum buildings and talked about different moments in Monroe history, such as the tornado of May 10, 1969 and when the 1910 Building was the general store.

Saturday, Feb 23, 2019  8-11pm -MHS Paranormal Investigation
Monroe Historical Museum – 10 E Elm St
The Monroe Historical Society hosted another paranormal investigation with ParaVizionz, a professional investigation and research team. Small groups of guests spent time in various locations within the Chickahominy Museum and the 1910 Museum.
​

Thursday, Feb 28, 2019  7-8pm – General Membership
Titanic Survivor Story – TheMonroe Historical Society proudly sponsored a program about the Titanic.  Mrs. Darlene Gage, a history interpreter, portrayed a woman who was on the Titanic during its maiden voyage.  Mrs. Gage has deeply researched what it was like to sail on the Titanic and then survive its sinking.  She then created the character Mrs. Alice Christian to help interpret this history for others.  During the program, Mrs. Gage dressed like a woman from the 1940’s and talked about her experience as though she was Mrs. Christian.  She even stayed in character while members of the audience asked her questions.  “Mrs. Christian” told us about the differences in sleeping accommodations and food based upon whether a passenger had paid to travel in first-class, second-class, or steerage.  She described the horrifying moment of being forced to leave her husband behind on the doomed ship while she was placed in a lifeboat.  And then she told us about witnessing the Titanic sinking and the terrible aftermath in the freezing cold, both of which took so many lives.  She informed us about the inadequate number of lifeboats and lack of safety instructions before sailing.  Mrs. Gage’s portrayal was very realistic and informative, and the audience truly enjoyed it.