WHAT YOU’LL FIND INSIDE: Theaters of Butler County Exhibit Now Open Mosler Special Exhibit Through July Now

Open Butler County Fair July 20-26 Night at the Museum, October 23

PRESORTEDSTANDARDU.S.POSTAGEPAIDHAMILTONOHPERMITNO.164

Butler County Historical Society 327 North Second Street Hamilton, OH 45011

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

Night at the Museum Returning in October HoldthedateofThursday,October23,2014forroundthreeofNightattheMuseum.Wewillhaveallnewriddlesandquestionsforyoutosolvethisyear,alongwiththetraditionalwine,softdrinksandsnacks.Plannowonattendingthisfunfilledevening!

AspecialTHANKYOUtoalloftheMasterGardenerswhodosuchaterrificjobkeepingourgardensandyardlookinggreat!

The Benninghofen Post A Publication of the Butler County Historical Society

Summer 2014 Issue No. 2014-2

TheButlerCountyHistoricalSociety

327NorthSecondSt.Hamilton,Ohio45011Phone:(513)896‐9930Fax:(513)896‐9936

Tohelpusprepareforyourvisit,pleasecallahead.

bchistoricalsociety.com

Email:

bcomuseum@fuse.net

HoursTuesday‐Friday9a.m.‐4p.m.

Saturday9a.m.‐2p.m.

PresidentCurtisEllisonVice‐PresidentSaraButlerTreasurerJackWhalenSecretaryLindaKeller

Trustees

JackArmstrongChrisCarrollBillGroth

RichardOJonesDennisMaloneRichardPiland

ExecutiveDirectorKathyCreighton

HeritageHallCurator

BrandonSoale

ButlerCo.HistoricalSocietyNewsletter

(ISSN383367‐13)

The BCHS Costume Collection Gets Some Needed Attention PriortotheirgraduationinMay,twoMiamiUniversityinternshavebeenmovingboxes,strugglingwithdressforms,stressingoverspreadsheetsandmakingfabulouscostumediscoveries.MalloryHellenthal,anArtandArchitecturalHistorymajorandMichelleMcVicker,anIndividualizedStudiesstudentservedasinternsworkingwiththeextensiveBCHScostumecollectionspringsemester.Malloryfocusedherattentiononorganizationoftheclothingandtextilescollection,emphasizingwhatcametobeknownasthe“atticcollection”.Multipleboxesthathadbeenstoredintheatticwerebroughtdownstairsandtheartifactsintheboxescataloged.Mallorydevelopedaspreadsheetthatdefineseachitem,includingageneraldescription,approximatedate,condition,donor,wearerandseveralotherdescriptors.Sherecentlyrecordedher1200thitem,withmanymoreartifactstobeentered!Michellespenthertimeonexhibits,interpretingtheButlerCountyTheatersexhibitionandthreeBenninghofenHousebedroomswithclothingandaccessories.Usingborroweddressforms,MichellelocatedtheappropriateartifactsfromtheBCHScollectionanddressedtheforms,adifficulttaskgiventhecustomclothingofthe19thcentury!Clothingfromthe1880s,1910sand1920sisdisplayedinthebedrooms.Malloryprovidedvaluableadvicebasedonherpriorexhibitionexperience.Michellewrotetextpanelswithappropriateimages(photosorfashionplates)toputtheartifactsinhistoricalcontextforvisitors.MallorywillcontinuetovolunteerwiththecostumecollectionatBCHSthissummerandMichellewillserveasacostumeinternattheChicagoInstitutefortheArts.SaraButler,BCHSBoardmember,mentoredMalloryandMichelleduringtheirinternships.StopbythehistoricalsocietysoontoseetheresultsoftheirhardworkandsomemarvelouscostumeartifactsfromtheBCHScollection!

Mystery Item? ForthoseofyouwhoattendedtheArts&CraftsFair/SampleofHistoryEventinJune,themysteryitemintheBCHSboothwasthetoppartofanappleciderpress.CongratulationstoPeggyKosherforwinningaoneyearmembership!Ourexhibitonflaghistoryandtriviawasabighit,andwillmakeanotherappearanceattheButlerCountyFairlaterthismonth.TheSampleofHistoryeventwasahugesuccess,withestimatedattendance3000+.AbigthankyoutotheSmithFamilyTrustforfundingthetentandadvertisingforthisgreatevent.

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Special Guests Visit the Butler County Theater Exhibit WehadtwospecialguestscomeallthewayfromCaliforniatoseetheTheatersofButlerCountyexhibit.BenThompson(l)andRobertScherzinger(r),greatnephewsofBenThompson,oneofourfeaturedindividualsfromButlerCountywhomadeitbiginshowbusiness,stoppedbyto“see”theirfamousrelative.BenThompsonwasamemberoftheBrooklynComedyFour,avaudevilleteamoflocalHamiltonandReilygentlemenconsistingofPerryStomps,ElmerRaines,TomGoldrickandBenThompson.TheyplayedinnearlyeverymajorAmericancity,andtouredHonolulu,NewZealand,India,SouthAfrica,IrelandandtheUnitedKingdombetween1909and1925.Theactfeaturedavarietyofcatchysongsanddecidedlyfunnycomedy.BenThompsonmarriedElizabethWeber,apianoandpipeorganplayerforearlymotionpicturesin1914.DuringtheBrooklynComedyFour’stourofwesternstates,BenandElizabethformedasingingandpianoactthatperformedas“WebbandThompson”.

Volunteers Needed for the Butler County Fair BCHSwillagainhaveaboothinthenew,airconditionedbuildingduringtheButlerCountyFair,July20‐26,2014.Wearelookingforvolunteerstohelpmantheboothbetweennoonand8:00p.m.Wewillsupplyyouwithparking/gatepasses.Ifyouwouldliketovolunteerfora4‐hourshift,pleasecallBCHSat513‐896‐9930.Ofspecialnote,wewillhavefourbooksigningsattheboothforSeniorCitizensDay,Wednesday,July23.ScottFowlerwillbesigningImagesofAmerica‐LesourdsvilleLakeAmusementPark,hisnewbookImagesofAmericaFantasyFarmAmusementPark,whichisbeingreleasedmid‐July,andRichardPilandwillbesigningLegendaryLocalsofHamiltonandHamilton’sPublicSchools1850‐2010.

Mosler Safe Exhibit StopbyandseeourMoslerSafeexhibitthatwillbeintheEmmaRitchieAuditoriumduringJuly.FormeremployeesofthecompanyarehavingareunioninHamilton,andwehaveputtogetheraspecialexhibitjustforthem!Wehavepulledmostofthematerial,picturesandmodelsoutofourarchives,sothisisachanceforeveryonetolearnaboutthecompanyfromHamiltonthatwasresponsibleforprotectingsomuchoftheUnitedStates(i.e.FortKnox,Greenbrier,DeclarationofIndependence)andcouldhonestlyadvertisethattheirsafescouldsurviveanatomicbomb.

Thank You Smith Family Trust ThankstoagrantfromtheSmithFamilyTrust,ourclothingcollectionisreceivingsomemuchneededtenderlovingcare.Wehavepurchasednumerousarchivalboxesandsuppliesthatwillallowustoproperlystorethecollection,oncetheinventoryiscomplete.Severaldressformswillalsobepurchasedtofacilitatethedisplayofsomeoftheitems.ThanksalsototheSmithFamilyTrust,wehavetworollsof16mmfilmbeingtransferredtoDVD.Wedon’tknowwhatisonthefilm,butdoknowthatitwasshotintheearly1940sandwasfoundintheHomerGardcollection.

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Recent Additions to Our Collections LastWillandTestamentforJohnBoone,Hamilton,JosephWeckerle,Malvern,PA WoodplaquefortheFortHamiltonGem&MineralSociety,donorunknown MiddletownHighSchoolYearbooks1968,1969,SteveSchnabl,Oxford HamiltonHighSchoolWeeklyReview,October1,1914,RickandMichelleCostello,Hamilton TwoMiamiUniversityrelatedcaps,MarleneCarmack,Hamilton Books:MinutesofourYearsOxford1830‐1981;TheCentennialAnniversaryofHamilton;TheMiamiConservancyDistrict;Hamilton,OhioItsArchitectureandHistory;TheCountyofButler,Ohio.AnImperialAtlasandArtFolio1895;andacollectionof1913floodpostcards,MaryRoudebush,Denver,CO Hooven‐Owens‐RentschlertokenandHamiltonBi‐CentennialPin,DianeMiller,Eaton FourprintsfromthebookLentilthathavebeenhandcoloredbyRobertMcCloskey,MortSchindl,Weston,CT EarpFamilyBibleandphotoalbum,donorunknown Eightpiecewashset,ElaineKuthandSusieGrimes,Monroe “Hamilton”woodenmusicstand,SteveSchnabl,Oxford 2003MiddletownCityDirectory,RichPiland,Fairfield Beckettumbrella,DaveandMargeBelew,Hamilton PosterforRepublicanPartyPicnicAugust26,1939,twoladieslapelpinsfromBeckettPaper,twomen’stietacksfromBeckettPaper,framedpictureofBennyR.andLaneSymmesandtheirhome,GeneTipton,Fairfield Threemortar&pestlesets,pharmacyweights,pharmacybalanceandscale,pharmacyshowglobeandstand,Remington’sPracticeofPharmacy,TheFabulousCentury,KenSunderhaus,Hamilton NewWorldBookofSohns,PlanzerFamilyHeritageBook,BlueberriesforSal,FannyHurstpostcard,NYTimesarticlesonAlexanderHamilton’shome,NYTimesarticleonGeneralAnthonyWayne,NYTimesarticleonMoslerSafe,microfichewithgenealogicalinformation,DougFroehlich,Hamilton Skotchjughalfgallon,SkotchKaddy,TomRedman,Hamilton BeaconLightsofHistory,Vols.1‐15,HermanDickerscheid,SevenMile ExtensivecollectionofprintedmaterialpertainingtoHamiltonandButlerCounty,materialpertainingtotheSchislerandSonCityBusLinesandSchislerfamily,icepickfromtheValleyIceCompany,matchbookcollectionofHamiltonandareabusinesses,Holt’sCyclecigarettelighter,SchroderBuildingLocal648IBEWashtray,TonyCarito,Hamilton Handmadedollbed,SarahRose,Cincinnati 1913FloodBookIllustrated,MarkMignery,Hamilton PalaceLunchRoomcupandphotoofopeningdayofthegrandstandsattheButlerCountyFairgrounds,DickScheid,Hamilton ScrapbookpertainingtoJohnClevesSymmestheoryofahollowearth,SusanCumminsMyers,Hamilton,OH ScrapbookofnewspaperarticlespertainingtoButlerCountyfromthe1950s‐60s,JohnVaughn,Hamilton,OH

Mueller’sCaféToken,BrianTeates,Hamilton,OH BrickfromtheMoslerBuildingonGrandBlvd.,EddieScherer,LibertyTownship,OH LargeMoslerKey,NilsPearson,Union,KY WeckerleFamilyinformationandphotos,JosephWeckerle,Malvern,PA PhotosoftheBlackCoveredBridgefrom1954,HancockHistoricalMuseum,Findlay,OH HiddenTreasureslithographicprint,EdandKathyCreighton,Hamilton,OH