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VOOZH | about |
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VOOZH | about |
Ohio’s story isn’t just any story, it’s your story. Preserving, sharing, and bringing those stories to life is what we do.
The Ohio History Connection, formerly the Ohio Historical Society, is a statewide history organization with the mission to spark discovery of Ohio’s stories. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization chartered in 1885, the Ohio History Connection carries out history services for Ohio and its citizens focused on preserving and sharing the state’s history. This includes housing the State Historic Preservation Office, the official state archives and the Community Engagement Department and managing more than 50 sites and museums across Ohio. For more information, go to ohiohistory.org.
FY25-30 Strategic Plan updated In late February, the Ohio History Connection Board of Trustees passed, by unanimous decision, an update to the organization’s 10-year Strategic Plan, defining the key priorities of the organization for the next five years.
The updated plan reflects not only refreshed mission, vision and values for the organization, but, for the first time, it outlined the organization’s approach to defining its’ work culture. Beyond those defining markers and priorities, the core projects of the organization were similarly brought into focus.
Megan Wood, Executive Director & CEO
614.297.2350
Corey Bable, Director of Facilities and Major Projects
Denise Bloomfield, Director of Human Resources
614.297.2390
Kevin Boehner, Director of Government Relations
614.297.2355
Jerry Dannemiller, Director of Marketing and Development
614.297.2312
Anita Ervin, Director of Accounting
614.297.2409
Stephen George, Chief Strategist and Senior Advisor
614.297.2361
Stacia Kuceyeski, Chief of Public Impact
614.297.2574
Patti Lavell, Director of American Indian Relations
Jillian Ramage, Director of Operations
614.297.2578
Ann Ruege, Chief of Organizational Advancement
614.297.2342
Diana Welling, Director, State Historic Preservation Office
614.298.2000
Elizabeth Woods, Director of Collections
614.297.2548
Neil Thompson, Marketing Department Manager 614.297.2330
Send an EmailThe Ohio History Connection is committed to providing our visitors, volunteers and staff an environment free from intimidation, harassment, and discrimination with respect to admission and access to our sites, programs and activities. The Ohio History Connection does not permit harassment or discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or partnership status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, pregnancy, citizenship status or any other classification protected by applicable federal, state or local law. The Ohio History Connection is committed to maintaining a non-discriminatory environment free from intimidation, harassment or bias based on these grounds.
We expect all users of Ohio History Connection sites and services to treat fellow visitors and staff, objects, buildings and grounds with kindness and respect. This includes adhering to all rules, policies and regulations established at each site. For more information, visit ohiohistory.org/conduct
Grant Program Funded Through Voluntary Donations by Ohioans COLUMBUS — The Ohio History Connection is pleased to announce that it has awarded 15 Ohio History Fund grants to community history organizations. Now in its 14th year, the Ohio History Fund is a competitive matching grants program that is one of six "tax check-off" funds found […]
We're No. 1! The Octagon Earthworks in Newark once again is in the national spotlight after being ranked the country's best new attraction for 2025 in USA TODAY's 10Best Readers' Choice Awards. The Octagon won the popular vote and was first among the 10 new attractions voted on by USA TODAY and Gannett readers. We are honored to […]
We have good news to share! We’re proud to announce that the Ohio History Connection once again has received accreditation from the American Alliance of Museums—the gold standard of museum excellence for more than 50 years. This distinction recognizes our commitment to education, public service and collections care across all our sites, including the Ohio […]
COLUMBUS – The Ohio History Connection’s annual Poindexter Village Drum Circle event – organized in collaboration with the James Preston Poindexter Foundation and other local partners – will be held from noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 2, at the future site of Poindexter Village African American Museum, 290 N. Champion Ave. A special […]
Conestoga, the volunteering fundraising Corps of the Ohio History Connection, has announced a $60,000 donation to help fund and plan a new Tribal Youth Internship Program. This program will place college-age Native Americans in residential paid summer internships at Newark Earthworks and Fort Ancient—both part of the Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks, Ohio’s only UNESCO World Heritage […]
We were saddened to learn of the passing of Thomas V. Chema over the weekend. Chema, of Westlake, led the Ohio History Connection Board of Trustees as its President from 2018 to 2022. Overall, he served on the board from 2004 to 2023. “One of the many accomplishments of Tom‘s career was to have a […]
Poindexter 2024 Youth Poetry Challenge From The Roots Of The Past To The Fruits Of the Future In 2024, the Poindexter Village held the Afrofuturism Poetry Competition, a city-wide art challenge fostering poetry writing and exploration of the Afrofuturism genre among K-12 students. Afrofuturism is a cultural aesthetic and philosophy that combines elements of science […]
COLUMBUS – The Ohio History Connection will open the Octagon Earthworks in Newark for full public access Jan. 1, 2025, after reaching a settlement with Moundbuilders Country Club to buy out its lease on the property. The organizations have agreed to settle for a confidential sum, averting a jury trial in the Licking County Court […]
COLUMBUS – As part of the fiscal 2025-26 state capital budget bill, the Ohio History Connection has received $63.75 million to fund projects, sites and initiatives outlined in its 10-year strategic plan. House Bill 2, which included budget appropriations totaling $3.5 billion, was signed by Gov. Mike DeWine on June 28. “We are deeply grateful […]
COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Ohio History Connection is pleased to announce 14 Ohio History Fund grants have been awarded to community history organizations. Now in its 12th year, the Ohio History Fund is a competitive matching grants program that is one of six “tax check-off” funds found on Ohio's income-tax return forms. It is funded […]
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Gov. Mike DeWine today announced the appointment of Diana Welling as Ohio’s State Historic Preservation Officer. “I am pleased to appoint Diana Welling as Ohio’s State Historic Preservation Officer,” said Governor DeWine. “Ohio has so many treasured historic places – including the recent designation of the Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks as a UNESCO […]
On Sept. 19, 2023, the 21 countries on the UNESCO World Heritage Committee issued their decision to inscribe Ohio’s Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks as the United States’ 25th addition to the World Heritage List. The Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks, which include five locations managed by the National Park Service and three managed by the Ohio History Connection, […]
CHILLICOTHE, Ohio – Eight of Ohio’s prehistoric monumental earthworks built 2,000 years ago by Native Americans are poised to become Ohio’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site next week. The UNESCO World Heritage Committee is meeting Sept. 10-25 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A decision to inscribe the Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks as a World Heritage Site is […]
Please note: Notification letters were mailed on August 23 to all individuals who were impacted by this data breach. What happened? In early July, cybercriminals executed a ransomware attack upon internal data servers at OHC, effectively encrypting and holding our data hostage. The group also demanded that OHC pay a ransom in the millions of […]
2023 Community Through Our Lens Youth Art Challenge The Community Through Our Lens Youth Art Challenge culminated in the creation of an 18-month calendar honoring the legacy of beloved artist Kojo Kamau and the iconic Long Street Cultural Wall as a historic landmark (see below!). At the heart of this project are photographs taken by Central Ohio students, capturing Columbus […]
The Ohio History Connection’s Ohio History Center and Ohio Village are among the most recent properties added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 5.
COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Ohio History Connection is pleased to announce 12 Ohio History Fund grants have been awarded to local history organizations. Now in its 11th year, the Ohio History Fund is a competitive matching grants program that is one of six "tax check-off" funds found on Ohio's income-tax return forms. It is […]
COLUMBUS, OH – Ohio History Connection manuscript archivists at the Ohio History Center are making progress on an extensive project to make the Warren G. Harding collections stored at the museum more visible, accessible and usable for those interested in researching the 29th President of the United States. The work began in summer 2021 in […]
We are pleased to announce the Ohio History Connection can proceed with its efforts to acquire the Octagon Earthworks lease from Moundbuilders Country Club in Newark and provide full public access to the site.
2022 Windows of Stories Youth Art Challenge On May 9, 2022, at 5 p.m. at Ohio History Center, 800 E. 17th Avenue, Columbus we hosted the Poindexter Village Windows of Stories Celebration and Awards Ceremony. The Poindexter Village Windows of Stories challenged Columbus City Schools students to create artwork to honor the history and legacies […]
