LIMA, OH (WLIO) - A local museum is transporting its visitors back to the early 1900s. Our Madison Kenjura had the opportunity to experience it firsthand.
The Allen County Museum, located at 620 W. Market Street, Lima, OH 45801, is hosting a free family event from July 14th to 15th, helping people learn about Life in the early 20th century!
"We wanted to promote the time periods shown by the American Girl Dolls, and we kind of jumped around with the timeline, but this year we are covering the time period of Samantha. So, we're actually doing the 1900s-1910, and my goal is when you leave the museum campus after experiencing the event, you'll have a better appreciation for what life was like back then," explained Sarah Rish, curator of education.
The event has some notable guests, including historical figures like Teddy Roosevelt, the 26th president of the United States. Also in attendance are Harriet White Fisher and Harold Brooks, the first two people to travel around the world in a locomobile touring car back in 1909.
"She hired Harold to be her mechanic, and they went around the world along with the butler, maid, her little mascot HonkHonk, a little dog. She got a monkey in India and another dog in Japan, and between Harold's mechanical abilities and "my" deep pockets, we made it, didn't we? We made it," said Herb & Karyln Lauer, Harold Brooks & Harriet White Fisher.
Other features of the event included listening to period piece music, getting a feel of what it was like to arrive at Ellis Island as an immigrant, and taking part in a lesson in a one-room classroom where students were tasked to write using a nib pen and ink.
"We're teaching out of Muguffey readers. They need to learn how to write their name, they're going to learn things about geography, and they're going to learn grammar because they need to write and speak correctly because education is so important in our fairly new, getting older United States of America," explained Bruce Marshall, schoolhouse teacher.
The museum's learning about life in the early 20th century offers an engaging and educational experience for visitors to explore the similarities and differences of daily life more than a century ago. You can catch the final day of the free event on Saturday, July 15th, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
