VAN WERT, OH (WLIO) - A local museum is putting the spotlight on the history of agriculture. The Van Wert County Historical Society invited the public out to "Barn Day" on Sunday to celebrate and learn more about advancements in farming technology and how the industry shaped the area around the city.
Visitors could see artifacts from the former milk factory and vehicles used on farms, from the times when equipment needed to be pulled by horses to the introduction of tractors. Historians say agriculture is what got the county's economy started when it was settled and continues to be a major source of local jobs today, so they want people to appreciate just how important the barn is.
"Oftentimes, the barn was established on the farm even before the house. The barn and the farm served as the community. It served as a gathering place for families; it served as a place of work," said Keith Rydell, a trustee of the historical society.
The museum campus includes several buildings besides the barn, like an original 1860s log cabin and a one-room school.
"If you look at the building we have here, you can see we had some shootouts in the county that made us famous with some robbers that occurred, and we've got the displays that describe that. We also have a railroad caboose that ties in with our history, with the railroads running in between Chicago and New York and everywhere else running through the county. We also have a mansion that highlights Victorian time period in Van Wert County," Rydell added.
The museum is open every Sunday through November from 2 to 4, or you can schedule a private tour. Their contact information can be found on their Facebook page.
