Expect plenty of fringe — a popular decoration of the day — when Ohio Village jumps ahead in time about 30 years.
On May 28, when Ohio Village opens for its 2016 summer season during the Memorial Day weekend, the re-created 19th-century rural Ohio community in Columbus will fast-forward in time from the 1860s and the Civil War to the 1890s.
“Why the 1890s? It’s an incredibly relevant time in history — one that we’re excited to bring to life for our visitors,” said Anna Altschwager, site manager for Ohio Village, part of the Ohio History Connection (formerly the Ohio Historical Society). “Technology was revolutionizing daily life, popular culture was everywhere, news was traveling faster than ever before, and politics had Americans buzzing about workers’ rights, equality, and the great divide between rich and poor.”
Ohio Village staff members have been researching books, magazines, catalogs, photos, and other resources to get a fix on the look and feel of the 1890s, as well as a sense of the issues and trends that concerned late 19th-century Ohioans and Americans in general. Staff members are sewing period clothes so villagers will be appropriately attired, while workers are redecorating village interiors to reflect the styles of the day. Village exteriors, meanwhile, will have new period signage.
Some favorite village buildings still will be recognizable, including the American House Hotel, along with the toy shop, schoolhouse, and several homes. New to the village will be a photo studio where visitors may pose for an 1890s-style photo taken on a cellphone, plus a barber shop where visitors may sit in the barber chair.
Visitors also may stop by the new office of The Telegraphic Advertiser to catch up on the latest news or drop by the H&P (Hens & Pullets) Women’s Study Club, which will offer readings and speakers on women’s suffrage, literature, and the classics.
“When Ohio Village opened in 1974, it represented a typical rural Ohio community of the 1850s,” Altschwager said. “More recently, villagers and visitors have lived through the Civil War. The building blocks of our contemporary society were put in place during the 1890s, and Ohioans had a front-row seat, which we intend to bring to life for you.”
