Twilight Tour of Graceland Cemetery

On June 17 at 7 p.m. our popular Twilight Tour of Graceland Cemetery will return.

Society President Rich Wallace and board secretary Linda DeVelvis will lead tour participants to the final resting places of some of Sidney’s most prominent or infamous citizens. Their lives and contributions will be discussed, as will the interesting gravestones along the way.

Last year we discussed the lives of Civil War veterans, an inventor, immigrants, a gold rush 49-er, and the symbolism of a tree tombstone. What will be discussed this year? What new histories of Shelby County will you learn? Join us to find out!

The tour is free and open to the public, although donations are appreciated. Hours of research and staff hours go into preparing a program of this size. Graceland Cemetery is located off of 25-A heading south out of downtown Sidney. We hope to see you there!

Sidney Civil War Day

Students Learn How to Fire a Cannon

On May 7, the SCHS sponsored its annual Civil War Educational Day at the Shelby County fairgrounds. Over 750 eighth grade students from across the county attended. The annual program ties directly in with state curriculum guidelines.

Anthony Gibbs talks as runaway slave John Parker

Throughout the day, the students visited various stations where they learned about different aspects of the American Civil War. Presenters included Anthony Gibbs (a runaway slave), General Ulysses Grant, and Sojourner Truth. The multiple causes of the war were debated by Doug Benson and Ken Sowards, representing Northern and Southern opinion, respectively. Students also visited the Civil War encampment of the Ohio Valley Civil War Association where they learned about the infantry, the artillery, and the role of women during the Civil War through first-person presentations. A bit of fun and games was had when students learned how to play cricket, a popular pastime with soldiers during the Civil War. The Civil War educational day continues the mission of the Shelby County Historical Society to educate and preserve our colorful local and national history

Men of the Ohio Valley Civil War Association teach about soldiers and weaponry during the Civil War

Preservation Specialist to Speak

On May 18th at 7 p.m., preservationist Elli Bambakidis will present a program at the Ross Historical Center entitled “Preserving Your Family’s Collectibles.” Ms. Bambakidis operates the Fairborn business EMB Preservation Consultants and specializes in preserving textiles, documents and photographs.

Ms. Bambakidis will address what makes an item collectible and worth preserving. She will then share some of her preservation expertise to assist those in attendance with preserving their family memories and heirlooms. She will also cover the causes of deterioration and how to recognize deterioration in your own collections.

This program promises to be very informative and an excellent way to learn about preserving your family memories. Please be sure to join us for this free program!