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Marietta’s Ohio River Museum to mark 75 years

MARIETTA – The Ohio River Museum is celebrating its 75th anniversary in Marietta, and according to staff and board members of the museum it will be there for many more years.

Charlotte Keim, board member of Friends of the Museums, said the river museum is an important part of Marietta’s history that tells a great story for the young and older generations.

“It’s a wonderful time for the museum to celebrate 75 years which started as a small idea of showcasing riverboat models and it tells a story of commerce,” said Keim. “The museum has a great story to tell, and honestly without the Ohio and Muskingum rivers Marietta wouldn’t be here.”

The nonprofit Friends of the Museums operate the Campus Martius Museum and Ohio River Museum on behalf of the Ohio History Connection.

“They oversee the daily operations at the museum,” said Glenna Hoff, education and program director at the Ohio River Museum. “It’s somewhat like a school board made up of volunteers who share a love for a common thing.”

Their main mission is to promote and preserve the history of our region, the Northwest Territory and the inland waterways.

The Ohio River Museum at 601 Front St. opened in the 1940s and has most definitely evolved over the years.

“It’s changed tremendously,” said Hoff. “It actually began in the basement of Campus Martius so it’s neat to see how it’s evolved. Hopefully it will continue to grow and expand and bring people out and remind them of how we’ve been and how we have evolved over the years.”

Hoff said the current museum began construction in the early 1970s and opened for the public in 1974.

According to Keim, the museum is now in a major collaboration with the Ohio History Connection and the Washington County Public Library to expand the museum due to lack of space at both buildings.

“The library has had a need for more space and we have had a need for additional space, so we want to see how we can join together and save resources,” said Keim.

Keim said they are still in the beginning phases of the project but are continuing to move forward.

“We are still in the research, and budget phase of the project,” she said. “We are working very aggressively for a new museum here which will provide more opportunities for showcasing what our museum has to offer and to add more additional information.”

New Matamoras residents Lyda Steinmetz and Bob Martin recently made their first visit to the museum.

“It’s our day off and we wanted to go on an adventure,” said Steinmetz. “We heard how important this was to the community and decided to make a visit.”

“It is amazing to see all of this stuff and learn about the history the museum has to offer,” added Martin.

The museum currently consists of three exhibit buildings. The first exhibit explains the origins and natural history of the Ohio River from beginning to end, the second exhibit provides the history of the steamboat and the last exhibit displays boat buildings, mussels in the Ohio River system and the tools and equipment of the steamboat era.

The museum’s exhibits include the pilothouse from the steamboat the TELL CITY, a full-scale reproduction of a flatboat from Ohio’s early settlement period and dug-out canoe from 1800 used as a ferry between Fort Harmer and Marietta’s settlement.

Also a part of the museum is the famous W.P. Snyder Jr., the nation’s last intact steam-powered, stern-wheeled towboat, which is open to the public for escorted tours.

Tyler Preston, 27, of Marietta said he enjoys making visits to the museum when he can.

“It truly is such an important part of Marietta,” said Preston. “I remember coming here as a kid and honestly being eager to learn about the boats and the history, and I still enjoy making visits when I can.”

Preston’s brother Ashton, 29, of Marietta, said the museum is a stop every Marietta community member should make in their lifetime

“I came here when I was in fourth grade, and it’s always been a nice memory of my childhood living in Marietta,” said Ashton. “It’s nice to know they have done so well over the years.”

According to Hoff, the Ohio River Museum sees 5,000 to 6,000 visitors a year.

The museum also offers several events throughout the year at their building.

“We have summer camps here every summer,” said Hoff. “We also host the Inland Waterways Festival and every off year we have a special museum day for the public.”

Hoff also said the museum is the where the Sons and Daughters of Pioneer Rivermen meet annually and that there are many visits from the local schools throughout the years.

“We get a number of schools who visit us each year,” said Hoff. “With the size of the building we may have to split the kids up to different parts of the museum but we work very hard to meet the state standard.”

With history being an important aspect of the town, the staff at the museum encourage people to come and celebrate with them on Sept. 16 from noon to 2 p.m.

“History is so important to people in this area and in many ways we live and breath our history every day,” said Keim. “We need to be able to show the next generation how Marietta and Southeastern Ohio was originated.”

The museum is inviting the public to come and enjoy the museum’s exhibits and enjoy music from Kentucky artist Debbie Tuggle.

Tuggle has written songs such as “Clean Water” and “Always a River.”

For the anniversary celebration, the museum is partnering with Ohio Open Doors, a statewide program that encourages local historical societies and landmarks to open their doors for the community.

“It’s vital to encourage this to the city,” said Keim. “We have many people who come here to learn about the history. People that come here want to adventure by mountain biking or canoeing, so we need to give them something to do and tell them why we’re here.”

Keim and Hoff both agree that the rivers flowing through the town are key parts of what makes Marietta…Marietta.

“It’s important for us and the community to continue to learn about our history and honestly it’s just fun,” said Keim.

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