By Marlise Schoeny, History Curator

With thousands of objects in collections, curators are constantly learning more about the artifacts in the museum’s holdings. An artifact could grab your attention for any number of reasons. It may be bright and colorful, uniquely shaped, large and striking or, perhaps, it prompts you to ask, “Who was the first best cow?” 

“Awarded by Ohio State Board of Agriculture. N.P. Townshend. To Geo M. Coulter for 2nd Best Cow “Duchess. Prest – 1859.” 

This electroplated silver pitcher was made by the Meriden Britannia Company in Meriden, Connecticut as an award for the 1859 Ohio State Fair. It bears the inscription above, spread across two sides of the pitcher. One can’t help but wonder two things, if this was the prize for second best cow, what was the prize for first and who was the first best cow? Thus began a dive into the history of the 1859 State Fair.  

The 1859 Ohio State Fair was held in Zanesville, Ohio. The fair travelled throughout the state as transportation around Ohio could be difficult for exhibitors. Generally, most exhibitors lived near the fairgrounds. The railroads did offer special rates for exhibitors, their exhibits and fair attendees to support the fair. The first Ohio State Fair was held in Camp Washington (just east of Cincinnati, Ohio) in 1850, so the 1859 fair marked the fair’s ninth meeting and its first and only occurrence in Zanesville.  

During the early years of the fair, winners received medals, not ribbons, as awards for winning their various categories, and in some cases, silver serving ware. The Ohio History Connection has one other silver cup in addition to the pitcher featured here that was awarded in the early decades of the fair.  

Details of the 1859 state fair can be found in the minutes of the State Board of Agriculture. A report detailing the participants, winners and attendance can be found in the annual meeting minutes. In 1859, it is recorded that George M. Coulter of Reesville, Ohio, brought three Shorthorns to the Fair. His older brother, John Jr., brought one Shorthorn bull and his brother, Alfred, also brought one Shorthorn bull.

The Coulter cattle farm was started by George’s father, John Coulter, who emigrated from Ireland in 1805, eventually settling in Clinton County. Coulter focused on raising Shorthorn cattle, a breed popular with early American settlers as they could be raised for meat and milk and could be used as a draught animal. The farm was incredibly successful with a recorded real estate value in the 1850 census of over $13,000. This figure would jump to $54,000 by 1860. In 2026, this figure roughly translates to $500,000 to $2,000,000 when adjusted for inflation. While John Jr., Alfred and George would all eventually run their own cattle farms, in 1859 they were working together on the original family farm following the passing of John Coulter Sr. in 1857.  

Now the moment you’ve been waiting for, who was first best cow? As reported in the minutes, “The class of two-year-olds was small, but beautiful. We awarded first premium to Lady Bonberry, owned by Wm. Lang, and the second to Duchess Second, owned by George M. Coulter.” Despite Duchess carrying a higher rank of nobility, she came second to Lady Bonberry at the 1859 state fair. Her efforts were well rewarded, however, as she received this beautiful pitcher and $15.  It is unknown what Lady Bonberry received besides $30 for winning first premium, as only the cash awards are listed in the Board of Agriculture minutes. There is only one other similar piece in the collection. A silver mug engraved with the words, "Ohio State / Board of Agriculture / Premium." It was awarded when the fair was held in Cleveland, Ohio, which means it dates from 1852 or 1856. No category for the winner is listed on the mug and the Board of Agriculture minutes list a $10 silver cup as the award for "Best Floral Exhibition by An Horticultural Society," but no winner is provided. In addition, a silver cup of $5 value is listed for "Best Steam Engine," but a winner is not listed. While we may never know what electroplated silver serving piece Lady Bonberry took home, we can comfortably assume it was somehow bigger or more impressive than this pitcher. For those of you who have become invested in Duchess and George Coulter's success, don't worry. His two-year old bull, Challenge, won first premium in his category. 

Interested in learning more about Shorthorn cattle? They are raised in Ohio to this day! Check out the American Shorthorn Association to learn more about the breed and its history, or read more about the state of the breed in Ohio now at the website for the Ohio Shorthorn Breeders Association.

Our Archives & Library has many amazing resources for you to learn more about past Ohio State Fairs. Be sure to visit the Archives Wednesday through Friday for a research appointment to see these documents.

Did you ever win first premium? Are you curious to see if your artifacts could be a part of the Ohio History Connection's collection? Check out our donations page to learn more!

Paul Laurence Dunbar, one of America's greatest poets, spent almost his entire life in Ohio. He published hundreds of poems, as well as novels, short stories and song lyrics. He’s considered one of the most important figures in African American and American history, in the company of Frederick Douglass, Booker T. Washington and his Dayton neighbors, Orville and Wilbur Wright. The turn-of-the-20th-century house exhibits Dunbar's literary treasures, many of his personal items and his family's furnishings. A project completed in 2003 returned the Dunbar house to its appearance at the time when Paul and his mother, Matilda, lived there. Paul lived in the house from 1904 until he died in 1906; his mother lived there from 1904 until she died in 1934. An on-site visitor center features panels telling the story of Paul's life and times.

Address: The Paul Laurence Dunbar Visitor’s Center is located at 219 North Paul Laurence Dunbar Street in Dayton. You’ll want to start your visit here. The actual Dunbar House is right next door, but you’ll need to have a staff member with you for a tour.

How much time: I would plan about 60–90 minutes at the Dunbar House. At the Visitor’s Center, you’ll be able to watch an 18-minute movie about Dunbar’s life and times and check out the exhibits. Talk to one of the staff members at the front desk to arrange for a tour of the actual Dunbar House.

My favorites: I loved the tour of the Dunbar house. The home is set up to look like it did when Paul and his mother Matilda were living there. Climbing the narrow steps to the second floor, seeing Paul’s room and his desk, and learning that Paul had a little room at the back of the property that he would escape to when there were too many people in the house really brought his story to life.

Truda's Tips: The Dunbar House doesn’t have its own parking lot, but there’s plenty of street parking around the site.

The Dunbar House is managed locally by the National Park Service. It’s part of the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park. You can learn more about all the sites that are part of the park by visiting their website.

The Ohio History Connection strives to meet ADA requirements for handicapped accessibility. However, historic structures like the Dunbar House provide challenges that make it difficult to provide complete access to all visitors. Please call the site with specific questions and concerns before visiting.

Kid Friendly? For Elementary-School Aged Kids and Older: The Dunbar House tour would be a great way to let kids see what it would have been like to live during the early 1900s. However, there are steep stairs that might be hard for little legs to navigate. Additionally, the objects in the house are arranged so that visitors can see how the Dunbars lived, but they are not to be touched. This could be a challenge for very young kids. The visitor center also features games and activities for kids, as well as a typewriter they can try and a station to stamp their Ohio History Connection or National Park passport.

Lunch: Every great road trip includes a great lunch! I’m a Dayton girl, but haven’t lived in the area for many years, so I consulted my high school bestie for a lunch recommendation. She knocked it out of the park with the Canal Street Arcade & Deli. Just a few minutes’ drive from the Dunbar House, the Canal Street Arcade & Deli is exactly the kind of restaurant I love on a road trip. They feature traditional and original deli sandwiches, as well as breakfast sammies, pizza, soups and salads. Looking for gluten free or vegetarian options? They’ve got those too. I got the Cajun turkey sandwich, and my coworkers got a garden salad and a Ham & Cheese sandwich. The bread and other ingredients were very fresh, and everything was made to order.

Besides the food, the main reason for visiting Canal Street Arcade & Deli is the arcade games. The place is jam packed with pinball machines and video games. It was like stepping back in time to the 1980s. It would be easy to spend a couple of hours playing games and eating a meal here. I would highly recommend checking it out when you’re in the area.

For more information: To learn more about the Paul Laurence Dunbar House, you can visit our website or the National Park Service’s website.

Ohio History Connection members enjoy free general admission at all the historic sites and museums in our network. Visit ohiohistory.org/join for more details!

Looking for more to do on your road trip?

Explore America 250-Ohio’s Creativity Trail! The trail includes more than 100 sites. Learn more here.

Interested in Ohio writers? The Harriet Beecher Stowe House (an Ohio History Connection site) in Cincinnati is just an hour away from the Dunbar House.

Are arts and culture your jam? The National Afro-American Museum & Cultural Center (an Ohio History Connection site) and The Dayton Art Institute are both an easy drive from the Dunbar House.

Want to learn more about Black History? Make a day of it by combining your visit to the Dunbar House with stops at the National Afro-American Museum & Cultural Center and the Cincinnati Black Music Walk of Fame.

Looking to learn more about Dayton history? Dayton has some great museums and living history sites. Spend the day exploring Carillon Historical Park, America’s Packard Museum and the rest of the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park.

Curious about aviation and military history? Visit the world-class National Museum of the United States Air Force to connect the Wright Brother’s legacy with today’s precision technology.

What do you think of when you hear “flesh‑eating beetles”? Something alien in a science fiction movie? Maybe those swarming scarab beetles from The Mummy — huge, exotic, and terrifying as they crawl across the screen and devour every living thing (and person) in their path. But did you know the Ohio History Connection has its own colony of flesh‑eating beetles?

Our colony lives in the natural history lab – and they’ve got their very own room! When people tentatively enter the “Dermestid Room” and gain the courage to peer into the large plastic storage container housing the beetles, their initial apprehension fades disappointment sets in. “That’s it!?”

They may not be scary, but they are incredibly helpful! Flesh-eating beetles are members of the beetle family Dermestidae, commonly known as Skin Beetles or Carpet Beetles. The species we employ at the Ohio History Connection is the Hide Beetle, Dermestes maculatus, which is found worldwide - on every continent except Antarctica. Adult hide beetles are only about ¼ - 1/2 inch in length and the larvae can be up to about ¾ inch.

For us, the real workhorses are the larvae, not the adults. We use the larvae to clean animal skeletons for our comparative skeletal collection. After we remove the hide, organs, and major muscles of a specimen, we introduce them into the beetle colony. When we’re preparing delicate specimens like bird skulls or small bones we want to keep together, we need to be careful and remove the specimen at the appropriate time. Once the soft tissue is gone the larvae will sometimes eat the thin bones of the skull or the cartilage between small bones, like in the feet, causing them to fall apart. The larvae consume the remaining soft tissue, leaving us with a nice, mostly-clean skeleton – saving staff hours in the tedious (and smelly) job of preparing skeletons.

Outside the lab, dermestid beetles play an important role in nature. The beetles arrive after fly larvae (maggots) remove most of the tissue from a deceased animal. Then, the dermestids complete the final cleaning, consuming the dried bits and pieces of tissue remaining on the skeleton.

But what about living tissue? There has only been one verified case of dermestid larvae attacking a living animal. This was on a farm where large, inactive male turkeys were housed in an overcrowded pen. Beetle larvae burrowed just a short way under the skin of some of the birds. Other than this one disturbing incident, dermestids are not known to consume living tissue.

How long does it take the larvae to clean a skeleton? That depends on the size of the colony, i.e. how many larvae are present, and the size of the skeleton. A colony can vary from a few dozen individuals when food is scarce, to thousands of larvae when there’s plenty to eat. With an average sized colony a mouse skull can be cleaned in a day or two, while the skeleton of a raccoon could take a week or more.

When I first suggested acquiring dermestid beetles for the museum, I was met with hesitation from the history curators. Why would we want to introduce a tank of hundreds of destructive pests into the museum!? Dermestid beetles, of which there are many species, are major pests in museum collections! Some species attack silk, wool, keratin, and wood – not to mention taxidermy specimens in natural history collections. To prevent potential problems, we developed a rigorous plan for how the colony is housed and how we introduce and remove specimens from their container.

For over 150 years, Dermestid beetles have worked in museums to clean skeletons. They are the best employees; they do a wonderful job, work 24 hours a day, and all you gotta do is feed ‘em!

Dave Dyer - Natural History Curator

Note: We do not kill animals to obtain skeletons for the collection. Specimens come from animals that died accidentally, such as roadkill, those killed by predators, and birds that fly into windows. We hold state and federal permits that allow us to collect and house specimens of native animals.

Grant Program Funded Through Voluntary Donations by Ohioans

COLUMBUS — The Ohio History Connection is pleased to announce that it has awarded 15 Ohio History Fund grants to community history organizations.

Now in its 14th year, the Ohio History Fund is a competitive matching grants program that is one of six "tax check-off" funds found on Ohio's income-tax return forms. It is funded in part through Ohio taxpayers’ voluntary contributions.

“The Ohio History Fund allows us to preserve and share Ohio stories by supporting history projects all over the state,” said Megan Wood, Executive Director & CEO of the Ohio History Connection. “Local history helps us understand where we came from and gives us a sense of identity and place, inspiring pride in our communities.”

The Ohio History Connection awarded $194,657 in grants this year, its second highest amount ever. Since the program started in 2012, the Ohio History Fund has made a total of 164 grants to history and cultural organizations across the state, totaling more than $1.8 million.

2026 Ohio History Fund Grant Recipients

America’s Packard Museum, Dayton

$4,000 for “Driving Forward Strategic Planning at America’s Packard Museum”

The History Fund grant will enable the museum to hire a facilitator to coordinate the development of its first strategic plan. The time is right. The planning effort builds on previous efforts to improve and make sustainable the museum’s physical plant and improve its collection management practices. The planning process will engage museum stakeholders to set goals for the plan, outline strategies for achieving them and set benchmarks by which the museum will assess its accomplishments.

City of Cleveland Heights

$4,137 for “Cleveland Heights Scanning and Conversion Initiative”

The project will digitize and make available historical records that relate to the evolution of the city over the last 100-plus years. The targeted documents include public meeting minutes, building permits and early planning records, which date from the year the municipality was officially incorporated in 1903 and become city in 1921. The city will use the platform provided by Ohio Memory to give access to material that is not available anywhere else. The grant will enable the purchase of a scanner, which one panelist described as their top choice for a project like this.

City of Euclid

$19,327 for “Shore Cultural Centre Historic Preservation Restroom Rehabilitation Project”

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Shore Cultural Centre was Euclid High School until 1982. Described at a “significant piece of Euclid’s architectural and social history” the project will make two of its restrooms accessible as per the Americans with Disabilities Act. The project will be an example of “adaptive reuse” in that the restroom will be modified for all to use while maintaining the historic appearance of the building according to the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation.

Dayton Preservation Works

$19,237 for “Dunbar Historic District—Emanual Hoover House Renovation”

The Emanual Hoover House, built in 1883, is a “contributing structure” to Dayton’s Dunbar Historic District and is across from the home of poet Paul Laurence Dunbar. Despite the Hoover house’s famous neighbor, it is one of 26 houses in the district that have suffered from decades of disinvestment. Dayton Preservation Works, a nonprofit led by experienced preservationists, is revering this unfortunate trend one house at a time. The grant will continue the rehabilitation of the Hoover House by installing new heating, ventilation and air conditioning system in the house and making much-needed plumbing repairs. Proceeds from the eventual sale of the house will continue to finance DPW’s efforts to preserve and rehabilitate historic housing stock in the city.

Downtown Chillicothe

$13,549 for “Mail Pouch Mural Restoration”

Downtown Chillicothe will restore the historic Mail Pouch Mural, a once-common but now rare example of early 20th-century advertising art and one of the downtown’s most recognizable landmarks. The restoration will be completed by a nationally recognized specialist in Mail Pouch murals, who will recreate the design using historically appropriate methods and materials. The project will include the installation of lighting to showcase the restored mural. The grant will support the staff time, promotional efforts and the time and materials for the project’s electrician.

Fort Recovery Historical Society, Fort Recovery

$19,000 for “3rd Annual Beyond the Battlefield: Native Days for 4th Graders and the Public”

The Fort Recovery Historical Society will engage approximately 400 Mercer County fourth-graders, their families and the public with Native cultures, past and present. They’ll learn from citizens of Federal Recognized Tribes whose ancestors fought at a battle there in 1791 that came to be known St. Clair’s Defeat. As one reviewer noted “what is beautiful about this proposal is the fourth-grade students will meet members of the Wyandot, Miami and Eastern Shawnee tribes … instead of being … people they read about, (the students) will meet (Tribal) members who (the students) can talk to and learn from.” The project builds on experience of two previous “Beyond the Battlefield” programs and extends it be creating a program for area fourth-graders that addresses state learner outcomes. Grant funds will pay the fees and lodging for Tribal members and the cost of program materials.

Friends of the Museums, Inc., Marietta

$15,300 for “Invisible Ground in Historic Marietta”

The project engages students and adult visitors to the Campus Martius Museum by creating virtual reality experiences around two of its iconic places. These are the Ohio Company Land Office and the Campus Martius stockade, of which the surviving section is the Rufus Putman House inside the museum. The virtual experience will be available to anyone with a cellphone free of charge, but the project serves those without smartphones, too. The project will also erect interpretive signage about both places outside of the museum, which will also be accessible. Another component of the project will be the creation of programs for school groups, adult tour groups and the general public. Grant funds will support staff time to complete the project, costs associated with creating virtual reality experiences and promotion.

Great Trail Council, Boy Scouts of America, Stow

$20,000 for “Historic Camp Manatoc Dining Hall Fire Suppression System”

Listed in the National Register of Historic Places, the dining hall of Camp Manatoc was built in 1932 and is its last remaining original building. It’s also built of now-rare wormy chestnut and is under threat of fire, as all wood buildings are. The current fire suppression system is past its useful life and require frequent, expensive maintenance. A grant from the History Fund enables the Great Trail Council to replace like with like, exchanging the current system with a similar new system. A new system will provide more consistent protection for the hall and be less expensive to maintain. The project will maintain the hall’s historic fabric and appearance and conform to the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation.

Loveland Museum Center, Loveland

$5,194 for “Digitization of 3-D Replica of Late 19th Century Loveland”

The History Fund’s review panel believes that the Loveland Museum Center’s modest grant will have a big impact on their museum and its visitors. The grant will enable the museum to install an interactive digital display about the effect of the railroad on Loveland in the late 19th century. The digital display will replace a 3-D model, representing the community during this same period. The display will enable the museum to show archival images, so instead of relying on the 3-D model, visitors can see the real thing (as photographed) and learn more by reading related historic documents, also available through the new digital display. The removal of the model also frees up more floor space for other uses. The organization will use grant funds primarily to support the deployment of the screen, on which the museum will show the display.

Mariemont Preservation Foundation, Cincinnati

$3,500 for “Ferris House Museum Chimney Repair”

The grant will enable the Mariemont Preservation Foundation to continue work necessary to convert the Eliphalet Ferris House into the Mariemont Historic Museum, as envisioned originally in Mariemont’s community plan of 1923. The grant will support work to repoint and repair the house’s chimney. Conducted by an experienced contractor, the work will preserve the historical integrity of the structure and adhere to the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation. The Ferris House, built between 1802 and 1812, is one of the oldest brick buildings in Hamilton County and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

McKinley Presidential Library & Museum, Canton

$14,293 for “Legacy Revived: Exploring Stark County’s Rich Black History”

Comprising many elements, the project will enable the organization to more fully share Stark County’s history by representing the historical experiences of the African American community. This effort is part of the institution’s strategic plan and it is timely because the museum hired its first curator of Black history in 2025. Grant funding will support a new exhibit, “Legacy Revived: Exploring Stark County’s Rich Black History,” transcriptions of oral histories (which will be used in exhibit research), the publication of an exhibit catalog and the creation of a podcast featuring lesser-known stories from Stark County history, set to launch later in 2026.

Sauder Village, Archbold

$13,940 for “Sauder Village Light Mitigation Project”

Ultraviolet and infrared light fades colors on and damages museum artifacts if not blocked. Sauder Village proposes using time-tested best practices to protect artifacts displayed in its 1920s Main Street site. The collection care staff and a trusted outside contractor will install tinted film to reduce visible light when the buildings are open to the public and roller shades to completely block the light when buildings are closed. The staff will also install equipment data-loggers to help them monitor (and mitigate as needed) the environmental conditions the artifacts are exhibited in. Because Sauder Village is a living-history village, its artifacts are not just in storage–they are an integral part of the experience, providing rich sensory details. Grant funding will cover the cost of installing window tinting.

Village of McDonald

$16,696 for “The McDonald Millworkers Trail”

The village was founded in 1918 as a company town for U.S. Steel, and until the mill was demolished in 2025, the steel industry had been at the center of village life. To honor its heritage, the village is creating a memorial in the form of a “Millworkers Trail” through Woodland Park. The trail will feature interpretive signage about the village’s history and notable events, the local steel industry, and the experiences of millworkers. Trail developers will collaborate with local schools to plan programs using the trail. The municipality devotes its resources to providing essential emergency services and infrastructure. The History Fund is a perfect fit to support sharing the village’s history through this well-planned project. Grant funds will be used to purchase supplies to build and promote the trail.

Worthington Historical Society, Worthington

$9,000 for “Old Rectory Structural Support Project”

The project will allow the Worthington Historical Society to stabilize the structure of its c. 1845 headquarters, the Old Rectory. To preserve the house, listed in the National Register of Historic Places, the society will engage an experienced contractor to reinforce compromised floor framing. The grant will support repairs to stabilize the floor. The review panel was especially impressed that the society’s grant request was backed up by a report from a structural engineering firm, demonstrating the work be undertaken soon. Although it is not anticipated that the structural work will affect the appearance of the building, the society will engage a contractor that is sensitive to the historic nature of the building, understanding the work must conform to the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation. The Old Rectory hosts 2,000-plus visitors annually and supports daily staff and volunteer work.

Youngstown State University, Youngstown

$17,574 for “Mahoning Valley 250 Exhibit: A Celebration of Change-Makers and their Communities”

Drawing on the talents of historians at the Mahoning Valley Historical Society, the Trumbull County Historical Society and the Youngstown Historical Center of Industry and Labor, Youngstown State University will spearhead the development of exhibits that the showcase the Mahoning Valley’s place in American history, in celebration of America 250, the U.S. Semiquincentennial. Plans call for the creation of a static exhibit at the Youngstown Historical Center of Industry and Labor, traveling banner exhibits for the region’s other museums and publics libraries and an online exhibit. Representing the strengths of the partners’ collections, the exhibit will address the themes of: Indigenous History, the Underground Railroad, Immigration, Innovation in Manufacturing and Amusement & Recreation (in contrast to focusing on its recent history as a buckle on the Rust Belt). Once completed, the project will stand as a model for cooperation among historical organizations and foster pride in the region’s shared cultural heritage. Grant funds will primarily support staff time for the project partners and the costs of exhibit design.

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About the Ohio History Fund

Ohio History Fund grants help support local history and preservation-related projects in communities throughout Ohio. The grants are funded by Ohio taxpayers who select “Ohio History Fund” as a donation fund on their state tax returns. For just the average donation of $13, you can help repair a roof on a historic home, expand a popular history tour at a local museum and provide public access to rare museum collections. For more information about the History Fund grant program, go to ohiohistory.org/historyfund or contact the History Fund at [email protected].

About the Ohio History Connection:

The Ohio History Connection is a statewide history organization with the mission to spark discovery of Ohio’s stories. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization chartered in 1885, the Ohio History Connection carries out history services for Ohio and its residents. This includes housing the State Historic Preservation Office and the official state archives and managing more than 50 sites and museums across Ohio. For more information, go to ohiohistory.org. The Greater Columbus Arts Council and the Columbus Foundation provide support for Ohio History Connection programs.

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By Becky Odom, History Curator & Curatorial Department Manager

Willard’s extant works indicate he painted in two different styles early in his career: realism and folk art. He employed realism to create accurate, detailed paintings of the town of Wellington and the surrounding area southwest of Cleveland. His portraits, on the other hand, tend to incorporate the bold colors lack of traditional perspective common to folk art.

In addition to painting his hometown, Willard’s early artwork also incorporated places from his military service. Willard enlisted in the 86^th Ohio Volunteer Infantry during the American Civil War, serving a total of two years between 1862 and 1864. He sketched his surroundings, and later turned these drawings into paintings. He likely created this painting from sketches he made when his regiment helped to capture the Cumberland Gap in Tennessee.

Willard’s comical depictions of his children became his first success. In 1872, Willard sent two paintings to Cleveland photographer and printer James F. Ryder. The humorous paintings, titled "Pluck" and "Pluck II," depict children’s antics with the family dog. Ryder hung the paintings in his shop window and sold many chromolithographs of these and other comical works.

Following his initial success, Willard traveled to New York to continue his artistic training. He studied under at least one notable Ohio artist, Joseph Oriel Eaton. By 1875, Willard was living in Cleveland as a full-time artist.

Encouraged by Ryder and his initial commercial success, Willard undertook what would become his most famous work, "Spirit of ‘76." Originally titled "Yankee Doodle," the painting was intended to be a humorous piece. But Willard’s strong patriotic feelings led him to paint what became a symbol of the courage, patriotism, and determination of the American Revolution.

The painting garnered attention while exhibited at the 1876 Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia. Art critics dismissed the painting as nothing more than a cartoon. But, thanks to Ryder’s skillful marketing campaign, audiences turned out in huge numbers to see the original painting and purchase inexpensive color prints to hang in their own homes.

After the Exposition concluded, “Spirit of ‘76” went on a national tour, selling out crowds in many cities from Boston to San Francisco. Demand for the painting was so great that Willard created at least four copies, one of which is in the Ohio History Connection collections.

Willard’s patriotic painting vaulted him to national fame, but he wasn’t able to maintain his success. Ryder continued to sell prints of Willard’s artwork, but sales eventually dwindled. Willard began teaching to support himself, founding the Cleveland Art Club and instructing students in portraiture, landscape, oil painting, and life drawing to aspiring regional artists.

Cleveland resident and railroad superintendent John H. Devereux acquired the original "Spirit of '76" painting in 1880 and donated it to his hometown of Marblehead, Massachusetts. Devereux’s son, John, had served as the model for the drummer boy.

When the Spanish-American War began in 1898, Willard attempted to revive the patriotic tropes of “Spirit of ‘76” for this new conflict. In one version, Willard depicts geriatric soldiers galloping across a western landscape in heroic defense of the nation. These men, born too late to fight in the Civil War, eagerly joined the war to oust Spain from Cuba and the Philippines despite their advanced age.

Despite Willard’s efforts, "Spirit of ’76" remained his greatest artistic success. He died in Cleveland in 1918.

Would you like to see more of Willard's artwork? Pieces from museum and library collections throughout Ohio can be viewed on Ohio Memory.

Our Archives & Library has many amazing resources for you to learn more about Ohio artists. Be sure to visit the Archives Wednesday through Friday or consider making a research appointment to see these materials.

Do you collect Ohio art? Are you curious if your pieces could become part of the Ohio History Connection's collections? Visit our donations page to learn more!

Megan Wood, Executive Director and CEO

Our trips to visit with Tribes are always humbling and this one was no different. I’ll share just a few.

Chief Friend read from a speech given by a Wyandotte leader as his people were forcibly removed from Ohio. Although the Tribe was being driven from their homeland and all that was sacred, the leader promised that the people of Ohio would one day be welcomed wherever the Wyandotte settled, and that if an Ohioan showed up hungry, they’d be fed. As he read those compelling words of friendship, our group was being hosted by the Tribe for a bountiful breakfast at the Wyandotte casino.

Chief Wallace of the Eastern Shawnee Tribe hosted us for a delicious lunch and showed us how much has been accomplished over the last 18 years. She reflected on how much our relationship has grown over those years. To hear Chief Wallace speak with pride about our collaborative work was moving.

And lastly, during our time with the Miami Tribe, we were generously hosted with many meals and welcomed to participate in the celebration of social dances. But what really struck me was witnessing the ethical return of Chief Little Turtle’s bag back to the Tribe.

There is always so much packed into these trips, and I feel really fortunate to see this moment of time in our relationships with federally recognized Tribes. These experiences leave me energized to try to do more.

Glennda McGann, Development Officer

I felt on a visceral level in Oklahoma: through the stomp dance, the energy of the Winter Gathering; through a vast emptiness, suddenly a place where people made something from nothing; through storytelling, the emotion of reclaiming identity and rebuilding lost language; through museum exhibits, a reconnection to exquisite art and tradition. And most importantly, through conversation, our shared reverence for the Ancestors and the Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks.

Ann Ruege, Chief Organizational Advancement Officer

Throughout the visit, every conversation, site tour, and shared moment offered a powerful reminder of how our values come alive in real Tribal communities.

Participating in the Miami Nation's Winter Gathering was especially moving—standing alongside community members, hearing their stories, and witnessing their traditions firsthand was both humbling and inspiring.

These experiences left me with a renewed sense of gratitude and a deeper appreciation for our Tribal partners in Oklahoma, including the Wyandotte Nation, Miami Nation, and Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma.

Brad Lepper, Senior Archeologist, Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks

The 2026 Miami Winter Gathering was the first social event I’d ever attended with our Tribal partners. I’d been to many meetings in Oklahoma over the years involving consultation on various projects and had developed many relationships and friendships that have meant a lot to me. But this was my first opportunity to just be there to share a special occasion with friends and partners. I was at first reluctant to join in the Stomp Dance, wondering how many ways I could embarrass myself, but Chris Samples, Second Chief of the Eastern Shawnee, would have none of that and did not quite drag me out onto the dance floor where I had fun and experienced a sense of welcome and community.

A few of the things that stand out for me over the course of the several days we were there are the breakfast that Chief Friend hosted for us. He read a moving letter that the Wyandotte Nation had sent to their many friends in Ohio after they had been forcibly removed from their communities. The kindness and compassion of the letter after their horrible treatment by the U.S. government was a surprise and a lesson to me.

Also, Chief Wallace gave us a tour of the extensive Eastern Shawnee facilities and holdings, and it was a wonder to realize just how much of what they have achieved has been under the leadership of Chief Wallace. The legacy that she is leaving to her people is an inspiration.

Finally, it was a great privilege to sit among Miami and folks from other Tribes to listen to their winter stories. The various tales, told by so many talented Miami storytellers, gave me a better sense of how oral traditions with important lessons can be conveyed with gravity, but also whimsy.

I owe Julie Olds and Logan York many thanks for their invitation to attend this wonderful event. And of course, I owe a special thanks to Chris Samples for making sure I didn’t miss the opportunity to be a part of the Stomp Dance.

Sarah Hinkelman, Site Superintendent, Newark Earthworks

Everyone we visited at the Wyandotte, Eastern Shawnee, and Miami Nations were warm and welcoming. We had amazing food at every event.

What stood out the most to me was the presence of different Tribal Nations at the Miami Gathering. We saw friends and partners from the Seneca-Cayuga, Eastern Shawnee, Shawnee, and Peoria Nations at the Stomp Dance. It really emphasized how communities can come together to celebrate and enjoy one another’s company.

It was also interesting to talk to our friends at the Wyandotte and Peoria and hear about the similarities and differences in the dances.

The sounds of the singing, drums, and rattles during the Stomp Dance was overwhelming in the best way. I loved the experience after the Stomp Dance ended. Everyone would disperse and head back to their families and friends on the stands. The visual and feeling of going from one single unit of people in the dance to dozens of individuals was amazing.

As Brad and I were sitting together and observing the Stomp Dance, we talked about what a similar gathering would look like at the Great Circle or Octagon 2,000 years ago. Thousands of people coming together, dancing and singing together at the Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks, and how truly incredible that would be.

Stephanie Kline, NAGPRA Program Manager

Doing NAGPRA repatriation work at Ohio History Connection, I interact with representatives from the Nations we visited every day. Going into this trip, I was most excited to be able to visit with the same people in their homes, celebrating their cultures, and not having to ask anything from them.

I was blown away by how welcome and at home I was made to feel. Between our tour of the Eastern Shawnee lands, a tour of the Wyandotte Nation Culture Center, and participating in the storytelling and dancing of the Miami Tribe Winter Gathering, I was reinvigorated with a deep feeling and remembrance of why we do the work we do on behalf of these Nations.

I don't imagine that many people could dance in the circle of the Stomp Dance and not feel the reverberation of the beat and song when they come back to work to reunite ancestors with their descendants.

Bill Kennedy, Site Superintendent, Fort Ancient Earthworks and Serpent Mound

Attending a Winter Gathering was even more than I expected.

We regularly host visits from Tribal partners at the Fort Ancient Earthworks and Serpent Mound, but this was my first time getting to visit our partners in their home communities. It was a privilege to be included in an event like this, and I was humbled by the generosity and hospitality of our Tribal partners.

I enjoyed seeing so many friends and colleagues from multiple Tribes all working and celebrating together. I felt very moved by the sense of community, friendship, and warmth.

Jen Aultman, Director of Historic Sites and Museums

I have attended the Myaamia Winter Gathering several times, and each time I am in awe of the resilience of the Miami and other Tribal nations now in Oklahoma where they were forcibly removed from Ohio in the nineteenth century.

Hearing stories told in Miami, with young Miami children understanding this revitalized language and laughing along with the stories, signals the nation's vibrancy and deep dedication to the future.

Each Tribal nation in Ottawa County, Oklahoma, is building in its own way for the future. We saw that the Wyandotte nation has outgrown its cultural center and will expand into a larger space to accommodate their many vibrant cultural programs. We delighted in the Eastern Shawnee's creative renovation of a former bingo hall into a Shawnee Woodland gathering space that appeals across generations. In the Stomp Dance hosted by the Miami Tribe on Saturday night, friends from other Tribal nations and non-native friends alike joined in, dancing together in unison with open-hearted joy.

The Winter Gathering and mutual support among the Tribal nations of northeast Oklahoma offer shining examples to the world of how community, resilience, and joy can show the path forward through the literal and metaphorical darkness of winter.

Lara Detrick, NAGPRA Specialist

Being able to travel out to the Myaamia Winter Gathering in Oklahoma and join in on the celebrations felt like a full circle moment, particularly respective to what my job usually is.

Most often, the NAGPRA department at the Ohio History Connection works with the Tribes to help return ancestors and their belongings back home, and in doing so, we have to ask several things of the Tribes that we work with, meeting with them virtually, or here in Ohio. This invitation allowed us to be able to meet them where they live and experience the same land that they do in their typical day to day.

Not coming into this with a set agenda for our repatriation work allowed us to appreciate our time and the celebrations at a much deeper level, and beyond just federally regulated work tasks, but as friends who share a greater appreciation for one another and their lives. I was able to see the receiving end of our work and connect with people in a much more meaningful way, and I am deeply grateful for the invitation and opportunity to have experienced it!

Patti Lavell, Director of American Indian Relations

I took away so many unexpected joys from the time spent visiting with our Tribal partners in Oklahoma. But regardless of where we were or which Tribe we were with, there were two overwhelming themes that were impossible to overlook. Those were generosity and unwavering strength.

Chief Friend of the Wyandotte hosted us for a hearty breakfast, during which he eloquently spoke of an enduring bond between his Tribe and Ohioans. Chief Wallace of the Eastern Shawnee warmly welcomed us for lunch and then toured us through the Tribe’s properties, sharing the history of how her people persevered to build a thriving community. The Wyandotte Tribe invited us into their Cultural Center and shared the history and heritage so beautifully reflected throughout the Center and Museum. The Miami Tribe included us in their annual Winter Gathering, where they fed us and shared their Aalhsoohkaana “Winter Stories”, spoken in their beautiful language, which they’ve relentlessly worked to revitalize. On our last night, we were invited to join the Miami in the Stomp Dance, and it was incredible to hear their voices rise together and feel the rhythm of the shakers. I’ve never seen so many people move as one.

I left Oklahoma with immense appreciation for the work our Tribal partners have done and are doing to sustain their languages and lifeways. What each Tribe has rebuilt, despite being ripped from their homeland and having their language and culture taken from them, is nothing short of extraordinary.