Newsroom Archives - Ohio History Connection

June 25, 2025

Conestoga Announces $60,000 Donation for Tribal Youth Internship Program

Conestoga, the volunteering fundraising Corps of the Ohio History Connection, has announced a $60,000 donation to help fund and plan a new Tribal Youth Internship Program. This program will place college-age Native Americans in residential paid summer internships at Newark Earthworks and Fort Ancient—both part of the Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks, Ohio’s only UNESCO World Heritage […]

March 21, 2025

Ohio History Connection Mourns Passing of Former Board President Thomas V. Chema

We were saddened to learn of the passing of Thomas V. Chema over the weekend. Chema, of Westlake, led the Ohio History Connection Board of Trustees as its President from 2018 to 2022. Overall, he served on the board from 2004 to 2023. “One of the many accomplishments of Tom‘s career was to have a […]

August 1, 2024

Octagon Earthworks will open to public Jan. 1, 2025

COLUMBUS – The Ohio History Connection will open the Octagon Earthworks in Newark for full public access Jan. 1, 2025, after reaching a settlement with Moundbuilders Country Club to buy out its lease on the property. The organizations have agreed to settle for a confidential sum, averting a jury trial in the Licking County Court […]

June 28, 2024

State Capital Funds Will Support Ohio History Connection’s Strategic Plan

COLUMBUS – As part of the fiscal 2025-26 state capital budget bill, the Ohio History Connection has received $63.75 million to fund projects, sites and initiatives outlined in its 10-year strategic plan. House Bill 2, which included budget appropriations totaling $3.5 billion, was signed by Gov. Mike DeWine on June 28. “We are deeply grateful […]

May 17, 2024

Opening Day Exposition on May 25 Heralds New Era for Ohio Village

COLUMBUS – The Ohio History Connection will reopen Ohio Village for the summer season Saturday, May 25, with a full-day Exposition that reflects on the 50 years since its founding and looks forward to the next 50 years of storytelling in the living-history community. The May 25 celebration will be held from 10 a.m. to […]

March 1, 2024

2024 Ohio History Fund Grant Recipients Announced

COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Ohio History Connection is pleased to announce 14 Ohio History Fund grants have been awarded to community history organizations. Now in its 12th 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 […]

October 10, 2023

Governor DeWine Appoints Welling as Ohio’s State Historic Preservation Officer

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Gov. Mike DeWine today announced the appointment of Diana Welling as Ohio’s State Historic Preservation Officer. “I am pleased to appoint Diana Welling as Ohio’s State Historic Preservation Officer,” said Governor DeWine. “Ohio has so many treasured historic places – including the recent designation of the Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks as a UNESCO […]

September 19, 2023

Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks Inscribed as Ohio’s First UNESCO World Heritage Site

On Sept. 19, the 21 countries on the UNESCO World Heritage Committee issued their decision to inscribe Ohio’s Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks as the United States’ 25th addition to the World Heritage List. The Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks, which include five locations managed by the National Park Service and three managed by the Ohio History Connection, were […]

September 13, 2023

Decision on Ohio’s First World Heritage Site Coming Soon

CHILLICOTHE, Ohio – Eight of Ohio’s prehistoric monumental earthworks built 2,000 years ago by Native Americans are poised to become Ohio’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site next week. The UNESCO World Heritage Committee is meeting Sept. 10-25 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A decision to inscribe the Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks as a World Heritage Site is […]

August 24, 2023

Information regarding a recent data breach at the Ohio History Connection

Please note: Notification letters were mailed on August 23 to all individuals who were impacted by this data breach. What happened? In early July, cybercriminals executed a ransomware attack upon internal data servers at OHC, effectively encrypting and holding our data hostage. The group also demanded that OHC pay a ransom in the millions of […]