Conestoga

Join us for our Fundraiser to benefit the Poindexter Village Museum & Cultural Center!

Celebrating History With Poindexter Village

Date: Saturday, April 29 from 3 to 6 p.m.

Location: King Arts Complex- 835 Mt Vernon Ave, Columbus, OH 43203

Tickets: $100/person. Call Abby Reynolds at 614.297.2320 to purchase your tickets today or email Abby to make reservations for the event. In the email, please provide the following: (1) number of reservations; (2) names of those attending; (3) address; and (4) email or phone number. You can then pay at the door with either a check or credit card.

This year’s event — titled “Celebrating History With Poindexter Village” — will be at the King Arts Complex (KAC) in Columbus from 3 to 6 p.m. Great food and drink will be featured, plus a raffle for outstanding packages and access to the many exhibits and artwork contained within KAC.

Historic Poindexter Village was a vibrant mix of Black families, businesses, places to worship and culture. Located in Columbus’ Near East Side, Poindexter Village was dedicated in 1940 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt as one of the first public housing projects in the United States. The 400-unit apartment complex was named in honor of Rev. James Preston Poindexter, an abolitionist, civil rights advocate and Baptist minister. This community represents the birth and history of public housing in this country and reflects Ohio’s place in the national story of the Great Migration.

Today, two historic Poindexter Village buildings remain and will be transformed into a museum and cultural learning center that will portray the history of this close-knit community — what it was, what it did and what it stood for — to ensure it is not lost. Through a collection of oral histories, village memorabilia and exhibits, artistic endeavors and community programming, visitors will learn the rich untold story of an African American experience in its neighborhood and beyond in order to nurture understanding, inform action and empower future generations to build the strong, vibrant and just community they want to live in. Joining in partnership with Conestoga in this fund-raising endeavor is the James Preston Poindexter Foundation.

To view raffle packages, click here.

To view the artwork included in the raffle packages, click here.

Our Story

Conestoga was established in 1986 as an important volunteer corps of support for Ohio History Connection. Its primary mission is to raise private-sector funds for Ohio History Connection programs and has raised more than $700,000 plus established an endowment fund since its founding. Conestoga members participate in a wide variety of social and educational events, such as:

Guided tours of historical sites and museums around Ohio;
Behind-the-scenes private tours and lectures;
Membership to Ohio History Connection, including free admission to all its historical sites and a subscription to Echoes Magazine;
North American Reciprocal Museum Association benefits; and
Discounts at the Ohio History stores, to name a few.

As a support group, Conestoga also plans and conducts an annual fund-raiser. Opportunities for involvement are plentiful and varied.

Conestoga welcomes members of all ages and interests. Membership currently costs $100 for a single membership and $150 for a couple membership. Dues include admission to all regularly scheduled Conestoga social events and educational programs, as well as all the benefits of the Ohio History Connection Plus membership.

Fall Conestoga Trip • Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2022

Fall Conestoga Trip • Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2022

Adena Mansion & Gardens • 847 Adena Rd, Chillicothe, OH 45601
Hopewell Culture National Historical Park • 16062 State Route 104, Chillicothe, OH 45601
Conestoga Members: $20 • Non-Members: $25

Adena was the 2000-acre estate of Thomas Worthington (1773-1827), sixth governor of Ohio and one of the state's first United States senators. The mansion house has been restored to look much as it did when the Worthington family lived there, including many original Worthington family furnishings. The gardens have undergone major renovation. Visitors may stroll through three terraces of flowers and vegetables, as well as the shrubs and trees in the grove. Looking east from the north lawn of the mansion, one can see across the Scioto River Valley to the Logan Range. This view was the inspiration for the Great Seal of the State of Ohio. A Museum and Visitor Center features interactive exhibits that use the stories of people connected to Adena to give visitors a picture of life in Ohio in the early 1800s.

The Hopewell Culture National Historical Park includes six sites within the Ross County area—all of which are included in the nomination for designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The park protects the prehistoric remains of a dynamic social and ceremonial phenomenon that flourished in the woodlands of eastern North America between 200 B.C. and A.D. 500.

Member Appreciation Brunch • Sunday, Dec. 4, 2022

Member Appreciation Brunch

Clintonville Woman’s Club
3951 N High St., Columbus OH 43214

"Celebrating History With Poindexter Village" • Saturday, April 29, 2023

“Celebrating History With Poindexter Village”

Saturday, April 29, 2023 • 3—6 p.m.
King Arts Complex
835 Mt Vernon Ave, Columbus, OH 43203

Ohio History Connection’s most recently designated historic site — the Poindexter Village Museum & Cultural Center — will be the recipient of funds raised during Conestoga’s annual fund-raiser. Conestoga, in partnership with the James Preston Poindexter Foundation (JPPF), will present a fun event that includes great food and drink, a raffle for outstanding packages and access to the many exhibits and artwork contained within King Arts Complex.

Poindexter Village plays a significant role in the rich history of Central Ohio’s African American community and holds an important position in the national story of the Great Migration. Located in Columbus’ Near East Side, Poindexter Village was dedicated in 1940 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt as one of the first public housing projects in the United States. The apartment complex was named in honor of local community leader and abolitionist, the Rev. James Preston Poindexter. Through this event, Conestoga and JPPF are investing in a vision — a vision that includes a museum and cultural learning center in the two remaining historic buildings at the site that will portray the history of this close-knit Black community — what it was, what it did and what it stood for — to ensure it is not lost. It will include oral histories of past Poindexter Village residents and members of the surrounding community, exhibits, artistic endeavors and community programming, including an annual drum circle honoring the community’s ancestors through stories, song and dance.

Tickets for the event are $100 per person. Contact Abby Reynolds, Ohio History Connection Development Officer, at 614-297-2320 or [email protected].

Conestoga Summer Trip • June 2023

National Road & Zane Grey Museum
8850 East Pike, Norwich, OH 43767

Trip details to follow.

Ohio History Alive! Program

Ohio History Center – Cardinal Classroom

Ohio History Alive! is a monthly discussion group for Conestoga members that considers many facets of past and current Ohio history using multimedia resources. Ohio History Alive! typically meets at 1 p.m. on the first Wednesday of scheduled months at the Ohio History Center.