Worthington Historical Society

Walking Tour #1 at Walnut Grove Cemetery (1800s)
2023-08-20 14:00 - 15:30 (America/New_York) | Walnut Grove Cemetery, Milton Drive, Worthington, OH, 43085, United States
Book A Tour

Sunday, August 20th, 2 pm; $7 per person
Advance reservation preferred but not required. Cash only if paying the day of the tour.
This walking tour of Walnut Grove Cemetery will primarily feature people who were second generations of our pioneer founders from the 1800s who carried on their ideals and dealt with the Civil War.
The tour will meet by the office near the Milton Street entrance and will be about one and a half hours. Parking is available by the service buildings as well as along the roads. Rain or shine!

Birthday Celebration at the Orange Johnson House
2023-07-16 13:00 - 16:00 | Orange Johnson House, 956 High St, Worthington, OH, 43085, United States
Come celebrate the birthdays of Thomas Worthington (250) and Mary Johnson (200) with ice cream (thank you to Dairy Queen!), cake and tours of the Orange Johnson House on July 16th. Guests will be able to tour the house at their leisure during this open house. Special exhibits featuring the life of Mary Johnson and a display highlighting the story of Thomas Worthington and how he relates to this city will be on view throughout the museum. Children’s pioneer games will be available in the garden.
This event is open to all and admission to the museum will be free. Donations will be gratefully accepted.

Historic Bus Tour: Worthington Neighborhoods 2
2023-07-14 13:30 | The Griswold Center, 777 High St, Worthington, OH, 43085, United States
Friday June 14th, 1:30, Neighborhoods #2, (across river and south)
Activity Number #38132
Learn how various neighborhoods have interacted in the development of Worthington from Village to City. This tour will begin on the west side of the Olentangy River and explore the histories of Plesenton, Linworth and the Beechview/MA Rusk subdivisions. Then we will cross back over the river and go south and hear the stories behind Davis Estates and Walnut Grove Cemetery, the development of Chaseland and Colonial Hills.
Registration can be made at the Griswold Center, in person, or online, through Worthington Parks & Recreation, using the activity number listed above. This tour will depart and conclude from the Griswold Center.

Historic Bus Tour: Green Lawn Cemetery
2023-07-11 13:30 - 16:30 | The Griswold Center, 777 High St, Worthington, OH, 43085, United States
Tuesday, July 11, 1:30-4:30
Activity Number #38329
Due to popular demand, a second date has been added for the Green Lawn Cemetery bus tour!
Visit historic Green Lawn Cemetery by bus and tour the final resting places of numerous Worthington families and figures. Kate LaLonde and Steffanie Haueisen will share stories of the people including Orange Johnson and family, the Kilbourne family, James Russell, Dr. Charles Wetmore, Elizabeth Greer Coit and numerous others. The 360 acre cemetery was established in 1849 and has over 155,000 people buried there.
This tour will depart and conclude at the Griswold Center in Worthington.

2023 Worthington Tour of Homes & Gardens
2023-06-25 12:30 - 17:30 | Worthington, Ohio, Worthington, OH, United States
*Sunday, June 25th: All ticket sales today will be IN-PERSON at the Old Rectory, 50 West New England Avenue. Tickets are $30. Prepurchased tickets can be picked up at the Rectory beginning at 11:30 am.
This year’s tour promises to be outstanding, thanks to community residents participating in this much-loved event in Worthington.
Among the homes that will be included on this tour are
*The Harding Home on East Granville Road, now home of the Harding-Buller Foundation
*The Philander Chase home
*An 1850s home, which was the residence of an Irish immigrant family on Oxford Street, now with a mid-century influenced décor
*A 1948 home and a 1951 home in Riverlea, both built by the same builder for his family and for his sister’s family
*The Hannah Bishop House, a house that has been moved and has several additions
*Several unique Worthington gardens; one a formal garden and one a sustainable garden and butterfly habitat
Tickets available using the “Book a Tour” button at worthingtonhistory.org. Itinerary’s and detailed booklets will be available for pick up at the Old Rectory beginning Monday, June 19th through Sunday the 25th of June.

Historic Bus Tour: Worthington Neighborhoods #1
2023-06-09 13:30 - 15:00 | The Griswold Center, 777 High St, Worthington, OH, 43085, United States
In partnership with the Griswold Center
This year’s bus tour schedule will feature several popular itineraries, with each tour being offered on a Friday over the summer months. The Worthington Neighborhoods #1 Tour will be offered on Friday, June 9th, at 1:30 pm.
NEIGHBORHOODS #1 (WEST AND NORTH)
Activity Number #38134

Learn how various neighborhoods have interacted in the development of Worthington from Village to City. This tour will begin with a look at the story of the creation of Worthingway and Medick Estates. See the Orange Johnson house and discuss the development of Wilson Hill which incorporated much of the Orange Johnson farmland. Also included will be Kilbourn Village, and Riverlea, a village within a city. Finish the tour by going through Rush Creek, Worthington’s most unique neighborhood.
Guests can register through the Griswold Center in person or online via Worthington Parks & Recreation here.
Other tours offered this summer will include Worthington Neighborhoods #2 (Friday, July 14th at 1:30 pm) and Worthington, Flint & the Underground Railroad (Friday, August 11th at 1:30 pm).

Winter Closure 2022-23
2022-12-21 08:00 | OH
The Shop and Doll Museum at the Old Rectory will be closed from December 18th 2022 until February 8, 2023. The Orange Johnson House will reopen in spring 2023. Thanks for your support in 2022!

Winter Closure 2022-2023
2022-12-21 - 2023-02-01 | OH
The Shop and Doll Museum at the Old Rectory will be closed from December 18th 2022 until February 1, 2023. The Orange Johnson House will reopen in spring 2023. Thanks for your support in 2022!

Orange Johnson Christmas Open House
2022-12-18 13:00 - 16:00 | OH
Enjoy “An Old Time Christmas” at the Orange Johnson House this year!!
December 4th, 11th and 18th, 1 pm – 4 pm
The Worthington Historical Society invites you to visit the Orange Johnson House at 956 High Street in Worthington while it is decorated for the Christmas season.
Sunday, December 18th, Melissa Robol will play the Trondlin fortepiano from 2 – 3 pm.
Once again the Society will be collecting non-perishable food items for the Worthington Resource Pantry. In lieu of an admission cost, we invite guests to donate one or more items to this valuable community program. While members receive complimentary visits all year long, we extend the invitation to donate items to our Society community as well.
Please join us for an enjoyable afternoon of music and holiday merriment!
PLEASE NOTE: The Orange Johnson House will close for Sunday tours after our last open house (except by appointment) on December 18th until Spring 2023. Make sure to visit for the holidays!

Orange Johnson Christmas Open House
2022-12-11 13:00 - 16:00 | Orange Johnson House, 956 High St, Worthington, OH, 43085, United States
Enjoy “An Old Time Christmas” at the Orange Johnson House this year on Sundays, December 4th, 11th & 18th from 1 pm – 4 pm.
The Worthington Historical Society invites you to visit the Orange Johnson House at 956 High Street in Worthington while it is decorated for the Christmas season. Please join us for an enjoyable afternoon of music and holiday merriment!
Sunday December 11th our musical guests will be classical saxophonists Wes Miller & Andrew Kovaleski, who will perform from 2 – 3 pm.
Wes Miller holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Saxophone Performance from Bowling Green State University where he was a student of Dr. John Sampen. He has performed with the Tulsa Philharmonic, Adrian Symphony, Toledo Symphony, Toledo Concert Band, Columbus Symphony, United States Navy Band Woodwind Quintet, University of Kentucky Orchestra, Bowling Green Philharmonia, Lexington Philharmonic, the Lancaster Festival Orchestra and the Westerville Symphony. As one of the original members of the Black Swamp Saxophone Quartet, Wes was a First Prize Winner in the 1992 Wind Division of the Fischoff Chamber Music Competition. He has also had the pleasure of participating in masterclasses with Claude Delangle (Paris Conservatory), Don Sinta (Univ. of Michigan), and Fred Hemke (Northwestern University). Additionally, he was the adjunct replacement for saxophone professor, Dr. Michael Cox at Capital University. Currently he teaches private lessons, plays soprano saxophone in the Black Swamp Saxophone Quartet and plays principal saxophone in the Ohio Capital Winds.
Andrew Kovaleski is a classical saxophonist and piano technician in Columbus, OH. He has performed new works by composers such as Andrew Mead, Owen Hopper, Nick Zoulek, Lucy Armstrong, Charlie Wilmoth, and many more. He has been active as a contemporary improviser at venues such as It Looks Like It’s Open and The Vanderelli Room in Columbus and through his concert series, Noise on Phelps, in Youngstown, OH. Andrew plays alto saxophone in the Black Swamp Saxophone Quartet and holds a Master of Music in Saxophone Performance from Youngstown State University, where he studied with Dr. James Umble. He also holds a Bachelor of the Arts in Music History from Otterbein University, and has previously studied with Jay Miglia, Wes Miller, and Jean-Michel Goury.
The Society will be collecting non-perishable food items for the Worthington Resource Pantry. In lieu of an admission cost, we invite guests to donate one or more items to this valuable community program. While members receive complimentary visits all year long, we extend the invitation to donate items to our Society community as well.
PLEASE NOTE: The Orange Johnson House will close for Sunday tours after our last open house (except by appointment) on December 18th until Spring 2023. Make sure to visit for the holidays!

Orange Johnson Christmas Open House
2022-12-04 13:00 - 16:00 | Orange Johnson House, 956 High St, Worthington, OH, 43085, United States
Enjoy “An Old Time Christmas” at the Orange Johnson House this year!
December 4th, 11th & 18th, 1 pm – 4 pm
The Worthington Historical Society invites you to visit the Orange Johnson House at 956 High Street in Worthington while it is decorated for the Christmas season.
Once again the Society will be collecting non-perishable food items for the Worthington Resource Pantry. In lieu of an admission cost, we invite guests to donate one or more items to this valuable community program. While members receive complimentary visits all year long, we extend the invitation to donate items to our Society community as well.
Please join us for an enjoyable afternoon of music and holiday merriment!
PLEASE NOTE: The Orange Johnson House will close for Sunday tours after our last open house (except by appointment) on December 18th until Spring 2023. Make sure to visit for the holidays!

Registration for Children's Christmas at the Orange Johnson House
2022-11-01 19:00 - 2022-11-02 20:00 | Orange Johnson House, 956 High St, Worthington, OH, 43085, United States
Children’s Christmas Registration
Tuesday, November 1st, 7 – 8 pm
Wednesday, November 2nd, 7 – 8 pm
The Orange Johnson House, 956 High St.
Registration is coming up for a popular holiday tradition in Worthington! Children’s Christmas allows your children in grades 3-5 experience the Christmas holidays the old-fashioned way at the Worthington Historical Society’s Christmas program on Saturday December 3rd, 10th or 17th from 4 pm – 8 pm.
Activities will include learning about school traditions, hearing Christmas stories, touring the Orange Johnson House, playing period games, making a craft, singing traditional songs, preparing and eating a typical early 1800s meal and receiving a gift from a very famous visitor.
Prior registration is required, and must be done in person only, and you may only register a child in your family. Cost per child is $25.00. Payment must accompany registration.
To volunteer to help with Children’s Christmas, please contact the Society.

Ghost Tour at Walnut Grove Cemetery
2022-10-27 19:00 - 20:30 | Walnut Grove Cemetery, Milton Drive, Worthington, OH, 43085, United States
Book A Tour

In partnership with Walnut Grove Cemetery
Join the Worthington Historical Society under the moon for a tour at Walnut Grove Cemetery. Worthington residents spanning the centuries who have made Walnut Grove their final resting place will be out and about after dark to share stories.
Walking shoes and flashlight are recommended. The tour will take place rain or shine (severe weather excepted), so bring an umbrella if rain is in the forecast! In the event of severe weather, cancellation will be posted on our website by 6 pm. The tour is designed for guests 13 and older. Tickets are non-refundable.
Tickets may be purchased using the blue “Book Now” button for $15.00, or at Fritzy Jacobs or The Shop at the Old Rectory. (Cash or Check only)
photo courtesy of Haunted History of Columbus, Ohio

Life on the Farm, Family Day at the Orange Johnson House
2022-10-02 14:00 - 16:00 | Orange Johnson House, 956 High St, Worthington, OH, 43085, United States
This popular event at the Orange Johnson House is back!
Goats, lambs, chickens, ducks, turkeys and rabbits, and even a pig, will take up residence on the Orange Johnson property on Sunday, October 2nd. The Johnson family raised sheep, and likely had some of the other animals that are coming to visit on their farm. “Bring the Farm to You” will join with the Society to allow visitors a chance to see and even touch the animals that provided the Johnson family with both food and fiber. Admission on this Sunday will include a visit with the animals and a look inside the Orange Johnson House where self-paced tours will be on offer. In our lower level young visitors can try their hands building log houses and barns with Lincoln Logs, fill the barn with animals the Johnsons might have had on their farm, try on pioneer outfits, read books about pioneer lifestyles, and making quilt patterns with magnetic quilt piecing kits.
Admission Free!
Parking available in lot adjacent to the museum.

Ohio Open Doors in Worthington
2022-09-18 13:00 - 16:00 | Worthington, Ohio, Worthington, OH, United States
Seven historic Worthington sites will take part in the Ohio History Connection’s event, Ohio Open Doors, on the afternoon of Sunday, September 18th.
The statewide event, which takes place Fri., Sept. 9 through Sun., Sept. 18, highlights historic buildings and landmarks across our state as they open their doors for events. Explore fascinating places that reflect Ohio’s rich heritage. All Ohio Open Doors events are free and a full listing is available online at ohiohistory.org/opendoors.

Worthington sites that will be open on September 18th include:

The Old Rectory/Worthington Historical Society: 1 – 4 pm; Behind the Scenes open house with seldom seen items from the collection on exhibit; 50 West New England Avenue

The Orange Johnson House/Worthington Historical Society: 1 – 4 pm; Visit the museum at an open house; Suzanne Newcomb will play the Trondlin fortepiano; 956 High Street

St. John AME Church Open House: 2 – 4 pm; St John African Methodist Episcopal Church was Worthington’s first African American church. This building was constructed in 1914, and the congregation was founded as Bethel AME Church in 1897; 682 Plymouth Street

Sharon Memorial Hall Open House; 1 – 3 pm; First built as the Wright residence in 1861, this property came under the care of the Trustees of the Sharon Township Memorial in 1945. The building retains many early features including fireplaces and staircase; 137 E. Granville Rd.

St. John’s Episcopal Church Open House, 1 – 3 pm; Tour the church’s campus including the sanctuary, cemetery and Township Hall; enjoy performances by the St. John’s choir and two pipe organs; 700 High Street

McConnell Arts Center, 1 – 4 pm; Tour the on-site visual arts exhibition, “Drawing the Line: Comic Artists of Columbus” in the building that once housed Worthington High School, designed by architect Frank Packard; 777 Evening Street

Flint Cemetery; “A Time To Remember” event 2 – 3:30 pm; cemetery open all day; The COVID years have been stressful. Visit the Flint Cemetery as it provides time and space for you to reflect, to remember, to rejoice, to mourn, to grieve, to find comfort, to find a measure of healing. A public reading of names of those we’ve lost will take place at 3:20 pm; , 8187 Flint Road, Columbus

St. John's Cemetery Walking Tour
2022-07-10 13:00 - 14:00 | St. John’s Cemetery, Behind 700 High Street, Worthington, OH, 43085, United States
Sunday, July 10th, 1 pm
Meet at St. John’s Cemetery, 700 High Street
St. John Episcopal Church and cemetery are the oldest in all of central Ohio, founded in 1803. The first burial was of Abner Pinney in 1804, 27 years before the church building was constructed. The last burial was Charles Edward Burr in 1882, although Walnut Grove held its first burial in 1859. On this tour, hear the stories of some of Worthington’s early pioneer families buried in this charming cemetery in the heart of Worthington.
Guests will walk along both gravel paths and uneven ground. In the event of thunderstorms or heavy rain the tour will be canceled.
$5 Donation per person recommended.

Walnut Grove Cemetery Walking Tour: Worthington’s Veterans
2022-05-29 13:30 - 15:00 | Walnut Grove Cemetery, Milton Drive, Worthington, OH, 43085, United States
Visit the final resting place of Veterans representing the War of 1812 through the Gulf War, and hear their interesting stories on this Society tour. Many of the names will be familiar as having been very involved in the history of Worthington and Columbus area.
The tour will meet by the cemetery office near the Milton Street entrance and will be about 1.5 hours long. Parking is available by the service buildings as well as along the streets (one side only, please!) Guests will walk along both paved paths and uneven ground. In the event of thunderstorms or heavy rain the tour will be canceled.

General Meeting & Program: Elizabeth Greer Coit “Mother, Are You Strong Minded and Do You Wear Pants?"
2021-11-10 19:00 - 20:30 | The Griswold Center, 777 High St, Worthington, OH, 43085, United States
Free & Open to everyone!

At the Worthington Historical Society’s 2021 General Meeting, Leslie Blankenship will introduce one of Worthington’s notable women in first-person. Elizabeth Greer Coit’s eight-year old daughter Belle posed the question, “Mother, are you strong-minded and do you wear pants?” when she ran home from school crying. It was 1863, and Belle had been bullied by boys. One of the founders of the Columbus Soldiers’ Aid Society during the war, Elizabeth tolerated no nonsense and held recalcitrant male authority figures accountable for providing bandages and medicines to wounded men sent home and those in the field. Evidently, they didn’t take kindly to this “uppity” woman.

Born in 1820, the daughter of immigrants, Elizabeth grew up in the progressive village of Worthington, but endured several traumatic events. As a result, she became an ardent advocate for education and equal rights for women. As Treasurer, she and her friend President Frances Casement from Painesville, revitalized the moribund Ohio Woman Suffrage Association in 1884. That year, Elizabeth also founded the Columbus Equal Rights Association, the first woman suffrage group in Columbus. They met once a month in her home two blocks from the Statehouse at Third and Rich Streets.

In 1894, she and the state organization lobbied and won a bill permitting women to vote in school board elections, a first step. Also during the 1890’s, four states adopted women’s suffrage into their constitutions: Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, and Idaho. Elizabeth dedicated her life to the advancement of women, but she did not live to see ratification of the Federal “Susan B. Anthony” Suffrage Amendment on August 18, 1920. When Elizabeth passed in 1901, her daughter Belle picked up the torch and carried it to victory.

The program will follow a short business meeting, including election of Society officers, and is open to all. Masks required in the Griswold Center.

Tour the Doll Museum at the Old Rectory
2020-02-17 13:00 - 13:45 | Old Rectory, 50 West New England, Worthington, OH, 43085, United States
This boutique museum features a distinguished collection of 19th and 20th century dolls. This guided tour will include a brief look the c. 1845 Rectory’s restored parlor followed by a tour of the doll museum collections. The tour will be approximately 30 – 40 minutes. A shop with antiques and collectibles is also housed at the Rectory.

O My Heart! A Pop-up Valentines Exhibit
2020-02-13 13:00 - 16:00 | Old Rectory, 50 West New England, Worthington, OH, 43085, United States
Vintage Valentines will be on display for this fun pop-up event in the second floor exhibit space at the Old Rectory (50 West New England Ave). From loving tributes to the acerbic “vinegar” valentines, elaborate pop-ups, honeycombs and movables, a romantic “love knot” and of course the many “punny” cards, the Society’s collection is delightful!
The exhibit will be open Thursday February 13th from 1 – 4 pm, Friday February 14th from 10 am – 4 pm and Saturday February 15th from 10 am – 2 pm. The event is free and open to the public! Make time to stop in the Shop and visit the Doll Museum (regular admissions apply) while you are in.

Children's Christmas Registration
2019-11-14 - 2019-12-21 | Orange Johnson House, 956 High St, Worthington, OH, 43085, United States
As of 11/14/2019 there are a limited number of spots available for Saturday December 7th and Saturday December 21st. Please contact the Society at info@worthingtonhistory.org or call 614-885-1247 to register.
Let your children in grades 3-5 experience the Christmas holidays the old-fashioned way at the WHS’s Christmas program on Saturday December 7th, 14th OR 21st from 5 pm – 9 pm. Activities will include learning about school traditions, hearing Christmas stories, touring the Orange Johnson House, playing period games, making a craft, singing traditional songs, preparing and eating a typical early 1800s meal and receiving a gift from a very famous visitor.
Advanced registration is required to participate in this event and must be done in person only, and you may only register a child in your family. Cost per child is $25.00. Payment must accompany registration.

Camarata Trio in Concert
2019-09-13 19:30 - 20:30 | Orange Johnson House, 956 High St, Worthington, OH, 43085, United States
The Camarata Trio will return to the Orange Johnson House this September to celebrate Clara Schumann’s 200th birthday! Ariane Sletner, violin, Luis Biava, cello, and Suzanne Newcomb, piano, will present the Trio in G minor by Clara Schumann, as well as other works of the day, all performed on the historic Tröndlin pianoforte! Join us on September 13th (Clara’s actual birthday) & 14th at 7:30 pm in the beautiful Orange Johnson House.
Tickets will go on sale August 3rd at the Shop at the Old Rectory and are expected to sell out!

Annual Meeting & Talk by Jarrod Burks about Ohio's Ancient Earthworks
2018-06-13 19:00 - 20:30 | The Griswold Center, 777 High St, Worthington, OH, 43085, United States
Ancient earthworks abound in central Ohio, including immense mounds and earthen enclosures with geometric shapes that date back more than 2000 years. These ancient monuments occur in parks, farm fields, and our very own back yards. In this presentation Dr. Jarrod Burks, Director of Archaeological Geophysics at Ohio Valley Archaeology will review some of the latest discoveries in Ohio earthwork research using old aerial photographs and new high-tech remote sensing instruments. Recent archival work and field studies have located the remains of ancient wooden architecture and entirely new sites. We will consider these finds and their implications in regards to Worthington’s Jeffers Mound and the earthwork complex that once surrounded it. Might there yet be archaeological remains left in the park around the mound and in nearby yards? We ponder this and more at the Worthington Historical Society’s Annual Meeting.
Talk will be preceded by a brief business meeting. Free; open to the public.
