Museum

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Museum

The museum is located in the Carnegie Library Building at 47 W. Center Street in Germantown. The Carnegie Library was completed in 1907 with a $10.000 grant from the Andrew Carnegie Foundation. It served as a home for the Germantown Public Library until a new library was built in 1984. The Carnegie Library Building then became the home for the Historical Society of Germantown.

The Museum is open May through December, on Saturdays from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and Sundays from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. The museum is also open by appointment by calling the Society at 855-7951 or Barbara Wachter at 855-2064. The museum contains many Germantown and German Township related artifacts, some of them dating back to 1804 when Germantown was founded. The majority of items in the museum have been donated by people who want to keep the heritage of Germantown and German Township alive for future generations. Special temporary exhibits are also on display. The museum is staffed by volunteer members.

The two Homer Kern lions at the entrance of the building were donated to the Historical Society by Mr. Kerm, a native of Germantown, born in 1900. He began making the 420 pound concrete lions in 1984 from a mold found at the Buckeye Concrete Company. Mr. Kern made approximately 300 lions which are now a trademark of the village.

Some items on display in the museum are:

Foyer: Old Town Pump, ball from old Water Tower, bell from State Road school house, plaque from the Covered Bridge.

West Room: Miami Military Institure, Tobacco Industry, Military, Florentine Hotel, Covered Bridge, Railroad Depot,

Germantown High School memorabilia, mail boxes and desk from old Post Office

South Room: Germantown Showcase featuring a history of Germantown from 1804 to the present, Cash Register from Henry's Clothing Store, Stump Grandfather Clock, Valley View High School memorabilia, Knights of Pythias Lodge,

Heisterman's Jewelry Store Clock Sign

East Room: Peter Lorenz coverlets, Henry Hildabolt bed, old victrola, T.V., treadle sewing machine, The Carnegie Gift Shop.

The Carnegie Gift Shop sells items relating to Germantown. It is open the same hours as the museum, or by appointment by calling the Society at 855-7951 or Barbara Wachter at 855-2064. Some of the items available are Germantown coverlets in Spartan Blue and Cardinal Red, miniature wooden buildings of Germantown landmarks (Carnegie Library, Depot, Florentine, Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Shuey Mill, Old Germantown High School Building (now the Valley View Middle School), a plate of the Florentine Hotel (second oldest in Ohio), a book by Dr. Carl Becker "The Village - A History of Germantown, Ohio, 1804 - 1976," and special for Germantown's Bicentennial in 2004, a ruby flash glass toothpick holder.