150th Stories

 

150th Sharing Our Stories

 

 

Thank you for a memorable year!

We are thankful for all of your generosity and support celebrating 150 years of sharing stories.

Thank you to PNC, the WRHS 150th Anniversary Year Sponsor, and all of our Anniversary Year partners and supporters, who are too numerous to list here.

We have celebrated the past, made wonderful new memories, and look forward to a bright future. Thank you for being a part of the story.

 

 

Somewhere in Time: Guess Who’s Turning 150!

Every January we take guests back in time to a different era in American history with our Somewhere in Time event. This year we threw a birthday bash to celebrate our 150th birthday!

 

History on Tap: Beautiful Reflections 

History on Tap went all-out in February to celebrate Black History Month – Cleveland style! Guests enjoyed an evening full of food, drinks, and entertainment, while learning how our African-American community has shaped Northeast Ohio and beyond.

Maple Sugar Festival & Pancake Breakfast

Each March over two weekends family and friends gather for a hearty breakfast then head into the sugar bush to learn about northern tradition of Maple sugar and syrup production.

 

Ohio Region 3 National History Day Competition

Each year, the Cleveland History Center and Case Western Reserve University are proud to co-host Ohio History Day’s Region 3 Competition.

Wow Factor: 150 Years of Collecting Bold Clothes

Wow Factor: 150 Years of Collecting Bold Clothes showcases fifteen decades of fashionable, inspiring Clevelanders and their style. “Wow Factor” is the ability to inspire feelings of wonder and awe.  In fashion, these emotions are triggered by beauty, craftsmanship, rarity, and humor. The exhibition highlights the Western Reserve Historical Society’s outstanding collection of show-stopping clothing and accessories made by Cleveland designers as well as international designers such as Christian Dior and Carolina Herrera.  The exhibit is still open through April 22, 2018.

Barn Party

This annual event invites adults to relive their favorite school day fieldtrip and become a kid again at Hale Farm & Village.

 

Sow & Grow Farm Festival and Plant Sale

In June guests are invited for a hands on experience of Northeast Ohio’s past and present farming lifestyle.

 

Cleveland All Stars Homecoming Car Show

A continued tradition of highlighting Cleveland and Northeast Ohio-made vehicles, the Cleveland All Stars Homecoming Car Show features classic and antique automobiles from Cleveland’s rich automotive history.

 

Euclid Beach Park Day

Every July we celebrate Euclid Beach Park through unlimited rides on the Grand Carousel, fun games, Laughing Sal, Rocket Car rides, and delicious food

Music in the Valley Folk & Wine Festival

Musicians gather from all over the state during the second weekend in July. Guests enjoy improvisation, stage performances, Ohio wine and plenty of great local food.

 

Civil War Reenactment

The largest annual Civil War Reenactment in Ohio is held each August. Reenactors, cavalry, civilians and sutlers engage with guests to tell the story of our nation’s past.

Made in Ohio Art & Craft Festival

A Labor Day weekend tradition this festival celebrates everything Ohio! Art, craft, food, wine and music is ready for attendees to enjoy while also taking in all that Hale Farm & Village has to offer.

 

Hale Harvest 5k Run

Participants enjoy a trail run through history each October during Hale Farm’s Harvest Festival.

Harvest Festival

During the first two weekends in October the farm celebrates the harvest season; enjoy pumpkin painting, hay rides, apple pressing, food preservation demonstrations, stories by Johnny Appleseed and more.

 

Cars in Cleveland

Bernie Moreno Companies assembled a jaw-dropping collection of the most stylish, luxurious, and powerful rides on the planet to display in an unprecedented celebration of exotic cars.

 

 

History on Tap: From Beer to There

At History on Tap: From Beer to There visitors learned about the immigrant communities who built our beer industry, participated in Cleveland Beer Trivia for fun prizes, conversed with Cleveland’s first tavern owner, Lorenzo Carter, and sampled local brews and tasty tacos.

Cleveland A to Z Publication

Authored by Dr. John Grabowski, the Society’s Chief Historian and editor of the Encyclopedia of Cleveland HistoryCleveland A to Z: Historical Essentials for Newcomers and Residents in Northeastern Ohio consists of 72 short lively essays covering topics as diverse as mustard and the Yellow Cab Company.  Each essay touches on issues that have helped define the community and is accompanied by an historical image and a contemporary color photo.

Carl and Louis Stokes: Making History

Our brand new permanent exhibit Carl & Louis Stokes Making History was opened November, 2017. Honoring Mayor Carl B. Stokes and his brother, Congressman Louis Stokes, the exhibit builds on their legacy of leadership, advocacy and action.

 

Cleveland Starts Here®

Sponsored by the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Foundation

 

On the occasion of its 150th anniversary year, the Western Reserve Historical Society presents Cleveland Starts Here®, sponsored by the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Foundation, to tell the story of more than 220 years of history, and to provide the context for the critical conversations taking place in our region, nation, and around the world. First-time visitors and life-long residents will immerse themselves in Cleveland’s stories from the 1790s to today. Using the latest technologies and digital media, rarely seen images, films, art and historical artifacts are now accessible for visitors to experience.

Holiday Lantern Tours

This Holiday family tradition invites guests to experience Hale Farm & Village by candlelight as costumed characters weave fanciful tales of holidays past.

History On Tap: Holidays on the Homefront

At History on Tap: Holidays on the Homefront, vistors discovered how local communities carried on and adapted their traditions in the midst of war. Visitors enjoyed an exclusive peek at our World War I collection, festive crafts and activities, historical holiday vignettes, military reenactors, selected wartime letters from our archives, and seasonal treats and beverages.

Cleveland History Center Education

Over 50,000 students, pre-K through high school, experience WRHS programming throughout the school year. Our mission is to enable students to actively place themselves in the past, accurately visualize life at a different time, and through critical thinking, connect that past to their own present in a meaningful way. Using our properties and collections, we connect to content standards and tie students’ learning directly to Northeast Ohio!  

Hale Farm and Village Education

Hale Farm & Village welcomes over 30,000 school children annually to experience the story of the Western Reserve through an experiential learning community that creates a lifetime of social value.

Hale Farm and Village Workshops

Adults are invited to try something new by experiencing historic techniques including glassblowing, spinning, weaving and natural dyeing.

Hale Farm and Village Camps

Youth camps are a summer tradition at Hale Farm & Village and range from hands-on craft and trade youth apprenticeships to Civil War Education days.

Cleveland History Center Rentals

The seven-acre campus of the Cleveland History Center provides an elegant backdrop as guests enjoy stunning decor, classic architecture, and historic collections from cars to clothes.

Hale Farm and Village Rentals

 Hale Farm & Village provides the perfect backdrop for many of life’s special occasions; weddings, anniversaries, birthdays, reunions and outings are all invited enjoy the amenities of the museum.