WRHS is Cleveland’s oldest existing cultural institution established as the historical branch of the Cleveland Library Association (est. 1848).
1867 - 1898
Between 1867 and 1898, WRHS was located in downtown Cleveland. During this period, WRHS’s collections grew rapidly as did its means of support as leading citizens, including John D. Rockefeller, collectors, and scholars became associated with its operations. The growth and stature of its collections were such that it obtained a charter from the State of Ohio on March 7, 1892, which made it an independent organization, one on a par with other major cultural and educational institutions established during the post-Civil War period.
In 1898, WRHS moved to the University Circle area, occupying a large new building situated at the southeast corner of the intersection of Euclid Avenue and what is now Stokes Boulevard. It remained there until 1938 when it began a move to its current location on East Boulevard with its acquisition of the Hay-McKinney mansion to house its museum.
Present Day
Today, WRHS owns and operates seven sites across a four-county area of Northeast Ohio, including:
- Cleveland History Center
Cleveland, University Circle (Cuyahoga County) - Hale Farm & Village
Bath, Cuyahoga Valley National Park (Summit County) - Shandy Hall
Geneva (Ashtabula County) - Loghurst
Canfield (Mahoning County) - Restoration & Storage Facility
Macedonia (Summit County) - Holsey Gates
Bedford (Cuyahoga County) - Edward Cranz Farm
Bath, Cuyahoga Valley National Park (Summit County)
