- written by Jeanne Doan, Assistant Director

The Warren County Historical Society began 2019 with lots of plans: a series of Lunch and Learn presentations, new programs, and traditional events. Then came Covid-19. No one predicted what a dramatic effect it would have. At the time of the shutdown, the Archaeology and Native American Artifact room, on the ground floor of the museum, had become a depository for overflow from other storage spaces.

During the shutdown, volunteer time was used effectively to clean and reorganize multiple storage spaces. The now clutter-free artifact room badly needed a make-over. Damp, dark, and outdated, the room cried out for help. Enter Mr. Doug Baird, a specialist in fossils and Native American artifacts.
 
After inspecting all the artifacts in the display cases and boxes in the vault, Mr. Baird informed us that WCHS has "the finest collection of fossils and Native American artifacts I have seen outside of the Smithsonian."

WCHS staff and volunteers have been working hard to clean, repaint, and rearrange. Display cases were resurrected from the basement of Glendower. Mr. Baird and his assistant sorted and relabeled the artifacts. The project was completed late November.
 
We want to extend our thanks to everyone who has been key to this transformation. The Harmon Museum looks forward to unveiling our new comprehensive display honoring our ancient Ohio beginnings.

December 18th saw the close of the exhibition of the work by the Cincinnati Brush and Pallett Painters Society (Oct 30 - Dec 18 2020). Established in 1963 as the Brushettes, The Brush and Palette Painters is "a group of women committed to creating art in a supportive environment, painting En Plein Air as conditions allow." These talented women created a showcase of their finest work, 135 pieces, for display at Harmon Museum. They also came to paint, on site, several times during their exhibition.

On this day, December 14th, in 1887, Wood, Harmon & Co began selling the properties in the first ever sub-division. William Elmer Harmon knew the American dream was to own land and had an idea to make that dream accessible to even low-wage earners. Sub-diving a large property. Harmon said of the plan, “It is simply the installment plan applied to real estate and I am sure it will work.” Harmon's younger brother, Clifford, and uncle, Charles Wood, agreed and pooled their money together ($3,000) to purchase land south of Loveland. ​There, they founded the first sub-division, Branch Hill. The 200 lots sold out in four days.