Frequently Asked Questions

Hiring a Speaker for Your Event:

If you are seeking a speaker for your next event, look no further. Harmon Museum's Speakers Bureau offers a variety of topics to choose from. Presentations are $90 and run about one (1) hour in length. Learn more, request information, and book a speaker on the Speakers Bureau page.

Viewing a specific item previously donated to the WCHS collection:

Requests for viewing items, that have been previously donated to the Museum, must be made at least two (2) business days prior to your visit. Items in the Museum archive and display are rotated quarterly or are in climate-controlled storage. Staff must have time to locate the item requested from inventory.

Email [email protected] or use our contact page to make a request, Please provide a detailed description of the item along with the name of the person who donated and date in which the item was donated.

Marcus Mote and Family

Family Genealogy and Information on a historic place, person or event:

Our research library is open Tuesday & Thursday, 10a-4p, by appointment only as this is when our Historian holds his office hours. Due to theft of historic documents, we are no longer able to allow guests to do research on their own.

Staff is also available to do research. Unfortunately, we cannot accept research requests over the phone. Please send all research related inquiries to [email protected] or use our contact page. After a preliminary information search for $5, we'll be able to tell you if we have anything pertaining to your request. The cost for staff to do research is $10/hr for members and $20/hr for non-members (click here to become a member). We're sorry we cannot do research for free. The Warren County Historical Society is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and research is one of our means of income.

Other Research Resources:
Warren County Recorder (for Property Specific Questions)
Warren County Records and Archives
American Revolution Ancestor Research
Warren County Genealogical Research

I own a historic property. Can I change it?

Ohio state law dictates the building is yours and you can do with it as you please. However, if you want access to historic property grants, conservancies like the one in Lebanon can help (513 356-3300). If you'd like to get on (or remain on) the National Registry of Historic Places, contact their historic home reviewer for Ohio, Lisa Deline, at (202-354-2239).

William Elmer Harmon

Who is Harmon Museum named for?

William Elmer Harmon was a successful real-estate mogul and philanthropist from Lebanon, Ohio. For the last 30 years of his life, Harmon shared his wealth with the people of America, establishing the Harmon Foundation, Harmon Civic Trust and over 120 parks across the United States. Harmon Hall (now Harmon Museum) was built in 1913, as a recreational facility, and donated it to the City of Lebanon. Learn more about the building's history here.

"Serving one's own people transcends duty... and becomes a privilege."
- William Elmer Harmon.

We are honored for our museum to carry the name of such an influential and giving man. Click here to learn more about William Elmer Harmon.

Harmon Museum has the finest Shaker collection in the Midwest.

When Union Village closed in 1912, it was purchased by the United Brethren Church to start an orphanage. This left many of the buildings vacant until 1926 when the Golden Lamb was purchased by Robert & Virginia Jones. To furnish their newly renovated inn, the Joneses acquired much of their furnishings from these abandoned buildings. When their grandson, Sen. Rob Portman, took over the inn, with his wife, they were kind enough to donate much of "the Jones Collection" to the Warren County Historical Society. You can view a large portion of this collection in our Robert & Virginia Jones. Shaker Gallery, on the second floor. In addition, you can count our log cabin, the 1795 Beedle Log Cabin! We have documentation detailing the first Shaker service, West of the Allegheny Mountains, and it happened in the Beedle Log Cabin!

The Western Star | Vol. 1, No. 1

Western Star Newspaper Archive:

The Western Star was Lebanon's newspaper for 206 years, from February 13, 1807 to January 17, 2013. The Warren County Historical Society owns the rights to, and possesses hard copies of, the entire Western Star archive. It is viewable on microfilm, in our Mary W. Klei Research Library. Additionally, our friends at the Ohio History Connection have digitized the entirety of the Western Star Newspaper archive for us. Western Star Photo Archives from 1971 - 1980 are also available online.

What's the significance of our logo?

Next time you visit Harmon Museum, look up. The WCHS Medallion logo comes from the gorgeous wrought iron ceiling vent cover originally found in the 1835 Warren County Courthouse. It was hand forged by George Bundy at the Phoenix Foundry in Lebanon. The medallion design and logo are copyrighted by the Warren County Historical Society. For use of the medallion design or any of the Warren County historical Society's collection, please refer to our Collections Policy.