MANSFIELD, Ohio – The bare bones of the North Central Ohio Industrial Museum are open and ready for the public to see, as the museum takes a major step toward renovating their permanent space.
The Industrial Museum hosted its first open house on Wednesday evening with a reception and a tour of the museum’s future space. The Mansfield Reformatory Preservation Society has provided a temporary space for the Industrial Museum in the “Lower Diagonal Room” at the Mansfield Reformatory.
So far the museum has collected a handful of older stoves, refrigerators, washers and dryers, including a Westinghouse combination washer/dryer that was the last item off the line before Westinghouse closed. The washer/dryer is covered in signatures from Westinghouse employees, dated Dec. 14, 1990. Since its inception, co-founders Jerry Miller and Steve Cummins have collected many of the items but the museum is always looking for donations of artifacts, products, photos, documents and other memorabilia for permanent display. In addition, Miller said the museum hopes to host a rotating exhibit of current, local manufactured products.
“We also don’t want to dwell on the past, so I’ve asked other manufacturers to bring out what we’re making today,” said Miller.
With organizations including the Richland County Foundation and the Hire Foundation in attendance at the open house, Miller hopes to raise approximately half of the $150,000 needed to completely renovate the museum space, including utilities, painting, supplies and building repair. Currently the museum has raised around $18,000, and 50 cents of every tour ticket sold at the Mansfield Reformatory goes to the museum.
“Hopefully these groups can contribute about $75,000 and we can borrow another $75,000,” said Miller.
Before the evening’s activities, members of the public had a chance to walk through the Industrial Museum during their visit to the Reformatory. Kent natives Helen Burdette and Portia Gregory shared many memories of using the Westinghouse stoves, refrigerators and even a metal-frame bed.
“I remember lying in bed, before the days of radio and television, and sticking my fingers through the holes,” said Gregory of the intricately designed headboard. “Any time you add more interests to a place like [the Reformatory] you attract more people.”
“I didn’t realize all these businesses were once in Mansfield,” added Burdette. “We tear too much stuff down in this country.”
Ultimately the museum’s mission is not just to provide a bit of nostalgia to those who remember using the older appliances displayed, but also to educate the public on the importance of manufacturing to the wealth and health of the country. Miller noted the approximate 150 manufacturers in Mansfield and surrounding areas all contributed to the eventual growth of the area.
“We have to let every generation know the importance of making things here in America,” he said.
For more information about donating to the North Central Ohio Industrial Museum, contact Jerry Miller at 419-884-0459 or Steve Cummins at 419-524-1300.
