Explore Historic Buildings with Ohio Open Doors

Ohio History Connection locations across the state offer a lineup of special tours to visitors Sept. 10 through 20, presenting Ohioans unique opportunities to see historic properties. All Ohio Open Doors events are free and many of them are exclusive opportunities offered only during this special-program window or are offering special behind-the-scenes experiences.

All of Ohio’s 88 counties are hosting at least one Ohio Open Doors event, with more than 300 scheduled across the state during the program’s 11-day run. A calendar of events and locations is available at ohiohistory.org/opendoors.

From downtown Newark’s restored Louis Sullivan “jewel box” bank building to the freshly remade Dayton Arcade to the 19th-century Franklin House in Chillicothe, many of the locations are ones visitors might not be immediately familiar with but offer insight into the rich stories of our state.  

“Ohio Open Doors events highlight landmarks right in our backyards, sharing the history and unique nature of these historic places,” said Diana Welling, state historic preservation officer and director of the Ohio History Connection’s State Historic Preservation Office, in an Aug. 27 press release announcing the program.

The Ohio History Connection launched Ohio Open Doors in 2016 to spur pride in our state’s heritage and created the program to mark the 50th anniversary of the National Historic Preservation Act that President Lyndon B. Johnson signed into law Oct. 15, 1966. The act changed communities across the nation by providing a legal framework and financial incentives to preserve historic buildings, landscapes and archaeological sites. Many of the locations included in the program are properties that benefited from this federal program.

Partner organizations working on this year’s Ohio Open Doors program include America 250-Ohio, Heritage Ohio, Ohio Local History Alliance, Ohio Museums Association, Ohio Travel Association and TourismOhio.

For more information, visit ohiohistory.org/opendoors.

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