Statehood Day draws historians, Main Street directors to Columbus

More than 170 history advocates and professionals from across Ohio converged on Columbus Wednesday, March 3, for Statehood Day, an advocacy event to help promote the importance of Ohio history.

Statehood Day provides a great opportunity for Ohio's history and preservation community to learn from other organizations and to effectively communicate to Ohio legislators that Ohioans care deeply about their history and how their appreciation of history helps to shape a brighter future.

Several issues were a priority for those who met with their legislators, including the re-authorization of the state's historic preservation tax credit, which has leveraged more than $1.2 billion in private redevelopment and federal tax credits.

The attendees also urged the legislators to make the highly successful tax credit permanent. Ohio Senators were asked to support the passage of H.B. 75 (Ohio Historical Society Income Tax Check-Off) that would create a competitive grant program to fund history projects throughout Ohio.

Finally, the participants promoted the return of the fifth and eighth grade social studies exams to the Ohio Achievement Assessment to ensure Ohio schools continue to teach the core subject of social studies.

Main Street Amherst executive director Teresa Gilles met with state Representative Terry Boose to discuss these issues and others specific to Amherst's interests.

Wes Cowan from the PBS series History Detectives and Antiques Roadshow was the featured luncheon speaker. Cowan emphasized how learning history gives context to individual experiences. Everyone hasitems from their own and their family's past that they cherish and those are an important part of history.

Statehood Day is sponsored jointly by the Ohio Historical Society, Heritage Ohio, the Ohio Archaeological Council, the Ohio Association of Historical Societies and Museums (OAHSM), the Ohio Council for Social Studies, the Ohio Historical Records Advisory Board (OHRAB), Preservation Ohio, the Ohio Academy of History, and the Society of Ohio Archivists.