As the clock struck 10:00 a.m. this past Saturday morning, Preservation Ohio Board members gathered in the hallway of the Woodward Opera House complex in downtown Mount Vernon, ready for a day of tours, food, business, and conversation.
Joining them were members of the Knox County Landmarks Foundation, the host for the day, as well as invited guests.
The morning began with a guided top-to-bottom tour of the newly finished Woodward Opera House renovation, an important rescue of one of Ohio’s historic treasures — a building known as the Oldest Surviving Authentic 19th Century Opera House in the country. From the balcony to the stage, stories flowed of performers and architecture; of planning and preservation. As various additional rooms were visited, the scope and quality of the project were clearly evident.
After the tour, the organizations engaged in conversation about Round Hill, a 7,000 square foot brick house built in 1854 by the most important civic and business leader in early Mount Vernon. Knox County Landmarks is engaged in helping in any and all ways possible to promote a future for the remarkable house. Descendants shared photos and other collected documentation about the structure, after which the group traveled to a neighboring property to Round Hill to view the house.
After lunch together at the Stein Brewing Company Restaurant, part of the Woodward Opera House complex, Preservation Ohio Board members traveled to Ariel Foundation Park to hold its Board Meeting — a place which is truly hard to describe. Some 250 acres includes remnants of a former factory complex, each repurposed for a different use. This website has photos and documentation about the Park.
At the meeting, the Board reviewed the period since its last meeting, which included the successful launch of the organization’s new financial incentives workshops as well as additional preservation-focused assistance shared across Ohio. Planning also began on the 2020 List of Ohio’s Most Endangered Historic Sites; more information on the nomination process will be available in the coming weeks.
Several pictures from our day in Mount Vernon are featured below; click twice on any photo for a larger image. Preservation Ohio wishes to again thank Knox County Landmarks Foundation for their invitation and for being an incredible host!
If your organization would like to host either a Preservation Ohio Board meeting or a Banking On The Past Financial Incentives Workshop, drop us a line at: info@preserveohio.com.
