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President's Message
Over 25 years ago, Charlie
Morrison began collecting items in his grocery store on Main Street.
After some time, he got together with Bob Hines who was in
college working on his thesis about small museums and their effect
on a small community.
From their relationship, some local generosity and a lot of hard
work, a museum came to be... first at the depot and then at our
present location on 34 Long Street.
I wonder if they thought at that time that the museum would last as
long as it has.
With Charlie, Bob, Jack Lemon, Charles Cordle, Annabelle Hines and all
the other volunteers, this little museum has opened its doors daily
to the Ashville area families and the world for many years and I've
wondered how and why these good people were willing to continue for
so long.
Now that I've worked with them in the museum, I believe I know how
it has lasted.
I see it in the child's eyes as he pulls his friend over to our
Alumni pictures looking for his great uncle Costlow. He see his
roots.
I see it when the children feel the excitement when they are
surprised by the loud honk of the 1910 Ford horn or first see the
Snake Den Mound snake's head pop out of it's hole.
I see it in a couple's eyes and in their faces as they journey together
enjoying visions of what once was.
I see it in people who've journeyed from far away and have made time
in their schedules to visit.
I see it when people look through our books to find their families.
I see it as we work together for a common goal; creating our
friendships.
There is something extraordinary here and that is the bonding that
is felt by many that have ties to many items that reside in our
small-town museum and although it isn't as easily seen, there is a
bonding to the community.
And as with anything that is good and beautiful, there is bound to be
growth. To get to where we are now, it has taken a lot of time and
effort working through not only frustrating times, but happy, joyous
times as well.
Ashville, Ohio's Small-Town Museum is unique in that there has
always been volunteers to take care of her and no one is paid. Our
past trustees, officers and volunteers have carried on this little
legacy and while working with them through their hard work and
continued effort, I have been able to learn and understand what it
can take to continue down the road of time. I thank them for that
and promise to do my best as president for the year 2006.
Now, I ask God to look over us and the museum and guide us through
the coming years and its inevitable expansion on whatever path that
leads, and that, only time will tell. |
