In 1934 the Greene County Museum Association (which merged with GCHS in 1953) was established on the corner of Monroe and Second streets in Xenia when Emma King made a donation of a house and property to the county. The property was joined by the Galloway Log House in 1936 when it was moved from its original location near Goes Station. The Galloway house was built in 1799 by James Galloway Sr.
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Eventually the museum association saw the need to expand and moved their headquarters to a piece of property on the corner of North Detroit and West Church streets. The property became part of a four-building complex that included the William G. Moorehead House, Snediker Museum, a brick carriage house on the Moorehead House property and the Glossinger Cultural Center (a house on the adjacent property). On Oct. 20, 1965, the Galloway Log House was also moved to this location.
Sadly, the tornado that ravaged Xenia on April 3, 1974, rendered all but the Galloway Log House damaged beyond repair.
The Galloway Log House was restored and reopened by December of 1975 and the Trebein-Flynn home, a Queen Anne-style house, was moved to the corner of southwest Church and King streets in 1977 by the Paul Gertler Co. of Reynoldsburg.
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In 1990, with the help of donations, the Brantley Carriage House Museum, a three-story brick building modeled after the old Snediker Carriage House, was erected and is where the society currently holds its monthly meetings.
Current GCHS Executive Director Catherine Wilson said that the society continues its mission to preserve historical artifacts and documents, as well as its community outreach though lectures on local history, Greene County History week, historic walking tours, Log House dinners and much more. Wilson, who has been with the society since 1987, took on the role of director in 2008.
She said that the most satisfying aspect of being in the society is knowing that Greene County’s rich history is being preserved, as well as helping someone discover a new fact or story.
As the society moves into the future, Wilson said she sees a need to spark an interest in local history with the younger generation.
“Retaining membership is difficult for many nonprofit agencies,” Wilson said. “Many of our members are older than 75. So certainly we have a problem there.”
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She also expressed a need for more volunteers, such as people willing to sit at community festivals and answer questions about the historical society or tour guides at the museum complex.
“We have a ‘cheat sheet’ if we need tour guides at the museum complex,” said Wilson. She also periodically runs a volunteer training session if enough people are interested.
“When I first became affiliated with GCHS in the late 1980s, there were many volunteers who were quite active; those that survive have moved, are less physically able or just plain tired,” she said
The historical society is planning a 90th birthday celebration in July in conjunction with an ice cream social.
The GCHS meets the second Monday of each month at 7 p.m. in the Carriage House, 74 W. Church St. in Xenia.
For more information on the society and how to get involved, go online at https://sites.google.com/site/greenehistoricalsociety/ or contact them at gchsxo@yahoo.com or 937-372-4606.
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