Focus on the positive Community involvement
LEBANON — John Zimkus is the “go-to” guy for questions about Lebanon’s history, and he is more than happy to share its historical secrets.
Zimkus, 63, will be honored April 12 as the Lebanon Citizen of the Year at the Lebanon Chamber of Commerce Annual Awards Dinner.
“He’s a good-will ambassador for Lebanon,” said Sara Arseneau, executive director of the Lebanon Chamber of Commerce. “John does so much for the community. He really is all things Lebanon.”
Zimkus was a seventh-grade history teacher in Lebanon for more than 30 years. But even after retiring, he continues to pursue studying and teaching history, as a volunteer at the Warren County Historical Society and as the official historian of the Golden Lamb.
“You can ask him anything, and he’s always positive and friendly with his answer,” said Victoria Van Harlingen, executive director of the Warren County Historical Society.
Zimkus was born in Stamford, Conn., and moved to Ohio when he was 15. After graduating from Centerville High School, he attended Miami University in Oxford. He said he was inspired to become a teacher by his ninth-grade social studies teacher, John Kane.
“He made history interesting and exciting,” Zimkus said. “It was something I’ve tried to do ever since.”
After graduating from Miami, Zimkus got a job in Lebanon as a history teacher. He soon became fascinated with local history.
“I incorporated a local history unit into the curriculum,” Zimkus said. “I was surprised with how rich Lebanon and this area in general were in history. ... If people understood how vital this community was to state and national history, they’d have a greater appreciation for the area.”
Zimkus said his two favorite local historical figures are former Ohio Gov. Thomas Corwin and turn of the 20th century philanthropist William Harmon.
“John does anything and everything he can to support history and historical preservation in Warren County,” Van Harlingen said. “I’d say most of the really fun, interesting programs we’ve had, John is probably at least partially responsible for them.”
Zimkus has run the Historical Society’s summer history camp for more than 20 years and helped organize the organization’s monthly Lunch and Learn programs, where lecturers (sometimes Zimkus) provide a history lesson on the area. Zimkus has helped grow the latter program from a few attendees to more than 200 every month, Van Harlingen said.
“History explains why things are the way they are,” Zimkus said. “Both big picture things, but even small things, like why streets have the names they do or why a town even exists.”
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