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American Civil War Museum of Ohio Open to Visitors

Mark Young of Bowling Green has been collecting Civil War artifacts for about 20 years. When his collection became too extensive to keep around his house, he decided to turn his basement into a mini museum and then his basement became full too. So earlier this month, Mr. Young decided to open the American Civil War Museum of Ohio in a former church on East Court Street. Mr. Young is also the president of a nonprofit corporation that is trying to educate both children and adults "the war that shaped our country into what it is now." The museum of 1,600 square feet of display space contains firearms, medical equipment, flags, soldiers' correspondence and other items. The museum also includes artifacts from seven individuals or groups and these may teach some visitors about aspects of the war they did not know about. Mr. Young also has some reproduction uniforms and women's clothing from the era that children and adults can try on. “It gives people a feel of what it was like, what the heavy wool uniforms felt like," he said. An anthropology professor David Bush, at Heidelberg College has spent years excavating at Johnson's Island, said the new museum in Bowling Green could encourage efforts to preserve and study Civil War sites. "The more we get that information out, the better able we are to preserve things like Johnson's Island," Mr. Bush said. "So many people don't know that it exists, let alone what it is."

Most of the items are authentic apart from two replica cannons that are on loan from a re-enacting unit based in Fremont. The museum is intending to rely on admission fees, gift shop sales, and donations to be able to stay open. The museum is also planning to collaborate with the Wood County Historical Center for marketing and possible educational programs.