Patriotic fanfare will be on full display this weekend, when the Logan County History Center welcomes the community to its spring open house Sunday afternoon, April 26 – “A Salute to America 250.” 

“We always pick a theme for our spring open house each year, and with our nation marking its 250^th anniversary in 2026, what a better time to highlight Logan County’s influence on our country’s history,” said Curator/Director Todd McCormick.  

 “It’s an easy theme to do, but at the same time, it’s difficult because there’s so many aspects that we could include.  

“There will be exhibits throughout the History Center illustrating how our Logan County history reflects American history and how Logan County events, businesses/industries, and people have left indelible marks on our country’s history. The exhibits will stretch from Logan County’s rich American Indian history to our role as booming railroad town to Olympians who called our area home.” 

The history center, 521 E. Columbus Ave., will be open from 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday for the spring open house. Admission is free.  

As guests enter the Orr Mansion, they’ll be greeted by a variety of red, white and blue decor that has been interspersed throughout the historic home by the Logan Piecemakers. The quilting guild has been hard at work quilting new pieces that are featured as centerpieces on tables, draped over banisters and incorporated in a variety of ways in the mansion.  

In addition, the Piecemakers provided Americana items to complement their quilted handiwork. 

“Quilting has been part of our country’s heritage from the beginning, and the Piecemakers are honored to help celebrate America 250,” McCormick said.  

Members of the Logan Piecemakers will be on hand to share about the art of hand quilting. Guests can also view this year’s Patriotic Raffle Quilt and purchase raffle tickets.  

Special music will be part of the afternoon as well. The Mad River Dulcimer Society will be performing at 1 p.m. in the Transportation Museum Atrium.  

To greet open house attendees, the entryway features mannequins dressed in special outfits that were themed around America’s bicentennial anniversary celebration in 1976. History center volunteer Louise Norris donated a child-sized, hand-sewn outfit worn by her son, Steven, when he was a youngster. A star-spangled outfit made out of gauze is also part of the display, donated by Lucile Lusby.  

“The textile pieces are a lot of fun and very colorful, definitely giving 1970s vibes. They’ll draw some attention as guests walk inside,” said Chloe Simmons, Ohio History Service Corps member, who is completing a one-year assignment at the history center, continuing through Aug 31.  

Simmons, a 2020 Benjamin Logan High School graduate and Rushsylvania native, worked alongside Beth Marshall, archivist and assistant curator, to prep the mannequins for the open house.  

Previously, Simmons served as an intern at the history center, and during that stint, she and Marshall collaborated on an in-depth textile military uniform project that was part of the history center’s spring open house in 2025, “Salute to Veterans.” 

A number of those pieces are now on display in the Orr Mansion’s upstairs ballroom. Open house participants this year can check out this extensive collection of local military uniforms, dating back to the Spanish American War, through World War I, World War II, the Vietnam War and the present day. Each uniform is accompanied with details about each of the local service members represented. 

“Including part of the Salute to Veterans was a natural fit for our 2026 open house as well, paying a special tribute to our veterans and their big impact on the history of our nation,” McCormick said.  

The museum director noted that the “Salute to America” is part of bigger America 250 celebration plans taking place throughout the entire year around Logan County and Ohio. Activities take place centering around monthly themes, such as January: Ohio’s Firsts and Originals; February, Ohio Works: Innovation & Industry; March, Ohio Entertains; Music and Entertainment; and April, Ohio Moves: Transportation.

This weekend also happens to be the kick off for Ohio’s Transportation Trail, and the Logan County History Center’s Transportation Museum is featured along that trail, promoting the museum to statewide guests, McCormick noted. You can find out more at https://america250-ohio.org/april-2026/

Next month in May, the Ohio’s America 250 theme is “Ohio Creates” and an exhibit at the Logan County History Center is included along the Creativity Trail to showcase a Stinson band organ, which is on loan from Don Stinson.

Longtime Bellefontaine resident Mr. Stinson is one of a few people in history to build and repair band organs, the history center notes. In 1965, he founded the Stinson Band Organ Company, which has been the preeminent band organ manufacturers not only in the United States, but internationally as well.

Don Stinson worked as a diesel electrician on the New York Central Railroad, but in 1960 he quit when the railroad wanted to relocate him. So Stinson fell back on his lifetime interest in music and learned to tune and repair pianos and organs.

One job included tuning the piano in the ballroom at the San Juan Amusement Park at Indian Lake. After servicing the piano, Stinson was then asked if he could work on the park’s band organ. This was a first for the multi-talented Stinson, but he answered yes and thus began his new career, McCormick said.

In 60 plus years of designing and manufacturing band organs, Stinson now has over 100 of his masterpieces throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico, Japan and Malaysia. Customers have included the Mall of America in Minneapolis and the First World Hotel and Resort in Pahang, Malaysia, the history center reports.

Guests at the spring open house and throughout this year can check out the Stinson band organ, which also features mural artwork created by local artist Holley Milroy.