support our restoration & development plans to open as a museum
Nearly five years ago, a bulldozer sat parked beside Oviatt House, poised to demolish the 1836 building and along with it, its role in the Underground Railroad. Thanks to the determination and perseverance of the Richfield community who rallied and organized together to save Oviatt House, the historic home remains as a pillar of hope and inspiring history, anchoring the southwest entrance of the Richfield Heritage Preserve.
In the short time since the all-volunteer nonprofit Oviatt House Inc. formed in 2021, the house has undergone extensive restoration. From the restored cedar shingled roof to the restored sandstone foundation, and everything in between, the exterior of the home has been completely transformed!
In the short time since the all-volunteer nonprofit Oviatt House Inc. formed in 2021, the house has undergone extensive restoration. From the restored cedar shingled roof to the restored sandstone foundation, and everything in between, the exterior of the home has been completely transformed!
We could not have gotten this far without the devoted contributions of our supporters, donors, and volunteers, and we are incredibly grateful! THANK YOU!
While we have accomplished a lot, we still have a long way to go to Open the Doors to History as a museum.
As part of the National Park Service Network to Freedom, Oviatt House Inc. has been working hard toward the goal of opening as an educational museum depicting the history of the Oviatt house, the people who lived there, and the local connections to the Underground Railroad. In a state with the most Underground Railroad routes to freedom, Richfield played a remarkable role in the abolition and anti-slavery movements. This is just part of the impactful history that we feel is important to share with our local community and beyond!
If you feel as passionate as we do about this history and the restoration of Oviatt House, we invite you to invest in this journey with us! We need your help to move us across the finish line to Open the Doors to History.
Last July, we were notified that the State of Ohio Capital Budget allocated $100,000 to Oviatt House - however, in order to access this allocated money, we must meet the $50,000 match requirement. This means that for every $1 that you give, $2 will be matched by the state, totaling a $3 impact!
Please help us raise $50,000 to meet this match! This funding will allow us to not only complete the interior restoration, but everything else we need to open as a museum, including building a restroom, installing a water well and septic system, installing an entrance ramp, constructing an office/docent area, fabricating museum exhibit materials, and providing the landscaping needed for parking, walkways, and exterior lighting.
Your generous contribution will grant us the opportunity to continue our restoration work and Open the Doors to History as a future museum for our community. Oviatt House at Richfield Heritage Preserve: A History Experience, is on the horizon and we need you to help secure its future! We hope we can count on you to continue on this journey together!
With sincere gratitude for your thoughtful consideration,
Capital Campaign Committee Members - Tricia Steiner, Cathy Berlo, Bob Hooper, Judy Bowman
While we have accomplished a lot, we still have a long way to go to Open the Doors to History as a museum.
As part of the National Park Service Network to Freedom, Oviatt House Inc. has been working hard toward the goal of opening as an educational museum depicting the history of the Oviatt house, the people who lived there, and the local connections to the Underground Railroad. In a state with the most Underground Railroad routes to freedom, Richfield played a remarkable role in the abolition and anti-slavery movements. This is just part of the impactful history that we feel is important to share with our local community and beyond!
If you feel as passionate as we do about this history and the restoration of Oviatt House, we invite you to invest in this journey with us! We need your help to move us across the finish line to Open the Doors to History.
Last July, we were notified that the State of Ohio Capital Budget allocated $100,000 to Oviatt House - however, in order to access this allocated money, we must meet the $50,000 match requirement. This means that for every $1 that you give, $2 will be matched by the state, totaling a $3 impact!
Please help us raise $50,000 to meet this match! This funding will allow us to not only complete the interior restoration, but everything else we need to open as a museum, including building a restroom, installing a water well and septic system, installing an entrance ramp, constructing an office/docent area, fabricating museum exhibit materials, and providing the landscaping needed for parking, walkways, and exterior lighting.
Your generous contribution will grant us the opportunity to continue our restoration work and Open the Doors to History as a future museum for our community. Oviatt House at Richfield Heritage Preserve: A History Experience, is on the horizon and we need you to help secure its future! We hope we can count on you to continue on this journey together!
With sincere gratitude for your thoughtful consideration,
Capital Campaign Committee Members - Tricia Steiner, Cathy Berlo, Bob Hooper, Judy Bowman
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Annette & Fred Pederson
Doug Wisneski Geoff Morris Steve McPeake |
Cathy Berlo
Bob & Karen Hooper Tricia & Ethan Steiner |
Judy & Ken Bowman
Ken Brown Jack Drescher |
