The Butler County Historical Society will host a special member-only event on Friday evening, September 13, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Emma Ritchie Auditorium of the society’s complex at 327 N. Second Street, Hamilton. The evening begins with an old-fashioned ice cream social at 6 p.m. followed by a presentation about daily life in Butler County 100 years ago. Non-members who wish to attend the event can join the society during the evening.

Sara Butler, Miami University Art Department Professor Emeritus and BCHS Board Member, will present “Butler County, 1919.” Her talk will present local reactions to the tumultuous events surrounding the end of World War I, prohibition, women’s suffrage, the Spanish Flu, and the World Series scandal. Scenes from the county, stories from local newspapers and artifacts from the historical society’s collection will highlight the presentation.

On Saturday, September 14, the society’s final summer multi-generational program for children and their parents will be presented. The program, including an ice cream social, will be held in the front yard of the society’s Benninghofen House at 327 North Second Street and begin at 9:30 a.m. and end around 2 p.m. The program will focus on common games children played during the 1800s including shuttle     cock, graces, and Jacob’s ladder. Youngsters can make a ring and stick game they can take home. All activities are designed as hands-on experiences and people can join the event anytime between 9:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. In the case of poor weather, activities will be moved inside to the Emma Ritchie Auditorium. This program is free and open to the public, thanks to a generous grant from the W. E. Smith Family Trust of Oxford.

For both ice cream socials we plan to make chocolate and vanilla ice cream, some by hand cranking small makers and some through the power of an antique “hit and miss” engine attached to a five gallon ice cream maker. Kathy Creighton, executive director of the historical society, said “this is our fourth annual ice cream social. During earlier socials we made more than six gallons of chocolate and vanilla ice cream and the youngsters really enjoyed watching the old engine churn away. We also will have all the toppings, sprinkles and cherries for everyone to make their ice cream a special treat.”