Hot Fun in the Summertime – Butler County’s Summer Delights of the 1950s and ‘60s: Summertime fun for the entire family in Butler County had an almost endless array of options during the 1950s and 1960s.  Takes a nostalgic look back at local summer hangouts including drive-in movie theaters, drive-in restaurants with carhops (roller skates are optional), municipal swimming pools, and other summer fun of the area in the two decades following WWII.  Local snack food manufacturers and county-based soda bottling companies will also be discussed.

Tales from the Attic – Personal Accounts of Survival During the 1913 Flood: The great flood of 1913 was the worst weather disaster to strike Butler County. Damages topped $10 million in 1913 values, or about $167 in today’s figures. By the time the Great Miami River crested in Hamilton at 34.6 feet, more than 10,000 people were homeless and over 400 deaths were reported.

Signposts, Crossroads & Ghost Towns, Part 1 (Eastern Portion) – Butler County’s Hidden and Vanished Communities: Learn the history of small and forgotten towns in Butler County from Lemon, Liberty, Madison and West Chester Townships. Items include communities that no longer exist or have lessened in prominence over the years.

Signposts, Crossroads & Ghost Towns, Part 2 (Western Portion) – Butler County’s Hidden and Vanished Communities:  Learn the history of small and forgotten towns in Butler County from Fairfield, Hanover, Milford, Morgan, Oxford, Reily, Ross and St. Clair Townships. Items include communities that no longer exist or have lessened in prominence over the years.

Bizarre Butler County: A peek at the odd, strange, and unexplained that has happened over the years in Butler County.  You’ll hear stories of missing persons, unsolved mysteries, UFOs, strange creatures, legends of buried treasure, urban legends, and other just plain bizarre stuff.  Come take a walk on the weird side!

 When the Storm Broke Upon Us – The Saga of the 35th Ohio Volunteer Infantry:  The 35th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, comprised of mainly Butler County men as well as additional volunteers from Warren, Preble, and Montgomery counties.  Hear the daring exploits of the unit during their service from 1861 to 1864 including its early days in Kentucky and its contributions at the battles Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge, and Kennesaw Mountain.  The presentation is an interesting blend of unit history and intriguing personal stories of triumph and loss from the regiment known as “The Butler Boys”.

From Field to Fair – Butler County Agriculture in the 1800’s: Experience life on a Butler County farm in the 1800s. Learn about the tools used, the types of crops you might have grown, and more about the role of agriculture in the development of Southwestern Ohio. Learn fun facts like how the father of modern beekeeping lived in Oxford, and that a popular breed of pig was developed in this area.

 From Waterway to Roadway – The Rise and Shameful Fall of the Miami and Erie Canal: 200 years ago, an engineering and commercial marvel had its humble beginnings in Butler County, Ohio.  When New York Governor DeWitt Clinton broke ground for the Miami and Erie Canal in Middletown, Ohio on July 21, 1825, few could envision the multitude of positive impacts the waterway would have on our region.  For 104 years, the canal meandered through the landscape of the county, however its decline and futility had begun decades before its unremarkable closure in 1929.  Trace the life and death of a once proud human triumph that has all but vanished in this area.

Butler County’s Ancestral Lands – Native Cultures of the Great Miami River Valley: Five cultures have lived in the Miami Valley area throughout history: Paleoindians, Archaic, the Hopewell, the Fort Ancient, and the Modern Tribes. Discover who these people were and learn more about their customs and the legacy they’ve left behind for future generations.

Sports Figures of Butler County: Kenesaw Mountain Landis and Joe Nuxhall are just two of the important sports figures from Butler County. Learn more about them and other influential sports figures with ties to our area.

The Theaters of Butler County: Entertainment in Butler County in the 1800’s and early 1900’s included traveling shows and local, amateur productions. By 1910, Hamilton was one of the favorite stops for traveling productions. Learn about what constituted an “opera house,” and meet some of the people from Butler County who made it big in show business.

What’s In a Name?: Do you ever wonder how the places we live got their names? We all know Hamilton is named after Alexander Hamilton, but what about the county and townships like Morgan, Reily and Ross?