A Salute to America 250 Exhibit
The Logan County History Center is celebrating the United States’ 250th anniversary with this year’s exhibit “A Salute to America 250”.
Exhibits throughout the History Center illustrate 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 stretch from Logan County’s rich American Indian history to our role as booming railroad town to Olympians who called our area home.
View a variety of vintage and newly quilted patriotic and Americana items provided by the Logan Piecemakers quilt club as you tour the Orr Mansion. Quilting has been part of our country’s heritage from the beginning and the Piecemakers are honored to help celebrate America 250. Most patriotic quilts and decorations will be on exhibit until July 1, 2026. Admission is free.
Most exhibits available through 2026
Greg Shipley Program
Local archeologist, Greg Shipley, will be presenting a program "Investigating Early Military Related Sites in Western Ohio".
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Long before Ohio entered into the union in 1803, many frontier forts had been built and numerous military activities had already transpired, in what was a part of the Old Northwest Territory, back then. Even after Ohio had become a state, conflicts with Great Britain and the Native American tribes brought about several more years of military activities and related turmoil in the western part of our state.
This PowerPoint presentation will allow program participants to see British army buttons found on a Logan County site, that are from the same units that had fought at Bunker Hill and a pewter “USA” button from a coat that had been worn by one of General Washington’s Continental Army troops.
During the summer of 2021, Mr Shipley’s group of amateur archaeologists located where one of the wooden stockade walls had been built at one of the outposts that was constructed by General Mad Anthony” Wayne’s troops, in October 1795. This program includes images and explanations about thousands of 1790s Wayne’s Legion and War of 1812 period artifact finds and about the military site locations where they were recovered.
Another discussion subject will be “Why have so many Civil War buttons and military belt buckles been found scattered across our part of the state, when no large battles connected to the “War between the States” had occurred in Ohio?”
If you are interested in military history, you should enjoy this presentation.
Admission is free.
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Transportation Museum -Atrium
June 10th, 2026
6:30 - 8:00 pm
Mills Brothers Exhibit
Born in Piqua, Ohio between 1910 and 1915, John C., Herbert, Harry, and Donald Mills began singing as young boys at their father's barbershop, on street corners, in churches, at county fairs and in many other venues. Their first big break came in 1925, when they performed on WLW radio in Cincinnati as “Four Boys and a Guitar”. They signed a contract with CBS radio in New York in 1929. Within a few years they became the first African-American singers to have their own nationally broadcast radio show. Over the next half century, the Mills Brothers recorded numerous chart-topping singles. They performed with Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington and many other musical greats of the time. The group held concerts on every continent and performed for such distinguished listeners as King George and Queen Mary of England. They even appeared in several movies in the 1930s.
The exhibit features over 100 record albums, photographs and information
Our newest exhibit features
artifacts, photos and memorabilia from the Cold War Era.
Cold War Exhibit
664th Air Force/NADRM Museum
Ohio Hi-Point Career Center
2280 St Rt 540 Bellefontaine, OH 43311
The 664th Air Force/NADRM Museum (National Air Defense Radar Museum). is housed in one of the former FPS 26 radar towers at Ohio Hi-Point Career Center.
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Logan County played an important role for the United States during the Cold War. In 1951, the United States Air Force opened the 664th Aircraft Control & Warning Squadron on Campbell Hill, the highest point in Ohio, just east of Bellefontaine. The 52.7-acre airbase was part of the U.S. Air Defense Command that monitored the skies for enemy planes and air attacks. The 664th A.C.& W. Air Force base operated in Bellefontaine from 1951 to 1969.
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After the air base closed, a group of local airmen who served there began having reunions. It was at these reunions that the idea for a museum was established. They wanted a way to preserve the legacy and history of what the strategic base was and to honor the men who served and sacrificed to protect our country. Donations of memorabilia and artifacts were sought from former servicemen.
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In January 2020, the 664th Welcome Center was established in one of the former base housing units. Each year many former airmen and their families, reunion attendees, students and others have visited the museum. Former airmen who were stationed at the airbase or other A.C.& W. sites have helped with the student tours. The students enjoy hearing firsthand stories of what the airbase was like during the Cold War years.
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In March of this year, the museum was moved to one of the former FPS 26 radar towers. The 664th/NADRM Museum is keeping the history of the 664th airbase and its members alive with a wide variety of priceless memorabilia from the 664th. The museum is packed full of photos, radar equipment, uniforms, publications, and much more.
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The museum also has memorabilia from other A.C. & W. sites. A rotating radar sail and brick memorial paver area honoring former servicemen are located beside the museum.
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To schedule a tour call 937.539.1567
Tours Available by Appointment
Bob Holderman Exhibit
Wood Carvings on Loan
The History Center is pleased to announce our newest exhibit. We have several pieces of Ohio wildlife woodcarvings made by master woodcarver Bob Holderman on exhibit in our lobby. Mr. Holderman, a retired Bellefontaine Police Department Sergeant, extensively researched wildlife that have lived in Logan County. He selected some of these animals from our state’s past and present, and reproduced them with his meticulous woodcarving skills and artistry. Many are carved from a single block of wood, including the base of the carving.
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The History Center has several other pieces of Mr. Holderman’s woodcarvings in our collection. He and his wife, Sharon, have generously loaned their Ohio Wildlife collection to the Logan County History Center.
