>It was only a matter of time before a cultural institution would suffer the consequences of shrinking state budgets. According to the Dayton Daily News, the Dunbar House (operated by the Ohio Historical Society) is closed due to state budget cuts. Dayton History (operator of Carillon Park) has stepped up to the plate to offer their services but details aren't yet known. If there's any insitution that needs to stay open it's the Dunbar House. It is the home of famous Dayton poet Paul Laurence Dunbar. His place in history as an educated black man, as a man who knew the Wright Brothers, and a man who is famous in his own right is important to all of Dayton, not just the black community. The house is also an anchor for revitalization in its neighborhood. Hopefully the house/museum will reopen soon. Volunteers are the backbone of every nonprofit. Perhaps if you have time on your hands you'll not only consider visting the museum but will also consider volunteering.
Historical Society strives to avoid closing sites for summer
DAYTON — The Ohio Historical Society is trying to save the historic Dunbar House State Memorial from closing permanently because of state budget cuts by turning management over to Dayton History Inc., which oversees Carillon Park.
But other Miami Valley historic sites are already feeling the pinch of cutting the budget 10 percent to the society. The Piqua Historical Area on North Hardin Road in Piqua and the National Afro-American Museum & Cultural Center in Wilberforce have cut back staff, hours or delayed opening for the season.
A public meeting will be held at 5 p.m. April 7 at the Dunbar House, 219 Paul Laurence Dunbar St., according to Kim Schuette, communications manager for the OHS. The Dunbar House is closed for the season and won't reopen until there is agreement, said George Kane, OHS director of historic sites and facilities.
Dayton History could do daily operations while the society provides marketing-communications, maintenance, curatorial and fundraising, Kane said.
She said OHS laid off 25 employees last week, 15 at the OHS Center in Columbus and 10 at historical sites around the state, five of them full-time and five seasonal workers.
In Wilberforce, the National Afro-American Museum & Cultural Center will go from 11 employees down to eight, Schuette said. Seven employees will have hours reduced. The museum, now open five days, will only be open Thursdays, Friday and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. effective April 4, Kane said.
The Piqua Historical Area will reduce hours for eight of the 10 employees and the museum will open later — June 4 — for only 17 days. Additional money has been raised by a local Piqua Friends group to keep the site open through Labor Day for Piqua Heritage Days, she said.
Kane said only a half-time maintenance person is at the Dunbar House. Hiring new employees would become the responsibility of Dayton History Inc. once a partnership is developed, Schuette said.
From its budget of around $12 million, the OHS was reduced to $10.75 million for fiscal year 2009, Kane said, with another 10 percent reduction expected in fiscal year 2010.
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2341 or kullmer@DaytonDailyNews.com.
Just as an aside, multiple Dayton organization receive money from the state through the Ohio Arts Council. These organizations, though not operated by the state, depend heavily on the state's financial support which is also facing possible cuts. These include the Dayton Ballet, the Opera, the Philharmonic, Cityfolk, Muse Machine, Victoria Theatre, Human Race Theatre, DCDC and more. Keep your fingers crossed that we don't lose any of them.
I took a tour of it last summer or the summer before last. Their tour guide or curator was getting ready to retire and I was probably one of her last guests.
The interesting thing about this house is that it was turned into a state shrine shortly after Mother Dunbars' passing, so has most of the orignal furnishings, including PLD's upstairs room. There are a lot of house museums but few that have this level of authenticity.
Posted by: Jeff | April 04, 2009 at 01:05 PM