More than 50 years ago, residents formed a Community Club to explore the feasibility of saving and restoring Hughes Schoolhouse, rather than tearing it down. They said the project was too complex and suggested that a special historical group be started to undertake the project.
As a result, the Liberty Twp. Historical Society was formed. It was founded for the purpose of saving and restoring the schoolhouse. Now, it has been completely restored. The Historical Society holds regular meetings there as well as open houses and special events. There is usually a Spring Open House and a Christmas Open House. The date is still being confirmed for the event later this spring, so watch for more details.
“The Spring Open House is always in conjunction with the Liberty Garden Club’s Annual Plant Sale,” Stumpf said. “The Liberty Garden Club started a year before the Liberty Twp. Historical Society, so they celebrated their 50th anniversary last year.”
The 1887 one-room restored schoolhouse, set with period furnishings like a chalkboard and wooden desks, is listed on the National Registry of Historic Sites. In the late 1800s, there were six, one-room schools in Liberty Twp. The other two that are still standing have been converted into homes.
Educating first through eighth graders, Hughes Schoolhouse was used as a school through 1922. In 1928, the Liberty Consolidated School opened, and the Hughes Schoolhouse was converted into a residence.
“It’s a good feeling to know that we’ve been able to continue the work. Right now, it’s an exciting time, because we continue to increase our attendance, and that has allowed us to take on more projects. It’s also been great that we’ve been able to save so much for future generations,” Stumpf said.
The Liberty Twp. Historical Society has about 50 to 60 formal, lifetime members. Around 25 to 35 people attend the regular monthly meetings.
Stumpf said the group’s purpose is two-fold, today. First, it is preserving the past, and secondarily, their role is to educate people about the past.
“We recently formalized our constitution and bylaws, and right now, we are in the process of achieving a tax-exempt status, so that qualifies us for grants. And that will allow us to do some of the things we’re doing, even better, such as preserving photographs, or maintaining archives,” he said.
Get Involved
To join the Liberty Twp. Historical Society, call 513-678-8346 or email ltfd81@aol.com, or visit Liberty Twp. Historical Society on Facebook.
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