Celebrating Greene County History Month with Beavercreek Historical Society
“Living in Beavercreek in the 1800s”
Tuesday, April 28, 6:00 p.m.
Wartinger Park, 3080 Kemp Rd, Beavercreek Ohio
In recognition of Greene County History Month, the Beavercreek Historical Society is proud to highlight one of its most impactful community programs –the Living History Program—which is presented each year to Beavercreek’s third grade students in fulfillment of the Ohio curriculum requirement to teach students about Ohio history.
Come and listen to an overview of what our third-grade students experience every year when they step back in time to explore what life was like in early Beavercreek. You will learn about this engaging educational experience that brings local history to life for young learners. The April 28 program provides an overview of the Living History Program that has operated for over 33 years and served over 17,000 students!
This program is free and open to the public—bring a friend!
NOTE: Brief Member Meeting at 5:30 Prior to Program
Members are asked to please arrive early at 5:30 to hear from our President, Mark Wiley, and get updates on current happenings.
2025 is now History; Welcome to 2026!
Here’s your reminder to renew (or join!) the Beavercreek Historical Society for 2026 if you haven’t done so already.
Membership info and the membership form can be found here!
First Quarterly meeting of 2026: Native Americans in Beavercreek at the new Great Council State Park Just North of Xenia
From the early 1800’s through the mid 1900’s and beyond, it was not unusual for local farmers to uncover Native American artifacts such as arrowheads when clearing and plowing their land. Join the Beavercreek Historical Society in exploring the pivotal history of local Native Americans and Old Chillicothe (now Old Town near Xenia), delving into three tumultuous years that shaped Shawnee history on the banks of the Little Miami River. Hear about key events like the death of Cornstalk, the capture of Daniel Boone, and Clark’s 1780 campaign. Learn how these events and figures influenced the Shawnee community and the broader historical landscape of our area.
Presenter Ryan DiMisa is a naturalist at the new Great Council State Park which sits on the site of the Shawnee village of Old Chillicothe. The Interpretive Center within is modeled after a historic Shawnee longhouse and celebrates and honors the history of the Native Americans and European settlers of our region. Ryan’s program will feature the history of Old Chillicothe and the culture of the Shawnee people. Ryan was also an educator and interpreter at the Boonshoft Museum of Discovery and SunWatch Village Archeological Park in Dayton. He is passionate about working with Tribal communities to ensure his interpretations are accurate with current community understandings and needs.
Program is free and open to the public and will take place on Tuesday, January 27, 6:00 p.m., at the Great Council State Park, 1587 US Rt 68 N, Xenia, OH.
Annual Membership Meeting and Open Mic Nite
October 28, 2025 at 6:00 PM
Peace Lutheran Church
3530 Dayton-Xenia Rd. in Beavercreek
Do you have a story to share about living in Beavercreek? Did you walk uphill to and from school or perhaps you bought penny candy at Belfair Country Store? Do you remember the 1964 plane crash at Beavercreek High School?
Bring your special stories about the people, places, and things that are part of our collective history to share with our membership and guests. Also, please bring any artifacts and memorabilia of interest.
Our own resident historian and very popular storyteller Brett Williford will host this fun evening of telling tall tales. As a near lifelong Miami Valley resident and local Realtor, Brett grew to know and love the Beavercreek community, its people, and its history. He’ll be sharing some favorite tall tales of his own about the intriguing history of our city and the interesting people
who made Beavercreek what it is today.
As always, our programs are free and open to the public. Bring your friends along to enjoy this special evening.
Note: There will be a brief member’s meeting at 6:00 prior to the start of the program.
The Summer 2025 edition of the Log by Log Newsletter is now available!
Click Here to view the latest Log by Log Newsletter
A great way to explore local history is to go through past issues of the Log by Log which is available here: Log by Log Archives
Quarterly Meeting and Community Ice Cream Social 
Sunday, July 20 Tobias-Zimmer Barn, Wartinger Park, 3080 Kemp Rd.
Member Meeting – 5:00pm-5:30pm
Ice Cream Social – 5:30pm-7:00pm
The Beavercreek Historical Society is sponsoring our Annual Community Ice Cream Social on Sunday July 20, at the Tobias-Zimmer Barn at Wartinger Park. A brief member meeting will be held at the barn at 5:00-5:30 prior to the Social.
From 5:30-7:00, the Beavercreek community is invited to come out and enjoy an evening in our park complete with ice cream and cookies. This is our annual event sharing Beavercreek’s history with the community. It is free and open to the public—please come, bring your families, and spread the word.
Wartinger Park was named and dedicated as “John H. Wartinger Park” in 1975, honoring a local teacher and community servant. In the years following, it eventually became the home of four early Beavercreek family historic cabins representing the first settlers in the area: Philip Harshman, Samuel Ankeney, John Nicodemus, and George Jarusiewic. The Tobias-Zimmer Barn (circa 1858) was added in 1996 (and rebuilt in 2022) to complete the collection. All buildings will be open to visitors during the event.
Limited special needs parking is available adjacent to the barn at 3080 Kemp Rd. (behind the fire station). Public parking is available at the Beavercreek Board of Education, 3040 Kemp Rd.
Tales of Life in Early Beavercreek Township Ohio
Have you ever wondered what daily living was like in the early pioneer days when Ohio became the 17th state in 1803?
Local historian Brett Williford will be presenting a history of Beavercreek and the role it played in the settlement of Ohio at the Beavercreek Historical Society quarterly meeting on Tuesday, April 22, 6:00 p.m., Peace Lutheran Church at 3530 Dayton-Xenia Rd.
Included in his topics will be stories about Beavercreek happenings throughout history such as the Civil War, the Shaker colony, early industry, the traction line transportation system, murder and mayhem, old structures (some still in existence), covered bridges, plane crashes, and prominent (and some infamous) families. Brett loves all things Beavercreek and has a mind for remembering many little tidbits, which he is willing to share!
Please join us for a lively discussion filled with interesting facts—and maybe some tall tales! The presentation is free and open to the public.
We’re Celebrating Greene County History Month!
Wartinger Park Open House
Sunday, April 6, 1-4 pm.
3080 Kemp Rd. Beavercreek
Beavercreek Historical Society will be hosting an Open House at Wartinger Historical Park in conjunction with the April Greene County History Month.
The first settlers in Beavercreek arrived in the late 1700’s. By 1800 Congress had granted settlers the right to purchase land in the area, and Ohio became a state in 1803. The Wartinger Park Open House will provide a glimpse of what life was like for those early settlers. The Park contains four authentic log cabins from 1803-1828 and an 1859 barn. All structures will be open and hosted by docents for touring during the event. The cabins and barn are furnished with period-appropriate artifacts to help visitors visualize and gain a deeper understanding of the past and the history of the settlement of America in our region.
Please bring your family and friends to enjoy this free event. (For information about additional Greene County activities planned for Greene County History Month, visit https://greenelibrary.info/gchistorymonth/)
Preserving the Past for the Future is the mission of the Beavercreek Historical Society, which was created to protect structures of historical significance, to develop and present community educational programs, and to provide a learning center for historic education about early pioneer life for the Beavercreek community and the State of Ohio.
BHS Winter 2025 Quarterly Meeting and Program
UPDATED Jan 22, 2025 to include WSU map and Parking Pass for Lot 11
This quarter’s membership meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 28, 2025 starting at 5:30pm at the Paul Laurence Dunbar Library on Wright State University’s main campus. Immediately following the brief meeting is the Public Program that will run from 6:00pm-7:00pm with program details included below. The general address for WSU is 3640 Colonel Glenn Hwy Dayton Ohio 45435.
As you enter WSU’s campus, look for Lot 11, the Dunbar Library parking lot. When you get to the library door, library staff will direct you to the meeting/presentation room. Click here for the Parking Permit for WSU Lot 11 Click map to enlarge.
BHS and Wright State University are pleased to host “An Evening in the Archives”
Have you ever wondered how Beavercreek became a city?
Above is a bumper sticker that you or your parents/grandparents might have had on your cars back in 1979! Please join us at our January program and you will find out more about this and other interesting facts about early Beavercreek.
The Beavercreek collection is just a small part of the vast archival holdings of Wright State University’s Special Collections and Archives inventory. This two-part program will include a presentation and tour about the Special Collections and Archives and the historical material it holds, featuring items from the collections that highlight Beavercreek’s history.
The Special Collections and Archives collects, preserves and provides access to primary sources that document the history of aviation, the legacy of the Wright brothers (for whom the university is named) and the local and regional history of the Miami Valley, including Beavercreek. Please join us and WSU Archivist Grace Ethier for a behind-the-scenes look at interesting items from Beavercreek’s history.
The program is free and open to the public. Tell your friends, or better yet, bring them!
Note: Wright State campus map and parking pass are contained in the January Log by Log newsletter and can also be obtained by emailing bhsohio@gmail.com. Parking passes will also be available at the door.