American Civil War museum opening for 10th season

Among the 33 states that existed when war broke out between the North and the South on April 12, 1861, Ohio played a major role. The relatively small population of Ohio at the time provided the third-highest number of men to fight the war and suffered the second-highest number of casualties. These facts and many more details of the War Between the States can be found at the American Civil War Museum of Ohio, 217 S. Washington St., in downtown Tiffin. The museum opens Wednesday for its 10th season and is celebrating at noon Thursday with an open house and ribbon-cutting ceremony hosted by Seneca Regional Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors. Following the open house, the museum will be open with free admission from noon-4 p.m. Volunteers in period dress will be on hand to answer questions. The museum is following public health rules, so masks are required for entry. The nonprofit organization is focused on educating people about the war's impact on the United States then and now, and on the current generation of Americans. No special events have been scheduled yet due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but volunteers hope to schedule events later this year. Executive Director Gary Dundore said the Civil War was the first "modern war" because technology such as rifled gun barrels, railroads and the telegraph made travel and communication different from any wars earlier in history. He said Lincoln played a hands-on roll in the war by using the telegraph to message leaders in the field, and railroads in the North and South were used to transport troops. Volunteer Jan Dundore, who sometimes provides guided tours, said the museum tries to provide an overall look at the war from both sides as well as a look at how people of the era lived - soldiers and civilians. Exhibits feature information, artifacts and memorabilia about the country and the reasons for the war, which started only 58 years after Ohio became a state. The 10th anniversary of the museum coincides with the 160th year since the war began. One of the exhibits, The Road to War, outlines the factors that led to the war, including political, monetary and moral issues and next section relates how a Confederate attack on Fort Sumter began the war between the Confederate States of America and the United States of America. "The attack led President Lincoln to call for 75,000 volunteers to serve for 90 days to suppress the southern rebellion," says a description on the museum's website. "This 90 days led to more than four years of bloodshed." Other exhibits highlight the soldiers' less-than-healthy living conditions, the medical knowledge of the era, prison camps on both sides and the lives of civilians left at home to suffer hardships. Other exhibits identify people who stood out during the war as leaders including Andrew's Raiders and officers who would later become political leaders and presidents. In addition, the museum features a video room which shows a 20-minute documentary, "Ohio's Role in the Civil War," produced by local museum volunteers, and a research library, which is free for use by members and visitors with "hundreds" of Civil War-themed books being reorganized by volunteer Lora Cahill. Other members of the all-volunteer staff are the Dundores — Gary as executive director, board president and secretary, and Jan in charge of correspondence — Thomas Fretz, treasurer and board member; Joseph Zirger, board member; Randy Hoffman, board member; and Lisa Permar, website, publicity and marketing. The museum is actively seeking more volunteers to help with operations, and to reenact soldiers and civilians as they conduct tours or assist in other ways during special events. Other volunteers could be college and high school students seeking public service hours or internships, and people who are willing to do clerical work, data entry and cleaning. While not of the 1800s, the museum building was constructed in 1915 and opened in 1916 as Tiffin's post office. It later served other purposes, including as a school annex, and was remodeled for use by the late Congressman Paul Gillmor as a local office. However, Gillmor died unexpectedly before his offices were moved in and the building was later donated to the museum. The 10,000-square-foot museum contains eight main exhibit areas, and is designed to offer self-guided tours. Each area provides hands-on activities for children and adults such as an area to try on uniforms and period clothing. Access may be limited to some of the areas because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Large groups are encouraged to call in advance, so extra volunteer staff members can be on hand to accommodate the group's needs. The Dundores said the museum has 3,000-4,000 visitors each year. "We are very proud of the large number of people who visit Tiffin just to come to the museum," Jan said. One couple said they saw the museum online and made it a point to visit during their trip to the United States. People have toured from "every single state — all 50," Gary said, as well as "35 or so" countries. After their tours, the Dundores said they refer visitors to other museums in town as well as The Ritz Theatre, various restaurants, overnight accommodations and similar places. "The majority of people are from out of town," the Dundores said. Surprisingly, Gary said many people in Tiffin don't know the museum exists. After a Cleveland TV station reported on the museum two years ago, they said the museum received an influx of northwest Ohio visitors. "We still get people who said they saw it on TV," Gary said. The Dundores said the museum operates on "a shoestring budget," and donations are always welcome. He said there are thousands of dollars in costs for heating the large building, required fire inspections and elevator inspections (for the chair lift) and other utilities. He said Mike Elchert donates snow removal, which is appreciated. "It's amazing we're still here," he said. "It's a huge deal." The museum is open noon-4 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday March through December, and is closed on all major holidays. Admission is $6 for adults, $5 for seniors ages 55 and older, $3 for students. ACWNO members and children ages 5 and younger are free. Discounts are available for active-duty military and their immediate family. Annual memberships are $25 for individuals and $30 for families. They offer free admission, a newsletter and 10% discounts on gift shop merchandise. Associate member dues are $50, and include special invitations to member events, and "friend" membership is $100, which includes all other benefits, plus recognition on the website, www.acwmo.org. Donations are accepted via PayPal. For more information about tours, volunteering or making a donation, contact the museum by calling (419) 455-9551 or emailing info@acwmo.org.