Ribbon cutting of the Heritage House Home slated for May 29

The Portsmouth Daily Times, Ohio
·2 min read

May 16—LUCASVILLE — Members of the Lucasville Area Historical Society and invited guests will be celebrating the Grand Opening of the Heritage House with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 291 West Street in Lucasville, Ohio.

The dedication will take place on Saturday, May 29, 2021, at 1 p.m. Refreshments for invited guests and members will be provided by Haute Stuff Catering, Inc.

The Heritage House will be the home of the 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, which was founded on March 11, 1985, and reorganized on November 22, 2016, with the election of officers: President, Lisa Spriggs; Vice-President, Sherry Spriggs; Treasurer, Thomas Adkins; Librarian, Pat Smith; and Secretary, Desra Wortman.

On January 19, 2017, the group began searching for a permanent location to display and store artifacts, conduct research, host meetings, and collaborate with the community on preserving local history. Pat Smith, LAHS Librarian and lifetime member, was the project manager.

In addition to current and former citizens from the area, business owners, contractors, churches, schools, and other nonprofit organizations have been extremely supportive of this endeavor. Their outpouring of generosity, along with numerous fundraisers, allowed the group to raise over $100,000 to renovate the Heritage House.

The Heritage House was built in 1910, on the James Thomas farm, and platted by his daughter, Elizabeth Thomas. The first owners were Perry and Leonora Marsh Campbell and their daughter. Future owners included: Simon Benner, Lawrence Russell, and Dee and Leona Sullivan (occupants for the longest number of years).

Then Jeff Baughman, local business owner, purchased the house and used it for storage for 25 years. In 2019, Linda Scott, LAHS Special Projects and lifetime member purchased the house and donated it to the Historical Society. The donation was not only significant for obvious reasons but also because it occurred during the same year that Lucasville was celebrating its Bicentennial.

The Historical Society is not only grateful for the tremendous support but also excited to be a part of the renewed spirit of volunteerism and sense of pride that continues to grow in the Lucasville area. Businesses, nonprofit organizations, schools, and community members have become partners and are focused on a mission to grow our Valley of Opportunity.