Jim Gibson sitting at a table holding up a ledger that was a museum donation by the knox county commissioners
James K. Gibson, director of the Knox County Historical Museum, holds up one of the ledgers the Knox County commissioners donated to the museum. The ledgers include a variety of records previously kept in the attic of the Knox County Courthouse. Credit: Cheryl Splain

MOUNT VERNON — 2023 brought an abundance of museum donations and activities to the Knox County Historical Museum.

Donations include more than 150 reels of microfilm containing archived copies of the Mount Vernon News and its predecessors. Museum Director James K. Gibson said the reels were slated for a dumpster.

The information dates from the near present back to the Ohio Register of 1812-1820. The donation also includes the microfilm reader/printer.

The county commissioners donated more than 100 ledgers containing property and businesses tax records and adoption records.

Gibson said the records include lists of blacksmiths, electricians, and other professionals and businesses dating back to 1906.

“Boy, they were strict,” he said of the hunting and fishing licenses. “They recorded the person’s height and weight and eye color.”

a crate lid belonging to local musician Chuck Flynn showing his address and the S.S. Kresge Co. name
The lid on a crate used by local musician Chuck Flynn as he toured with country singer Loretta Lynn was donated to the museum in 2023. “This is what museums are all about, the really oddball stuff,” Director James K. Gibson said of the crate lid. Credit: Cheryl Splain

The commissioners also donated the four flywheels from the original Memorial Building heating system, which Gibson said represents the technology of a century ago.

An intriguing donation is a 19th-century tombstone found in a Centerburg garage many years ago. The homeowners moved to West Virginia; after they died, the family agreed the tombstone needed to return to Knox County.

“They took it with them to West Virginia because they considered it their duty to take care of it,” Gibson said.

Other museum donations include:

•Collection of campaign photos and items on the 1968 political campaigns of Curtis LeMay, many of which you cannot find among the Smithsonian Institution collections

•A rare and fragile WWI battle flag from Battery E

•Items on Heckler’s Drugstore

•An original copy of the Mount Vernon News from Dec. 8 , 1941, highlighting coverage of the Pearl Harbor attack

Museum activities

The museum’s Knox County Sports Hall of Fame grew in 2023. The historical society held two induction ceremonies: Eight athletes were inducted on June 24 and another seven on Sept. 30.

“The Hall of Fame has become a real popular event. Lots of people come to see it at the museum,” Gibson said.

picture of a fight showbill listing six fights on Dec. 28 at the Mount Vernon Armory. No year is given.
The date of this match between Mutt Sharts (Schartz) and Jess McMurtry remains elusive thus far. None of the records for several fighters listed on the showbill records a match in Mount Vernon’s armory. Perhaps it was canceled due to bad weather? Credit: Cheryl Splain

Other activities include:

•Presentations to seniors

•More than 350 students toured

•The Central Ohio Regional Colonial Dames chapter, Sorosis Club of Mount Vernon, retired Cooper Industries weekly breakfast group, and the Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership Knox participants visited

•Provided information to former resident and author Kathy Lynne Marshall, a member of the local Booker family

•Continued digitizing newspapers with the help of Kenyon College

•Gathered information and photos for potential use with a recognition plaque at the former Maplehurst residence of B.B. Williams

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