Ward —
Thomas Museum |
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| E-Mail Us | Phone: 330.544.2143 | Mail: PO Box 368 Niles, Ohio 44446 |
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Individual Membership: $20.00
Family Membership: $30.00
Patron Membership: $50.00
Business Membership: $100.00
Lifetime Membership: $500.00
Corporate Membership:
Call 330.544.2143
Do you love the history of Niles, Ohio and want to preserve that history and memories of events for future generations?
As a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, your donation is tax deductible. When you click on the Donate Button, you will be taken to a secure Website where your donation will entered and a receipt generated.
To Review the Constitution of The Niles Historical Society, Click Here
| Built in 1862, the Ward Thomas House was the home of two prominent Niles industrial families. James Ward, who built the house, was a pioneer in the iron industry in the Mahoning Valley. He built puddling plants, Falcon Nail and Iron Company and the Russia mill for manufacturing steel. The second
owners were John and Margaret Thomas who came
to this country from Wales. The Thomas family founded the Niles
Firebrick Company and later, Mahoning Valley Steel. The Thomas
family occupied the house until 1969 when the property was deeded
to the City of Niles. Through the efforts of Clare Westenfield,
a local attorney, the house became the home of the Niles Historical
Society. |
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| The house is now a museum consisting of fourteen rooms, many furnished in the style of the period, some with furniture owned by the Thomas family and donated to the museum. The museum collection has more than 5000 items, including many from the two families. Throughout the museum, mannequins wear life size replicas of the White House ladies’ gowns displayed at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.. |
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| Also on the five acre property are a recently restored barn and a 1925 green house as well a various gardens and 56 varieties of trees in the arboretum. Care of the house and gardens is done by volunteers and the house is decorated appropriately for each season. |  |
| Proceeding from the back porch of the Ward-Thomas house, a walk-way leads to a secondary building. This building is used as a workspace for the greenhouse. The
first Sunday of each month the Thomas House is open to the public
from 2 - 5 pm. Additional
guided tours may be arranged by contacting the Niles
Historical Society |
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Niles Historical Society Open House Tours Niles Historical Society Open House Tours May 6, 2018 The Niles Historical Society will hold its monthly open house of the Ward-Thomas House at 503 Brown St. on Sunday May 6 from 2:00 to 5:00 with the last tour beginning at 4:00. Pieces of china manufactured in the past by various companies in Niles will be on display. Vendors and artisans interested
in participating in Heritage Day on Saturday August 4, 2018
can get information by calling: Regular Meeting Saturday, May 5, 2018 Plans for the third grade school Ward-Thomas House tours on May 14-17 will be discussed. 10:00 AM Westenfield
Room The Niles Historical Society Officers for 2018
Front Row l-r: Treasurer, Linda Ralston; President, Anna Marie Beagle. Back Row l-r: Trustees, Nancy
Malone and Sandy Bilovesky; . |
A few remaining 2018 calendars featuring 'Recreation in Niles in the Past' will be for sale for $5.00 (additional shipping fee:$1.00) . Pictures include those of Waddell Pool, Handy Andy, McKinley Theater, Ma Perkins and others. Calendars can also be obtained by calling: 330-652-8329. Please renew your membership
for 2018.
One of the many books available that document the history of Niles, Ohio. Please check out the books that are for sale Here.
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