Preserving History
Join us August 1, 2026 at 10am at the Arcanum Wayne Trail Historical Society at 123 West George, as we host a Victorian themed tea with guest Larry Wright. Larry descends from the Ivester-Kepner family. His grandmother was Bernice Helen Kepner who married Harold Theo Wright Sr. There son was Harold Theo Wright, Jr. who
Read MoreArcanum Walking Tour, June 6TH, starts off Arcanum Wayne Trail Historical Society’s summer events following with open house July 4th highlighting essays written by Arcanum 3rd grade students, continuing August 1st when Larry Wright, a descendant of George Ivester, will share the Ivester family history and memorabilia, including letters which date back many years. Each
Read MoreLEO BAKER AUTO SALES Cleo Baker, proprietor 118 West George Many of us remember this as the blacksmith shop. Owned by Lester Meyer in 1937. Walking by you would hear the swinging of the hammer on the anvil. Or maybe you went there to the business to have something repaired. I remember going with my
Read MorePhoto at 108 West George. Kepner-Dull Building. Now part of Tom Wetzel’s Antique Store block. Movie Pictures Comes To Arcanum Phenakistiscope, kinetoscope ( I889 l ) and the nickelodeon ( 1905) all preceded the movie theatres we think of today. Nickelodeons coupled movies with sing-a-longs, vaudeville comics, dog acts and illustrated lectures. In 1907 the
Read MoreThese notes are from William Gunder and Anita Short ( past historians, writers and founders of the Arcanum Wayne Trail Historical Society) and we are introducing the history as part of our publication sales titled “The Rails and Tails of the Dayton & Union Railroad-the Freight Years” by Todd Clemmons. This is book 2 about
Read MoreFrom Beers, 1880, History of Darke Co., Ohio, p. 658. Brother to John Smith, Smith General Store. Looking for the store or business location and clipping as well as photos. Anyone have the Arcanum Business book handy to research? From the Arcanum Businesses book we read in 1886 that Charles H. Shepherd and A Frank
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