Bellville-Jefferson Township Historical Society

10/13/2026

The BJTHS is sponsoring a bus trip on November 14th to Sugarcreek for "Close to the Carpenters at Christmas". We still have seats available, but must confirm our reservations by TOMORROW, October 14th! This trip includes dinner at the Dutch Valley Restaurant and the 7pm show, plus transportation for $98 per person. We will be leaving Bellville at 3:15pm and returning at approximately 10:30pm. Interested? Call Rinda at 419-545-0975...TODAY!

10/07/2026

History of Red Brush School. Red Brush was built around 1835 and was located in the area of Garber Fruit Farm and Gatton Rocks. Red Brush burnt at one time and was rebuilt. The name Red Brush came from the Dogwood trees that surrounded it. Teachers Bessy Kocheiser, Phyliss Keith, Nell Wade, VanDola Wade and Harry Tatum taught reading, writing, arithmetic, geography, and history. In later years the school was torn down and sold to Bryan Garber for $75! Some of this information comes from a school paper written in 1978-79 by Lori Parsons, Joni Swanger, Jodi Gleason, Caroline Divelbiss and Roxanne Burge. These girls interviewed Ralph Long, Bryan Garber Jack Gatton and Olive Forbes as a basis for their paper.

09/30/2026

We thought we would share photos of some of the One Room Schools from local history. 🏫

09/22/2026

Dr. Jacob Peter Lowe (born May 20, 1855) was a dentist in Bellville, Ohio in the late 1800s-early 1900s. Dr. Lowe's great-grandson and wife, Allen and Sheila Bechtel, recently donated this beautiful Merricks spool cabinet to the BJTHS Museum. Dr. Lowe used the cabinet to store his dental equipment. The base the cabinet sits on is a washstand donated by Trez Baer of Elements of Home. Al and Sheila say that Dr. Lowe's office was located in what is now the BNOC...which may at one time have been the bank! An advertisement from the 1885 Bellville Fair program says his office was "located in the old bank"! Dr. Lowe passed away in 1919 and is buried in the Bellville Cemetery.

09/11/2026

We are so grateful for being chosen by Hayden Mowry as his Eagle Scout project.
Hayden and his parents have been wonderful to work with, and we are truly blessed and honored to be offered this opportunity.

Meet Hayden Mowry who is a Life Scout in Troop 126 in Bellville, of the Buckeye Council! As part of his journey toward the rank of Eagle Scout, he is leading a service project that will benefit the Bellville Jefferson Township Historical Society! A recent storm damaged the Society’s sign and flagpole. His Eagle Scout project will replace/repair both, restoring a visible and welcoming landmark for the community and the Historical Society. These improvements will help preserve local history and create a better first impression for residents and visitors alike. He is reaching out to local businesses and Village residents to share this project and to invite optional support. All contributions should be payable to Troop 126 and will be used exclusively for the new sign and flagpole. He needs to raise $3,000 to complete these projects. Any funds left after completion will be donated to the beneficiary which is the Historical Society! Please share!!!

08/27/2026

SEPTEMBER 13TH 2-4PM
OHIO OPEN DOORS
Join us for “Discover Historic Fredericktown”, a public program celebrating the rich community of Fredericktown. Through an engaging Power Point presentation attendees will explore historic homes, businesses and landmark buildings that have shaped the character of the community over generations. Historic photographs maps and images will highlight how the community has changed over time while preserving connections to its past. Whether you are a local history enthusiast, property owner, preservation supporter or simply curious about Fredericktown’s past.

Sponsored by the Fredericktown Area Historical Society, this program offers an opportunity to discover and appreciate the historic places that make the community unique.

All are welcome to attend!

08/26/2026

Since we were recently discussing the Salem community and Steel School, we thought we'd share this postcard of Miss Sina Shafer, Steel School teacher and her class. Steel school was located at Bellville Johnsville and Mann Roads, in Jefferson County.

08/13/2026

On the corner of Main and Ogle...The Hotel Miller was a historical lodging site that operated alongside other 19th-century village hotels like the Hotel Norris during the expansion of Bellville, Ohio.: Accommodations like Hotel Miller emerged during the 1870s when commerce, local manufacturing, and railroad traffic rose in the Clear Fork Valley. The hotel served travelers during the era when Bellville built other prominent community structures, such as the village town hall (1877) and the bandstand (1879). Later, the hotel was renamed the Ponds Hotel, and served the community until being torn down to make way for a Mobil Station. Several sources believe that Charles Washington Hoeflich "and crew" built at least three homes from the materials obtained from the old hotel. Mike Hoeflich reports that one of those homes stands at the corner of Ogle and Huron Streets, and it is rumored that the three houses north of where the hotel stood on Main Street may also have been made from the reclaimed hotel!

06/30/2026

While returning from picking up the HOMEMADE ICE CREAM from Riverside Dairy in Marion (for the JULY 4TH ICE CREAM SOCIAL) we spotted this 🇺🇸 Patriotic 🇺🇸 barn! ❤️❤️❤️