Defiance County Historical Society

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WE HAVE A CONTRACT!  Friday October 2nd, 2020 we signed an updated agreement with the Defiance County Commissioners to once again operate a museum for the county at their facility we call AuGlaize Village!

AuGlaize Village was founded in 1966 by the Defiance County Historical Society.  The society received 40 acres and the big red barn in 1966 from the Mansfield Family.  An additional 80 acres was later added.  In 1975, the Society decided it best to turn over the museum complex to the people of Defiance in hopes that the County Commissioners would be able to get grants and assistance that a small 501c3 would not be able to get on their own.  A management agreement was drawn up by a local attorney's office keeping the Society as the managers of the property and with the commissioners agreeing to plow the snow, mow the grass, and repair and maintain the facility.  

45 years later, AuGlaize Village is still going strong drawing people from the tri-state area for its activities and festivals.  But our world has changed.  People are busier than ever and volunteers are hard to recruit.  The locally owned factories are a thing of the past in Defiance and so AuGlaize Village must change with the times.  The Village has been underfunded for several years now.  Maintenance and repairs have been put off in an effort to keep the county's contributions low.  The County Commissioners decided that the management agreement form 1975 needed to be replaced with a lease making the historical society responsible for 100% of the repairs and maintenance as well as the mowing and snow removal.  This is simply too much for a small 501c3 to shoulder.  Especially since it gave away all its assets 45 years ago so that it didn't HAVE to shoulder that burden.  

The Historical Society and the Commissioners disagree on how to proceed.  The Society believes that this issue is just too big for 3 commissioners and an executive board to make.  Three has been too much Defiance County citizens' money, time and sweat put into AuGlaize Village to rest its fate in so few hands.  They requested the Commissioners allow the issue to go to the voters.  This request has been denied. Our tri-annual management agreement expires December 31st, 2019.  The Commissioners gave formal notice that the agreement will not be renewed.  We are simply at an impasse.  We hope that we can negotiate a "mini-lease" for important events and keep them going.  We also hope that future commissioners will see the benefit of AuGlaize Village and re-institute the management of the facility to the Historical Society that has managed so well for over 50 years.   

Mailing Address: PO Box 801 Defiance, Ohio 43512

Email: villageauglaize@gmail.com

Phone: 419-990-0107

12298 Krouse Rd


Take a step back to the past at AuGlaize Village.  A project of the Defiance County Historical Society, the village holds a group of restored buildings typical of rural northwest Ohio in the 1800's.  

Originated in 1966, the red barn, now the Mansfield Museum, was the only building on this site.  Over 50 years later, take an opportunity to stroll through the 22 new or restored buildings, four farm museums, military museum, natural history museum and model railroad museum.  

2020 Contacts and Officers

President - Trish Sanford-Speiser 419-782-9307 home

Vice President - Pat Wise 419-782-4448 home

Secretary - Cheryl Daniels

Treasurer - Tim Frederick 260-316-0169

Trustees: Glenn Bennett, Foyle Solether and Kelly Worline

Membership Info -  see the printable form on this site or email us at villageauglaize@gmail.com

Features at AuGlaize Village:

  • Rotary Office - This is the main gate for admission at the Village.  Named for the Defiance Rotary Club which raised the funds for the building, it houses Defiance County Historical Society records, a historic ledger and photo collection, and rotating displays.
  • Sherry School - This one room school house was built in 1850 and used to educate children until the 1950's.  It was originally located one mile south of the Village on Krouse Road.
  • Chapel of the Crosses - Built in 1875 by St. John's Lutheran Church in Sherwood, Ohio it was moved to the village in 1968.  It now houses artifacts from many churches in the area of all denominations.
  • Jewell Railroad Station - Constructed in the mid 1800's it once stood along the North and West railroad line in Jewell, Ohio.
  • Highland Presbyterian Church Bell Tower.  The bell is all that remains from the fire which destroyed the church that once stood at the corner of SR 15 and Bowman Road.
  • Pioneer Cemetery.  Contains the remains of 3 or 4 people unearthed from an old cemetery located under a church parking lot in Defiance.  
  • Mark Center Post Office.  Operated from June 1875 to February 14, 1972.
  • Dr. Robert Cameron Office.  The doctor's office in Jewell, OH from 1884 until he moved to Defiance in 1915.
  • Minsel Barbershop.  Operated by Ezra W. Warren from 1908 - 1940.  It was moved from Jewell, Ohio.
  • Jacob Myers General Store.  Named for an area pioneer and storekeeper.  It now serves as the village's souvenir and candy shop.
  • Blacksmith Shop - Built onsite by Dale Bennett, the functioning shop contains tools from several area blacksmith shops.
  • Cane Mill - Here sorghum cane is pressed and the juices are used to make sorghum molasses.
  • Kieffer Cabin - Moved from McClure, OH, it was moved to the Village log by log in 1972.  
  • Myers Cider Mill has been producing cider for over 120 years.
  • Ayersville Telephone Company - Houses a century old switchboard from Ayersville, OH.
  • Vaughn's Lock Keeper's House - Originally located along the Miami and Erie Canal in Defiance south of what is now Chief Supermarket.
  • Kinner Cabin - Moved from the Kinner Farm in Highland Township it was built over 150 years ago featuring a dovetail corner joint system.
  • William Bensinger Military Museum - One of two Village buildings constructed in the 1930's as a CCC project and later served as a POW barracks.  Bensinger was one of Andrew's Raiders.
  • Charles E. Slocum Natural History Museum - The second CCC/POW building houses the natural history collection at the village and includes Mr. Slocum's personal bird egg collection.
  • Corliss Engine and Compressor - Houses the engine and compressor used at Diehl Brewery for refrigeration.
  • Justin Coressel Farm Museum One - One of four Farm Museum buildings, it was the first building built at the Village in 1967.   
  • Railroad Museum - Contains the lifelong HO model railroad collection of the late Les Green of Ft. Wayne, IN.
  • Mansfield Museum or "Big Red Barn" 40 acres and a dream with this 1920's livestock barn was the beginning of the Village when Mrs. Mansfield donated it in memory of her late husband, Charlie in 1966.  It houses the street of shops and concessions.