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WDTN: Celebrate 250: The Legacy of Annie Oakley
Thank you to Caleb Michael of Dayton Channel 2/WDTN for a wonderful story about Annie Oakley and the National Annie Oakley Center at the Garst Museum. To view the video and read the article, please visit WDTN here: https://www.wdtn.com/celebrate-250/celebrate-250-the-legacy-of-annie-oakley/#/questions/5882795
7 days ago1 min read
Greenville: My Home Town in the Great Darke County 2nd Edition On Sale Now!
Don Mong recently collaborated with Dr. Stephen Gruber on a special project that will benefit the Garst Museum. After his first book of illustrations of Greenville, titled Greenville: My Hometown, was a huge success, Mong has released a second edition – this time with over 50 more illustrations. This newest book will feature everything from the first installment, as well as the new illustrations. Mong grew up in Greenville and although he has traveled the world and currently
May 113 min read
Washington's Generals Lecture Series 2026: Monthly Dates
In honor of America’s 250th year of independence, the Garst Museum will be celebrating Greene and other generals from the American Revolution who played significant roles in Washington's Generals Lecture Series. Greene, Wayne, and many others will be presented in this year-long series, developed and delivered by Cait Clark, Garst Museum’s Administrative Director. Over the course of the series, Clark will be talking about well-known generals such as Henry Knox and Benedict Arn
May 101 min read
Garst Museum Online Store: Phone Orders Only
For the foreseeable future, the Garst Museum Online Store can only take phone orders. If you would like to place an order, please contact 937-548-5250 anytime Tuesday through Saturday, 10 AM to 4 PM. For those who placed an online order from April 14 to April 29, 2026, the orders were shipped on Thursday, April 30, 2026. The Museum Store at Garst Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 AM to 4 PM....make sure to stop in while you visit the museum!
May 101 min read
Israel Putnam: Legend or Hero? Free Washington’s Generals Lecture Series on May 9, 2026
Israel Putnam was one of only two generals unanimously chosen by Congress. The other was George Washington himself. But by the end of the war, Washington had quietly stopped giving him commands. So, was Israel Putnam a hero… or just a legend? Join us for our next Washington's Generals lecture to find out. The program will be held on Saturday, May 9, at 2:00 p.m. in the Lowell Thomas Meeting Room at the Garst Museum. It will be presented by Administrative Director Cait Clark.
May 61 min read
Free Fourth Grade History Pass
School is back in session, and it is time to hit the books. The classroom is a great place to learn, but fourth graders have many other opportunities to learn, thanks to the Fourth Grade History Pass. Garst Museum is opening its doors to fourth graders wanting to take a different look at history. Get an up-close look at why Greenville is known as the Treaty City through the Crossroads of Destiny exhibit. Learn why Annie Oakley was important to Darke County and the world. See
Apr 231 min read
Apr 20 min read
Horatio Gates: Washington's Revil: Free Washington’s Generals Lecture Series on April 11, 2026
Horatio Gates arrived in the Continental Army with a distinguished military record and sky-high ambitions to match. He would go on to oversee one of America's greatest victories, as well as one of its most humiliating defeats. Along the way, he may have even set his sights on Washington's job itself. But was Gates truly a villain, or simply a flawed man caught between his ambitions and his moment in history? The program will be held on Saturday, April 11, at 2:00 p.m. in the
Mar 261 min read
America 250-Garst is Celebrating Ohio’s Entertainers Throughout the Month of March
America 250 - Ohio is celebrating its entertainers throughout March, and the Garst Museum has exhibits featuring entertainers from Darke County. Annie Oakley and Lowell Thomas are two of the most widely known entertainers who called Darke County home. Oakley toured the world and met heads of state, royalty, and other dignitaries. Her skill at handling a gun was honed in the fields of northern Darke County. Thomas once called Woodington, a small village north of Greenville, ho
Mar 212 min read
Voices, Paths, and Power: Five Influential Native American Women: Free Lecture on March 21, 2026
On March 21 at 2 p.m., Cait Clark of the Garst Museum will host a PowerPoint presentation titled "Voices, Paths, and Power: Five Influential Native American Women" in the Lowell Thomas Meeting Room. The program explores the lives of Matoaka (Pocahontas), Sacagawea, Buffalo Calf Road Woman, Zitkála-Šá, and Maria Tallchief - five women whose influence shaped American history in strikingly different ways. Spanning more than three centuries, the presentation examines diplomacy, e
Mar 171 min read
Daniel Morgan...The Rebel with a Cause: Free Washington’s Generals Lecture Series on March 14, 2026
The Garst Museum is pleased to announce Washington’s Generals , a year-long lecture series celebrating 250 years of American independence by exploring the key leaders who helped George Washington win the Revolutionary War. March's program focuses on " Daniel Morgan...The Rebel with a Cause." The program will be held on Saturday, March 14, at 2:00 p.m. in the Lowell Thomas Meeting Room at the Garst Museum. It will be presented by Administrative Director Cait Clark. The Washin
Mar 121 min read
Mar 100 min read
Free Lecture on Urban Agriculture with Jim Buchy and Dale Mallory on February 21, 2026, at 2 p.m.
Can this really be happening? Yes, and successfully! Jim Buchy “Rep Buchy,” a rural white Republican, and Dale Mallory “Rep Dale,” an urban black Democrat, collaborated to bring this to fruition for the inner cities of Cincinnati and Cleveland. Dale Mallory’s father, William L. Mallory Sr. majority leader in the Ohio House, had a vision to increase 4-H participation in black cities in the state; Dale pursued this to honor his father. Dale, a graduate of Taft High School Nat
Feb 172 min read
Stammen, Menke receive Harry Thomas Scholarship
The Darke County Historical Society is pleased to announce the winners of the Harry Thomas Scholarship for 2025. This year’s recipients are Bailey Stammen and Lauren Menke. Stammen is in her fourth year of receiving the scholarship. She is a graduate of Ansonia High School and is in her fourth year at Wright State University’s Boonshoft School of Medicine. Menke, a Versailles High School graduate, attended Case Western Reserve University for her undergraduate work, and was ac
Feb 162 min read
Garst Museum Replaces Trees Destroyed by Tornado
May 7, 2024, is a date that will live in the memory of many in Greenville. On that date, shortly after 8 p.m., the skies blackened, and the tornado sirens began to wail. As Greenville residents began to emerge from their homes, the realization set in. The EF-1 tornado toppled trees along an 11.9-mile path that began to the west of the city and continued through the city limits. Three areas suffered major damage to trees, including the Greenville Union Cemetery and the Green
Feb 153 min read
Garst Museum Presents Free Washington’s Generals Lecture Series Starting February 14, 2026
The Garst Museum is pleased to announce Washington’s Generals , a year-long lecture series celebrating 250 years of American independence by exploring the key leaders who helped George Washington win the Revolutionary War. The series opens with “Nathanael Greene: Washington’s Favorite General” on Saturday, February 14, at 2:00 P.M. in the Lowell Thomas Meeting Room at the Garst Museum. The program will be presented by Administrative Director Cait Clark, who will also deliver
Feb 111 min read
Feb 40 min read
Remembering Freedom: James Clemens and the Longtown Settlement
Longtown was a predominantly African American settlement in Darke County that included people of African, European, and American Indian ancestry. The population had many freed or runaway slaves. With the establishment of a vocational school known as the Union Literary Institute, Longtown created an opportunity for African Americans to become land-owning farmers, craftsmen, skilled workers, and professionals during a period when slavery and racism were prevalent. The Garst Mus
Feb 41 min read
Garst Museum Reopens on February 3, 2026
The Garst Museum reopens for regular business hours on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and closed on Sundays, Mondays, and most major holidays.
Feb 31 min read
Saying Goodbye to Penny Perry
Penny Perry, the Executive Director of the Garst Museum from 2004 to 2010, passed away on December 23, 2025. Penny was a devoted educator, community leader, and champion of Darke County history. During her 32-year teaching career, she inspired students through innovative programs, advanced study, and leadership initiatives, while also actively engaging in civic life. She later served as Executive Director of the Garst Museum, where she expanded educational outreach, increased
Jan 21 min read
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