MANSFIELD MEMORIAL MUSEUM--
and a ghost or two

There is a marvelous sandstone building, built in the late 1800s, sitting in downtown Mansfield on Park Ave. West.  It is one of the city's most unrecognized treasures.

The building was born from legislation after the Civil War.  It was the city's first library and has been a museum off and on since the 1890s--the oldest in Richland County.

I remember poking around in that very building as a pre-teen and being enthralled by countless glass containers way up on the third floor; all containing biological specimens in a scene reminiscent of a medieval horror movie.

The museum had been closed since 1955 and remained closed for 44 years.

Like many things its age, it has a checkered past according to curator Scott Schaut.  Previous boards of directors have been extremely careless of priceless artifacts and squandered many parts of the collection.  A lucrative, legal, fund raising bingo operation died in an investigation of alleged pilfering.

Schaut was hired as only the second curator in the museum's history and launched its rebirth in 1999.

Today, the museum features Elektro, a Westinghouse robot best known for its appearance in the 1939 World's Fair, now a permanent resident of the museum.  The facility also contains a marvelous display of artificats as shown in the lower photo of the facility's second floor.

Events already are in the planning stages for the next four years starting with a display commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Civil War later this year.

The museum also has acquired the marquee of the old Madison Theater and hopes one day to have it reinstalled over the sidewalk where the theater once stood between the museum and what is now known as the Chase Bank building.

And, a ghost used to live in this old museum.

It was believed to be the first, and only other curator in the museum's history, Edward Wilkinson.

It's last appearance involved Schaut when Mr. Wilkinson's apparition tapped Schaut on the shoulder as if offering its appreciation to Schaut for a job well-done.

The ghost disappeared and hasn't been seen since.

Although, if you look carefully at the lead picture above, taken just days ago, you will notice the flags flying in the front of the building are blowing in opposite directions from each other.

Makes me wonder if maybe the ghost of Mr. Wilkinson remains in the vicinity after all.

Current hours to visit the facility are:  Saturday, 10-4 and Sunday, Noon to 4.  Closed Jan-Apr.