December 13, 2018 - Heritage Ohio and Ohio’s Hill Country Heritage Area (OHCHA) will hold the eighth annual Appalachia Heritage Luncheon on Tuesday, Dec. 18 at 10 a.m. at the Ohio Statehouse Atrium, located at 1 Capitol Square.

The Harrison Coal and Reclamation Historical Park is located west of the Village of New Athens along Ohio 519. HCRHP’s mission is to preserve the history of industries such as mining, construction, agriculture, logging, transportation and oil and gas, in the hope of educating the public on the industrial heritage of the region. The location is currently used as storage and restoration of machinery and related archives. While not open to the public year round, once a year on the weekend following Labor Day the park is open for the Old Construction and Mining Equipment Show.

The Appalachia Heritage Luncheon’s focus is on Appalachian businesses and organizations that have done remarkable work to the benefit of their communities. The honorees will present “3 minute Success Stories” about how and why they Appalachia’s heritage figures into their success.

Groups slated to present include: 

Harrison Coal and Reclamation Historical Park

Harrison County

Decorative Arts Center of Ohio

Fairfield County 

Federal Valley Resource Center

Athens County

Union Hall Theater

Morgan County

Scenic Scioto Heritage Trail

Scioto County 

Tom’s Ice Cream Bowl

Muskingum County

Frederick Kindleberger Stone House and Barn

Monroe County 

The luncheon itself will begin at 11:30 a.m. At noon, Tom O’Grady of OHCHA and Rep. Tim Schaffer will give a welcoming presentation followed by the seven groups’ success story talks and the announcement of this year’s Sam Jones Model Citizenship Award recipient Cheryl Blosser of New Straitsville.

Bob Loversidge, the architect who led the restoration efforts for the Ohio Statehouse and president of Schooley Caldwell Associates, and Nancy Recchie, preservation consultant and co-owner of Benjamin D. Rickey & Co., will give a tour of the Statehouse beginning at 10:30 a.m.

“By holding the event at the statehouse,” said O’Grady, “we hope to demonstrate to our political leadership the level of effort being made as well as the need for greater support for Appalachians.”

Closing remarks will be at 1 p.m. by Jason Wilson, director of the Governor’s Office of Appalachia, and Joyce Barrett, executive director of Heritage Ohio.

Regarding the purpose of the luncheon, Joyce Barrett of Heritage Ohio said, “The spotlight is on honoring the spirit of Appalachian people. These people, businesses, and organizations were selected for their contributions to the Appalachia region.”

Tickets are $40 and can be purchased at www.eventbrite.com.

About Heritage Ohio

As Ohio’s official historic preservation and Main Street organization, Heritage Ohio fosters economic development and sustainability through preservation of historic buildings, revitalization of downtowns and neighborhood commercial districts, and promotion of local tourism. Learn more by visiting www.heritageohio.org.

About Ohio’s Hill Country Heritage Area

The goal of Ohio’s Hill Country Heritage Area is to promote heritage activities throughout Ohio’s Appalachia region. They also provide networking opportunities for individuals, organizations, and communities interested in the preservation and sustainable development of the historical, cultural, recreational, and economic resources of the region. Learn more by visiting www.ohiohillcountry.org.