Ohio Historical Society Speakers Bureau

Need a speaker for your next meeting? Ohio Historical Society (OHS) speakers offer the following topics. For details on availability, fees, and scheduling, call the Local History Office toll free at 1-800-858-6878.

OHS Speakers:

Bob Glotzhober, Curator of Natural History

• The Landscape & Wildlife of Frontier Ohio:
  The Ohio countryside has changed dramatically over the past 200 years. This talk documents changes in forests, rivers, wetlands, prairies, and plants and wildlife. What has been the impact of these changes?
• The Natural History of Fort Hill State Memorial:
  This 1200-acre National Natural Landmark has seven natural bridges, geological time periods, and over 650 species of plants-including some that are very rare. All this, with one of the most scenic gorges in Ohio and 11 miles of trails to explore, is sampled in this talk.
• Those Magnificent Monsters of the Ice Age:
  During the last Ice Age, many wonderful large mammals (the Pleistocene “Mega-fauna”) roamed what is today Ohio. This illustrated talk explores what these animals were, what they looked like and how they lived. It will highlight images of some of the rarest Ohio Pleistocene fossils held in the Ohio Historical Society’s collections as well as other fossils from around the state. If there is sufficient time, the discussion can expand to why and how these magnificent mammals disappeared from Ohio and the face of the earth.

Mark Holbrook, Associate Marketing Manager

• Ohio in the Civil War:
  An in-depth look at the contribution of Ohio and its people in America’s Civil War.
• Ohio’s Unknown Generals:
  Generals Grant, Sherman and Sheridan; and future presidents Hayes, Garfield and McKinley get most of the attention focused on Ohioans in the Civil War. Learn about the lesser known soldiers from the Buckeye State whose heroism and bravery match their more famous counterparts.

Bradley T. Lepper, Curator of Archaeology

• The Newark Earthworks:
  Monumental Geometry and Astronomy in Ancient Ohio--The Newark Earthworks site is a National Historic Landmark and it has been called one of the 70 wonders of the ancient world. This presentation explores what we know about this architectural marvel and the people who built it.
• Ohio Archaeology:
  A Fifteen-Thousand-Year Human Odyssey: This program presents an overview of Ohio prehistory, from the original discovery of Ohio to the dawn of the historic era.

Angela O'Neal, Digital Projects Manager

• Ohio Memory:
  An Online Scrapbook of Ohio History: Did you know that Ohio's state reptile is the black racer snake? Or that the first airplane flight over water was made over Lake Erie? Learn about Ohio's rich history through Ohio Memory (www.ohiomemory.org), an online resource of the Ohio Historical Society and 330 historical societies, libraries, and museums throughout Ohio. This presentation will offer a brief introduction to using Ohio Memory and will demonstrate games, search strategies, and how users can create their own "online scrapbooks."

Martha Potter Otto, Curator of Archaeology

• Survey of American Indian Cultures in Ohio:
  This discussion summarizes the lifestyles of Ohio’s prehistoric and historic Indian societies spanning nearly fifteen thousand years.
• Adena and Hopewell Art:
  The artistic accomplishments of the prehistoric mound building cultures known as the Adena and Hopewell are reviewed in this presentation.
• The Adena Tablets:
  Examine a fascinating group of prehistoric artifacts known as the Adena Tablets. The discussions center on function within the Adena society.
• Masterpieces in Stone:
  A comparative analysis of effigy pipes from Mound City and Tremper Mound. These pipes, carved to represent animals, will be discussed as evidence of the artistic achievements of the Hopewell people and of the social and natural environments in which these ancient Ohioans lived.
• The Late Woodland People:
  This presentation reviews new research on a little-known prehistoric culture.
• Prehistoric Ceramics:
  Learn more about pottery and its uses during the Woodland and Mississippian phases of Ohio’s prehistory. Discover how ceramic traditions reflect prehistoric foodways, settlement trends, and artistic skills.

David Simmons, Editor, TIMELINE

• Anthony Wayne's Forts: Their Life and Architecture:
  The string of fortifications built along the Indiana-Ohio border by the U.S. military during the Indian Wars of the 1790s and their role in the successful campaign of Major General Anthony Wayne will be described.
• Bringing the Canals to Ohio:
  This talk describes the mind-set of the key figures involved in the development of Ohio's canal system and how they decided where to build it.
• The Romance and Symbolism of Covered Bridges:
  The folklore of Ohio’s covered bridges is contrasted with the reality of how they were actually designed and fabricated. Listeners will gain a new appreciation and understanding for this ever-dwindling historic resource.

Lisa Wood, Audiovisual Archivist

• Value of Photographs as Historic Documents:
  This presentation focuses on why archivists and historians collect and preserve photographs and how photographs are used for historic research.

Thank you for your interest in The Ohio Historical Society!