About the Union County Historical Society
The Morey House Museum
The Union County Historical Society was founded in 1949, though its roots reach back to the late nineteenth century through predecessor groups such as the Union County Pioneer Association of 1875. The volunteer-run society is responsible for the collection and preservation of objects relating to the history of Union County, Ohio, and it actively collects items of local interest to educate the public and foster knowledge of the county's past.
The society's museum occupies an 1891 Queen Anne-style brick home at 246 West Sixth Street in Marysville, bequeathed to the organization in 1954 by Lieutenant Colonel Dana Woods Morey. The house itself is an artifact: it retains original gas light fixtures, cobalt-blue stained-glass windows, parquet floors, and hand-milled oak and burled-maple woodwork. An annex was constructed in 1965 to display the larger items in the collection, and an 1830s-era log home has been relocated to the museum grounds, giving visitors a glimpse of pioneer-era living conditions alongside Victorian Marysville.
Highlights of the collection include the 1905 Brennan Automobile, the first automobile built in Union County; the bell from the county's third courthouse, which served from 1838 to 1883; one of the largest collections of items relating to Vice President Charles W. Fairbanks; and memorabilia of "Colonel" Noah Orr, the famed "Union County Giant." The museum also holds military artifacts and antique toys, and the society offers docent-led tours by advance arrangement along with special events such as living-history encampments.
Plan Your Visit
The Union County Historical Society museum is located at 246 West 6th Street in Marysville, Ohio. The museum keeps seasonal hours, typically Wednesday afternoons and the first and third Sunday afternoons from late spring through fall, with guided tours available by appointment. For current hours, events, and tour arrangements, visit uchsohio.org.
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