➤ Wednesday, February 5, at 6 pm
*Mapping the First Landowners in Belmont County
*NOTE: There is no sound for the first 8 minutes of the Feb 5, 2025 program. We apologize for the technical glitch.
Based upon the Bureau of Land Management’s General Land Office records, this trio has created a digital record of Belmont County’s first landowners, overlaying creeks and towns help us learn more about Belmont County’s history.
Presented by: Jason Garczyk, Belmont County recorder; Crystal Lorimor, Community Improvement Corporation; & *Anthony Atkins, Belmont County GIS Director (*note: Anthony Atkins was unable to attend the night of the lecture)
➤ Wednesday, February 12, at 6 pm
"I've Never Been to Heaven: (But I've Been to Oklahoma)"
Bellaire native Kurt Turner will talk about his book, I’ve Never Been to Heaven: (But I’ve Been to Oklahoma), which chronicles his journey from his service on a medical ship in Vietnam to how it shaped his work in Critical Incident Stress Management and PTSD recovery.
About the presenter: After high school graduation, Kurt Turner fulfilled his dream of becoming a Navy hospital corpsman. Knowing this would lead to his orders to Vietnam, he accepted whatever fate lay ahead. He arrived in Da Nang on Halloween of 1967, leaving the USS Repose on Halloween of 1968 with a psyche full of the things in which PTSD is made.
➤ Wednesday, February 19, at 6 pm
"Why the West Went to War in 1812"
In this talk, Associate Professor of History at Marietta College, Brandon Downing, answers the question: What was the link between western states and territories and the War of 1812? Investigating backcountry culture and its influence on shaping the Northwest Territory’s organization is central to understanding why settlers living in trans-Appalachia adamantly supported war against Great Britain and their Indian allies.
Funding for this program has been made possible by Ohio Humanities, a state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
➤ Wednesday, February 26, at 6 pm
"A Historic District for Downtown Bellaire"
Betsy Sweeny, Building Preservation Instructor at Belmont College, with Jon Smith, Bellaire Historic Landmarks Commission Member, will talk about the historic property survey that is currently being conducted of Bellaire’s downtown buildings and what it will mean for Bellaire to be part of a National Register Historic District.
➤ Wednesday, March 5, at 6 pm
"The Peopling of North America: Ohio and Beyond"
Joseph Gingerich, Associate Professor of Anthropology in Archaeology at Ohio University, will discuss the first colonization of North America, which occurred more than 14,000 years ago. The first part of the presentation will discuss key questions and debates surrounding this event, as well as the evidence of North America’s first people. The second part of this talk will focus on this time period in Ohio.
➤ Wednesday, March 12, at 6 pm
“Pulling the Thread: Untangling Wheeling History”
A professor of English at PennWest-California, Dr. Christina Fisanick’s passion for historical storytelling has taken her on a journey through local, state, and national archives where she has unfolded a tapestry of Wheeling’s rich past. Her essays pull a thread, leading to unexpected connections and revelations that weave narratives that transcend time, bringing to light forgotten stories and hidden ties. From Mark Twain to the tragic wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald to the 1878 World Expo in Paris, unexpected links to the Ohio Valley are blended with the rigor of historical research and the flair of a novelist.
➤ Wednesday, March 19, at 6 pm
“Backyard Flora and Fauna of Belmont County”
*(NOTE: This program will was not livestreamed. At the request of the speaker, it was in-person attendance only.)
Award-winning photographer, Daniel Caron, carries at least one camera with him at all times, whether on outings to new locations or just when exploring his backyard. In this presentation, he will connect us to the flora and fauna that reside outside our own doors here in Belmont County.
➤ Wednesday, March 26, at 6 pm
“West Virginia Mining History”
“Transportation in the Ohio Valley"
West Virginia Mining History program canceled due to illness.
Attorney and digital content creator, Brandi Hurley, uses social media to talk about coal country’s hidden histories. Her popular TikTok channel has over 17,00 subscribers. She’ll share with us disasters, dastardly deeds, and other delectable stories about West Virginia’s coal mining history.
REPLACEMENT LECTURE:
Pinch-hitting last-minute lecturer Dale Rothert took us on a journey through some of the transportation developments in our area—inlcuding a President being transported to Washington on his way to take office who stopped to have breakfast in our area! Think those oil and gas rigs are big? Even larger items have moved through the area! What’s the difference between a blimp and a zeppelin? Dale fills us in for the surprise final program in the 2025 series.
