EATON — On Tuesday, Jan. 23, the Preble County Historical Society and Nature Reserve learned it had been awarded an America-250 Ohio Buckeye Grant.

The Ohio Commission for the United States Semiquincentennial (AM250-OH) with assistance from Ohio Humanities made the funds available for grants to non-profit, educational, and local governmental organizations to support educational and commemorative programming about the 250th anniversary of the independence and founding of the United States. The purpose of this grant program is to draw attention to the achievements, struggles, honors, innovations, and significance of all people in Ohio since before its founding to the present day.

In 2026, America will celebrate its 250th birthday. As a part of that celebration, all 88 counties in Ohio have been challenged with participation to promote their local history.

PCHS was listed as one of the Top 5 grant recipients in the State of Ohio for their proposed projects.

“It was sort of wild to read the list of grant recipients — Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati, and then little Preble County, Ohio,” said PCHS Executive Director Lisa White. “News stations, radio stations and magazines were calling the very next day wondering what we were doing in a small town to get this grant,” White said.

Over the next two years, PCHS will place 25 local historic plaques around the county, and with that, create a historical map of those places for visitors and locals to learn more about the unique architecture and places of Preble County. The third part of the project is completing a historical timeline of the last 250 years in this area and connecting that to the events that took place across America at that time, according to White.

“The general public, along with our local educators will be able to access and use this resource for education,” White said.

PCHS representatives presented the award and program to the Preble County Commissioners on Monday, Jan. 29.

For more information about applying for an historic plaque, email the PCHS at [email protected] or download the application at www.preblecountyhistoricalsociety.com.