OXFORD – Twenty-two projects involving local or regional history in Southwestern Ohio have been awarded 2016 grants totaling more than $68,500 from the W. E. Smith Family Charitable Trust.

Advisory Board members of the Trust reviewed application requests from local and regional historical organizations, museums, libraries, schools, and other non-profit groups seeking funds in support of publishing and publication projects, collection maintenance and documentation and educational programs.

The Smith Trust was established by the estate of Ophia Smith, longtime Oxford resident who wrote books on Oxford history, and together with her husband W. E. Smith, who chaired Miami University’s history department, and collaborated on research and writing of a three-volume “History of Southwestern Ohio: The Miami Valleys.”

This year’s grants went to:

Atrium Medical Center Foundation — “Legends, Publication of History of Middletown Hospital”

Butler County Historical Society — “Collections/exhibits/programming” and “City of Hamilton 225tth Birthday Programming”

Fairfield Historical Society — “Down on the Farm, Sunbonnet Days exhibits”

Friends of Chrisholm Historic Farmstead — “Publication of Christian Augspurger 1848 Packet”and “Continuation of 200thAnniversary Legacy Project”

Heritage Hall, Hamilton (Butler County Historical Society) — “Century of Champions: Butler County Sports teams/Individuals exhibit”

Governor Bebb Park/Friends of MetroParks — “Laptop Computer, software & projector for programs”

Friends of Whitewater Shakers — “Laptop Computer, software & projector, and program costs”

Historic Southwest Ohio — “Early Settlement Period Flat Boat Exhibit”

Lane Public Libraries — “150th anniversary history booklet” and “Historic Marker commemorating 150th anniversary of Lane Libraries”

Miami Historical Society — “Publishing of Miamitown Bicentennial historic booklet”

McGuffey Museum/Miami University — “Restoration of Marston Hodgins painting of pre-Hueston Woods”

Middletown Historical Society — “Projection system for new auditorium in Museum”

Middletown Cemetery Board “Historic Vault Restoration Work – Interior for learning center/displays”

Monroe Historical Society — “Funds toward printing of Bicentennial history of Monroe” and “Make enlargement photographs from Warner Collection Glass Plates”

Oxford Museum Association — “Restoration and repair of Pioneer Farm house historic fence, and other projects at the Museum Association’s Doty House, Township House, and DeWitt Log House,” and “Improvements for displaying oversized agricultural equipment”

Oxford Presbyterian Church — “Restoration and re-installing spire on historic Seminary Building”

Smith Library of Regional History — “Purchase Epson Flatbed Photo Scanner for oversize documents (maps, newspapers, etc.)”