Versailles Area Historical Society

Versailles Area Historical Society The Versailles Area Historical Society was founded in 2009 to preserve the history of the area. A Museum was added in 2010 to exhibit the history.

We love sharing area history with the younger generation!
05/08/2026

We love sharing area history with the younger generation!

Reminder: Our popular Speaker Series continues tomorrow, Sunday, May 3rd at 2 p.m. at the Versailles Area Museum.The top...
05/02/2026

Reminder: Our popular Speaker Series continues tomorrow, Sunday, May 3rd at 2 p.m. at the Versailles Area Museum.
The topic is Myths of the American Revolutionary Period by Steve Kaplan.
Join us for an informative and fun afternoon! Doors open at 1 p.m. so come early and browse the exhibits. Public invited and admission is free!

Speaker Series Sunday, May 3rdMyths of the American Revolution It is the 250th Anniversary of the U.S. so why not featur...
04/23/2026

Speaker Series Sunday, May 3rd
Myths of the American Revolution

It is the 250th Anniversary of the U.S. so why not feature the Revolution! Steve Kaplan will be our guest speaker focusing on popular myths of the American Revolutionary War period. And there are many!!

Steve Kaplan lives in Troy, Ohio, and serves as the president of the Ohio Society of the Sons of the American Revolution.

Join us Sunday, May 3, at the Versailles Area Museum - Museum doors open at 1 p.m. and Program begins at 2 o'clock.
Open to the public and admission is free!

Speaker Series ReminderVery interesting and talented man - sure to be a great program!!Award winning local wood artist, ...
04/17/2026

Speaker Series Reminder
Very interesting and talented man - sure to be a great program!!
Award winning local wood artist, Steve Burelison, is our guest speaker this Sunday, April 19, at the Versailles Area Museum.
Doors open at 1 p.m. - program begins at 2. Steve will share his passion for finding unique pieces of wood (usually along bodies of water) and creating amazing works of art. Come hear his story and see some of his beautiful, lifelike pieces. You may even want to purchase a piece of art!
Light refreshments will be served. Program is open to the public and admission is free! See you Sunday!

Our next program is Sunday, April 19th at 2 p.m. at the Versailles Area Museum.Local wood artist Steve Burelison will be...
04/06/2026

Our next program is Sunday, April 19th at 2 p.m. at the Versailles Area Museum.
Local wood artist Steve Burelison will be our guest speaker. Steve has been turning pieces of wood into amazing works of art for 40 years. Wherever he shows his carvings, awards follow, including National recognition. Mark your calendar! Come hear Steve's story and see some of his amazing works.
Doors open at 1 p.m. Program at 2. Public invited and admission is free.

Let's walk down memory lane. What we call the old fire department building on south Center Street was a service station...
03/18/2026

Let's walk down memory lane. What we call the old fire department building on south Center Street was a service station for many years. The Swallow brothers, Joe and Lee, were contractors by trade. They built the station and operated it for about five years. They sold to Louie Ilgen who had a car dealership on Main Street (Didier Hdwe building). The station became General Auto Service and Supply. Harold Urquhart came on board to run the station (Sohio) and stayed until the 1950s. It was known as Harold Urquhart Garage. Gerlach Chevrolet also used this building in the '60s and Lloyd Littman used the parking lot for used car sales. Elson Ford used this site previous to the fire department relocating here in 1975. The fire department was looking to consolidate their equipment from the Town Hall and a village garage. The fire department moved to new facilities on Baker Road in 2008.
Previous to the current building you see now, a frame structure housing a livery stable occupied this site. Shown here.

03/18/2026

Poultry Days is proud to share the artwork for “Cheers to 75 Years!” The artwork was completed under the direction of the 2026 Festival Chairman Jordan Luthman. Inspired by the classic sitcom “Cheers”, the 2026 theme celebrates the spirit of togetherness, nostalgia, and small-town pride. Just like the show’s iconic line, “Where everybody knows your name,” Versailles is a place where you’re never a stranger. Whether you’re a lifelong resident or a first-time visitor, you’ll find warmth, laughter, and a sense of belonging here.

Festival Chairman Jordan Luthman is celebrating his eighth year on the Poultry Days Board of Directors, bringing a deep love for this community tradition. A proud Versailles native, Jordan resides in his hometown with his wife, Kayla, and their children — Ava, Noah, and a baby boy arriving in late April. Jordan is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati and serves as the General Manager of Hotel Versailles and Stillwater Valley Golf Club. As he leads this milestone year, Jordan shares that what he looks forward to most is “watching my kids enjoy the festival just as I have for so many years.” He extends his heartfelt gratitude to the Versailles community, along with the past and present board members and volunteers, whose dedication and hard work have fueled 75 years of Poultry Days tradition. Their spirit and commitment continue to make this festival a cherished celebration for generations.

We can’t wait to see your creativity shine with this year’s theme. Bulk Chicken Sales are now open, and registration is available for the Grand Parade, Miss Chick pageant, Vendor Space and the 5K Walk/Run + 1 Mile Fun Run. Register at VersaillesPoultryDays.com and watch for the full schedule. All bands and food vendors have been booked.

The Versailles Poultry Days Board of Directors and the Village of Versailles invite you to join us for the 75th Annual Poultry Days festival, June 12–14. For chicken-related questions, please email [email protected]. For general festival inquiries, contact [email protected]. Thank you for being part of this special year. Let’s make it unforgettable. Cheers!

Poultry Days is an annual tradition that began in 1952 to honor our area’s history as a leading poultry producer. Be sure to arrive early and enjoy one of our World-Famous chicken dinners! Since 1952, the village of 2,700 has served more than 1.2 million famous BBQ chicken dinners, including 40,179 dinners in 2025 alone, making Versailles home to the World’s Largest Chicken Barbecue.

Name the two men in this photo that was most likely taken at Poultry Producers. It was from a collection of photos owne...
03/17/2026

Name the two men in this photo that
was most likely taken at Poultry Producers. It was from a collection of photos owned by Dan Emerick who worked for Poultry Producers.
Thanks Linda Emerick Leeper for sharing.

Program tomorrow, Sunday, March 15 at the Versailles Area Museum. Gary Condon will present the history of the Edwin F....
03/14/2026

Program tomorrow, Sunday, March 15 at the Versailles Area Museum. Gary Condon will present the history of the Edwin F. Nickol Monument Company, a century old trusted business here in Versailles. Open to the public with free admission. Program begins at 2 pm. Come hear the history of this great area business. These are some of our most popular programs so get here early for a seat. Doors open at 1 pm.

Speaker Series this Sunday, March 15Museum doors open 1 pm - Program 2 pmThe History of the Edwin F. Nickol Monument Com...
03/10/2026

Speaker Series this Sunday, March 15
Museum doors open 1 pm - Program 2 pm

The History of the Edwin F. Nickol Monument Company which began in 1864 by the Philip Hummel Family.
Edwin F. Nickol was an employee of Hummel and took over operations in the early 1900s.
The company moved to it's current location on East Main Street in 1938.
Gary Condon will present the history, trends, innovations, and future outlook of this locally owned company. Make plans to attend!

Reminder: The Versailles Area Museum is open Sunday 1-4 p.m. Also, we could use your help to identify these girls from t...
02/27/2026

Reminder: The Versailles Area Museum is open Sunday 1-4 p.m. Also, we could use your help to identify these girls from the Guys and Gals Skating Rink.

Address

552 S. West Street
Versailles, OH
45380

Opening Hours

1pm - 4pm

Telephone

(937) 526-4222

Website

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