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Open Doors Week in Ohio will feature activities listed below and hosted locally.

They are the only designated events taking place in Champaign County. Both efforts are being hosted by the Ginny Neighborhood in Urbana.

Organizers are excited to share two opportunities for a DIY workshop for the repair and maintenance of historic windows, and to announce Champaign County’s only designated activity as part of Ohio History Connection, Ohio Travel, Ohio Arts Council and Heritage Ohio’s Open Doors Week.

“Mark Saturday, Sept. 14, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for an immersive and hands-on Wood Window Workshop! We will begin our day at the historic Crosswhite House at 314 East Market Street, where you will learn the anatomy of sliding sash windows and how to disassemble them from the interior of your home to begin sashwork,” a statement from event organizers said.

“Afterwards we will cross the street to St. Paul AME Church where participants will become familiar with how to use (and build) a steambox to soften putty and finishes. Pre-prepared and stripped sashes will then be available to practice bedding the glass, using glazing points and applying the final glazing. There will also be salvaged panes to cut so you can gain confidence in fitting your own replacement lights. The day will end with tips for how to finish your sashes and reinstall them for many more years of beautiful, efficient and sustainable service. The workshop is taught by Belmont College Building Preservation and Restoration alum Julie Rohl, a historian and champion of the built environment who currently volunteers her time predominantly in Richland County.”

There is no charge for the workshop, but space is limited to 15 participants.

The program brings attention, in part, to places listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Hovey-Murphy House, the McCrery Creamery have been determined as eligible, and St. Paul was listed to the National Register in 1998. The window restoration workshop is a way for folks learn how they can repair their historic windows and make them efficient and functional.

On Sunday, Sept. 15, participants can learn more about the fascinating historic Ginny District (pronounced “Jenny”). Local historian John Bry will provide an on the hour overview of one of Urbana’s oldest neighborhoods filled with fascinating events and people.

Never heard of Ginny? No problem, Bry can give you the details on the places and people who made a mark on Urbana and beyond that called these hidden several blocks home. The program lasts about 30 minutes and will be given at 1, 2, and 3 p.m. at St. Paul AME Church, 316 East Market. Participants can wander on their own and get a sneak peek inside some the neighborhood’s historic places. There is no charge for the tours or program.

Bry’s “day job” is serving as the Administrator of Local Business Development and Coordinator of the only countywide downtown development and revitalization program in the United States for the Economic Development Department of Oakland County, Michigan. He is an Urbana history fan and often spends weekends locally. For more info: Ohio History Connection Heritage Ohio Ohio Arts Council https://www.ohiohistory.org/…/the-hidden-history-of…/ or email [email protected] to register or call 937-508-3090.

Info from event organizers