The Pioneer and Historical Society

of Muskingum County

Incorporated on March 4, 1890, the Pioneer and Historical Society of Muskingum County is an outgrowth of two earlier organizations, the Muskingum County Pioneer Association and the Old Settlers Association. The new organization occupied a room and maintained its collection in the old Memorial Hall on North Fifth Street in downtown Zanesville. When that building was demolished in 1937, the Society moved its collection to the former Bailey home at the corner of Maple and Adair, sharing the building with the Zanesville Art Institute.

From 1937 to 1970 the Art Institute expanded and the space available for the Historical Society was reduced, making it impossible to accept gifts or add to the collection. In 1970, the Society finally acquired a permanent home when Mrs. F.F. Frazier bequeathed it the Dr. Increase Mathews House. A community-wide appeal provided the needed additional funding. The Stone Academy was willed to the Society in 1983 by Lydia McHenry Taylor on the condidtion it be operated as a museum.

With the upcoming celebration in 2009 of the 200th anniversary of the Stone Academy, the Historical Society has re-committed itself to the mission that has guided the organization for nearly 120 years. That mission includes preserving the memory of the pioneers who settled here, collecting items of historical significance, and preserving these intact for future generations. Our dedication to this mission sets us apart from other organizations in our community. We are uniquely situated to remain the primary advocate for local history in Muskingum County.