Smothers, a former urban planner for the City of Dayton, serves as president of the Union Literary Institute Preservation Society. Smothers, who is descended from the Bass family, has done extensive research on the Longtown settlement, which is one of only two tri-racial communities in Ohio. The other is the Carmel Melungeon Settlement in Highland County. Smothers nominated the James and Sophia Clemens Homestead for the National Register of Historic Places.
The Institute was established by Quakers as a completely integrated school where students of all races could study. The school was located in southeastern Randolph County, just over the state line from Ohio where the Longtown settlement spilled over into Indiana. When the school opened in 1846, it was located in a log cabin. In 1860, a brick building was built. The Society is working to preserve and renovate this building, which closed in 1914.
Smothers will share stories and history about Longtown and the Institute, with an emphasis on the role the Quakers played in the settlement.
The program is at 2:00 pm on Sunday, February 22 at the Garst Museum. Admission to the lecture is free, but regular admission applies if you wish to tour the museum.
The Garst Museum is located at:
205 N. Broadway, Greenville, OH 45331
937-548-5250
web site: www.garstmuseum.org
email: information@garstmuseum.org
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