Two new exhibits are now open to the public in the Westerville History Museum (located inside the Westerville Public Library).
One exhibit, Williams Grill: 1887-1975, examines nearly a century of innovation and social change through the lens of this beloved Westerville restaurant.
Originally a bakery and ice cream parlor famous for serving "cold fudge", Williams Grill opened its doors before the invention of the ice cream scoop in 1897. The Williams family made their own ice cream in-house and learned over time to lower to freezing point of the ice to make it creamier by adding salt until they installed mechanical refrigeration in 1916.
The country’s changing social dynamics played out on a smaller scale at Williams Grill. Employee Pat Ernsberger remembered the restaurant enforcing a form of segregation in the 1940s. Servers were instructed to give menus with higher prices to African-American customers so they would leave without ordering.
Exhibit visitors are encouraged to play "restaurateur" at a replica of the Williams Grill soda fountain counter featuring copies of old menus and sundae dishes like those that were used in the restaurant over the years.
"One thing we're proud of as a small museum is that we incorporate engagement into our exhibits. Being in a library means our audience is varied and includes families with kids from PreK through teen," shares shares Jackie Barton, manager of the Westerville History Museum.
And those craving a sweet treat after perusing the exhibit can mark their calendars for an ice cream social on June 27.
The other exhibit, Dry Capital of the World, explains how a small suburb of Columbus, Ohio became the "dry capital of the world" through the efforts of the Anti-Saloon League in its heyday.
Fifty years ago, a massive collection of anti-alcohol brochures, books, posters, and correspondence was donated to the Westerville Public Library by the once known Anti-Saloon League (then headquartered next door). This exhibit features items on display for the first time since returning from the Ohio History Connection thanks to a grant from The Columbus Foundation.
“The Westerville History Museum has the largest collection of Prohibition materials in the U.S., and maybe the world. This collection is our priority and foundational to our identity. We are grateful to the Ohio History Connection for keeping it close by and safe on behalf of the public all these years. As the museum has grown and expanded, we are ready to bring it back together in one place and expand access for visitors and both local and international researchers in a more robust way,” shares Jackie.
Of special note is the 150th anniversary of the first bombing of Corbin's saloon in 1875 which sparked the infamous Westerville Whiskey Wars. Those interested in learning more can attend a lively presentation about the history of the Whiskey Wars focused on new perspectives given by museum staff on July 10 or sign up for a walking tour on July 17.
Exhibit visitors are encouraged to "get dirty" by stamping old book pages using antique letterpress images - similar to the typesetting tools used in the Anti-Saloon League printing press.
Both exhibits will be on display through March 31, 2026. Plan your visit.