Garst Museum
Stories of Long Ago: Longtown
Event scheduled: Feb. 24, 2 p.m. 

The third program in our 2012/3013 Free Lecture Series features speaker, Roane Smothers, of the Union Literary Institute Preservation Society. Roane will be sharing more stories and background on the Longtown settlement.  

Longtown was a predominantly African American settlement in Darke County that included people of African, European, and American Indian ancestry. The population included many freed or runaway slaves. With the establishment of a vocational school known as the Union Literary Institute, Longtown created an opportunity for African Americans to become land-owning farmers, craftsmen, skilled workers and professionals during a period when slavery and racism were prevalent.  

All lectures are free and open to the public. However, regular admission will apply to tour the exhibit and museum which includes the outstanding National Annie Oakley Center and CrossRoads of Destiny exhibits. Support for the Garst Lecture series comes, in part, from the Stephens Foundation. 

The lecture will be held in the Lowell Thomas meeting Room at Garst Museum, located at 205 North Broadway, Greenville, OH 45331 on Sunday, February 24th at 2:00 pm.  More information is available at the museum’s website, www.garstmuseum.org, or by calling 937-548-5250.