Recreation & the Arts in the 1800’s

Children played with simple toys such as dolls, marbles, trains, balls, musical instruments and rocking horses.  Houses were not close to each other like today, so they relied on family members and a couple of close neighbors to keep themselves amused.  Family story telling was a favorite pastime.

Adults as well as children needed some form of recreational activities to participate in or watch and enjoy. The Hilliard Board of Education recognized this and in 1875 they passed a motion to have singing in the schools and in 1879 granted permission to the Hilliard Brass Band to use one of the rooms. In 1880 a Dramatics Club also used the school facilities. In 1894-95 the high school sponsored a six-course lecture series, held at the Methodist Church. The first mention of a Fourth of July celebration was in 1887 when there was a community picnic in Scofield's Grove, northeast of the village.

At the turn of the century there were bowling lanes, located on the west side of Main Street, between Norwich and Center Streets, and billiard (pool) rooms, across the street. It is not known how long these existed, but the Village Council at this time were regulating the hours they could be open.

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References

The Quartoquecentennial of a Pride Community-1978 Hilliard, Ohio
Overview Compiled and Edited by Lauren Davis and Rich Boettner

Photos:
Northwest Franklin County Historical Village