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Historic Museums

The Ripley Museum

219 N. Second Street
Ripley, OH 45167
937-392-4660

The Ohio Tobacco Museum

Ohio Tobacco Museum, Inc. is located at 703 So. Second Street (U.S. Rt. 52) beside the former tobacco warehouses.

 The two-story brick house is of Federal and Georgian style architecture.  This 1850s home was once owned by the Espey family.  Mr. Espey worked for Heavy Munition Works in Cincinnati, the company that produced Ripley’s three cannons for protection during the Civil War.  The historic home became the site of the Ohio Tobacco Museum in 1988 and stands as the only such museum in the state of Ohio.  The contents of the museum have been provided through public and private donations and represent the story of Ripley’s unique southern Ohio agricultural history.

 Rooms within the museum include the HALL OF FAME Room recognizing individuals who have played important roles in the tobacco industry.  The HISTORY Room displays early years of tobacco farming, the origin of White Burley tobacco, the Lucky Strike Green Has Gone to War story, and Lt. General Grant cigars.  The STRIPPING Room shows handling of tobacco from curing in the barn to preparing it for transport to sale.  The TOBACCO FARM Room offers an explanation of raising tobacco from seed to finished product, as well as a look at some of the earliest small equipment used in the production of tobacco.  This room also houses a large replica of a 7-tier tobacco barn.  SECOND FLOOR rooms offer a variety of memorabilia, as well as cigar, pipe and ashtray displays.

 Adjacent to the museum is a building that houses large, old tobacco equipment including one of the first 3-point hitch tobacco setters, an antique scale, tobacco sled, tobacco primer, hogshead, and various tobacco presses.

 A third building houses the Museum Shop, as well as an information area offering 24-hour access to maps and brochures for other sites of interest in the surrounding areas.

 The Ohio Tobacco Museum is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization supported by donations and memberships and managed and operated by volunteers.

 Museum hours are Saturdays 10 am to 4 pm and Sundays 1 to 4 pm April through December,10 am to 4 pm summer holidays, or any time by appointment by calling 937-392-9410.  Tour groups are welcome.  Bus parking is available.  Admission is by donation.

Tour groups are welcome.

See: Tobacco Resources http://www.qozi.com/tobacco/ for a very comprehensive site about tobacco.

The Ripley Museum

The Ripley Museum  is located in an 1850's home featuring 10 rooms with collectibles dating from the late 18th century up to the mid-20th century. This federal design house is similar to many built in Ripley in the 1850's. It features three fireplaces and a curved staircase. The parlor, with its shuttered windows, contains a Valley Gem piano which was manufactured in Ripley in the 1870s.

Open May 1-December 14 / Friday 10-4; Saturday 10-4; other times by appointment. Call (937) 392-4660 for appointments. Admission $4.00/adults (18+), $2.00/students.