Visitors got a look at rejuvenated history as the venerable Carter House was unveiled to the public Friday.
A ribbon cutting and open house for the site, located at 307 N. Church St., and owed by the Wood County District Public Library, was held Friday afternoon. Another open house is scheduled for today from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
"It's always great to see local history preserved," said Wood County Auditor Michael Sibbersen at the event. "And hopefully it'll be another jewel in the crown of Bowling Green."
The library plans to use the home for special events, meeting and book groups, and will also make the site available for rental to the public.
The more than $150,000 renovation of the space has been years in the making.
Located across Church Street from the library, the two-story home was originally build around 1877 by Norton Reed. It was purchased in 1897 by Benjamin James and was subsequently known as the James House. James was an attorney and served in the Ohio General Assembly.
The house has a deep connection to the library – the Shakespeare Roundtable met in the home in 1905, and the group would later conceive of the first library in the city. That idea, over time and through a variety of forms, would eventually grow into the current library.
The home was later bought in 2005 for $250,000 by Robert and Patricia Mauer, who later gave it to the library. The gift was made in honor of Maurer's aunt, Martha Carter, an educator who strongly believed in libraries.
A ribbon cutting and open house for the site, located at 307 N. Church St., and owed by the Wood County District Public Library, was held Friday afternoon. Another open house is scheduled for today from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
"It's always great to see local history preserved," said Wood County Auditor Michael Sibbersen at the event. "And hopefully it'll be another jewel in the crown of Bowling Green."
The library plans to use the home for special events, meeting and book groups, and will also make the site available for rental to the public.
The more than $150,000 renovation of the space has been years in the making.
Located across Church Street from the library, the two-story home was originally build around 1877 by Norton Reed. It was purchased in 1897 by Benjamin James and was subsequently known as the James House. James was an attorney and served in the Ohio General Assembly.
The house has a deep connection to the library – the Shakespeare Roundtable met in the home in 1905, and the group would later conceive of the first library in the city. That idea, over time and through a variety of forms, would eventually grow into the current library.
The home was later bought in 2005 for $250,000 by Robert and Patricia Mauer, who later gave it to the library. The gift was made in honor of Maurer's aunt, Martha Carter, an educator who strongly believed in libraries.