LANCASTER, Ohio – Tucked amid storefronts of the picturesque downtown square decorated for the holiday season, sits three memorials commemorating those who have served in the U.S. armed services. The Fairfield County Veterans Memorial, located on North Broad Street in Lancaster, also includes a large metal statue of one of our nation’s most-revered Civil War heroes, Ohio native Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman.
Just up the street from the veteran's memorial in the downtown square lies the Sherman House Museum. These days the museum is a well-known Civil War landmark but was originally Sherman’s childhood home. The famous military leader spent most of his early years in Lancaster, Ohio.
During the guided tour; museum docent Linda Showman; explained that Sherman’s family first came to Ohio from Norwalk, Conn. The family chose to settle in Lancaster because of the cities' lush greenery and landscapes. William’s father, Charles Sherman, was an attorney and the family liked how close this particular house was to the local courthouse.
The Sherman family of 13 lived very modestly. Showman noted that many of the genteel features currently found in the museum would not have been in place when Sherman lived there, such as the French carpeting and decorative wallpaper. She explained that at the time these components would have had to be imported from Europe and therefore would have been extremely expensive. The museum has taken care to curate these period appropriate additions along with several furniture pieces with the assistance of the Fairfield County Heritage Association that oversees museum operations.
Some interesting items visitors will experience is a re-creation of Sherman's Civil War field tent, which contains several items he used during the war. The museum also hosts many items which belonged to Sherman after he retired from military service. Additionally, there is a parlor set that once belonged to Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, which Sherman had at his home in New York City.
Sherman was just nine years old when his father passed away, and due to the financial strain of raising 11 children, William was sent to live with his father’s close friend Thomas Ewing. Although the Ewing’s lived nearby and Sherman could still see his mother and siblings frequently, Showman said that this unique living situation drastically impacted the young boy.
As Sherman grew older, Ewing was impressed with his work ethic and attention to detail. Ewing became a U.S. Senator and was able to secure Sherman a spot at the United States Military Academy at West Point when he was 16. Sherman graduated sixth in his class. This was the first step in what became Sherman’s impressive military career and his impact on American history.
Those interested in visiting the Sherman House Museum can attend docent-led tours available from April to mid-December, Tuesday through Sunday, between 1pm and 4pm. The Sherman House Museum is located at 137 East Main Street, Lancaster, Ohio 43130.
Additional information on the museum can be found at ShermanHouse.org.
| Date Taken: | 12.05.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 12.09.2021 11:08 |
| Story ID: | 410464 |
| Location: | LANCASTER, OH, US |
| Hometown: | LANCASTER, OH, US |
| Web Views: | 31 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Home of Civil War General Preserved as Museum, by SGT Natalie Pantalos, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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