Ohio History Public Value Study

Exploring the Public Value of Ohio's History, a study about how Ohioans think of, use and value history, was released on February 25, 2009.

The report summarizes survey data from historic site administrators, visitors to historic sites and museums, social studies teachers and the general public. The goal was to find out how people, from varying perspectives, care about and perceive of the public value of history in their daily lives.

In all, 2,341 people, almost all of them Ohio residents, responded to surveys either by phone, in person or online during the fall of 2008. The goal was to capture the extent to which people from varying perspectives care about and perceive of the public value of history in their daily lives. The report helps answer basic questions, such as:

• What events, memories and timeframes do people consider history?
• Do people care about their own past or that of their community?
• How do people prefer to use history or learn from it?
• Do those who say they value history differ in any way from those who say they do not?

Finally, the report discusses the value of historic preservation, offers recommendations for linking history with public policy opportunities as well as 10 case studies, or examples, of how history and historic preservation activities today are strengthening communities and adding value to the public.

The full report is available on the Ohio Historical Society’s website.