Nearly six months after Mark Young resigned from his position in Tiffin as executive director of The American Civil War Museum of Ohio, Interim Director Mike Baltzell said he is anticipating taking the next step to market the museum locally and nationally.
"We are looking at doing some geneological research of people who were in prison at Johnson Island Prison during the Civil War and contacting people who are descendants of those soldiers," Baltzell said.
A new museum board, consisting of local business people, could help bring the museum into the future.
Young, who previously operated as the executive director and museum curator, left and took 40 percent of the artifacts.
"Museum volunteers filled a lot of the empty spaces with their private collections."
Ninety-three percent of all museums have permanent collections, according to the American Association of Museums.
Baltzell said he wants the museum to form a partnership, but he would not disclose with whom.
"We may co-share with exhibits similar to Rutherford B. Hayes Center," he said.
The board consists of President James Wilson, Vice President Gary Dundore, Treasurer Rex Felton, Theresa Sullivan of Tiffin Tommorow, local attorney John Lay, Martin Koop and Baltzell.
"We plan to operate like a business," Baltzell said. "The museum is in transition and has new direction and new focus."
Baltzell wants to secure grants, donations and support to maintain a vision of keeping the museum for a genealogical resource center, educational purposes and a venue for entertainment.
"It is used as entertainment as people in the community - often doctors or lawyers - secure the facility for an evening and have dinner and give awards," he said.
Baltzell was raised in the Tiffin area and retired from the former Honeywell in Fostoria in 2001.
