ADVISORY/Media Preview Scheduled for the Renovated Fort Meigs; The Largest Fort Re-Creation in The United States & The New Fort Meigs Museum & Education Center.

Assignment Desks

ADVISORY...for April 23 (Wednesday)

COLUMBUS, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 7, 2003

Please make reservations by Friday, Apr. 18 to Maggie Sanese at 800/686-1529, 614/297-2311, or [e-mail].

WHAT:       The $6.2 million renovation at Fort Meigs State Memorial
            in Perrysburg includes the construction of the Museum
            & Education Center, new and renovated exhibits in four
            fort blockhouses, reconstruction of the stockade and
            outdoor interpretive signs and landscaping.

WHEN:       Wednesday, April 23, 2003
10-11 a.m.  - Registration, preliminary self-guided tours, interviews
              and discussion with OHS staff and area tourism
              representatives.
11-12:30    - Program begins with brief remarks by Ohio Historical
              Society Executive Director Gary C. Ness and Dr. Richard
              Ruppert, chair of the Campaign for Fort Meigs. Site
              Manager Larry Nelson leads a tour of the museum and
              renovated fort and blockhouse exhibits.
12:30-1:15  - Luncheon, including an overview of OHS bicentennial
              projects by Dr. Ness.
1:15-2:30   - Staffed exhibits remain available for viewing.

VISUALS:    Costumed military re-enactors will greet you at the
            entrance of the museum's new exhibit, titled Legacy of
            Freedom: Fort Meigs and the War of 1812. Original military
            uniforms, powder horns and political memorabilia belonging
            to William Henry Harrison will be placed in exhibit cases
            at the museum during the 11 a.m. program. The OHS staff
            will be putting the last 10 percent of the exhibit in
            place, including many objects that were never previously
            exhibited.

INTERVIEWS: Larry Nelson, Gary Ness, Dr. Ruppert, Lee Rumora
            (OHS project architect) and Cliff Eckle (collections
            specialist) will be available from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

WHERE:      Fort Meigs State Memorial, Perrysburg, adjacent to Toledo
            (see directions below).

BACKGROUND

-- Scheduled to open May 3, 2003, the Fort Meigs project is one

of many Ohio Historical Society endeavors that is planned as a

lasting legacy of the state's bicentennial commemoration in

2003. Saturday, May 3 is the anniversary of the first of two

major sieges at Fort Meigs, which turned the tide towards the

Americans in the War of 1812.

-- The Fort Meigs renovation project is funded by $6.2 million in

state capital improvement funds. A Toledo area support group

headed by Dr. Ruppert is leading the $1.5 million Campaign for

Fort Meigs. The private funds raised will create the Society's

first endowment fund dedicated to one of its historic sites

and will cover enhancements to the museum, the grounds,

collections activities, and school and public programming.

DIRECTIONS: Fort Meigs is on W. River Rd. (S.R. 65) in Perrysburg, adjacent to Toledo. From I-75 (exit 195) or I-90 (exit 4A) exit and turn west on S.R. 795 (or Indiana Ave., which becomes S.R. 65/River Rd.). Continue 5 miles to site.