MPF Docents Promote Mariemont History!

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MPF has a wonderful team of Docents who take Mariemont’s History into the classroom!

Every year the Mariemont Elementary Third Grade classes take a field trip to the Mariemont Municipal Building Council Chambers. This year Docent Claire Kupferle engaged the students in role playing to teach the students how our Village Government works.

Another annual presentation is given to Fourth Graders on Mary Emery and the History of Mariemont. The students were fascinated with the presentation by Docents Cindy Dougherty, Linda Swensson and Joanie Welsh, who shared many stories about Mary Emery and shared historical photographs with the classes. The students then took a guided walking tour around the Historic District where docents pointed out the historical significance of many of the buildings. The students understood how Mariemont started as a planned community and what a special place it is today.

“Pioneers of the Lower Little Miami Valley” presentation

Docents showcase Mariemont – An Exemplar in Town Planning!

In September MPF Docent Cindy Dougherty brought local history to the doorstep of Mariemont Elementary Third Graders with a presentation about the first settlers to this area.  The students learned about Major Benjamin Stites and his party of 26 pioneers who first settled this area in “Columbia”.  They were introduced to the Ferris brothers who purchased land and settled in Mariemont and Fairfax. The students then walked over to the Ferris Family Cemetery to view the monuments and gravestones of Ferris family members.

Mariemont Elementary Second Graders learn about the early inhabitants of our Village
Second Graders were treated to a presentation by Paul Mulvany on the Late Fort Ancient Indians who inhabited the Madisonville Site.  To reinforce their learning experience the students then took a trip down to the Site where volunteers had set up a variety of activity stations, including an artifact table, an improvised “Archaeological Dig”, pottery making, learning hunting skills, music, and more.

Mariemont has played “host” to visiting groups to study town planning principles – and what better place to visit  than one of Town Planner John Nolen’s renowned planned communities. 

A group of Australian Urban Planners put Mariemont on their list of places to visit during a tour of cities and communities around the US. Karen Monzel Hughes led the group on a walk around Mariemont and Rick Griewe also gave them a tour of Emery Park and Nolen Park to highlight how well-planned and thoughtful development can coexist within an historic setting.

The USAF Institute of Technology Master Planning Class students participated in a comprehensive tour of Mariemont with Docent Paul Mulvany. A tour of the Historic District was followed by lunch at the National Exemplar where resident Tom Allman participated in discussion on urban planning principles. The group then took a driving tour around the rest of the Village with a stop at Graeters before heading back to Dayton.

Docent Paul Mulvany talks to Master Planning students from USAF Institute of Technology

If you are interested in becoming a docent please contact: [email protected]
This is a great way to learn and share our unique history!

Last modified: January 21, 2024