Museum Adds Accessibility Ramp
A dream of the Belmont County Historical Society came true the first official day of the 2026 Barnesville Pumpkin Festival, Thursday, Sept. 24, with the dedication of an accessibility ramp at the rear entrance of the Victorian Mansion Museum, 532 N. Chestnut Street.
“Even though we’re an historical building, we wanted to be able to get our handicapped guests into the museum,” board president Kathy Messenger said at the dedication.
“Initially, we wanted to do a chair ramp, but that didn’t work out, so we went to plan B with a handicapped accessible ramp.”
The museum successfully applied for a South Central Power Company Operation Roundup grant, while local business owners, Richard and Janie Pryor, owners of Buckeye Steel, donated the metal that was used to construct the ramp.
The Pryors and South Central Power Company’s Tim Miller, District Supervisor of the Lancaster Division, were on hand for the dedication.
Museum board member Wayne Schuerle and his grandson, Antoni Scheurle, visited and inspected ramps at other facilities to help them design and assemble the final product.
The impetus for the project was a visit by the Bellaire PALS group several months ago. Nick Cross, a member of that group, who must navigate by a wheelchair, was not able to experience the museum.
“He wanted to come in and visit with his friends and we could not get him in,” Messenger said. “I promised him that day we would work on getting a solution to the problem, and today’s that day” pointing to Cross who was present for the dedication.
©Barnesville Area News Company Photos
A brass plaque, to be attached to the rear porch of the museum recognizing the Pryor’s and South Central Power Company’s contributions, reads as follows:
Accessibility made possible by a generous donation from South Central Power Company’s Operation Round Up and a donation of material from Buckeye Steel. August 16, 2026
Also providing remarks was Aaron Bracone, CEO/Founder of PALS Ohio, headquartered in Columbus.
“This is an inspiration and what it should be,” Bracone said. “Sometimes there are barriers, there are walls in our way, but obviously when there are big hearts like everyone here, there’s no wall we can’t get through. So this is a very meaningful and historic day.”
After the dedication, Cross finally experienced the historic mansion museum for the first time.
Information on PALS Ohio that provides “unique person-centered care for adults with disabilities” may be found here.
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