"2008 was a tough year for those interested in history...", says Timothy Brookes, President of the East Liverpool Historical Society.
History met with the tough times of the present last year. In the spring, the state cut funding to the Ohio Historical Society, which trickled down to four sites-- one of them the Museum of Ceramics in East Liverpool.
"Ultimately it means that we lost 93 percent of our funding at the end of May, after seven weeks notice.", says Sarah Vodrey, Director of the Museum of Ceramics.
Vodrey, who comes from a long line of East Liverpool potters, quickly formed the Museum of Ceramics Foundation, turning the formerly state staffed and funded museum into a non-profit operation.
The museum now relies on donations, membership and admission fees for all but seven percent of its funding. The latest gift came New Year's Eve in the form of a one-thousand dollar check from the East Liverpool Historical Society.
Vodrey says, "Without them we would not have items to be on display, mostly, I'd say over 60 percent of what we have for people to see is locally owned."
"The possibility was they would call me up and say 'come get your stuff', and that's a nightmare that we don't really want to face.", says Brookes.
Support has come from collectors and history buffs from all corners of the country. The Casto family stopped by to see the Museum, while visiting family in East Liverpool from Wisconsin for the holidays.
"Both my grandparents and my father as a child worked in the potteries, and so I've been trying to share some of that history with my children.", says Judy Casto.
Donations will keep the doors open until May. But Vodrey hopes this short-term solution to state cutbacks will help preserve a piece of American history, and keep the museum open for many years to come.
