All are invited to Piatt Castle Mac-A-Cheek to celebrate its 150th year since it was built. The event will pause to admire the architecture and artistry of this Victorian home and enchanting setting and announce plans to preserve the property, restore architectural details and expand our vision for public education.
The event, called A Toast to Time: Piatt Castle Mac-A-Cheek’s Sesquicentennial, will be held on Saturday, Aug. 28 from 3-7 p.m. at Mac-A-Cheek Castle located at 10051 Township Road 47, West Liberty, Ohio. It is sponsored by Piatt Castle, a private museum, and the Mac-A-Cheek Foundation for the Humanities (MFH), a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization that sponsors educational experiences.
Demonstrations, discussions, tours and activities will occur outdoors or under tents from 3-5:30 p.m., including: Historic Masonry Restoration with Larry Vance; Decorative Painting and Restoration by Michael and Ann Blanck of Blanck Studio of Art; Limestone Chiseling and Caring for Wood with James White, Piatt Castle Mac-A-Cheek; Planning Restoration from the Conservatory, through the Tunnel and into the Garden by MFH board members, Kip Laurens and David James with an information area on heirloom plants by the Champaign County Gardeners; and Castles for Kids: Hands-on Activities focusing on building and decorating Castles with Logan Boggs, Piatt Castle Program Assistant.
Special Tours of the Castle Cellar will be held at 3:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. by Margaret Piatt and between 4:30-5:30 p.m., architectural historian Kevin Rose will focus on exterior details revealing how this structure is both unique and typical for a mansion built in 1871. At 5:30 p.m., Rose will offer insights on the same topic for select locations of the interior while other artisans draw attention to artistic features inside the home.
Devon Hardwick of Preservation Ohio will host a conversation area called, Let’s talk about Preservation.
Attendees are welcome to come and go as they wish. Registration is not required and there is no cost for the outdoor activities between 3-5 p.m., cellar tours, or discussions about the interior at 5:30 p.m. or refreshments at 6:30 p.m. Regular admission fees will be charged for facilitated, self-guided interpretive tours between the hours of 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.
The event will culminate at 6:30 p.m. with a round of toasts and sentiments as members of the Piatt family, Castle staff, and MFH Board members share their vision for preservation and restoration of the building and public access to this property in the future. Others are welcome to give a toast, too.
For updates and specific times, visit www.piattcastle.org or call 937-465-2821 or 937-844-3902.
This event is funded, in part, by the Mary Eleanor Morris Fund of the Columbus Foundation.
