The Spirit of ’76 Museum
Home to Archibald Willard’s most beloved works and 150+ years of Southern Lorain County history
Welcome
Step into a piece of American art history. The Spirit of ’76 Museum is home to the memory and legacy of Archibald M. Willard, painter of “Spirit of ’76” — one of the most iconic and inspirational images in American art. Housed in a 19th-century cheese warehouse in the heart of downtown Wellington, Ohio, the museum holds more than 5,000 artifacts chronicling the region’s history, from Willard’s paintings to the story of Wellington’s once-thriving cheese industry and railroads.
Admission is always free.
Current Exhibit
America 250: The Spirit That Started It All
As the nation marks its 250th birthday, we celebrate the patriotic spirit Archibald Willard captured more than a century ago. View the original fife, on loan from Hugh Mosher’s family—the musician who modeled for the painting—alongside artifacts that tell the story of Wellington’s own “Spirit of ’76.”
Visit Us
Hours
Saturdays & Sundays
1:00 – 3:30 p.m.
April through October
(closed during Fair Week)
Location
201 N. Main St.
Wellington, OH 44090
Street parking on Main St. & Herrick Ave., plus public parking behind Town Hall
Accessibility
Admission is free. All three floors of the museum are handicapped accessible.
Group Tours
Welcome by appointment — contact us to schedule a date and time.
What You’ll Discover
Archibald Willard’s Legacy
See original works and reproductions by the artist behind “Spirit of ’76,” shaped by the Revolutionary War stories of his own grandfather.
Wellington’s Cheese Industry
Explore artifacts from the era when Wellington was a hub of Ohio’s cheese trade — including the very building the museum calls home.
Railroads & Local History
Discover how the railroad shaped Southern Lorain County, alongside thousands of artifacts donated by the community since 1968.
Our Story
Founded in 1968 by the Southern Lorain County Historical Society, The Spirit of ’76 Museum began with a simple need: somewhere to house the growing Alex Justice collection. A call went out to the community for artifacts, and the response was overwhelming — including eight oil paintings by Archibald Willard, entrusted to the museum. The name honored Willard’s most famous work, painted just a few miles from where the museum now stands.
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The Spirit of '76 Museum 