Museum at the Friends Home, Waynesville

About Museum at the Friends Home

The Museum at the Friends Home preserves a 1905 Quaker retirement residence in Waynesville, Ohio. Visitors tour the historic building to learn about its construction and the people who lived there. The structure features hand-poured concrete walls, original red brick exterior, and hand-cut wooden roof beams in the open-plan attic with windows on three sides. The building contained 16 boarder rooms, sitting rooms on two floors, and 4½ bathrooms—remarkable for its era with hot and cold running water, indoor plumbing, hot water heat, and electricity. The dining room displays two oak tables that seated 25 people for formal meals using china and linens. A Victrola from 1925 sits on the first floor near the office, with its original records still stored inside. The museum tells the story of the residents and staff who made this self-sufficient home function, supported by its large barn and grazing area.