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Main Street Kent and Kent Historical Society Present Six Days of Free Tours, Talks and Historic Experiences
To celebrate the 250th anniversary of the founding of our country, the Ohio History Connection has launched a program to encourage historic preservation and celebrate the history and revitalization of our towns and cities. Ohio Open Doors — a series of special local events — will take place in towns across Ohio September 10-20, 2026. Main Street Kent and the Kent Historical Society have worked together to create a week of special events to showcase the unique history of our community, Kent, Ohio. Each event will be free to the public and last about two to three hours.
The celebration begins on Tuesday, September 15 with a special Tap Talks at North Water Brewing Co. featuring three local authors who together have chronicled Kent’s pivotal role in the history of Rock ‘n Roll music from the 1960s until today. On Wednesday, September 16, visit the Kent Historical Society Museum at 237 East Main for cock-tails, hors d’oeuvres and tour exhibits that highlight Kent’s journey as a mill town, a canal town, a railroad town, and a college town. On Thursday, September 17, tour the Kent State University Museum to view one of the most important collections of fashion, textiles, and decorative arts spanning the mid-1700s to present.
Meet us on Friday, September 18 for Happy Hour at the 1875 Erie Depot on Franklin Avenue for a Historic Pub Tour. Learn more about the Depot, which served as Kent’s first lending library, and neighboring watering holes including the famous Ray’s Place. Saturday, September 19 brings a walking/mobile tour of landmark buildings along Gougler Avenue starting at the Carnegie Library and ending at the Unitarian Universalist Church, completed in 1868 on land donated by Marvin Kent. Speaking of Marvin Kent, you can tour the home he built on Sunday September 20 during the Historic Homes Tour. You’ll also tour the Wolcott Lilac Gardens and the Patton House, both nearby on West Main Street.
More information, times for each event, and free tickets/registration are available at mainstreetkent.org/ohio-open-doors/ Sign up now and celebrate a small town with a rich history, world-class museums, and big music
MEDIA RELEASE
Contact: Heather Malarcik at Main Street Kent
Phone: 330 677 8000 Email: heather@mainstreetkent.org