Happy Birthday, America! In honor of 250 years since 1776, the Ohio Commission for the U.S. Semi quincentennial (America 250) has chosen a different theme each month to highlight and celebrate Ohio’s rich history. Each month, The Dawes Arboretum’s History Team will be dropping a new collection to our archives that align with those themes. This month for Ohio Gathers: Statewide Homecoming & Picnics, learn about the picnics Beman Dawes used to host at The Arboretum!
Dawes shared his success from The Pure Oil Company with his employees by inviting them and their families to his Newark home every year for company picnics. That land is now known as The Dawes Arboretum. In 1920, nearly 400 people attended the first picnic and by 1928, almost 2,000 members of The Pure Oil company and family gathered at his farm. Learn more about the Pure Oil Company here.
The picnics were festive events where everyone gathered to relax, play games and compete in contests. Children and adults alike competed for prizes in games such as “kitten ball,” rolling pin throwing, chicken races, hog calling and tug-of-war. Guests also enjoyed watching the farm animals and younger children rode ponies.
They had live music and dancing. Guests brought their own picnic lunches, and the company provided lemonade, soft drinks and coffee. They also enjoyed Daweswood cream, ice cream and peanuts.
The Arboretum will be hosting a homecoming community picnic on July 12, 2026, to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary. Admission to The Arboretum will be free all day long! We are celebrating The Year of History at Dawes to commemorate our heritage which includes the picnics that our co-founder hosted for the Pure Oil Family over a century ago. This event is an opportunity to recreate many activities held in century’s past and will create a community for anyone who attends.
Bring your own picnic and blanket. Dawes will provide free drinks, popcorn and ice cream (while supplies last). Enjoy live music and games on the lawn just like in the day’s past! Learn more about the picnic here.
Please leave alcohol, grills and tobacco products at home. They are not permitted on The Arboretum’s property.
P.S. Don’t forget! The Arboretum’s annual History Center exhibit, “Fueling a Legacy: The Pure Oil Company and Beman Dawes,” will be open during the picnic.
To see these archival materials and more on the digital archive, click this link or go to the Advanced Search page and type out “America 250-Ohio” in Search Terms to view the entire collection. For questions concerning the digital archive, please email daweshistory@dawesarb.org.
Are you interested in doing in-person research at The Arboretum? Do you have a history question that you can’t find the answer online? Don’t hesitate to use the Department’s History Research Request Form, where you can get answers to all your Dawes history-related questions and research requests.