Economic Development
Freedlander’s Department Store
Freelander’s was a staple of Wooster life and a favorite shopping destination for over 100 years. This exhibit takes you from the store’s founding in 1884, through the boom years in the twentieth century and eventually to Freelander’s unfortunate closing in 2009, though its legacy as a beloved store lives on today.
The Railroads
As is the case with many American towns, the railroad was Wooster’s connection to not only the rest of Ohio but to the global economy. This exhibit investigates the history and the impact of the railroads in Wooster, and how they changed everything from travel to trade for regular Americans but eventually fell out of fashion with new technology.
Eight Decades of Rubbermaid in Wooster
One of the companies that had the greatest impact on Wooster was Rubbermaid. Founded in the 1920s by Wooster residents, Rubbermaid would became an American household name after WWII. Despite their success being centered in Wooster in the post war economic boom, Rubbermaid would eventually leave its home city, but its impact on Wooster can still be felt today.