Sounds of Sandusky County Exhibit Showcasing the Region’s Surprising 60s Music History Opens at Hayes Presidential Library & Museums Sep 02

Sounds of Sandusky County Exhibit Showcasing the Region's Surprising 60s Music History Opens at Hayes Presidential Library & Museums

Exhibit Opening Event: September 18 at 6:30 p.m.

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erra State Community College and Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library & Museums invite the community to experience Sounds of Sandusky County, a new exhibit showcasing relics, records, and recording equipment from the region's surprising 1960s music scene.

The exhibit's grand opening event happens on Thursday, September 18, at 6:30 p.m. at the
Hayes Presidential Library & Museums in Fremont. The event-including a first look at the exhibit-is free and open to the public that evening with an RSVP to [email protected].

The evening will feature a local music history presentation by J. Brennan Willis, Director of Music and Technology at Terra State Community College. The presentation will include newly discovered jazz recordings of Toledo jazz legend Cliff Murphy; stories of local music pioneer Bob Brown, whose concert productions helped bring legendary acts like The Beach Boys,
The Kingsmen, and The Lettermen, to Northwest Ohio, and never-before-seen footage
of Fremont in the forties.

Following the presentation, guests will get a first look at the Sounds of Sandusky County exhibit. Curated by Willis in collaboration with Terra State's Music Program, now celebrating its 25th anniversary, the exhibit explores how Sandusky County has played a vital, and often unexpected, role in shaping American music.

"This is more than just a historical exhibit," says Willis. "It's an immersive story of how music shaped this region, and how it continues to evolve through programs like ours at Terra State."

Highlights of the Sounds of Sandusky County exhibit include:
• Memorabilia from legendary concerts featuring The Beach Boys, The Lettermen,
and The Kingsmen
• Vintage equipment and artifacts from Sandusky County's earliest recording studio
• A rare 1965 performance contract for The Beach Boys, signed by Bob Brown and Carl Wilson, brother of Brian Wilson
• Original vinyl records, reel-to-reel tapes, analog soundboards, and other technological milestones

The exhibit also looks to the future, spotlighting how Terra State's Music Program continues to train and inspire tomorrow's musicians, producers, and sound engineers.

For area music history enthusiasts, students dreaming of a creative career, or those simply curious about the soundtrack of Northwest Ohio, Sounds of Sandusky County offers something for everyone.

The Sounds of Sandusky County exhibit at Hayes Presidential Library & Museums opens September 18, 2025, and runs through May 31, 2026. After Sept. 18, access to see the exhibit will be included with regular museum admission.

Terra State faculty, staff and students who present their Terra State I.D. will receive a discount for a Hayes Presidential Library & Museums site pass, which includes admission to the museum and Hayes Home. This discounted rate is $16 for the duration of the special exhibit.

About Terra State Community College
Terra State is a leading community college in Northwest Ohio, providing hands-on education and real-world experience in music, technology, and beyond. Terra State has a long history of service to the community and providing students with an education that is both accessible and affordable. Terra State offers 25 applied degrees and 38 certificates to students.

About Hayes Presidential Library & Museums
The Hayes Presidential Library & Museums is America's first presidential library and the forerunner of the federal presidential library system. It is partially funded by the state of Ohio and affiliated with the Ohio History Connection. Hayes Presidential is located at Spiegel Grove on Buckland Avenue. For information, call 419-332-2081, or visit rbhayes.org. Like Hayes Presidential on Facebook and follow on Instagram at rbhayespres and on Bluesky at rbhayespres.bsky.social.