Ohio inventions and firsts · First · 1919
Butler Institute of American Art
Founded in 1919 by Joseph G. Butler Jr. at 524 Wick Avenue; its McKim, Mead & White building is on the National Register of Historic Places. The museum says its building was the first structure built to house a collection of strictly American works. Admission is free.
At a glance
- Year
- 1919
- Company
- Butler Institute of American Art
- Place
- Youngstown, Mahoning County ZIP 44502 · Youngstown · Mahoning County
Why it matters
Home to major American paintings, including Winslow Homer's Snap the Whip.
Who gets the credit is disputed
The Ohio claim. The Butler's own site says its building was the first structure built to house a collection of strictly American works, and Wikipedia calls it the first museum dedicated exclusively to American art.
The other claims. The museum's own wording is the narrower 'first structure built', while the broader 'first museum of American art' form is repeated by others; it is a claim, not a settled ranking.
Sources
Confidence. Medium: the main facts were confirmed, but some details (often an address or ZIP code) were not.