Historic H.G. Blake portrait donated to MCHS

MEDINA — A portrait of H.G. Blake has found a new home at the McDowell-Phillips House Museum, where it will be displayed as part of the museum's efforts to preserve local history. The portrait, which hung for decades in the former Old Phoenix Bank building on Medina Square, was recently donated by Huntington Bank and will be installed in the dining room of the McDowell-Phillips House Museum. Blake founded the Old Phoenix Bank and played a significant role in Medina County's development during the 19th century. The portrait complements exhibits and documents already housed at the museum, Medina County Historical Society President Brian Feron said. "His daughter was Elizabeth McDowell, and Elizabeth and her husband, Robert, built the McDowell-Phillips House, and even though he didn't live in the house, she kept all his belongings that we have in the museum," Feron said. Blake died in 1876, and the portrait had been displayed in the bank's boardroom for so many years that no one knows exactly when it was first hung there, according to Feron. The portrait remains in good condition and requires little restoration beyond minor cleaning and preservation work on the frame. "I think it's important that people touring the museums understand these people who helped develop our county to what it is today," he said. The museum already has a room dedicated to Blake, but it was determined that the large portrait would be more visible in the dining room, where visitors can easily view it. The donation ensures that the portrait will remain preserved and accessible to the public, as ownership and staffing at the bank have changed over the years. "We're glad that while they were there and able to do so, they took the steps to save it," Feron said. The portrait is expected to be on display during the museum's next open house on June 14. Contact reporter Sam Russ at (330) 491-6962 or sruss@medina-gazette.com.