The Firelands Historical Museum occupies one of the oldest homes in Norwalk, Ohio. Also called ?The Preston-Wickham House? and ?Wickman Mansion,? the Museum has been functioning for over 50 years.

The house is a combination of late Federal and early Greek Revival architecture. It has a 2-story front-porch and the structure?s frame was built by Samuel Preston in 1835. It completed its construction and was ready to be occupied in 1836. Preston was a carpenter before being the owner and editor of the Huron Reflector Newspaper, which is now called the Norwalk Reflector.

The Wickman Mansion was built as a wedding present and home for Lucy, Preston?s daughter, who married Frederick Wickham. It was also built to house the office of the Reflector Newspaper, which occupied the 2nd floor.

As time passed by, the house became a popular gathering place. The house was divided after the death of Emma Wickham Peters in 1950. Considered as the guardian of the heritage, she was an unimpeachable source of local history for many years.

As the house faced the threat of destruction in 1953, the Firelands Historical Society and their friends raised funds to buy the house and move it next to the public library for preservation.