The Cultural Center of Henry County (CCHC) is transforming a historic school and its 700-seat JLJ Auditorium in Napoleon, Ohio, into a community hub for arts, education, athletics, and wellness. This initiative honors the building’s past while establishing a clear, sustainable plan for its future.
Progress & Planning
We’ve adopted an adaptive strategic plan to guide this work through each phase—legal, financial, and operational. Over the past 18 months, CCHC has surveyed the community, updated its mission, engaged volunteers and donors, maintained the facility, and developed long-term budget forecasts. Each step brings the project closer to active use and lasting sustainability.
More Than Preservation
Revitalizing this space is about more than saving a building—it’s about reinvigorating Napoleon’s civic life. Projects like ours strengthen small towns through shared spaces for creativity, connection, and opportunity. Once operational, the facility will host events, performances, and programs that foster local pride, draw visitors, and enhance quality of life across Henry County.
Renovation & Community Impact
The renovation plan makes full use of the property’s existing assets: a cafeteria and reception hall, meeting rooms, gymnasium, and a visual and performing arts auditorium. Upgrades will be completed in stages as funding allows, creating a flexible, multi-use campus. CCHC anticipates several phases, beginning with re-establishing occupancy through programs that activate the space and demonstrate its long-term potential.
Cultural Center of Henry County | Three Arches Ohio
Community feedback noted that our original website address — CulturalCenterHC.org — could be hard to remember. As our updated mission and vision began to center on the facility’s three beautiful arches, adopting a simpler web address — ThreeArchesOhio.com — felt like a natural step. It not only reflects our foundational story but is also easier to share. Both addresses will continue to work and direct visitors to the same site. Whether people think of the repurposed building as a civic, community, or cultural center, the value of a shared gathering place remains the same. As will our three arches.
Supporters & What's Next
To date, more than 70 donors have contributed to this effort, including a major commitment to help maintain operations through the first five years of occupancy.
Next steps include pursuing grants, additional donors, and program partnerships to continue renovations and expand community use. Each contribution—large or small—helps move this vision forward.
