Blegen Library

Cincinnati

Located at the University of Cincinnati, the Blegen Library maintains a solid selection of sources related to early Ohio. Its Special Collections are quite diverse and cover topics such as the classics, the history of science, law, and music. However, Blegen’s Archives and Rare Books Library may be most interesting to early Americanists. In addition to its Rare Books, the Blegen also has an extensive collection of German Americana. There are also Local Government Records which date back to 1791 and include various public documents created by both the City of Cincinnati and Hamilton County. Items held by the Blegen Library can be searched via its Online Catalog. Much of Blegen’s materials have been digitized and can be viewed through its Digital Collections and Exhibits.

Cincinnati Museum Center

Cincinnati

Housed in the recently renovated Union Terminal, the Cincinnati Museum Center (CMC) is a multi-museum complex that collects and preserves the material and documentary history of Cincinnati. Its Cincinnati History Library and Archives houses various sources related to the early Ohio River Valley. Among its holdings are a Printed Works Collection of rare books, pamphlets, broadsides, maps, and newspapers that are strong in the 18th and 19th centuries, and a Photographs & Film collection made up of nearly 800,000 unique items. Over 11,300 collections of Manuscripts can also be found at the Library and Archives, many of which date to the 18th century and chronicle the founding of Cincinnati and its later role in the Civil War. A general finding aid for the Library’s collections can be found here. Another branch of the CMC is the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. Besides maintaining several Permanent Exhibits, the Freedom Center as manages the John Parker Library and Family Search Center, an important genealogical resource for the Cincinnati area.

Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library

Cincinnati

The Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library maintains various materials and resources related to the early history of Ohio. Its Special Collections includes the famous Fontayne and Porter Daguerreotype of Cincinnati’s riverfront and the Inland Rivers Library. There are also several resources related to Genealogy and Local History, with a particular focus on Cincinnati History and African American History. The Library subscribes and provides access to various Research Databases and Online Resources. Much of the Library’s rare and unique materials have been digitized and can be viewed on its Digital Library.

Dayton Metro Library

Dayton

The Dayton Metro Library houses a small yet significant collection of sources related to early Ohio and the Miami Valley region. These materials can be found in the Library’s Dayton Room and include rare books, manuscripts, magazines, maps, newspapers, photographs, pamphlets, and much more. Some standouts include the Van Cleve-Dover Collection and the Schaeffer Papers. Finding Aids are available online for some items. Some of these items have been digitized and can be viewed through the Library’s digital collection, Dayton Remembers.

Jerome Library

Bowling Green

The Jerome Library serves as the main library for Bowling Green State University. Its Center for Archival Collections holds an assortment of early Ohio sources. These Collections include Local Government Records, Manuscript Collections, Newspapers, and Rare Books. Standing out among these archival holdings are the Historical Collections of the Great Lakes, which consist of books, pamphlets, architectural drawings, maps, charts, photographs, and manuscripts documenting maritime life in northern Ohio. Finding Aids are available online, and the Center’s holdings can be searched on its Catalog. Much of these materials have been digitized and can be viewed on the Jerome Library’s Digital Gallery.

King Library

Oxford

Located at Miami University, the King Library maintains a solid collection of early American sources. Its Walter Havighurst Special Collections & University Archives oversees tens of thousands of rare books, manuscripts, and other unique items. A list of its Collections is available. Some standouts among its early America materials include the Samuel Fulton Covington Collection, the Myaamia Collection, the Samuel W. Richey Collection of the Southern Confederacy, and the Benjamin and Caroline Scott Harrison Collection. Researchers can search the Special Collections through the King Library’s Online Catalog. Much of these materials have been digitized and can be viewed through the King Library’s Digital Collections.

Lloyd Library & Museum

Cincinnati

The Lloyd Library & Museum is an independent research library that focuses on the histories of science, medicine, and naturalism, with a particular emphasis on botany. Various Exhibits focus not only on the scientific and medical aspects of plant life, but also its influence on art and material objects. Its library holdings consist of nearly 65,000 Books and Serials published before the mid-19th century. The Lloyd’s Archives are made up of manuscripts, correspondence, field notes, and other materials related to botany, pharmacology, and art. Other materials held by the Lloyd include Photographs and an extensive Nursey & Seed Catalog Collection. Items held by the Lloyd can be searched in the University of Cincinnati’s Libraries Catalog. Much of the Lloyd’s holdings have been digitized and can be viewed through its Digital Exhibits and through the Cincinnati Public Library’s Digital Library. Several Fellowships are offered by the Lloyd each year.

Marietta College Library

Marietta

The Marietta College Library maintains an impressive selection of sources related to early Ohio and beyond. Its Special Collections include roughly 50,000 rare Books, an extensive collection of Photographs, and thousands of unique Manuscripts. These archival holdings are especially strong in late 18th and early 19th century collections pertaining to the American colonization of the Ohio River Valley. Finding Aids are available for many manuscript collections, and the Library has an Online Catalog. Much of the Special Collections’ material has been digitized and can be viewed through its Exhibits and Digital Collections.

Ohio History Connection

Columbus

Formerly the Ohio Historical Society, the Ohio History Connection (OHC) maintains the worlds largest collection of Ohio-related sources. Its Archives & Library provides access to nearly 2 million artifacts and over 700,000 archival materials. Much of these Collections chronicle well the pre-historical, indigenous, colonial, territorial, and early national histories of Ohio and the surrounding region. A robust selection of Manuscripts includes African American Collections, Political Papers, Military Papers, Business Records, materials on Women’s History, and much more. The OHC is also responsible for preserving the State Archives, including records of the State Government and Local Government Records. An Online Catalog allows researchers to search the OHC’s archival holdings. A fair amount of Digital Resources, including Digital Collections, are also available. Digitized materials from the OHC are also well represented on Ohio Memory.

Ross County Historical Society

Chillicothe

The Ross County Historical Society holds some of the most important sources for the study of early Ohio. Its museum maintains a sizeable collection of material objects that tell the history of Chillicothe and the surrounding region. Next door to the museum is the McKell Library, which manages the Society’s extensive selection of personal papers, business records, government documents, maps, and other materials related to Ohio’s territorial and early statehood periods. Archival materials can be searched in the Society’s Online Collections Database.

Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library & Museums

Fremont

The Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library & Museums is the oldest presidential library in the United States. Both the Hayes Home and the Hayes Museum offer a snapshot into the material life of the nation’s 19th president. Its Hayes Research Library is home to various Manuscript Collections that contain not just The Rutherford B. Hayes & The Hayes Family Papers, but also the Charles E. Frohman Collections, Local Government Records, Local History Collections, and Miscellaneous Manuscripts. Much of these items are especially rich in the maritime history of northern Ohio and the Buckeye State’s role in the Civil War. The Library also has collections of Newspapers, Prints & Photographs, and Sheet Music. Researchers have access to various Guides and Finding Aids, an Objects Catalog for the Museum, and Library Catalogs. Much of the Library’s holdings have been digitized and can be viewed through its Digital Collections.

Toledo-Lucas County Public Library

Toledo

Founded in 1838, the Toledo-Lucas County Public Library was Ohio’s first public library created with tax money. Its Local History and Genealogy Department is home to various collections and resources that document the heritage and culture of northwestern Ohio. Archival holdings are listed within its Manuscript Collection Inventories. The Department also provides access to various Periodicals, Databases, and Resources on Microfilm. A standout is its collection on the Toledo War fought between Ohio and Michigan, much of which is digitized. Other materials digitized by the Library can be found in its Local History: Digital Collections.

The University of Akron Archives and Special Collections

Archives

Housed inside the Polsky Building, The University of Akron Archives and Special Collections maintains a solid selection of sources related to 19th century Ohio. Its Regional History Collections focus heavily on Akron and the surrounding region. These collections are particularly strong in Canals and the Civil War. Other resources include Local Government Records and Rare Books. Special Collections can be searched here. Much of the Special Collections’ materials are digitized and can be viewed through its Digital Collections.

Vernon R. Alden Library

Athens

Located at Ohio University, the Vernon R. Alden Library is home to various sources related to early Ohio. Its Robert E. and Jean R. Mahn Center for Archives and Special Collections maintains a variety of materials, including the University Archives, Government Documents, Rare Books, and Manuscripts. While not as robust as other collections found in the Buckeye State, these archival materials are unique and provide a window into 19th century Ohio. Finding Aids are available for browsing, and researchers may search Alden’s holdings through its ALICE Catalog. Much of Alden’s early materials have been digitized and can be viewed on its Digital Archives.

Western Reserve Historical Society

Cleveland

The Western Reserve Historical Society (WRHS) is the oldest cultural institution in Cleveland and concentrates on collecting and preserving the material history of northeastern Ohio. Its Museum Collections include various types of material objects relating to the arts, fashion, and militaria, and the largest collection of materials related to the Shaker communities in the United States. Archival holdings can be accessed through its Research Library. Some of its most Significant Collections focus on Women’s History, Religion, Politics and Governance, Military History, and the Civil War. Black history resources can be found in its African American Archives. Online catalogs for the Library and the Museum are available. Another useful search tool is its Genealogy Index. Much of the WRHS’s holdings have been digitized and can be viewed through its Exhibits and its Digital Collections.

Other Ohio Archives & Sources

Many Ohio counties still retain their earliest records. Check with county clerks’ offices to find what is available. GenealogyDig maintains a solid List of Ohio Genealogical and Historical Societies. Wright State University’s Dunbar Library maintains an Emancipation Index of freed Blacks who had to register with the State of Ohio in the 19th century. It includes registers for Greene, Logan, Miami, and Montgomery Counties. The American Antiquarian Society’s Richard Parker Morgan Databases has a couple tools related to Ohio: the Morgan Bibliography of Ohio Imprints and the Ohio Name Index. A useful resource for online research is Ohio Memory, a statewide collaboration project that digitizes archival materials from various repositories in Ohio.

Various regional repositories hold sources related to early Ohio, including the Detroit Public Library, the Filson Historical Society, the Hillman Library, the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, the Indiana State Library, the Newberry Library, and the William L. Clements Library. Early Ohio sources can also be found at the Library of Congress and the National Archives and Records Administration.

As a space of British and French colonization attempts, Ohio is well represented in the archives of Canada, France, and the United Kingdom. Check with Canada’s Library and Archives Canada, France’s Archives Nationales d’Outre-Mer and Bibliotheque Nationale de France, and the United Kingdom’s National Archives at Kew.