Ohio Archives and Libraries
The archives, libraries, and societies listed below have collections or services to assist researchers.
Ohio Historical Society
Ohio Historical Center
1982 Velma Avenue
Columbus, OH 43211-2497
Telephone: 614-297-2510
Fax: 614-297-2546
http://www.ohiohistory.org/resource/archlib/index.html
A useful guide to this collection is:
Lentz, Andrea D., ed. A Guide to Manuscripts at the Ohio Historical Society. Columbus, Ohio: The Ohio Historical Society, 1972. (FHL book 977.1 A3ohs.)
A description of sources at the Society is also included in:
Mettle, Suzanne Wolfe, et al., comps. Genealogical Researcher's Manual with Special References for Using the Ohio Historical Society Library. Columbus, Ohio: Franklin County Chapter, Ohio Genealogical Society, 1981. (FHL book 977.1 D27g.)
National Archives—Great Lakes Region
7358 S. Pulaski Road
Chicago, IL 60629 -5898
Telephone: 773-948-9001
Fax: 773-948-9050
http://www.archives.gov/great-lakes/chicago/
For information about their holdings, see:
Szucs, Loretto Dennis and Sandra Hargreaves Luebking. The Archives: A Guide to National Archives Field Branches. Salt Lake City, Utah: Ancestry, 1988. (FHL book 973 A3sz.)
Ohio Genealogical Society
713 S. Main Street
Mansfield, OH 44907-1644
Phone: (419) 756-7294
Fax: (419) 756-8681
Almost every county in Ohio has a branch of the OGS that actively collects, preserves, and publishes local records.
State Library of Ohio
Genealogical Section
65 South Front Street Rm 308
Columbus, OH 43215-4163
Telephone: 800–686–1532 or 614- 644–6966
Fax: 614-728-2789
A guide to the collection is:
County by County in Ohio Genealogy. Columbus, Ohio: The State Library, 1978. (FHL book 977.1 D23o; fiche 6046719.)
Western Reserve Historical Society
10825 East Boulevard
Cleveland, OH 44106-1788
Telephone: 216-721-5722
Fax: 216-721-0645
http://www.wrhs.org/default.asp
A guide to the holdings is:
Pike, Kermit J. A Guide to the Manuscripts and Archives of the Western Reserve Historical Society. Cleveland, Ohio: The Western Reserve Historical Society, 1972. (FHL book 977.1 A3p.)
Western Reserve Historical Society. History Library. Card Catalog to the Manuscripts Collection in the Library of the Western Reserve Historical Society. Salt Lake City, Utah: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1974. (FHL films 934566-69; 934617-18.)
Bowling Green State University
Center for Archival Collections
Jerome Library 5th floor
Bowling Green, OH 43403-0175
Telephone: 419-372-2411
Fax: 419-372-0155
http://www.bgsu.edu/colleges/library/cac/cac.html
Ohio University
Archives and Special Collections
Alden Library
Athens, OH 45701-2978
Telephone: (740) 593-2710
Fax: (740) 593-2708
http://www.library.ohiou.edu/archives/index.html
University of Cincinnati
Archives Department
Blegen Library
PO Box 201113
Cincinnati, OH 45221-0113
Telephone: 513-556-1959
Fax: 513-556-2113
http://www.libraries.uc.edu/libraries/arb/index.html
Wright State University
Special Collections and Archives
Paul Laurence Dunbar Library
Dayton, OH 45435-0001
Telephone: 937-775-2092
Fax: 937-775-4109
http://www.libraries.wright.edu/special/
Cleveland Public Library
325 Superior Avenue, N.E.
Cleveland, OH 44114
Telephone: 216- 623-2800
Fax: 216-623-7015
http://cpl.org/databases-links.asp
In the early 1940s the Historical Records Survey produced inventories of county courthouses and archives. These describe the existing records and record-keeping systems. The Family History Library has copies of these inventories for about 30 of the 88 counties in Ohio. These are listed in the Place Search of the Family History Library Catalog under: OHIO, [COUNTY] - ARCHIVES AND LIBRARIES - INVENTORIES, REGISTERS, CATALOGS
You may also learn about research sources in:
Larson, David R., ed. Guide to Manuscript Collections and Institutional Records in Ohio. n.p.: Society of Ohio Archivists, 1974. (FHL book 977.1 A34s.)
Yon, Paul D. Guide to Ohio County and Municipal Records for Urban Research. Columbus, Ohio: Ohio Historical Society, 1973. (FHL book 977.1 A3y; fiche 6051197.)
Directory of Museums, Historical Societies, and Associated Organizations in Ohio. 17th ed. Granville, Ohio: Ohio Association of Historical Societies and Museums, 1981. (FHL book 977.1 C4di 1981-82.)