Discover important facts about the area's history here! Toledo's Attic is linked to several digital archives, library catalogs, and databases to support local history research. While traditional archives maintain rare book and manuscript collections, the growing volume of digital content provide access to historical collections of documents, photographs, and recordings. Archival materials will never be completely digital, but the wealth of information in the traditional media (paper, photos, film, and vinyls) is well worth visiting the local libraries and archives. This is your virtual carrel with helpful links to archives, libraries, museums, and websites with credible historical information. Found a broken link? Please email us:
Archives and Libraries in Northwest Ohio
Links to Northwest Ohio-based libraries, archives, and their digital collections.
Books on Local History
The Canaday Center collections feature many books on local history. Use the University of Toledo Library Catalog to explore the center's collection of rare books and more recent publications on local history.
Genealogy Resources
Over the past few decades, genealogical research has been revolutionized with the help of electronic databases, DNA analysis, and improved access to historical documents at libraries and archives. The growing number of Web resources and available volunteers have also made a considerable difference to those who could not find information using conventional research methods. This Genealogical resource page was developed with assistance from the Local History and Genealogy Department at the Toledo Lucas Public Library, and was subsequently expanded to include other resources. We hope to assist visitors in their search for ancestors, long-lost relatives, and related information.
National History Day (NHD) Resources
These are resources selected specifically for National History Day student contestants. The documents, photographs, and recordings are digital versions of original records preserved in archives, libraries, and museums.
Newspaper Archives
A collection of links to digitized local, regional, and national newspapers.
Northwest Ohio History
Northwest Ohio History (formerly the Northwest Ohio Quarterly) is a regional journal of history and culture published by the Maumee Valley Historical Society. Published continuously since 1929, the journal features scholarly essays, book reviews, and edited primary documents relating to the Maumee Valley, Northwest Ohio, the Western Basin of Lake Erie, and surrounding regions.
Northwest Ohio History (University of Toledo Libraries Catalog Record)
Recorded Lectures and Presentations
You can view recorded lectures and presentations focusing on the region's history--arranged alphabetically below. Many of these have been produced by WGTE/Knowledgestream. Toledo Stories is a separate series of documentaries also produced by WGTE.
Shorpy Historical Photo Archive - Toledo
A small collection of 19 historical photographs of Toledo maintained by Shorpy, a vintage photograph blog featuring images from the last 100 years.
State and Regional Archives throughout the U.S.
Local history scholars and Toledo high school students preparing for History Day with a website presentation now have a new resource at their fingertips. This page brings together digital collections from archives and libraries throughout the U. S. Students can focus on any state or region, find images and historical information, and use them for their projects.
Digital Public Library of America (DPLA)
A digital collection of almost 48 million images, texts, sounds, and videos from across the United States. The site also includes online exhibitions, primary source collections, and more.
Toledo Lucas County Public Library Digital Collections
A new resource by the Toledo-Lucas County Public Library, now comprising the greater Ohio Memory Collection.
Web Resources
The list contains links to various websites of interest, including blogs, historical societies and museums, other organizations, and antique specialists.