Ohio Historical Society in COLUMBUS, Franklin County, United States | Historical Society

Welcome to Ohio Historical Society, COLUMBUS, Ohio, United States. In 1885 a group of Ohioans established the Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Society, COLUMBUS proclaiming in its charter the goal of preserving aspects of the state's past. These citizens realized that Ohio's numerous earthworks and significant ancient artifacts offered eloquent testimony about its prehistoric heritage. In addition, they wanted to document Ohio's contributions to the nation's growth and development. They were concerned that, without a statewide organization dedicated to the preservation of Ohio's history, much of the physical evidence of Ohio's past would be, at best, preserved by museums and libraries outside the state, or at worst, lost entirely.
Today, the Ohio Historical Society (OHS) conducts an expanded range of activities related to interpreting, collecting and preserving the state's heritage. In the last century, the society has collected more than 1.5 million items pertaining to Ohio's history, archaeology, and natural history. One of the largest state historical organizations in the country, OHS now has membership of over 9,000.