In Fond Memory of Grace Luebke
1920-2009
The Local History Room at the Harris-Elmore Public Library has been in operation for over 40 years due to the painstaking research of local historian Grace Luebke. Housed there are numerous historical documents that are helpful to the expert genealogist or the curious patron. Obituaries, naturalization records, photographs, and news articles, etc. can be found for Ottawa, Sandusky, Wood, Lucas, and Erie Counties in a range of dates. A complete list of holdings is currently being compiled and can be viewed on this site by clicking the highlighted link below.
LOCAL HISTORY LIBRARY HOLDINGS
This site will hold a vast number of our collections in a digital format that will be searchable. This is made possible by a grant from the Ottawa County Community Foundation and a partnership with the Ohio Historical Society's Ohio Memory Project. In 2009, this project has also been funded in part by an LSTA grant that partners with 11 other Ohio Libraries through NORWELD. All of our digital collections can also be found at Ohio Memory.
If you would like to be part of this project, or wish to submit materials, please contact Jennifer Fording through the 'Contact Us' link.
LOCAL HISTORY LIBRARY HOLDINGS
This site will hold a vast number of our collections in a digital format that will be searchable. This is made possible by a grant from the Ottawa County Community Foundation and a partnership with the Ohio Historical Society's Ohio Memory Project. In 2009, this project has also been funded in part by an LSTA grant that partners with 11 other Ohio Libraries through NORWELD. All of our digital collections can also be found at Ohio Memory.
If you would like to be part of this project, or wish to submit materials, please contact Jennifer Fording through the 'Contact Us' link.
Dr. Frederick William Jaeger Journal (1845-1861)
Is Featured in University of Toledo Exhibit
The Dr. Frederick William Jaeger Journal (1845-1861) from our very own collection is the featured display (pictured to the left) at the Univerity of Toledo's Ward M Canaday Center for Special Collections in the Carlson Library in an exhibit entitled "Medicine on the Maumee: A History of Healthcare in Northwest Ohio." The exhibit opens to the public March 1, 2012 and runs through December 2012. The exhibit traces the history of medicine in our community from the earliest years of settlement to current day. It looks at epidemics that devastated the population, hospitals that sought to cure, doctors and nurses who provided care, and at how medicine became an industry.
The exhibit’s opening presentation was a “living history” recreation of Dr. Jaeger, who practiced medicine in Woodville, Ohio in the 1840s and onward. It was presented by his great-great grandson, John Jaeger (pictured left) of Perrysburg. Jaeger’s “Black Swamp Doctor” interpretation discusses some of the diseases that were rampant in the early settlements of the region, the plants and medicines used to treat them and care provided by doctors of the time. Jaeger, who was a naturalist and interpreter for Metroparks of the Toledo Area before his retirement, has won awards for his “Black Swamp
Doctor” recreation. To see more photos from the exhibit, see the photo gallery below. There is also a youtube video of John Jaeger's portrayal of the Black Swamp Doctor HERE!
The exhibit’s opening presentation was a “living history” recreation of Dr. Jaeger, who practiced medicine in Woodville, Ohio in the 1840s and onward. It was presented by his great-great grandson, John Jaeger (pictured left) of Perrysburg. Jaeger’s “Black Swamp Doctor” interpretation discusses some of the diseases that were rampant in the early settlements of the region, the plants and medicines used to treat them and care provided by doctors of the time. Jaeger, who was a naturalist and interpreter for Metroparks of the Toledo Area before his retirement, has won awards for his “Black Swamp
Doctor” recreation. To see more photos from the exhibit, see the photo gallery below. There is also a youtube video of John Jaeger's portrayal of the Black Swamp Doctor HERE!
NEW! Microfilm Reader/Scanner
Beginning November 30, 2011, the Grace Luebke Local History Room will have another microfilm reader in the ScanPro 2000. You will be able to read microfilm and have the ability to adjust size, clean up photographs, text, and much more! The microfilm can be easily saved to CD or portable drive, as well as being able to be sent via email and to portable printers. There will be staff on hand for those that need assistance, but the older reader will still be available.
It also serves as a scanner, so in the near future our 600 rolls of microfilm will be viewable on our online database!
It also serves as a scanner, so in the near future our 600 rolls of microfilm will be viewable on our online database!
NEW!
The People of Ottawa County Series
“A Collection of Photographs & Oral History Interviews”
by: The Ottawa County Historical Society
FOR SALE IN THE HISTORY ROOM!
$15 each
Click on each image to see each cover
"Images of America: Elmore & Genoa"
by: Jennifer Fording
Learn about the history of the villages of Elmore and Genoa through photographs. To order your copy online, click on the image to the left. Copies are being sold at the Harris-Elmore Public Library and the Genoa Branch as well as other retailers for $21.99. Order your copy TODAY! All proceeds benefit the library.
Volunteers Needed!
The Grace Luebke Local History Room has numerous volunteer opportunities for people interested in history, genealogy, archives, or librarianship. Volunteers can help out in the following areas:
- Scanning materials for the digital collection
- Typing Metadata into our online database
- Processing collections in our archives (repairing documents, organizing & boxing, writing descriptions, sorting information for research)
- Preparing finding aids for collections
- Transcribing handwritten material
- Cutting & Pasting news clippings and obits
There is also many other areas volunteers may be of use. If you are interested in being a volunteer, please contact Jennifer Fording at jfording81@gmail.com for more information.
Do you Know Me?
As you may have noticed, we have a number of unidentified photographs and other records. If you know who is in the photographs, please email or call us so that we can fix the problem. Your help is greatly appreciated!!
The Elmore Historical Society "History Seekers" hold their meetings in the Local History Room on the 4th Thursday of each month @ 6pm. All are welcome!!
Just Updated!
- New Obituaries (OB1 E's)
- Genoa Photographs
- Dr. Frederick Jaeger Medical Journals
- Civil War Era Letters
- Audio Interviews
Coming Soon!!
- Microfilm Records
