Southeast Ohio History Logo with four outlines of Ohio together at the point to create a compass with the words "Southeast Ohio History Center" in a circle around it.

collections, research, library, education & more

our resources

Collections

Images, Artifacts, & Donations

The collections department is available by appointment only. Southeast Ohio History Center is happy to assist researchers wishing to see stored artifacts and images. However, we ask that researchers make an advanced appointment so that staff has time to extract desired items and work with the researcher to properly handle fragile items.

The History Center makes available high-quality digital files for many artifacts in its collection. To secure permission for image use, please contact our Curator of Collections.

If you would like to make an artifact donation, please contact our Curator of Collections.

Contact: Jessica Cyders – jessica@southeastohiohistory.org | 740-592-2280 
Hours: 10 AM to 4 PM Monday to Friday

Hayes Family Genealogy Center

Our collection focuses mainly on Athens County References. However, we do have some reference works for Meigs, Hocking, Washington, and Vinton Counties. The Levering Library contains a collection of more than 6000 items.

Hours: 10 AM to 2 PM Wednesdays and Fridays

What's in the center?
  • Genealogy Library
  • Local History Library
  • Research Assistance
  • Library Bookstore
  • Levering Library Catalog

Research Assistance

We are very lucky to have a wonderful team of volunteers who work at the library and help our patrons with questions and research regarding genealogy and local histories. Our volunteers are experts with our collections in the Genealogy Center and the Levering Library. An hourly fee is charged for research services, and all proceeds go toward the preservation and sharing of our collections.

Education

School Field Trips & Teaching Materials

We love having school groups visit the history center, and we love coming to visit, too! We also have mobile history boxes for teachers and special programming around local history.

Library Bookstore

Please browse the collection of publications available for purchase from the Athens County Chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society

Tom Talks

About Tom O'Grady

Tom O’Grady is our local history expert, Director of Outreach, and Director Emeritus of the Southeast Ohio History Center.  Tom writes the official Southeast Ohio History Center Blog, “Tom Talks,” in which he highlights different stories from Southeast Ohio’s History.

Latest Article
Army marches in formation down street in illustration

Squirrel Invasion

Invading Hordes of Squirrels? If it happened, it hasn’t happened recently. Nonetheless, many local county histories recall stories of hordes of squirrels swarming over farmland

Read More

Other State & local history resources

We are lucky to live in a region with so many organizations and projects devoted to our state and local history. Here you will find several links to other valuable resources outside the Southeast Ohio History Center. 

We are always building our list of history resources outside the center. If you think there is something that should be added to this list, let us know!

Invisible Ground is a multimedia project created, & produced by Brian Koscho. The podcast is focused on telling the stories of southeast Ohio communities and its people, places, and events to connect to bigger themes in our region and far beyond.
Visit
The Rendville Historic Preservation Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to leaving a legacy for future generations through the preservation of the history, heritage, and the physical structures of the Village of Rendville, Ohio.
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The Robert E. and Jean R. Mahn Center for Archives and Special Collections contains the Ohio University Archives, Rare Books, Manuscript Collections, and the Documentary Photography Archive.
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The Meigs County Historical Society Collects, protects and exhibits the material culture of Meigs County and educates the public about the history of Meigs County through exhibits, special programs, tours and events.
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Ohio History Connection is a nonprofit organization that provides services to both preserve and share Ohio's history, including its prehistory, and manages over 50 museums and sites across the state.
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