Van Wert County Historical Society
Van Wert, Ohio 45891 U.S.A.
Access Page to Society Publications
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Van Wert County Armory—1952 National Guard
Over 60 years later in 2013 the Armory, downtown Van Wert, became the new location of the Wassenberg Art Center.
Company "L", 148th Infantry, Ohio National Guard, 12:35 a.m., Thursday early a.m., January. 22, 1952.
Commanding officer at left is Captain Robert Pflum.The man with the “X” is Leo Boroff, father of
David Boroff, VWHS Class of 1974, who supplied the photo.

From Under the Oak Tree is the official quarterly publication of the Van Wert County Historical Society,
Van Wert, Ohio.  The first issue using the name From Under the Oak Tree was the
April 2013 issue. It was the first Society publication available online or via email.

Society publications “standing at attention” and
ready to serve up Van Wert County’s history.

Van Wert County Historical Society
& Museum Campus
602 N. Washington Street
P.O. Box 621
Van Wert, Ohio 45891-0621
419.771.9851
vanwert.com/museum
vwc.historicalsociety@gmail.com
facebook “Van Wert County Historical Society”

The Van Wert County Historical Society was organized in 1953, during Ohio’s Sesquicentennial celebration. In 1955, William Fosnaught, a local attorney and school teacher, donated to the Society a building which was built circa 1896 by the John Clark family. The building, now the County Museum, is located at the corner of N. Washington and Third Streets in Van Wert.
The Museum houses thousands of artifacts that have been donated by area residents. This original Museum property has been maintained as a Victorian home and features many displays.
The 1985 addition to the Museum Campus is a 50’ x 50’ building, called the Annex, with displays of other phases of early Van Wert life. The Annex features a Historical Walking Tour of early Van Wert.

You can “Like” your Historical Society on facebook!  Our facebook page has many photos displayed so they are available to everyone.  Many of these photos have been stored for many years without being seen by visitors to the Musuem Campus.  On facebook we are “Van Wert County Historical Society.”

facebook: VanWertCountyHistoricalSociety                      Website: VanWertCountyMuseum

From Under the Oak Tree Newsletter Access     

                                            Click on underlined links
Winter December 2013, Vol. 13, Issue 4
View:  Newsletter

Fall September 2013, Vol. 13, Issue 3
View:  Newsletter    Listing of donors    2013 schedule

Spring/Summer April 2013, Vol. 13, Issue 2
View:  Newsletter    Listing of donors    2013 schedule    3 main events

Publications Online—Click on links to view:
The 100th Anniversary of the Lincoln Highway, 1913—2013, was celebrated in Van Wert County during the summer of 2013.  A new commerative kiosk was installed in Van Wert’s Fountain Park displaying background information, photos and newspaper articles about the development of the national Lincoln Highway and its beginnings in Van Wert County. A tour guide for driving the Lincoln Highway in Van Wert County was published. It is available at this link to view, download or print as a PDF file:
”Touring the Lincoln” in Van Wert County guide booklet

Canoe trip down Van Wert Town Creek 1968—Times-Bulletin Editor Sam Fitzsimmons takes a trip in a canoe on the local creek that runs through Van Wert, Ohio. This is his article about that trip.
Town Creek Canoe Trip 1968 - PDF format

Photos & Videos—Click on links to view:
Van Wert County Schubert Singers circa 1939. Names are at the bottom of the photo page.
 Photo of the Schubert Singers 1939

View of East Main Street, looking west along the "long" block from Market Street to Washington Street. Circa 1953—1954.  Main Street Van Wert 1953-1954

Newspaper notice of local bank that reopened during the Great Depression.
1933 Van Wert National Bank Notice of New Bank Open—Great Depression

City of Van Wert’s Fountain Park 1899 (3rd Ward Park)
Fountain Park 1899

History of Ohio City and its different names.
Van Wert Junction—Enterprise—Koogle—Ohio City

Could you be pictured on old Van Wert County picture postcards? Take a look at these postcards. A Van Wert family found themselves on several postcards of the Van Wert Peony Parade.
Family Found on circa 1958 Peony Parade postcards

Video—Take a walking tour of the Van Wert High School Eggerss Stadium, August 2011.
Eggerss Stadium, Van Wert, Ohio - August 12, 2011

Video—1938 Thanksgiving Day Football “Snow Game” at Van Wert High School’s Eggerss Stadium.
Thursday, November 24, 1938. Score: Van Wert 21—Montpelier 0
Season record 10-0  Points scored for the season: Van Wert 216—Opponents 7
Snow Game 1938

Video—Peony Parades                                   Video—Visit to a Van Wert County Peony Farm
1958—1959                                                     1958—1959

Other Historical Society Publications & Photos

The old Clark Mansion, known as the "House of Seven Oaks", was given to the Historical Society in 1955 by William Fostnaught, a local attorney and school teacher, to be used as a museum. The original builders were John O. and Tacey Viella (Baker) Clark in 1895 on property which at that time was a cow pasture at the extreme north end of Van Wert. The home, designed by Mrs. Clark, is now furnished with period furniture and artifacts which have been donated by area residents.