New Book Will Highlight Paulding County History Through Photos

BICENTENNIAL PHOTO OF THE WEEK – Photos, slides and other images from all decades in Paulding County, like these photos pictured above, are wanted for an upcoming bicentennial history book. Photo composite courtesy of Paulding County Bicentennial Committee. 

The deadline is approaching for photos for Paulding County, Ohio: A Pictorial History Volume III, which is planned for publication by the John Paulding Historical Society later this fall.

The book committee is seeking images – including photographs, snapshots, slides, drawings, maps, paintings and printed memorabilia – covering every decade circa 1820 to 2020 – from the public to help make this project a success. The deadline will be June 30.

Subjects needed include every decade up to the present time, from every community and area of the county. Current and former residents are encouraged to submit photos from the Civil War era, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900s, 1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s and 2010s.

General topics are agriculture and farm life, buildings and homes, businesses and industries, churches, disasters, organizations and clubs, events and activities, military and veterans, families and people, schools and transportation.

Of particular interest are photos and printed material of the Paulding County Fair; county celebrations in 1939, 1970 and 1976; former railroad and canal towns, especially Junction; building and store interiors; people at work; and recreation (movie theaters, skating rinks, boating, hunting, ice skating, parks, bowling, baseball, picnics, etc.).

Dig out your old photo albums and storage boxes and search for images that contribute to a comprehensive history of the county. The committee looks forward to sharing the stories of its residents to commemorate the county’s 200th birthday.

Images may be color or black-and-white. Individuals may scan their photos and email them as an attachment to Kim Sutton at dkmax@windstream.net, Bob Iler at ethanm@twc.com or Melinda Krick at tmekrick@yahoo.com. For details and guidelines about scanning images, visit facebook.com/jphsmuseum or facebook.com/PauldingCounty200. Appointments can be made to have photos scanned at the museum by emailing dkmax@windstream.net.

More than 130 books already have been preordered. To reserve a copy today, visit the museum’s Facebook page at facebook.com/jphs museum.