Business Hours:
Monday through Friday 9:00am to 6:00pm. and by appointment.
614-882-7277 ext. 160

Westerville has a rich and varied history.

It was the site of Underground Railroad activity, the Westerville Whiskey Wars, and the printing headquarters of the worldwide recognized Anti-Saloon League of America. The Local History Center at the Westerville Public Library is committed to preserving and sharing that history through collections of material of local and national interest.

Search the Local History Catalog

This is a guide to the materials in the Local History Center. The collection contains thousands of items with information on Westerville families, homes, businesses, government, schools, and more. Search the Local History Catalog now!

Click on the links below to see our newsletter:

John R. Kasich Congressional Collection

Anti-saloon League

Recently acquired papers and memorabilia from the distinguished political career of John R. Kasich who served 4 years in the Ohio Senate and 18 years in the United States House of Representatives are of interest to researchers, students and the general public. Read more

Westerville, formerly known as the Dry Capitol of the World, was home to the printing headquarters of the Anti-Saloon League. Explore the history and examine some of their printed material. Read more

Obituary Index

Photograph Index

Genealogists take notice – the local history collection has indexes to the obituaries in the local newspapers from 1880 to the present. Click to see if your ancestors are listed. These records are continuing to be placed online.

More than 3,000 photographs of Westerville sites, events and residents are housed in the Local History Center. This popular collection continues to grow and this guide provides a listing for every photograph in the collection.

Local History