Historical & Genealogical Societies

Croatian Heritage Museum and Library
34900 Lakeshore Boulevard
Eastlake, OH 44095
Phone: (440) 946-2044

Dedicated to the research, collection and preservation of Croatian and Croatian-American history, culture, and the promotion of intercultural appreciation through education, changing exhibits, on-and-off-site slide lectures, and resource library. Located in the American Croatian Lodge Complex.

Eastlake Historical Society
c/o City Hall
35150 Lakeshore Boulevard
Eastlake, OH 44095
Phone: through the mayor's office 440-951-3881 or 440-951-1416 ext. 1018.

This new (2009?) organization is active in preserving the history of Eastlake, part of the old Willoughby Township. They are compiling biographies of long time older residents and posting them on their web site.

Fairport Harbor Historical Society
Fairport Harbor Marine Museum & Lighthouse
129 Second Street
Fairport Harbor, OH 44077
Phone: (440) 354-4825

Shipmasters & officers lists; newspapers, school records & yearbooks of Fairport; Historical pictures, artifacts, materials, maps of early Fairport; books of Great Lakes men, adventures and shipwrecks; some items on the Coast Guard and lighthouses.

Finnish Heritage Museum of Fairport Harbor, Ohio, USA
Finnish Heritage Museum
P.O.Box 1121
301 High Street
Fairport Harbor, Ohio, 44077

Phone: (440) 352-8301

An active group serving the Fairport Community and beyond with meetings, a museum, exhibits, a web site with genealogy links, and much more. There is a Finnish Hall of Fame, and wonderful articles online.

Indian Museum of Lake County
7519 Mentor Avenue, Suite A112, Mentor, OH
P.O. Box 883
Willoughby, OH 44096-0883
Phone: (440) 951-3813

Museum showcasing Lake County area Native American peoples, artifacts, crafts and histories. Library on site.

Kirtland FamilySearch Center
8854 Chillicothe Road
Kirtland, Ohio 44094
Phone: (440) 256-8808

A branch of the Family History Library in Salt Lake City maintained by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, this research site has a small but powerful library of general family history, Mormon history including land records, Mormon family histories; Kirtland and Lake County history and genealogy. Microfilm of records from around the world can be ordered for use here.

Kirtland Temple Historic Center
9020 Chillicothe Road
Kirtland, Ohio 44094
Phone: (440) 256-3318

Tours of the famous Kirtland Temple landmark. Visitor Center also maintains a small research collection of Mormon and Kirtland publications and historical items. Community of Christ, also known as the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints has sold the temple to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. A new website may be coming.

Lake County Genealogical Society
c/o Morley Library
184 Phelps Street
Painesville, Ohio 44077
New web site: https://www.lcgsohio.org

A general interest genealogical group active in indexing and making available records and cemetery inscriptions for research. The Society's Special Projects are also there such as cemetery inscriptions and naturalizations.

Lake County Historical Society
415 Riverside Drive
Painesville Township, Ohio 44077
Phone: (440) 639-2945

Society maintains a museum of local artifacts and culture in the recently vacated Lake County Home - the Lake County History and Heritage Center. It has a pioneer school program, and many historical activities. Also operates a research library with family files, maps 1820-1915, genealogy and history books, Civil War registers, Historic Home collection, WPA cemetery books, photos, DAR & SAR info. The following databases are now static as of 2014 or earlier, but here to be easily browsed. New to the Society's web site is their catalog, rapidly growing. Search their catalog here. http://lakehistorycenter.org/online-collections/
Listing of over 600 Genealogy Files in the library
Listing of about 1700 Surname Vertical Files in the library
Static catalog of Genealogy Files and Surname Vertical Files as well as surname boxes in the library, by Marianne Wiley and other volunteers, Sue Ferron, Sue Doolittle, Laura Rhodes and Vickie Robb, with thanks to Lynn Vandevort and LCHS.

LeRoy Heritage Association

This small but active society maintains the South LeRoy Meeting House, formerly Brakeman Church, as a museum open by appointment only. It is located at the corner of Brakeman and Painesville-Warren Roads. It is a church setting with the original pews, models with vintage clothing, and four cases of artifacts such as candle molds, kettles and school articles.

Little Red School House and History Center
5040 Shankland Road
Willoughby, Ohio 44094
Phone: (440) 975-3740 or 946-5000

Three-building complex, includes a one-room schoolhouse built in l901. Print shop, looms, and spinning wheels are also on display. Research library contains northeastern Ohio information, specializing in Willoughby Township. Operated by The Little Red Schoolhouse Society, Inc

Madison Historical Society
126 W. Main Street, Madison Village
Mailing address is P. O. Box 515, Maidson, OH 44057 email to info@historicalmadison.org

This active society has a large collection of research materials including original newspapers, land grants, old homesteads, Arcola Creek shipbuilding information, and museum artifacts from Revolutionary War period through contemporary. Its home is now in the old Carneige Library.
Listing of family surname files (off-site, currently, July 2013, listed as malware on site.)

Mentor Foundation history
c/o Mentor Municipal Center
9000 Civic Center Blvd.
Mentor, OH 44060

Begun in the 1970s, this group activates only for projects such as the 1997 Bicentennial programs and publishing Mentor, the First 200 Years, (managing editor, Kathie Pohl.)

New Connecticut Chapter DAR

A Lake County Chapter of National Society Daughters of the American Revolution.

Ohio Genealogical Society
611 State Route 97 West
Bellville OH 44813-8813
Phone: (419) 886-1903

Country's largest state genealogical society, with chapters all over Ohio and several other states. Maintains a new large research library, family files, obit index for Ohioans, Bible records, First Families of Ohio and Civil War Families of Ohio and other lineage societies. Ohio 1880 census index and many other databases online for members. Offers excellent conferences and classes.
First Families of Ohio ancestors from Lake, Geauga and Cuyahoga Counties.

Ohio History Connection (previously Ohio Historical Society)
1982 Velma Avenue
Columbus, OH 43211
Phone: (614) 297-2300

Huge museum at Ohio Village near the Ohio State Fairgrounds, this society is the official state archive for records. It holds the state death certificates from 1909 through 1964. Huge holdings of books, manuscripts, microfilm, official public records, etc. Also maintains the museum and many historical sites around Ohio.

Perry Historical Society
Box 216
Tarbuck Educational and Community Center
4235 Manchester Road
Perry, OH 44081
Phone: (440) 259-3218

Society collects records, manuscripts and photos, memorabilia of Perry, North Perry, and Perry Township. Holdings include abstracts of 1800's census for Perry, some obituary files, clipping file, cemetery and funeral home project notebooks, extensive Perry School records including photos and yearbooks. Society also maintains a museum of artifacts at corner of Center and Main Streets.
Description of some of the holdings in the library
Listing of over 100 Surname Vertical Files in the library

Western Reserve Historical Society
10825 East Blvd.
Cleveland, Ohio 44106
Phone: (216) 721-5722

WRHS maintains several area museums, including Lawnfield, the home of James A. Garfield in Mentor. Its library in Cleveland's University Circle is the largest genealogical collection in the area, with most of the federal census and indexes on microfilm, a huge Civil War collection, Ohio and New England books and records. This is also an official archive for public records with some Lake County records in the collection. Library is currently closed and may be through 2025 due to a fire and severe smoke damage in September 2023.

Wickliffe Historical Society, Inc.
28730 Ridge Rd
Wickliffe, OH 44092-2501
Phone: (440) 943-7100

History of Wickliffe, land grants, titles, programs, Museum of Early Settlers with some genealogies.

Willoughby Hills Historical Society
c/o City Hall
35405 Chardon Road
Willoughby Hills, OH 44094
Phone: (440) 946-5557 (Frank Cihula, Chairman)

This organization is active in preserving the records and history of Willoughby Hills. They are compiling data for a history of the city . Their bicentennial project, in conjunction with the city, is restoring the cemeteries.

Willoughby Historical Society
Willoughby Public Library
30 Public Square
Willoughby, OH 44094
Library phone: (440) 942-3200

WHS maintains a small library/museum in the lower level of the public library. Large collection of memorabilia, photos, maps, manuscripts and clippings, books, etc.
Listing of Surname Files in the library
Index to photos of 76 early western Lake County residents at WHS

Special Interest Societies

Several other societies of interest, not in Lake County, are listed here. Computer-Aided-Genealogy, societies for ethnic research, and other close-to-Lake-County general interest groups are here.