Cincinnati Historical Society Library

The mission of the Manuscript Department of Cincinnati Museum Center is to collect, preserve, organize and describe personal papers and organizational records relating to the cultural, social, political, scientific, religious, educational and economic development of Greater Cincinnati, the Miami Purchase and the Old Northwest Territory.

Overview of Collections:

The Manuscript Department houses over 1,000 major collections and 4,500 minor collections. The manuscript collections cover the history of the Greater Cincinnati area from the early settlement of Cincinnati to the late 20th century. The collections contain original correspondence, diaries, minutes, financial records, scrapbooks, speeches and other documents. The lives of Cincinnati settlers, politicians, artists, soldiers, immigrants, African-Americans, ministers, housewives and social activists are documented in these collections. The Manuscript Department has the records of many small and medium-sized businesses in the Cincinnati region - from banks and retail stores to railroads and heavy manufacturers. The Manuscript Department has also become the repository of professional and cultural organizations, including women's clubs, fine arts organizations and community service groups.

The manuscript collections are available for research in the Cincinnati Historical Society Library. Permission to publish quotations, transcripts or images of documents from the manuscript collections must be obtained from the Manuscript Department. A publication fee is charged in certain cases. Please contact the Manuscript Department for details.

Manuscripts Staff
Anne Kling
Archives Manager
(513) 287-7070
E-mail: akling@cincymuseum.org

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