The Defiance Public Library System Digital Archive
The Defiance Public Library System and the Ohio Historical Society are pleased to present a digital archive of the special collections of the Defiance Public Library.
Our digital archives contain:
The Bronson Collection - The Edward Bronson Collection consists of 798 contact prints (5.5 x 14 in), made from original 10 x 31 cm. panoramic negatives. As the work of an amateur photographer active between 1906 and 1949, the collection provides a comprehensive view of the life of Defiance, Ohio through the first half of the twentieth century. The collection has numerous shots of civic activities (such as parades, festivals, and other ceremonies): views of the physical community (street scenes, buildings, groundbreakings, cornerstone laying, construction sites, bridges, and dams); noteworthy events related to floods, fires, political campaigns, or social activities; and scenes of personal interest to the photographer. The full collection can be viewed on site at the Defiance Public Library in Defiance, Ohio.
About the Defiance Public Library System:
The Defiance Public Library was first conceived in 1867 by a group of 25 men dedicated to furthering the educational and intellectual lives of Defiance's citizens by creating the Defiance Library Association. In 1904 Andrew Carengie donated $22,000 toward the construction of a public library building on the historic Fort Defiance grounds at the confluence of the Auglaize and Maumee Rivers. The building was dedicated and officially opened on July 4, 1905. Since that time the Defiance Public Library System has opened 2 branch locations throughout Defiance County including the Johnson Memorial Library in Hicksville (1939) and the Sherwood Branch Library in Sherwood (1940). The Defiance Public Library still maintains its residence in the original historic Carnegie building at 320 Fort St., Defiance, Ohio and still honors its commitment to serve the citizens of Defiance County by helping them to Learn from the Past, Understand the Present, and Prepare for the Future.
This searchable database is made possible by a LSTA grant administered by the NORWELD regional library system. Archives are being continuously updated and new collections being added. Please continue to check back for more items.
