History is alive in Erie County
DISCOVER OUR HISTORY – Erie County was officially created by an act of the Ohio Legislature in 1838. It was formed from parts of Sandusky and Huron counties, and is named for the Erie, a tribe of Native Americans who once lived along the south shore of Lake Erie. Including Kelleys Island, it is the second smallest of Ohio’s 88 counties in land area, only 252 square miles. With 374 square miles of Lake Erie and Sandusky Bay, the total legal size is 626 sq. miles.
Celebrate Cedar Point’s 150 year remarkable Anniversary with a trip down memory lane. Check out our vintage photo slideshow HERE.
HISTORIC WALKING TOURS – We know that you have walked down our streets and wondered about some of the houses and businesses that you see. Here is your chance to explore the various cities, townships and villages in Erie County through these amazing walking tours. View before and after pictures, discover tidbits about the old houses and buildings that you see, and explore the many hidden treasures that only the eye (or a camera) can capture.
The Underground Railroad Washington Park Downtown Sandusky Virtual Downtown Sandusky Kelleys Island Vermilion Milan
HISTORIC MARKERS – 
The Erie County Historical Society has worked hard to make sure that the Historic Markers located in Erie County are maintained. We have over 70 historic markers in Erie County. Some mark the locations of buildings or sites that are no longer there, others celebrate the long and varied history of buildings that are still in use. It is truly a trip down memory lane. We recently had several cleaned, stripped and repainted. Our historic sites should never be neglected.
EVENTS
2023 Events – No excuses for being bored. See what is happening in the world of history.
2022 Events – Now just OUR events, but events from ALL the historical groups in Erie county. This is a great place to start planning your activities.
2021 Events – Still reeling from Covid. But we DID have a great Annual Meeting.
2020 Events – As you can imagine – events, tours and social gatherings were put on hold due to Covid. But that’s OK because so many of our tours are already online!
2019 Events – We toured the E & K Winery, ventured up and down Wayne and E. Water Streets, held another Underground Railroad tour and went out on the water for our first tour on the Goodtime I. Our annual meeting, banquet ended with a presentation on Kelleys Island.
MORE HISTORY – From the history of the Sandusky Fire Dept. to Wineries and Breweries to articles relating to Erie County’s history that appeared in the news. It’s all here. Remember When is a wonderful collection of photos and postcards. Historic Maps has links to old plat maps, historic maps and wealth of information. Read something historic in the papers? Explore our Old News section for bits and pieces that appeared in the news. Let’s not forget Trains in this 4-part history of the impact and history of train service in Erie county.
MUSEUMS & HISTORICAL SITES – 
This was once Sandusky’s Post Office, now it is the home of the Carousel Museum. The number and quality of museums in our area is impressive and the Erie County Historical Society encourages both residents and visitors to explore these museums and historic sites. Click HERE to discover our amazing inventory of Museums and Historic Sites.
There are over 30 historic sites and history museums in Erie County – ranging from the magnificent Glacial Grooves on Kelleys Island to the Firelands Historical Society, the oldest history museum in Ohio. Isn’t it time you explored our history?
YOU CAN HELP – BECOME A MEMBER!
JOIN our organization with a simple $10.00 a year membership.
CLICK HERE to become a member.
FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK
We are the one with the historic marker on it. Erie County Historical Society
It is the best way to keep up with all the ‘historic’ news in Erie County and surrounding areas.
OUR THANKS – The Sandusky Library contains a wealth of information about Erie County and Sandusky, including microfilm copies of the Sandusky newspapers dating back to the 1830’s (yes, you can read all about the Cholera epidemic or see what happened on the date of your birth) as well as collections of historic photos and stories. Be sure to check out their History Blog.