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Allen County Historical Society
620 W. Market Street
Lima, OH 45801
People of Allen County
The people of Allen County influenced culture and industry from locally focused efforts to national contributions.
This exhibit features a growing selection of those individuals. The Wall of Fame section focuses on people who gained national recognition for their talents. The Allen County Leaders section highlights people who made a significant impact to the Allen County community.
Learn about people from Allen County whose accomplishments and contributions to society are recognized on national and international levels.
Explore stories of people who helped improve daily life in Allen County, inspired its people, and shaped its evolution into the county that it is today.
This exhibition is made possible in part by Ohio Humanities, a state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this exhibition do not necessarily reflect those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Richard Cook: Rail Images of a Past Era
April 10 - November 7, 2021
Organized from the personal collection of negatives given to the Allen County Museum by Nola Austin Cook in 1994, this exhibition draws attention to Richard Cook's significant and unseen collection of photographs. Known within the rail industry and by train enthusiasts, Cook was a self-trained photographer who used his innate handling of the photographic process, his acute sense of aesthetics, and his vast knowledge of rail history to inform his photographs. This collection captures the essence of the historic era of the railroad industry while highlighting Cook’s passion for the giant machines regularly heard in the background of daily life – on the railroads, in the rail yards, and at the locomotive factories and train stations in Ohio, the Midwest, and other cities throughout the country.
Click the photo below to start the exhibition.
Allen County Museum gratefully acknowledges the following companies and foundation that made this exhibition possible:
Campaigning for Votes:
Woman Suffrage in Allen County
During the Woman Suffrage Movement, Allen County suffragists campaigned door to door armed with literature; organized mass meetings featuring talks, music, and debates; marched in parades; and spoke at gatherings throughout Allen County and neighboring counties. Learn about local suffragists, influential visiting speakers, and Allen county's journey to woman suffrage through this interactive online exhibit.