The Henry County, Ohio, Historical Society

On July 26, 2009, the official dedication of the Carriage House at the Dr. John Bloomfield Home and Museum took place. It was a good excuse to have a party, too, so the Society hosted its annual Ice Cream Social and Vintage Car Show. The turnout exceeded our most optimistic expectations. Click HERE or on the photo at left to view pictures of the event.

Three generations of descendents of Dr. John Bloomfield were recently in Napoleon to present the Henry County Historical Society with a settee that once belonged to Dr. Bloomfield's daughter, Carrie Bloomfield Yeager. Making the donation were (from left) great-great-great-granddaughter Hannah Tow with her father Brian, Chicago; great-great-grandson John Tow and great-granddaughter Elizabeth Susan Yeager Tow, Falmouth Mass. Also attending was Elizabeth's husband Raymond Tow (right). See more photos of this visit on our Photo Album.

Margaret Yeager Foster, great granddaughter of Dr. John Bloomfield, visited the Bloomfield house on May 29, 2008, with her husband, Richard.

The Henry County Historical Society was formed in 1970 to perpetuate the history of Henry County, Ohio, to learn about and preserve the artifacts of the county, and to generate interest in the past of the county. Our primary focus at this time is the completion of the restoration work on the beautiful Dr. John Bloomfield Victorian home, built circa 1879. This house is located at the corner of West Clinton and Webster streets in downtown Napoleon, across from the Napoleon Public Library. The house has been completely restored and is decorated with authentic period furnishings. Work is in progress on the carriage house and gardens. The home is open for special events, educational programs and private tours. We welcome new and old members alike to lend a hand and help us in our many programs and activities.

Henry County Mysteries

How did the Maumee River and Napoleon, Ohio, get their names? Click on Russell Patterson's image to get the answers.

Dr. John Bloomfield Home Restoration

The Society recently applied for, and was privileged to receive, a grant from the State of Ohio to complete the restoration of this beautiful Victorian-era home. You will be seeing a lot of activity at the Home in the coming months.

Mom and Me and History Program

The Henry County Historical Society proudly runs a program for pre-schoolers that features a different historical theme each month. One room of the Bloomfield Home has been beautifully restored and is used exclusively for this important program.

Historic Buildings of Henry County

Beginning with the city of Napoleon, the Society is building an on-line inventory of historic buildings in Henry County. The starting point is the Ohio Historic Inventory conducted in the mid-1970s by the Ohio Historic Preservation Office. Pictured here is St. Augustine RC Church, which is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Oral Histories

We have almost 40 interviews with Henry County residents that we are putting on-line in an effort to preserve the personal history of our county. Please visit this area of our site often and learn about life here from those who experienced it. You will be surprised by the variety of subjects that we cover.

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Victorian art courtesy of Anne Gerdes