History & Mission

"The Trumbull County Historical Society collects, preserves, and interprets the history of Warren and Trumbull County to educate diverse regional communities about the people and events that have shaped its rich history."

The Trumbull County Historical Society owns and operates the John Stark Edwards House and the Trumbull County Museum. Built in 1807, the Edwards House is the oldest wood framed home in Warren, Ohio. Several rooms in the Edwards House depict the lives of its residents at various periods, from pioneer days to the late nineteenth century. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. The Society was chartered as a not for profit corporation by the State of Ohio in 1938. The U.S. Internal Revenue Service designated the Society a 501 (c) (3) organization in 1986.

The Society was formed in 1843 with Denny Webb as President. After being inactive for several years, it was incorporated on February 2, 1938 with Dr. James Tyler serving as President. The John Stark Edwards House, originally located at 259 South Street, SE, was purchased by the Society and dedicated as a museum on June 29, 1938 by then Governor Martin Davey. The Society has moved the museum twice, the second time to its present location, and has filled this historic house with period and other artifacts associated with local history.

Today the Society continues to fulfill its purpose of "investigation, collection, acquisition, and preservation of interesting historical information, facts, documents, real and personal property having historical value, and especially such as relate to the early history of the Connecticut Western Reserve."

While its principal task is to maintain the John Stark Edwards House and Trumbull County Museum, the Society is actively engaged in promoting cooperation with other county and state historical societies in the sharing of information and in the presentation of programs featuring interesting speakers and collectors.

In addition, we are dedicated to identifying and cataloguing historical structures existing in each of the 25 townships to help other historical societies and individuals with questions of preservation and markings.

The Trumbull County Historical Society is a dynamic organization that is proud of its many achievements and that continues to foster the enrichment of our community's history and cultural life.