Firelands Historical Society, Norwalk

About Firelands Historical Society

The Firelands Historical Society Museum in Norwalk preserves regional history through exhibits of artifacts spanning nearly 14,000 years. Visitors explore two buildings: the Preston-Wickham House and the Laning-Young Research Center. The Native American collection, one of Ohio's finest, features artifacts from the Arthur G. Smith and Berwell Thomas collections, including remains of the Firelands Ground Sloth discovered in the early 1900s—the earliest evidence of prehistoric humans in Ohio. The display includes life-size figures depicting Native American family life and a mural. Artifacts range from toys and clothing to archaeological finds and agricultural equipment representing all of Erie and Huron Counties and portions of Ashland and Ottawa Counties. The museum, established in 1857, is Ohio's oldest. A research library at the Laning-Young Research Center allows visitors to explore regional history further by appointment. The museum operates seasonally behind the Norwalk Library, two blocks west of downtown.