Local History

Special Collections and Archives holds extensive materials that document the history of the northeast Ohio region, with a focus on Portage County and with particular emphasis on the City of Kent. Included are personal papers of prominent individuals and families such as Zenas Kent, Betsy Mix Cowles, Arthur J. Trory, Evangeline Davey Smith, and the Haymaker and Woodard families. Also available are corporate archives of local businesses and records of groups and organizations, including the Kiwanis Club of Kent, the Kent Environmental Council, the Twin Coach Company, and the Unitarian-Universalist Church of Kent. Complemented by an extensive collection books and periodicals, these materials enable students and researchers to explore the history of our region.