Camden Archives
Camden Archives
Camden Town Hall
56 W. Central Avenue
P.O. Box 1
Camden, Ohio 45311
937-452-2003
Tuesday & Thursday: 1:30 PM – 4:30 PM
First Saturday of the month: 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Open other days/times by prearranged appointment or when Archives Volunteers are doing unscheduled work on site.
About the Camden Archives
The Eleanor I. Jones Archives, commonly known as the Camden Archives, had its beginnings when professional librarian and Camden native, Eleanor (Nell) I. Jones retired from government service with the Library of Congress in 1951 and returned to her hometown. Once home, she set about collecting and indexing all of the Camden newspapers that she could locate, with only a few being missing: the Camden Herald (1877 – 1880), the Camden Gazette (1880 – 1892), and the Preble County News (1902 – until her death).
Miss Jones had filed in her home so many items of value—deaths, births, marriages, school affairs, church affairs and town happenings that in 1964, she was given a corner of the Camden Library to house her growing collection and continue her work. By 1973, noting that the newspapers were becoming fragile, Archive volunteers had them microfilmed by the Ohio Historical Center in Columbus. Those microfilms remain a valued resource of the Archives. Also by the mid-1970’s the Archives had filed formal paperwork resulting in designation by the Internal Revenue Service as a tax exempt, non-profit organization which could accept donations deductible on personal income taxes. Now volunteers continue the archival work started by Miss Jones.
The Archives contains hundreds of historic photographs, as well as numerous physical artifacts and publications relating to Camden’s citizens and history. The Archives also maintains an extensive and ever-growing collection of information, arranged alphabetically by individual’s name, organization, or recurring event topic (this collection numbers in the thousands.)
Camden 1968 Sesquicentennial Book
- Cover/ Intro/ The Village and Its Development
- The Economic Development of Camden
- Cultural Influences in Camden Churches and Lodges
- Camden Schools
- Famous People
- Camden’s Participation in Politics and National Affairs
- Reminiscences
- Our Doctors
- So Many Things to Remember
- Camden 1968 Business Directory
History of Camden Oh 1803-1955 by Ruth Neff
Camden Archives Featured Photos
All photos posted to this edition of the Camden Archives Photo Gallery are from Camden Archives photos contained in Miscellaneous Views and Buildings, Envelopes 1, 2, & 3. Individual photo numbers are cited prior to each photo description.
Please click on a photo to see the full sized image.
#02 - E.J. Pharnes Building, Northwest Corner of Main St and Central Ave - 1891.
Later this building was known as the Earhart Building, and later as the Dearth Building. By the Dearth Building era, a third story had been added. Until it burned in May, 1988 this building was a major landmark building at the center of Camden. See photo #72 for a 1967 photo of this building, when Webb’s Drugs was a major occupant.