The Oswego County Historical Society was founded in 1896 on the centennial of British troops finally leaving Oswego and ceasing levies on boats and trade. The society printed their first publication in 1899, appropriately entitled First Publication of the Oswego Historical Society. This first printing from the society begins with a history of Oswego County from the Iroquois to the restoration of Fort Ontario in 1839.
The next publication in the collection is entitled Third Publication of the Oswego Historical Society. In between, there was a very early 1939 twelve-page publication of By-Laws and Constitution, Officers, Members, Committees. Yearly with the Third Publication stamped 1939 on the cover, the Society printed an 80-page collection of the talks and research presented at their meetings. During the 40-year publishing history, the Society changed its name to the Oswego County Historical Society and the publications began bearing the name Journal. To celebrate the country's bicentennial there was a 240-page Journal published in 1977 covering the land, industry, politics, people, religion, and more of Oswego County.
A card catalog drawer has always provided author, title, and subject access to the Journals and is still available in the Local History Room for anyone looking to flip through the cards instead of search through the digital files.
