Formed April 1, 1820, part of the old Black Swamp region · county seat Bowling Green. Repository addresses, online record links, and a free printable record checklist below.
Short episodes that walk through Wood County's records, one record type at a time.
Formation · Settlers & Migration · Probate · Land · Tax · Churches · Newspapers · Where to Look
Watch on YouTubeOne Courthouse Square, 2nd Floor, Bowling Green, OH 43402 · (419) 354-9230
juvprobcourt.woodcountyohio.gov — Probate Court
Wills, estate administration, guardianships, adoptions, name changes, and marriage licenses. Also holds births and deaths from before Dec. 19, 1908, prior to the health department taking over vital records.
1 Court House Square, Bowling Green, OH 43402 · (419) 354-9140
Deeds, mortgages, liens, and other real-property records.
1 Courthouse Square, 2nd Floor, Bowling Green, OH 43402 · (419) 354-9280
Divorces, civil suits (including partition suits that divide land among heirs), and Common Pleas journals. Before 1852, this court also handled wills and estates.
One Courthouse Square, Bowling Green, OH 43402 · (419) 354-9150
Current tax lists and property transfer records. Early tax duplicates are on FamilySearch and at the Ohio History Connection.
251 N. Main St., Bowling Green, OH 43402 · (419) 352-5104
Census, church, vital, military, and marriage records, plus an African American Heritage collection. In-library Ancestry Library Edition, FamilySearch affiliate access, and remote access to Fold3 and HeritageQuest with a library card.
PO Box 722, Bowling Green, OH 43402 · meets at the library, 251 N. Main St. · (419) 352-3303
Meets 4th Tuesday, September–May (except Nov/Dec), 6:30–8:30pm. Maintains in-house burial, birth/death, and census databases, plus a First Families of Wood County program.
13660 County Home Rd., Bowling Green, OH 43402 · (419) 352-0967
woodcountyhistory.org · Mon–Sat, closed Sunday
A separate organization from the OGS chapter above. Runs the county museum and archives, housed in the former county infirmary.
1840 E. Gypsy Lane Rd., Bowling Green, OH 43402 · (419) 354-1050
woodcountyhealth.org — Birth & Death Certificates
Births and deaths for events in Wood County from 1908–present. Earlier records are held at Probate Court instead.
Not sure which office has what? See Which County Office Holds What.
Many Wood County record books are filmed and free to view at FamilySearch (free account required).
In Full-Text Search, add Wood County, Ohio as the place to find names inside handwritten deeds, wills, and court books. How to use it.
Wood County was formed in 1820 from Logan County. For records made before then, search the parent county:
Most of Wood County's land was federal Congress Lands, surveyed in townships and sections and first sold through U.S. land offices. The first buyer of each tract received a federal patent.
Titles that covered Wood County, historic and current, with where to search each one. Not every historic title has been digitized — several survive only on microfilm.
| Title | Years | Where to Search |
|---|---|---|
| Wood County Sentinel | 1868-1889 | Chronicling America (1868-1889); WCDPL Local Newspaper Digital Archive |
| Wood County Sentinel and Gazette | 1889-1892 | Chronicling America (Library of Congress) |
| Wood County Tribune | 1889-1906 | Chronicling America (Library of Congress) |
| Daily Sentinel-Tribune / Sentinel-Tribune | 1906-present | Chronicling America (1906-1987); WCDPL Local Newspaper Digital Archive (full run) |
| Perrysburg Journal | 1844-1965 | Chronicling America (1854-1861, 1868-1920); OldNews.com; GenealogyBank |
| Perrysburg Messenger Journal | 1965-present | Microfilm only — Way Public Library, Perrysburg |
Fill in what you're looking for, print it, and take it with you to the courthouse or library.
Brick Walls & Buckeyes
brickwallsbuckeyes.com · Wood County, Ohio
Addresses and links last checked October 2026.
County guides, record walkthroughs, and brick wall breakthroughs. Subscribe on YouTube and tap the bell so new episodes find you.
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