Oral History

The Veterans History Project (VHP) collected and preserved the remembrances of American war veterans and civilian workers who supported them. This project was created by the United States Congress in 2000 and was signed into law by President William Jefferson Clinton on October 27, 2000.

In support of this effort, the Peabody Public Library interviewed a number of veterans either at the library itself or at other designated locations.

These collections of first-hand accounts are made available to researchers and the general public, online via this website, at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., in the Indiana Room at the Peabody Public Library and via the Veterans History Project website. Please note that the hard copies in the Indiana Room cannot be checked out and are only accessible during library hours.

All Veterans History videos are now available on YouTube. View and subscribe to our oral history channel here.

If you would like to share your valuable stories please contact us at (260) 244-5541 or e-mail us with your request.

The goals of this project are to preserve historical and personal memories of Whitley County, Indiana and to make them accessible to all who wish to know Whitley County history.

Much of the “old” Whitley County has disappeared: downtown businesses, landmark buildings, farms and schools. Younger people and newcomers to the county like to know what was here before they came. This project is also intended to aid genealogists and family historians.

We feel that this is an important project and that it will be of service to the community, so any assistance would be greatly appreciated. We can come to you, or you may be interviewed at the library – wherever you feel the most comfortable. We can do individual or group interviews. The process is really simple and painless; just talk to us the way you would talk to friends or family, passing on “stories”.

Please note that this project is not just for Columbia City; we would like interviews from all over Whitley County – Churubusco, South Whitley, Collins, Laud, Collamer – just anywhere in Whitley County.

Feel free to call us at (260)244-5541 or e-mail us if you need additional information on this project or if you are interested in setting up an interview.