Upcoming History Events at the West Lafayette Public Library
May 13, 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM – The History of the Purdue State Banks by speaker Nick Schenkel in the Elm and Maple Rooms
May 29, 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM – What is Historic Preservation? An Introduction by Dr. Ashima Krishna in the Elm and Maple Rooms
June 1, 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM – A Panel Conversation on Local Environmental History at the Cottage
Local History Starts at West Lafayette Public Library
West Lafayette has served the needs of West Lafayette community members, Purdue, Tippecanoe County, and beyond since 1921. With the continuance of growth and prosperity, it’s important for our community to have access to records and information for a few reasons. WLPL’s Mission Statement reflects that one of the Library’s core goals is to be “the collector of our community’s written and audio-visual heritage”, and the Local History and Archive Collection Department here at the Library works to help accomplish this through standard archive stewardship, the development resources that will better assist researchers using our facilities, and working actively with community partners to better serve and educate our patrons on the history of West Lafayette.
What does Local History offer?
Archive material has been deposited at West Lafayette Public Library for decades. Though staff and volunteers over the years made vital contributions to organization, it was not until May of 2023 that a full-time Local History Librarian was hired to professionally steward these archive collections. While the position is primarily responsible for the stewardship of the archive, there are also many opportunities for us to help patrons who want to learn more about the community’s past.
The Local History services we offer for patrons by appointment are as follows:
- Helping to Answer History Questions about West Lafayette
- Assistance in Genealogical Research using Ancestry for Libraries
- Microform Reading
- Accepting Patron Donations of Historical Material
- Facilitating Archive Collection Access
- 8mm Film Viewing/Digitizing
Where is the Local History Section?
Housed on the Library’s recently renovated Northwest corner of the 2nd floor, the Local History section offers many different resources and amenities for patrons to explore the community’s past. Have some fun exploring a Purdue Debris from 1915, or do some scholarly research using our collection of Polk City Directories. With plenty of places to sit, and a few dedicated Genealogic Research computers, the Local History area at West Lafayette Public Library provides a relaxed, quiet, and practical space for learning more about our past.
Archive Collections at West Lafayette Public Library
Patrons that want to look into one of our collections will need to do so by making an appointment with the Local History Librarian. They will help to figure out what you’d like to see, and then facilitate that viewing in the controlled environment of the Archive Reading Room.
To make an appointment, please email droddel@wlaf.lib.in.us or call (765)-607-4519
the J.C. Allen Family Collection
The J.C. Allen Collection is a rich visual archive documenting Indiana’s agricultural and community life during the early 20th century, while also tracing the evolving story of a remarkable family through decades of change – mainly through the lens of famous photographer John Calvin Allen and from the pen of his daughter Martha (Allen) Benham. Born on September 11, 1881, in Darwin, Illinois, John Calvin Allen began his photographic journey in 1904—not as a professional, but through a honeymoon gift: a Kodak camera for his wife, Abbie Peavey. She quickly mastered the craft and would later be credited by J.C. Allen as the person who taught him photography.
By 1912, Allen had established a thriving photography business in West Lafayette, and in 1913 he was hired by Purdue University’s Department of Animal Husbandry, where he served as an official photographer for over four decades. In addition to his university work, Allen ran a successful commercial and advertising photography studio, producing images for agricultural equipment, poultry producers, and local businesses. His photographs were known for their clarity, authenticity, and storytelling, offering a visual record of innovation and transformation in rural America. Many of these periodicals exist in the Allen Family collection.
A defining element of Allen’s work is the frequent appearance of his family—his wife Abbie, son Chester, and daughter Martha, who were central figures in his images. From camping trips and road travel to gardening scenes and household activities, these photographs blur the line between professional and personal. One of Allen’s most documented subjects was the modern family home he built on Northwestern Avenue in the early 1930s, a recurring visual motif in his archive. These images not only highlight his technical skill but also humanize rural life, reflecting the character, ambition, and lifestyle of a family deeply embedded in the community. Complementing this visual archive are Martha Allen’s personal diaries from 1925 to 1937, which offer rich, firsthand reflections that align with many of the images in the collection. The collection was donated to the library in 2023 by John Allen Benham, Martha’s son and J.C. Allen’s grandson, who still lives in West Lafayette.
The digitization initiative behind this collection involved high-resolution image scanning, structured cataloging using Dublin Core metadata standards, and a clear, consistent file naming system. Much of this work was carried out by a team of library staff, interns, and volunteers, whose attention to detail and commitment to preservation ensure that the collection is both archivally sound and publicly accessible. The most of the scanning and metadata work was done by Michelle Kwon, a graduate student in Museum and Heritage Studies at Johns Hopkins University in the Spring of 2025; she also composed these words and curated the accompanying photos. The J.C. Allen Collection doesn’t just preserve the past, it brings it to life, providing future generations a compelling and human view into West Lafayette’s past that spanned both world wars and the Great Depression.
the Mayor John Dennis Collection
coming soon
the Robert L. Bill Collection
coming soon
the Morton Center Collection
coming soon
the Bertha Moffit Collection
coming soon
the West Lafayette Public Library Collection
coming soon
the Gordon Straley Collection
coming soon
the West Lafayette Public Library Foundation Collection
coming soon
the Anna Akeley Collection
coming soon
the Martha Allen Collection
coming soon
the City of West Lafayette Collection
coming soon
the Susan Curtis Collection
coming soon
the West Lafayette Farmer’s Market Collection
coming soon
the William Floyd Collection
coming soon
the West Lafayette Foodways Collection
coming soon
the Helmkamp Family Collection
coming soon
the Marshall Howenstein Collection
coming soon
the Mayor Sonya Margerum Collection
the Everett & Donald McKinzie Collection
coming soon
the Corinne Strate-Redenbacher Collection
coming soon
the University Lutheran Church Collection
coming soon
the West Lafayette Fire Department Collection
coming soon
the Mayor James Williamson Collection
coming soon
the Dr. John Christian Book Collection
coming soon
the Linda Wilson-Bartlett-Block Collection
coming soon
the Susan Wu Collection
coming soon
the WLPL Maps Collection
coming soon
the Vertical Files Collection
coming soon