Established in 1885, the Ohio Historical Society is a private, nonprofit organization that discovers earthworks and ancient artifacts and contributes to the growth and development of the United States. It conducts a range of activities related to interpreting, collecting and preserving the heritage of Ohio. The society has collected more than 1million items pertaining to archaeology and natural history. The Ohio Historical Society is one of the largest historical organizations in the U.S. and has more than 9,000 members. It manages state archives and operates a network of historic sites and museums. The society has received the WOW Award for the Near East Side Community History Project and the American Association for State and the Local History Award of Merit. The Ohio Historical Society works in partnership with the Ohio Association of Historical Societies & Museums. It maintains an online collection catalog that allows to search the records of over 230,000 items.