Established in 1935, the Works Projects Administration (later Works Progress Administration) was developed to aid the out-of-work after the stock market crash of 1929 followed by the Great Depression. The Federal Writers' Project (Federal Project Number One) created jobs for unemployed librarians, clerks, researchers, editors, and historians. One of the many projects was the series titled "Inventory of the County Archives of Ohio."

The survey in Allen County was startedin March 1936 and was completed in September. The original WPA volume for Allen County contained maps showing the evolution of Ohio judicial districts and flow charts which have been omitted in this volume. The information herein is verbatim except for obvious spelling errors. Included are Abbreviations, Legal Terms, Symbols, and Explanatory Notes; and Addresses and Websites. An index to inventory entries adds to the value of this work.