Delaware County's bicentennial has come and gone, but many of its events have been preserved for posterity by two local photographers.

Sheldon Ross and Wendy Caldwell produced "A Look Through Our Lens at the Delaware County Bicentennial," to commemorate the 200th birthday celebration of both the city and the county.

Ross, a retired Tri-Township fire chief, has worked as a photographer for both The Columbus Dispatch and for Garth's Auctions. Caldwell, whose education is in business management, has been an amateur photographer all her life.

The two began photographing bicentennial events at the request of Brent Carson, chairman of the Delaware city bicentennial committee. Carson wasn't thinking about a book; he wanted documentation of the year's celebrations.

Then city spokesman Lee Yoakum mentioned a book -- not as a city-sponsored project, Yoakum said, but as a casual idea.

The notion was intriguing, Ross and Caldwell said, but to publish a book they'd have to collect signed release forms for every person in every picture they'd already taken -- if every person was willing to sign.

The process took six months, and involved the assistance of Willis Intermediate School principal Heidi Kegley, who identified many of the young people.

Meanwhile, they continued to cover bicentennial events: the commemoration of Ohio State University's first-ever football game -- in Delaware in 1890 against Ohio Wesleyan University -- the dedication of nearly a dozen historical plaques, a beard-growing contest, the bicentennial version of the Central Ohio Symphony's Fourth of July concert, and fireworks at the Delaware County Fair.

"I'll be really honest. I hate history! Hate it!" said Caldwell. "But you know what? This was living it. It made history fun."

Ross, who remembers the city's 1958 sesquicentennial, said not much was published to commemorate that occasion. This time around, he said, he wanted "A good book, something everybody could keep."

He wanted color, Ross said, and he wanted hardbound.

"We had to go out and scrounge up the money," Ross said.

They couldn't raise enough. Although they'd hoped to use a local publisher, no affordable company could be found.

Finally, a tip from fair board president Kent "Chip" Hastings steered them to a printing company in China.

Using a printer instead of a publisher put the burden of preparation on Ross and Caldwell, who selected the photographs, wrote the text, e-mailed, Fed-Ex'd, and kept in touch with their printing contact in Florida. Dana Evans designed the book.

Yoakum, who earlier worked for the state bicentennial commission, said several books came out of that 2003 celebration.

"I knew in talking to the authors about the tremendous amount of time and treasure involved. This was a true labor of love for Wendy and Sheldon, who share a passion for their craft and Delaware County," Yoakum wrote in an e-mail to ThisWeek.

A total of 1,000 copies were printed. The books are being sold only at Beehive Books, 25 N. Sandusky St.

Various local organizations and businesses will benefit from book sales: Andrews House, Friends for Life, the Delaware County Arts Castle, Main Street Delaware, the Strand Theatre, and all three Delaware County historical societies -- in Delaware, Powell and Sunbury.

"The idea was to give it back to the county," Caldwell said.

Ross said response to the book has been good.

"Everyone was impressed. They didn't expect that quality," he said.

Caldwell said she'll never forget Ross' expression when she placed the book in his hands. "Look Through Our Lens" is the first book for each.

"So that's really an honor that we got to do this," Caldwell said. "That year was probably the best year of my life."

"A Look Through Our Lens" is $39.99. For more information, call Beehive Books at (740) 363-2337.