Research Guides: Local Histories of Essex County, MA in the 19th Century: Researching Essex County History: An Overview

What types of materials will I find?

Local histories were published as books and articles.
- You might also find special commemorative scrapbooks.
- Photographs, letters, and artifacts also tell local histories.
During the 19th century, many local histories were written in conjunction with the 1876 Centennial of the US.
- Other works celebrated town's anniversaries and the anniversaries of important churches.
Where will you find local histories?
- in libraries - as print books, historical journals, historical newspaper, and microforms
- in digitized collections on the web
- in photograph and artifact collections in local museums and local history room of public libraries

Berry Library at Salem State will have some print books in the circulating collection. There will also be books in the Archives and on microform.
- Archival materials and microform must be used in the library.
If you are very interested in exploring the history of your local town, it might be fun to visit your local museum and public library.
- A visit to the Peabody Essex Museum's Phillips Library is a must if you identify a treasure in its holdings.
Fortunately, the Internet Archive, HathiTrust and other digitized collections make it possible for us to read the full text of many historical materials, and to download them for printing.
- Though Salem State is not a member of the HathiTrust, students can sign in as guests, using their Google or Facebook accounts.
- If you have any questions about finding digitized materials, please do not hesitate to contact Nancy Dennis, Research & Instruction Librarian at ndennis@salemstate.edu.

Public Domain
File:New Driving Road Map of Essex County, Mass., by Geo. H. Walker & Co, 1884.jpg
Created: 1 January 1884
By Geo. H. Walker & Co. - Digital Commons, Salem State, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=109647837