Local History Research Guides

35 step-by-step guides to the records that answer the questions people actually ask: when was my house built, who lived here, where is someone buried, what business was at this address, and how do I use city directories, the census, old maps, and newspaper archives. Every guide names the specific record, who holds it, what years it covers, and what it costs (usually nothing).

Need a person to ask? Our directory of 695 historical societies, museums, and archives is organized by state, and each state page explains where that state keeps its vital, land, and newspaper records.