Researching history

[jmz82]

Researching the history of an area seems much easier if it is a large town or city. For instance I'm near Pittsburgh and there is a wealth of information on the city and the first people that arrived here. Many people, myself included are from small rural towns. What does everyone do to try to research a town like that or say even a specific location.

The whole township is rural, and much of what I know comes from talking to my grand parents over the years. There is a small library but has limited information. I've looked at numerous maps but I just have a near impossible time finding much information on what the small area was like prior to 1900 not to mention earlier. I know more than the average person I think but I still feel like I know next to nothing. Whats your methods for researching potential sites?

 

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[Red James Cash]

Get your hands on the Federal writers project guide(WPA Guide) Untitled Document of your area.You will find a wealth of info in it,including local legends,folklore,stories,that had to do with the history of the towns and cities of your state.The WPA guide for Massachusetts is roughly around 1400 pages.

 

[cudamark]

Talking with the old timers in your area is always a good resource. Where the swimming holes were, fairgrounds, picnic sites, roadside stands, etc. Another good source is diaries written by local authors. A lot harder to come across, but they'll sometimes have info found nowhere else. As you mentioned, there is a lot of info about big cities with historical societies, biographies of important people, newspaper articles, etc, but there is also a lot more competition from others using that same info.

 

[beerguy]

Red,

Thanks so much for this tip.

After reading your post, I found a copy on Amazon.

This is a fantastic resource, plus it is extremely interesting.

There are references to towns that are long gone, parks, events, too much to list.

It will take me years to hunt the places outlined in this book.

Get your hands on the Federal writers project guide(WPA Guide) Untitled Document of your area.You will find a wealth of info in it,including local legends,folklore,stories,that had to do with the history of the towns and cities of your state.The WPA guide for Massachusetts is roughly around 1400 pages.

 

[SusanMN]

Most rural areas had plat maps in the 1900's that laid out land ownership, farms, churches and schools. Check with your county or state library. Also google search your township and county looking for maps. There is a lot more out there than you think.

 

[Hunterhound]

I haven't been on a hunt yet but have started looking for research resources myself. In my small town, I found out that our county history museum has a geneaology section that is maintained regularly. There is also a local geneaology group and historical society for the county that are pretty active. These may generate some leads. I only went to one meeting of the geneaology group and learned there is one guy in the group that focuses his research on old town layouts and whatnot. I plan to hit him up at the next meeting to see if he can give me some tips. I also found out our county clerk's office has online maps of the town from the early 1900s as well as a deed search feature. The clerk's site also offers the capability described by SusanM, old plat maps. Lastly, you may see if you can find the Sanborn fire insurance records for your area. The way I understand it, these were used by the fire departments prior to scaled up insurance companies. These should show the plats of the area as well.

 

[Gaspipe]

Hi I have found that many , if not most small towns (at least in New England) have had local histories written about them and often contain much information on how and where the town was initially settled. Often with rural towns you may find about areas that are now long abandoned.

 

[Red James Cash]

Red,

Thanks so much for this tip.

After reading your post, I found a copy on Amazon.

This is a fantastic resource, plus it is extremely interesting.

There are references to towns that are long gone, parks, events, too much to list.

It will take me years to hunt the places outlined in this book.

No problem beerguy,enjoy