Library
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Cumberland County Historical Records
A variety of resources are available to enhance research regarding the history of the county, including the following:
19th century histories of Cumberland County
Recent histories of the local area including townships, municipalities, and the county
19th and 20th century City Directories for many locales in the county
Hundreds of maps, atlases, and floor plans
Historic Architecture Resource Survey records (compiled in 1988) used for the book Cumberland County: An Architectural Survey
Council Minutes for various boroughs and townships
Click here to download the First Families of Cumberland County
Click here to download the First Family booklist
Click here to download the key to map abbreviations in pdf form
The manuscript collection includes an extensive array of original documents for the serious researcher. These documents include family records, business records, diaries, church records, school records, personal papers. The historical society has a large collection of county imprints or books published locally in both English and German texts. The county imprints are just a part of our collection of rare books published in the 18th and 19th century.
The following Pennsylvania records are among those available to patrons pursuing research questions regarding Pennsylvania history:
"The Pennsylvania Archives" (the Colonial Records, first through ninth series with indexes)
"History of the Pennsylvania Volunteers 1861-1865", by Samuel Bates, 1869 vols. 1-5
Index to "History of the Pennsylvania Volunteers 1861-1865", Broadfoot Publishing Company, 1994 vols. 1-4
The following federal records are available to patrons:
Federal Census Records for Cumberland County and neighboring counties 1790-1930 (microfilm)
Federal Census Indexes for the state of Pennsylvania 1790-1880
1798 Direct Tax (Glass Tax)
Septennial Tax lists for Cumberland County for the years: 1793, 1800, 1807, 1821, 1828, 1835, 1842, 1849, 1856, 1863, 1870
The holdings of the Cumberland County Historical Society include many newspapers and periodicals. A small sampling follows:
Periodicals:
Cumberland County History 1984 to the present
The Genealogical Helper March 1965-present
Pennsylvania Magazine 1877-present
Newspapers:
Pennsylvania Gazette 1749-1787
The Carlisle Gazette 1785-1817, 1823-1824
Shippensburg News Chronicle 1852-1935, 1976-1980
(Carlisle) Evening Sentinel 1874-present
Hundreds of genealogists utilize the holdings of the Hamilton Library annually. The holdings used most often by family researchers include:
The thousands of genealogy surname files
Hundreds of published and unpublished family histories in book form
Database index to over 900 church and cemetery records located at the Cumberland County Historical Society
Carlisle Indian Industrial School
Researchers frequently come to the Cumberland County Historical Society to learn more about the first U.S. Government off-reservation boarding school for American Indian children. The school, established in 1879, provided an educational setting for more than 12,000 Native American students until the school closed in 1918. Items available include:
1900 and 1910 census reports
Secondary sources regarding the school
Oral histories from school alumni, relatives of former students and local townspeople recorded in the 1980s
Over 3,000 photographs (also see Photo Archives information)
Newspapers and magazines which were published at the Carlisle Indian Industrial school by students as part of the printing program
See also Carlisle Indian Industrial School Resource Center
Genealogy records filed by family name
