AboutLocal History
Special Collections is open Wednesday and Thursday from 10am-12pm & 1pm-3pm.
Local History is a separate area of non-circulating material in a number of specialized fields including local and regional history, genealogy, rare books, maps, and photographs. The Local History Room is located on the third floor of the Haverhill Public Library. Hours are Wednesday & Thursday from 10am-Noon & 1-3pm.
There is a $5.00 fee for each obituary request. Printing and scanning any Special Collections material is 50 cents per page.
Historical Collections [top]
Haverhill History Collection [top]
Photographs, newspaper clippings, city directories (1850 – present), cemetery records, yearbooks, pamphlets, manuscripts and other materials relevant to the history of Haverhill. File categories include authors, business, churches, clubs, history, houses, manufacturing, monuments, neighborhoods, railroads, rivers, schools, societies, and theaters.
Whittier Collection [top]
Books, manuscripts and photographs of the Quaker poet with biographies about Whittier as well as works of literary criticism. In addition, there are books on Quaker History, Quaker authors, as well as biographies of contemporary 19th century writers and anti-slavery crusaders. The Whittier Collection is held in the newly renovated Trustees Room at the library and is made available by appointment only.
Haverhill Citizens Hall of Fame
The Haverhill Citizens Hall of Fame was established at the Haverhill Public Library in 1985. Its purpose is to recognize, prominently and permanently, individuals from Haverhill who have made significant contributions to the larger communities of state, country and world, of which we are all citizens.
Essex County Probate Records [top]
1671-1857 on microfilm.
Society of Friends (Quaker) Records [top]
For Hampton and Seabrook, New Hampshire, 1701-1888 on microfilm
Genealogy Resources [top]
Online Resources [top]
HeritageQuest Online [ from library | from home ]
Ancestry.com (in-Library use only)
American Ancestors New England Historic Genealogical Society (in-Library use only)
Vital Records Collection [top]
Massachusetts Vital Records through 1910 in books and on microfilm.
Massachusetts State Census, 1855 & 1865 [top]
Microfilm. Transcriptions of Haverhill, Bradford, Ipswich, Groveland, Hamilton, Manchester, Essex, Georgetown, Boxford, West Boxford, Newbury, North Andover, Rockport, Swampscott, Wenham, West Newbury, and Topsfield.
Federal Census for Essex County, Massachusetts 1790-1920 [top]
Print & Microfilm.
Federal Census for Rockingham County, New Hampshire [top]
1850-1920 on microfilm
Pecker Genealogical Collection [top]
9,000 volumes of New England town histories and New England family histories.
