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The following archives, libraries, and societies have collections or services helpful to researchers. Since [[Maine|Maine]] was part of [[Massachusetts|Massachusetts]] until 1819, some records in Massachusetts have information about people living in Maine before 1819. See:
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{{ME-sidebar}}{{TOC left}}<br>These archives, libraries, societies, and museums preserve sources, maintain indexes, and provide services to help genealogists document their ancestors who lived in Maine. '''Remember''', Maine was part of [[Massachusetts Genealogy|Massachusetts]] until 1819, so early Maine records are often found in Massachusetts repositories.  


'''Maine State Archives<br>'''State House Station 84<br>Augusta, ME 04333-0084<br>Telephone: 207-287-5795<br>Fax: 207-289-5739<br>Internet: http://www.maine.gov/sos/arc/
== Wiki Articles on Major Repositories for Maine ==
[[Allen County Public Library]] (Ft. Wayne IN){{·}} [[American Antiquarian Society]] (Worcester MA){{·}} [[Bangor Public Library]]{{·}} [[Farmington Public Library]]{{·}} [[Haverhill Public Library]] MA{{·}} Maine Franco-American Genealogical Society{{·}} [[Maine Historical Society]]{{·}} [[Maine State Archives]]{{·}} [[Maine State Library]]{{·}} Maine Vital Records Office{{·}} [[Massachusetts Historical Society]] (Boston MA){{·}} [[Massachusetts State Archives]] (Boston MA){{·}} [[National Archives at Boston]] (Waltham MA){{·}} [[New England Historic Genealogical Society]] (Boston MA){{·}} [[Penobscot Marine Museum]]{{·}} [[Skidompha Public Library]]{{·}} [[University of Maine Fogler Library]]<br>


A useful guide to municipal and county records is:
== Online Records of Maine ==


''Public Record Repositories in Maine''. 1976. Augusta, Maine: Maine State Archives, 1976. (Family History Library {{FHL|124862|title-id|disp=book 974.1 A3m}} 1976; {{FHL|289410|title-id|disp=film 1036235 item 6}}; 1972 edition on {{FHL|124862|title-id|disp=film 928040 item 4; fiche 6051251}}).
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| <div id="fsButtons"><span class="online_records_button">[[Maine Online Genealogy Records]]</span></div>{{DCfollowup}}
[[Image:NARA Boston.jpg|thumb|right|280px|National Archives at Boston (in Waltham MA)]]<br>
== National Repositories  ==


'''[[National Archives Northeast Region (Boston)|National Archives Northeast Region (Boston)]]<br>'''380 Trapelo Road<br>Waltham, MA 02154<br>Telephone: 617-647-8100<br>Fax: 617-647-8460 <br>Internet: http://www.archives.gov/northeast/boston/  
=== [[National Archives at Boston]] ===
380 Trapelo Road<br>Waltham, MA 02452-6399<br>Phone: (781) 663-0130<br>Fax: (781) 663-0154<br>[http://www.archives.gov/northeast/boston/ Website]<br>[mailto:waltham.archives@nara.gov/ Email]
|}
{| style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: none;"
:The Boston archives branch has Connecticut, '''Maine''', Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont documents, photos, and maps of 80 federal agencies, War of 1812, forts, World War II research at Harvard and MIT, federal bankruptcy courts, First Circuit Court of Appeals, Navy, Coast Guard, westward expansion, ethnology, Revolutionary War, Civil War, captured German records, territorial papers, censuses, passenger arrival records for Boston and New England, Canadian border crossings.<ref name="DB124">William Dollarhide and Ronald A. Bremer. ''America's Best Genealogy Resource Centers'' (Bountiful, Utah: Heritage Quest, 1998), 124. {{WorldCat|39493985}}; {{FSC|728550|item|disp=FS Library Ref Book 973 J54d}}.</ref>
|}
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'''National Archives—Northeast Region (Pittsfield)<br>'''10 Conte Drive<br>Pittsfield, MA 01201-8230<br>Telephone: 413-236-3600<br>Fax: 413-236-3609 <br>Internet: http://www.archives.gov/northeast/pittsfield/
== Statewide Repositories ==
=== Maine Franco-Amercian Geneal Society ===
'''Maine Franco-Amercian Genealogical Society Library'''<br>Fortin Group Funeral Home (2nd Floor)<br>217 Turner Street<br>Auburn, ME 04210<br>Telephone: 207-786-3327<br>


'''Maine Historical Society<br>'''485 Congress Street<br>Portland, ME 04101<br>Telephone: 207-774-1822<br>Fax: 207-775-4301<br><span>Internet: [http://www.mainehistory.org http://www.mainehistory.org]/ </span>
:Over 1,700 volumes including marriage repertoires from Canada, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont, the [[Loiselle Marriage Index]] of 520 Catholic parishes in Québec from mid-1600s to 1960, computers, books, microfiche, census indexes, Maine marriages 1892-1966, and local obituaries.<ref>[http://www.simplesite.com/MFGSWebsite/137296477 History of MFGS]
in ''Maine Franco-American Genealogical Society'' (accessed 26 April 2017).</ref><br><br>


'''Maine Genealogical Society<br>'''P.O. Box 221<br>Farmington, ME 04938-0221<br>Maine State Library<br>State House Station #64<br>Augusta ME 04333<br>Telephone 207-289-5600<br>Fax 207-287-5615 <br><span>Internet: [http://www.rootsweb.com http://www.rootsweb.com]/~megs/index.htm </span>
| [[File:Maine Historical Society Brown Library.jpg|thumb|right|280px|ME Historical Society Brown Library in Portland]]


'''[[New England Historic Genealogical Society|New England Historic Genealogical Society]]<br>'''101 Newbury Street<br>Boston, MA 02116-3007<br>Telephone: 617-536-5740, 1-888-286-3447<br>Membership Department: 888-286-3447<br>Fax: 617-536-7307 <br><span>Internet: [http://www.americanancestors.org http://www.americanancestors.org]/ </span>
=== [[Maine Historical Society Brown Library]] ===
489 Congress Street<br>Portland, ME 04101<br>Telephone 207-774–1822<br>Fax 207-775–4301<br>[http://www.mainehistory.org/ Website]<br>[mailto:info@mainehistory.org/ Email]
:They have a very good collection for genealogists including 100,000 books, and 2 million manuscript pages from the 1400s to the present. They also provide in-library online access to NewEnglandAncestors.org, Ancestry Library, HeritageQuest™ Online, and the Proquest Digital Sanborn Maps of Maine.<ref name="DB53" /><ref>[http://www.mainehistory.org/gen_overview.shtml Genealogy and Family History Research at MHS] in ''Maine Historical Society'' (accessed 5 April 2016).</ref><br><br>
|}
=== [[Maine State Archives]]  ===
[[File:Maine State Library Museum Archives.jpg|thumb|right|280px|Maine State Archives in Augusta]]84 State House Station <br>Augusta, ME 04333-0084<br>Telephone: 207-287-5790<br>Fax: 207-287-5517<br>[http://www.maine.gov/sos/arc/ Website]
:Original records from all Maine counties, towns, and plantations.<ref name="DB53" /> A wiki article describing this collection is found at [[Maine State Archive Collections - FamilySearch Historical Records|Maine State Archive Collections - FamilySearch Historical Records]]<br>
:*[https://www.mainememory.net/search/topic/'''Maine Memory Networks''']Including letters,photographs, maps and much more.<br><br>


'''Bangor Public Library<br>'''145 Harlow Street<br>Bangor, ME 04401<br>Telephone: 207-947-8336<br>Fax 207-945-6694 <br><span>Internet: [http://www.bpl.lib.me.us http://www.bpl.lib.me.us]/ </span>
=== [[Maine State Library]]  ===
[[File:Maine State Library Museum Archives.jpg|thumb|right|280px|Maine State Library in Augusta]]64 State House Station<br>Augusta, ME 04333<br>Telephone: 207-287-5600<br>Fax: 207-287-5624<br>[http://www.maine.gov/msl/ Website]<br> There are boundary changes, rivers, maps, oral histories, and town/plantation records. This is the best genealogical repository in Maine.<ref name="DB53" /><br><br>


'''University of Maine at Orono<br>'''Raymond H. Fogler Library, Special Collections<br>P.O. Box 5729<br>Orono, ME 04469-5729<br>Telephone: 207-581-1686<br>Fax: 207-581-1653 <br><span>Internet: [http://www.umaine.edu http://www.umaine.edu]/ </span>
=== Maine Vital Records Office  ===
220 Capitol Street<br>11 State House Station<br>Augusta, Maine 04333-0011<br>Telephone: 207-287-3181 or 888-664-9491 toll free<br>  
:'''Maine Vital Records''' collects records statewide of births, deaths, marriages, and divorces from 1892 to present, issuing certified copies on request.<ref>[http://www.maine.gov/dhhs/mecdc/public-health-systems/data-research/vital-records/index.shtml Data, Research, and Vital Statistics - Vital Records] in ''Division of Public Health Systems'' in ''Maine.gov'' (accessed 26 April 2017).</ref> There are three ways to request their copies:<ref>[http://www.maine.gov/dhhs/mecdc/public-health-systems/data-research/vital-records/order/index.shtml Maine Vital Records - Order Records] in ''Division of Public Health Systems'' in ''Maine.gov'' (accessed 26 April 2017).</ref>
::*Walk-in request with payment by cash or check
::*Written request through the mail with payment by check or money order, or
::*Online request (for an extra fee) with payment by credit card through the independent company '''[https://www.vitalchek.com/vital-records/maine VitalChek Maine]'''.
:Some local [[Maine Town Records|plantation or town records]] may also include BMD vital records before 1892.<br><br>


'''Family History Library'''<br>35 N. West Temple St.<br>Salt Lake City, UT 84150<br>Telephone: 1-866-406-1830<br><span>Internet: [http://www.familysearch.org http://www.familysearch.org] </span>
== Regional Repositories  ==


=== Web Sites ===
=== [[Bangor Public Library]] ===
[[File:Bangor, ME Public Library IMG 2083.JPG|thumb|right|280px|Bangor Public Library]]Bangor Room<br>145 Harlow Street<br>Bangor, ME 04401<br>Telephone: 207-947-8336<br>Fax 207-945-6694<br>[http://www.bpl.lib.me.us/ Website]<br>[mailto:info@bangorpubliclibrary.org/ Email]<br>
:Genealogical and historical references for Bangor, the Penobscot Valley, the state of Maine, and the entire region of New England. They have censuses, Maine Register town histories, the ''Bangor Daily News'' Index, county histories, family records and research, genealogy handbooks, Bangor city directories, military histories, passenger lists, and scanned photos.<ref>[http://www.bpl.lib.me.us/LocalHistory/index_specialcollections.html Local History, the Bangor Room, and Special Collections] in ''Bangor Public Library'' (accessed 5 April 2016).</ref> They also provide free access to Ancestry Library and HeritageQuest Online.<br><br><br>
[[File:CutlerMemorialLibraryFarmingtonME.jpg|thumb|right|280px|Farmington Public Library]]


You can find computerized research tips and information about ancestors from Maine in a variety of sources at local, state, national, and international levels. The list of sources is growing rapidly. Most of the information is available at no cost. Addresses on the Internet are subject to frequent changes. The following sites are important gateways linking you to many more sites:  
=== [[Farmington Public Library]] ===
117 Academy Street<br>Farmington, ME 04938<br>Telephone: 207-778-4312<br>[http://www.farmington.lib.me.us/ Website]<br>[mailto:jenscott@farmington.lib.me.us/ Email]
:The Genealogy Room has over 1,700 works: town histories, published and unpublished family histories, local newspapers, Ancestry.com access, vital records, and cemetery transcripts.<ref>[http://www.farmington.lib.me.us/genealogy.html Genealogy Services] in ''Farmington Public Library'' (accessed 5 April 2016).</ref><br><br>
[[File:Penobscot Marine Museum, Searsport, Maine.JPG|thumb|right|280px|Penobscot Marine Museum in Searsport]]
=== [[Penobscot Marine Museum]]  ===
Stephen Phillips Memorial Library<br>11 Church Street (PO Box 498)<br>Searsport, Maine 04974<br>Telephone: 207-548-2529 ext.212<br>[http://penobscotmarinemuseum.org/ Website]<br>[mailto:cgood@pmm-maine.org/ Email]<br>


'''USGenWeb'''
:Their collection includes an important biographical index of Maine people. They also have records of shipping companies, ship registers, logbooks, and journals.<ref name="DB53" /><br><br>
[[File:Skidompha Public Library, Damariscotta, Maine.JPG|thumb|right|280px|Skidompha Public Library in Damariscotta]]
=== [[Skidompha Public Library]]  ===
Lincoln County Genealogy and History Center<br>184 Main Street (PO Box 70)<br>Damariscotta, Maine 04543<br>Telephone: 207-563-5513<br>[mailto:skid@msln.net/ Email]<br>[http://www.skidompha.org/ Website]<br>
:Their genealogy and local history collection is outstanding.[3] It is strongest for Lincoln County, but also includes other areas of Maine, New England, US, Canada, and other countries. They have cemetery records, local ships and shipbuilding, maps, periodicals, scrapbooks, vertical files, some Lincoln County vital records, the Maine 1790 Census, town histories, 257 family histories/genealogies, military records from the Revolutionary War and Civil War, local history researchers' notes, and local history newspaper clippings. The library computers can be used to access Ancestry.com.[1]


*<span>[http://www.usgenweb.com http://www.usgenweb.com]/ </span>


[[File:The Mall, University of Maine.jpg|thumb|right|235px|UMaine Fogler Library in Orono]]
=== [[University of Maine Fogler Library]]  ===
Orono, ME 04469-5729<br>Telephone: 207-581-1661<br>Fax: 207-581-1653<br>[http://www.library.umaine.edu/ Website] <br>
:They have excellent collections about early Maine settlers, fisheries, Acadians, ships, and shipping companies.[2] Their Special Collections is dedicated to Maine related material including printed bibliographical, historical, and descriptive works about Maine's cities, towns, counties, her people and institutions.[3] This library is a regional United States government document depository, and collects selected Canadian and United Nations documents as well.


== Outside of Maine Repositories  ==


A cooperative effort by many volunteers to list genealogical databases, libraries, bulletin boards, and other resources available on the Internet for each county, state, and country.  
Maine was part of [[Massachusetts Genealogy|Massachusetts]] until 1819, so early Maine records are often found in Massachusetts repositories.[[Image:Allen County Public Library.jpg|thumb|right|165px|Allen Co Public Library IN]]<br>


'''Roots-L'''  
=== [[Allen County Public Library]]  ===
900 Library Plaza <br> Fort Wayne, Indiana 46802 <br> Telephone: 260-421-1225<br>[http://www.genealogycenter.org/ Website]<br>[mailto:genealogy@acpl.info/ Email]
:This is the second-largest genealogy collection in the United States<ref>[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allen_County_Public_Library Allen County Public Library] in ''Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia'' (accessed 28 April 2010).</ref> and the largest genealogy collection in a public library. Its holdings include more than 350,000 printed volumes and 513,000 items on microfilm and microfiche.<ref name="ACPLGC">[http://www.acpl.lib.in.us/genealogy/ Genealogy Center] in ''Allen County Public Library'' (accessed 28 April 2010).</ref> It has a premier genealogical periodical collection, local histories, genealogies, databases, military, censuses, directories, passenger lists, ethnic sources, and Canadians. They have a great eastern seaboard and '''Maine''' collection.<ref>[http://www.genealogycenter.org/docs/default-source/resources/aboutusbrochure.pdf?sfvrsn=2 Genealogy Center Collections] in ''Genealogy Center'' (accessed 27 February 2015).</ref><br><br>


*<span>[http://www.rootsweb.com/roots http://www.rootsweb.com/roots]-l/usa/ </span>
=== [[American Antiquarian Society]]  ===
[[Image:WorcesterMA AntiquarianSociety 2.jpg|thumb|right|280px|American Antiquarian Society in Worcester MA]]185 Salisbury Street<br>Worcester, Massachusetts 01609-1634<br>Telephone: 508-755-5221<br>Fax: 508-753-3311<br>[http://www.americanantiquarian.org/ Website]<br>[mailto:Library@americanantiquarian.org/ Email]<br>
:Best known for its U.S. newspaper collection of over 18,000 bound volumes 1704-1820, history, genealogy, Bibles, maps, biography, directories, Native Americans, women, canals, railroads, photos, manuscripts.<ref name="DB59">Dollarhide and Bremer, 59.</ref>  They have '''Maine''' vital records, newspapers, and town histories. One of the best genealogy centers in America.<ref name="DB53">Dollarhide and Bremer, 53.</ref><br><br>


=== [[Haverhill Public Library]]  ===
[[File:Haverhill Public Library.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Haverhill Public Library in Massachusetts]]99 Main Street<br>Haverhill, Massachusetts 01830<br>Telephone: 978-373-1586<br>[http://www.haverhillpl.org/information/local-history-2/ Website]<br>[mailto:hpl-ref@mvlc.org/ Email]
:One of New England's largest collections of original manuscripts, books, genealogical periodicals, and surname folders, local history collection, genealogy databases, Massachusetts vital records to 1910, federal and state censuses, 9,000 New England town and family histories. Their collection of New England and '''Maine''' sources is larger than most.<ref name="DB53" /> <ref>[https://www.haverhillpl.org/images/2020/04/Resource-Guide-Genealogy-Local-History-1.pdf Genealogy Resources] in ''Haverhill Public Library'' (accessed 14 November 2013).</ref><br><br>


=== [[Massachusetts Historical Society Library]]  ===
[[Image:MassHistorichq.JPG|thumb|right|250px|Massachusetts Historical Soc in Boston]]1154 Boylston Street<br>Boston, Massachusetts 02215-3695<br>Telephone: 617-536-1608<br>Fax: 617-859-0074<br>[http://www.masshist.org/ Website]<br>[http://www.masshist.org/ Email]
:Excellent historical materials, original town records, and genealogies related to '''Maine'''.<ref name="DB53" /> This collection does '''not''' repeat the New England Historic Genealogical Society collection.<ref name="DB57">Dollarhide and Bremer, 57.</ref><br><br>


A useful list of sites and resources. Includes a large, regularly updated research coordination list.<br>
=== [[Massachusetts State Archives]]  ===
[[Image:MA State Archives exterior.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Masschusetts State Archives in Boston]]220 Morrissey Boulevard <br>Boston, Massachusetts 02125<br>Phone: (617) 727–2816 <br>[http://www.sec.state.ma.us/arc/ Website]<br>[mailto:archives@sec.state.ma.us/ Email]
:The ''Massachusetts Archives Index'', also known as the ''Colonial Index'', cites almost every early New England immigrant inlcuding those for '''Maine'''.<ref name="DB53" /><br><br>


<br>
=== New England Historic Genealogical Soc  ===
[[Image:NEHGS Newbury Street.jpg|thumb|right|230px|NEHGS at 101 Newbury St in Boston]]'''[[New England Historic Genealogical Society]] (NEHGS)'''<br>101 Newbury Street<br>Boston, Massachusetts 02116-3007<br>Telephone:  617-536-5740; Library 617-226-1231<br>Fax:  617-536-7307<br> info@nehgs.org]<br>[http://www.americanancestors.org/ Website]<br>[mailto:info@nehgs.org/ Email]
:Best overall collection for New England vital records and probates, and excellent collection for Canada, Great Britain, Ireland, and Europe. The manuscript collection for members only has diaries, letters, account books, business papers, church and town records, sermons, maps, wills, deeds, unpublished town and family genealogies, photos, and papers of the region's best genealogists since 1850.<ref name="DB55759">Dollarhide and Bremer, 5, 57, and 59.</ref>  The '''Maine''' collection has great detail on some early families, unpublished family histories, and many town and county histories.<ref name="DB53" /><br><br>


[[Maine State Archive Collections (FamilySearch Historical Records)]]  
== FamilySearch Centers ==
Some of the above collections are partially duplicated at the [https://www.familysearch.org/en/library/ FamilySearch Library] and its branch '''[https://www.familysearch.org/centers/locations/ FamilySearch Centers]''' around the world. Most centers can help you by:
*Giving you limited, personal, one-on-one research suggestions (but they do not do research for you)
*Providing access to genealogical records through the premium online Internet '''[[FamilySearch Center Portal|FamilySearch Center Portal]]''' for free.
*Offering free how-to classes (varies by location)
*Fostering contact between genealogical enthusiasts
There are several [[:Category:Maine FamilySearch Centers|centers located in Maine]], ''for example:'' 
::[[Bangor Maine FamilySearch Center]]<br>639 Grandview Ave<br>Bangor, Maine USA<br>Telephone: 207-942-7677
:::Each center is staffed by volunteers and has varying hours and services. Telephone in advance to verify their hours.
To locate one of these 4,500 centers in your own neighborhood, see [https://www.familysearch.org/centers/locations/ Find a FamilySearch Center].<br><br>


{{Maine | Maine}}
== For Further Reading  ==


[[Maine State Archive Collections (FamilySearch Historical Records)]]  
*Maine State Archives, ''Public Record Repositories in Maine.'' (Augusta, Maine: Maine State Archives, 1972). {{WorldCat|17248268}}; [https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/records/item/243702-public-record-repositories-in-maine?offset=1 1983 online digital edition]. {{FSC|124862|item|disp=FS Library Film 928040 item 4; Fiche 6051251; Book 974.1 A3m}}.
*[http://www.usgennet.org/socadmin/me.html Usgennet.org Online Historical and Genealogical Societies of Maine].


[[Category:Maine|Archives]]
'''A wiki article describing an online collection is found at:'''<br>
:*[[Maine State Archive Collections - FamilySearch Historical Records|Maine State Archive Collections (FamilySearch Historical Records)<br>]]
 
== Sources  ==
 
{{reflist}}
 
{{Maine | Maine}}{{U.S. Archives and Libraries}}
 
[[Category:United_States_Archives_and_Libraries|1]] [[Category:Maine,_United_States]]

Latest revision as of 16:41, 23 October 2023

Maine Wiki Topics
Maine flag.png
Beginning Research
Record Types
Maine Background
Cultural Groups
Local Research Resources


These archives, libraries, societies, and museums preserve sources, maintain indexes, and provide services to help genealogists document their ancestors who lived in Maine. Remember, Maine was part of Massachusetts until 1819, so early Maine records are often found in Massachusetts repositories.

Wiki Articles on Major Repositories for Maine

Allen County Public Library (Ft. Wayne IN) · American Antiquarian Society (Worcester MA) · Bangor Public Library · Farmington Public Library · Haverhill Public Library MA · Maine Franco-American Genealogical Society · Maine Historical Society · Maine State Archives · Maine State Library · Maine Vital Records Office · Massachusetts Historical Society (Boston MA) · Massachusetts State Archives (Boston MA) · National Archives at Boston (Waltham MA) · New England Historic Genealogical Society (Boston MA) · Penobscot Marine Museum · Skidompha Public Library · University of Maine Fogler Library

Online Records of Maine

Links to online databases and indexes that may include vital records, biographies, cemeteries, censuses, histories, immigration records, land records, maps, military records, naturalizations, newspapers, obituaries, or probate records.
National Archives at Boston (in Waltham MA)

National Repositories

National Archives at Boston

380 Trapelo Road
Waltham, MA 02452-6399
Phone: (781) 663-0130
Fax: (781) 663-0154
Website
Email

The Boston archives branch has Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont documents, photos, and maps of 80 federal agencies, War of 1812, forts, World War II research at Harvard and MIT, federal bankruptcy courts, First Circuit Court of Appeals, Navy, Coast Guard, westward expansion, ethnology, Revolutionary War, Civil War, captured German records, territorial papers, censuses, passenger arrival records for Boston and New England, Canadian border crossings.[1]

Statewide Repositories

Maine Franco-Amercian Geneal Society

Maine Franco-Amercian Genealogical Society Library
Fortin Group Funeral Home (2nd Floor)
217 Turner Street
Auburn, ME 04210
Telephone: 207-786-3327

Over 1,700 volumes including marriage repertoires from Canada, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont, the Loiselle Marriage Index of 520 Catholic parishes in Québec from mid-1600s to 1960, computers, books, microfiche, census indexes, Maine marriages 1892-1966, and local obituaries.[2]

ME Historical Society Brown Library in Portland

Maine Historical Society Brown Library

489 Congress Street
Portland, ME 04101
Telephone 207-774–1822
Fax 207-775–4301
Website
Email

They have a very good collection for genealogists including 100,000 books, and 2 million manuscript pages from the 1400s to the present. They also provide in-library online access to NewEnglandAncestors.org, Ancestry Library, HeritageQuest™ Online, and the Proquest Digital Sanborn Maps of Maine.[3][4]

Maine State Archives

Maine State Archives in Augusta

84 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333-0084
Telephone: 207-287-5790
Fax: 207-287-5517
Website

Original records from all Maine counties, towns, and plantations.[3] A wiki article describing this collection is found at Maine State Archive Collections - FamilySearch Historical Records

Maine State Library

Maine State Library in Augusta

64 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333
Telephone: 207-287-5600
Fax: 207-287-5624
Website
There are boundary changes, rivers, maps, oral histories, and town/plantation records. This is the best genealogical repository in Maine.[3]

Maine Vital Records Office

220 Capitol Street
11 State House Station
Augusta, Maine 04333-0011
Telephone: 207-287-3181 or 888-664-9491 toll free

Maine Vital Records collects records statewide of births, deaths, marriages, and divorces from 1892 to present, issuing certified copies on request.[5] There are three ways to request their copies:[6]
  • Walk-in request with payment by cash or check
  • Written request through the mail with payment by check or money order, or
  • Online request (for an extra fee) with payment by credit card through the independent company VitalChek Maine.
Some local plantation or town records may also include BMD vital records before 1892.

Regional Repositories

Bangor Public Library

Bangor Public Library

Bangor Room
145 Harlow Street
Bangor, ME 04401
Telephone: 207-947-8336
Fax 207-945-6694
Website
Email

Genealogical and historical references for Bangor, the Penobscot Valley, the state of Maine, and the entire region of New England. They have censuses, Maine Register town histories, the Bangor Daily News Index, county histories, family records and research, genealogy handbooks, Bangor city directories, military histories, passenger lists, and scanned photos.[7] They also provide free access to Ancestry Library and HeritageQuest Online.


Farmington Public Library

Farmington Public Library

117 Academy Street
Farmington, ME 04938
Telephone: 207-778-4312
Website
Email

The Genealogy Room has over 1,700 works: town histories, published and unpublished family histories, local newspapers, Ancestry.com access, vital records, and cemetery transcripts.[8]

Penobscot Marine Museum in Searsport

Penobscot Marine Museum

Stephen Phillips Memorial Library
11 Church Street (PO Box 498)
Searsport, Maine 04974
Telephone: 207-548-2529 ext.212
Website
Email

Their collection includes an important biographical index of Maine people. They also have records of shipping companies, ship registers, logbooks, and journals.[3]

Skidompha Public Library in Damariscotta

Skidompha Public Library

Lincoln County Genealogy and History Center
184 Main Street (PO Box 70)
Damariscotta, Maine 04543
Telephone: 207-563-5513
Email
Website

Their genealogy and local history collection is outstanding.[3] It is strongest for Lincoln County, but also includes other areas of Maine, New England, US, Canada, and other countries. They have cemetery records, local ships and shipbuilding, maps, periodicals, scrapbooks, vertical files, some Lincoln County vital records, the Maine 1790 Census, town histories, 257 family histories/genealogies, military records from the Revolutionary War and Civil War, local history researchers' notes, and local history newspaper clippings. The library computers can be used to access Ancestry.com.[1]


UMaine Fogler Library in Orono

University of Maine Fogler Library

Orono, ME 04469-5729
Telephone: 207-581-1661
Fax: 207-581-1653
Website

They have excellent collections about early Maine settlers, fisheries, Acadians, ships, and shipping companies.[2] Their Special Collections is dedicated to Maine related material including printed bibliographical, historical, and descriptive works about Maine's cities, towns, counties, her people and institutions.[3] This library is a regional United States government document depository, and collects selected Canadian and United Nations documents as well.

Outside of Maine Repositories

Maine was part of Massachusetts until 1819, so early Maine records are often found in Massachusetts repositories.

Allen Co Public Library IN


Allen County Public Library

900 Library Plaza
Fort Wayne, Indiana 46802
Telephone: 260-421-1225
Website
Email

This is the second-largest genealogy collection in the United States[9] and the largest genealogy collection in a public library. Its holdings include more than 350,000 printed volumes and 513,000 items on microfilm and microfiche.[10] It has a premier genealogical periodical collection, local histories, genealogies, databases, military, censuses, directories, passenger lists, ethnic sources, and Canadians. They have a great eastern seaboard and Maine collection.[11]

American Antiquarian Society

American Antiquarian Society in Worcester MA

185 Salisbury Street
Worcester, Massachusetts 01609-1634
Telephone: 508-755-5221
Fax: 508-753-3311
Website
Email

Best known for its U.S. newspaper collection of over 18,000 bound volumes 1704-1820, history, genealogy, Bibles, maps, biography, directories, Native Americans, women, canals, railroads, photos, manuscripts.[12] They have Maine vital records, newspapers, and town histories. One of the best genealogy centers in America.[3]

Haverhill Public Library

Haverhill Public Library in Massachusetts

99 Main Street
Haverhill, Massachusetts 01830
Telephone: 978-373-1586
Website
Email

One of New England's largest collections of original manuscripts, books, genealogical periodicals, and surname folders, local history collection, genealogy databases, Massachusetts vital records to 1910, federal and state censuses, 9,000 New England town and family histories. Their collection of New England and Maine sources is larger than most.[3] [13]

Massachusetts Historical Society Library

Massachusetts Historical Soc in Boston

1154 Boylston Street
Boston, Massachusetts 02215-3695
Telephone: 617-536-1608
Fax: 617-859-0074
Website
Email

Excellent historical materials, original town records, and genealogies related to Maine.[3] This collection does not repeat the New England Historic Genealogical Society collection.[14]

Massachusetts State Archives

Masschusetts State Archives in Boston

220 Morrissey Boulevard
Boston, Massachusetts 02125
Phone: (617) 727–2816
Website
Email

The Massachusetts Archives Index, also known as the Colonial Index, cites almost every early New England immigrant inlcuding those for Maine.[3]

New England Historic Genealogical Soc

NEHGS at 101 Newbury St in Boston

New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS)
101 Newbury Street
Boston, Massachusetts 02116-3007
Telephone: 617-536-5740; Library 617-226-1231
Fax: 617-536-7307
info@nehgs.org]
Website
Email

Best overall collection for New England vital records and probates, and excellent collection for Canada, Great Britain, Ireland, and Europe. The manuscript collection for members only has diaries, letters, account books, business papers, church and town records, sermons, maps, wills, deeds, unpublished town and family genealogies, photos, and papers of the region's best genealogists since 1850.[15] The Maine collection has great detail on some early families, unpublished family histories, and many town and county histories.[3]

FamilySearch Centers

Some of the above collections are partially duplicated at the FamilySearch Library and its branch FamilySearch Centers around the world. Most centers can help you by:

  • Giving you limited, personal, one-on-one research suggestions (but they do not do research for you)
  • Providing access to genealogical records through the premium online Internet FamilySearch Center Portal for free.
  • Offering free how-to classes (varies by location)
  • Fostering contact between genealogical enthusiasts

There are several centers located in Maine, for example:

Bangor Maine FamilySearch Center
639 Grandview Ave
Bangor, Maine USA
Telephone: 207-942-7677
Each center is staffed by volunteers and has varying hours and services. Telephone in advance to verify their hours.

To locate one of these 4,500 centers in your own neighborhood, see Find a FamilySearch Center.

For Further Reading

A wiki article describing an online collection is found at:

Sources

  1. ↑ William Dollarhide and Ronald A. Bremer. America's Best Genealogy Resource Centers (Bountiful, Utah: Heritage Quest, 1998), 124. WorldCat 39493985; FS Library Ref Book 973 J54d.
  2. ↑ History of MFGS in Maine Franco-American Genealogical Society (accessed 26 April 2017).
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 Dollarhide and Bremer, 53.
  4. ↑ Genealogy and Family History Research at MHS in Maine Historical Society (accessed 5 April 2016).
  5. ↑ Data, Research, and Vital Statistics - Vital Records in Division of Public Health Systems in Maine.gov (accessed 26 April 2017).
  6. ↑ Maine Vital Records - Order Records in Division of Public Health Systems in Maine.gov (accessed 26 April 2017).
  7. ↑ Local History, the Bangor Room, and Special Collections in Bangor Public Library (accessed 5 April 2016).
  8. ↑ Genealogy Services in Farmington Public Library (accessed 5 April 2016).
  9. ↑ Allen County Public Library in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia (accessed 28 April 2010).
  10. ↑ Genealogy Center in Allen County Public Library (accessed 28 April 2010).
  11. ↑ Genealogy Center Collections in Genealogy Center (accessed 27 February 2015).
  12. ↑ Dollarhide and Bremer, 59.
  13. ↑ Genealogy Resources in Haverhill Public Library (accessed 14 November 2013).
  14. ↑ Dollarhide and Bremer, 57.
  15. ↑ Dollarhide and Bremer, 5, 57, and 59.
v • d• e
Links to Maine-related articles
Topics
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Extinct
Jurisdictions
Major
Repositories
Migration
Routes
v • d• e
Links to U.S. Archives and Libraries-related articles
States
Ethnic/Religious
Territories
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