Maine Archives and Libraries: Difference between revisions

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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.  

=== National Repositories  ===

: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>

: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">William Dollarhide and Ronald A. Bremer. ''America's Best Genealogy Resource Centers'' (Bountiful, Utah: Heritage Quest, 1998), 59. {{WorldCat|39493985}}; {{FHL|728550|item|disp=FHL Ref Book 973 J54d}}.</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>

:Connecticut, '''Maine''', Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont documents, photos, and maps of 80 federal agencies, War of 1812, fortifications, coastal facilities, World War II research at Harvard and MIT, federal bankruptcy courts, First Circuit Court of Appeals, Navy, Coast Guard, westward expansion, ethnology, genealogy, Revolutionary War, Civil War, captured German records, territorial papers, censuses, passenger arrival records for Boston and New England, Canadian border crossings.<ref name="DB124">Dollarhide and Bremer, 124.</ref><br><br>

: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>

: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><br>

: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>

: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>