After hundreds of episodes of Hometown History, the question I get asked most is: "How do I find stories like that about my town?"
The answer is simpler than you'd think. Every community has hidden stories. You just need to know where to look.
Step 1: Start with Your Local Library
Your public library is the single best free research resource available. Most libraries have:
- Local history collections — Books, pamphlets, and manuscripts about your area that aren't available anywhere else
- Newspaper archives — Microfilm or digital access to local papers going back decades or centuries
- Photograph collections — Historical photos of buildings, events, and people
- Genealogy resources — Census records, city directories, and vital records
Talk to the reference librarian. Tell them you're interested in local history. They will almost certainly point you to resources you didn't know existed.
Step 2: Search Historical Newspapers
Old newspapers are where the stories live. Before television and the internet, newspapers covered everything — fires, trials, scandals, accidents, celebrations, and crimes both petty and horrific.
- Newspapers.com — The largest digital newspaper archive. Paid, but many libraries offer free access.
- Chronicling America — Free, from the Library of Congress. Covers papers through 1963.
- Fulton History — Free, focused on New York State but includes papers from across the country.
- Google News Archive — Spotty coverage but occasionally surfaces papers not available elsewhere.
Step 3: Check Government Records
Court records, city council minutes, and county commission records are public. They're often dry reading, but they contain facts you won't find anywhere else — land disputes, criminal trials, public health emergencies, infrastructure decisions.
Many counties have digitized their historical records. If yours hasn't, visit the county clerk's office. The records are public and free to access.
Step 4: Walk the Ground
Some of the best Hometown History episodes came from physically visiting the locations. Walk the streets. Read the historical markers. Visit the cemetery — headstones tell stories that documents don't. Look at the architecture and ask what was there before.
The physical landscape holds more history than most people realize.
Step 5: Talk to People
Local historical societies, longtime residents, former town officials — these people carry stories that were never written down. Oral history is unreliable for specific facts, but it's invaluable for pointing you toward stories worth investigating.
The research process is straightforward. It just takes patience and curiosity. Start pulling threads and you'll be surprised what you find.
Have a Story?
If you uncover something interesting about your hometown, we want to hear about it. We're always looking for new topics for Hometown History. Reach out through our contact page.