Collections
Welcome to the Library

The Library of the Lancaster County Historical Society is a research facility of genealogical and local history materials. Containing over 15,000 volumes, the collection also includes maps, family files, subject information files, microfilm, and CDs. Take a moment to orient yourself to our collections with a brief overview of What's in the Library. A reference collection consisting of indexes, genealogical and historical journals, and books is available for browsing. All other books are housed in closed stacks and must be requested at the reference desk. Author, title, and keyword access to library material is through the library catalog or our new Discovery Tool, which also allows searches of the historical societies archival, manuscript, photograph, and object collections.

Our new web site allows us to offer more features and access to more information. We've recently updated our research guides to assist patrons in identifying possible sources of information; we've added a list of periodicals and journals we currently receive, and we are now able to accept historical research requests online. (We will be able to accept genealogical research requests via the web site very soon - check back later). Other projects in the works are building digital collections featuring items from our collections, as well as from other organizations countywide, and an interactive members-only area of the web site that we think will engage even more folks in the exploration of Lancaster County's rich history. Also, we invite patrons to explore our links to other local, regional, and out-of-state historical organizations and research resources.

If you have questions or comments regarding our collections, services, policies or procedures, or would like to donate material to the library, please don't hesitate to contact me. If you have a reference question, please contact the research desk.
 

News from the Library

Library Acquisitions, June-July, 2010
Marge Bardeen, Interim Director of Library Services

Amish and Pennsylvania Dutch Tour Guide. Michael Lestz. (917.48 A516)

Armstrong, Donald G. Ancestry of William Walter Armstrong of Columbiana County, Ohio. (929 A735w)

Beiler, Aaron E. Records of Principles Pertaining to the Old Order Amish Church School Committee . . . (268.87 B422)

Bible. N.T. Das Neue Testament . . . Germantown, Billmeyer, 1795. (RB 220 G373b 1795)

Bible. N.T. German Luther. 1839. Das Neue Testament Unsers Herrn und Heiliandes Jesu Christi . . . (RB 220 H313p 1839)

Bicentennial Farm Features: Historical Photos, Drawings, Features and Fillers for Rural and Urban Readers. Michael Lestz (630.201 B583 Oversize)

Brecht, Edith. Ada and the Wild Duck. Michael Lestz. (813 B829a)

Brecht, Edith. Benjy's Luck. Michael Lestz. (813 B829b)

Brecht, Edith. The Little Fox. Michael Lestz. (813 B829l)

Brecht, Edith. The Mystery at the Old Forge. Michael Lestz. (813 B829m)

Brown, Katharine Bell. Encounters in Lancaster, 1992-1996. Michael Lestz. (812.54 B878)

Brubaker, John H. Remembering Lancaster County: Stories From Pennsylvania Dutch Country. (974.815 LACO B886)

Buchanan, James. Messages From the President of the United States to the Houses of Congress at the Commencement of the First Session of the Thirty-sixth Congress. (RB 923.173 W317 1860a)

Buchanan John. A Practical Treatise on the Diseases of Children. Michael Lestz (RB 618.92 P544 1860)

Burkhart, Charles W. History of Shoemakersville, Berks County, Pennsylvania, 1755-1931. (974.816 B959 1953)

Caruthers, Elizabeth Gipe. Covered Bridges. Mike Lestz c.2 Mike Abel (624 C326)

Celebrating 150 Years: Lancaster's Young Men's Christian Association, 1854-2004. (LC 267.3 P818)

Chocolate Town, USA. Michael Lestz. (974.818 L545)

Christopher, Alta Kurtz. Ascending and Descending Genealogy of the Children of Joseph Kurtz and Lydia Sook. (929 Z97)

Colonial Turkish Colored Bead Chart. (745.582 C719)

Dedication of the William Penn Memorial Museum and Archives Building, Harrisburg, Penn., Oct. 13, 1965. (974.818 D299)

Emmanuel Lutheran Church (Lancaster, Pa.) 1896-1971 75th Anniversary Year: A Heritage of Faith and Action. Michael Lestz. (LC 284.1 E53L)

Evangelium Nicodemi Oder Historischer Bericht Von dem Leben Jesu Christi Welches Nicodemus . . . Beschrieben. (RB 090 L244ba 1791)

Facts About Lancaster, Pennsylvania. (LC 659.1 F142)

The Family Chronicle Collection, Sept. 1996-Aug. 1997. (R 929.1 F198c)

Fulton Opera House Gala Reopening, October 14, 1995. (LC 725.822 F974)

Good, John J. Grist Mills of the Good Family of Martic, Conestoga, Pequea Townships. John J. Good. (LC 725.4 G646)

Gordon, Scott Paul. Two William Henrys: Indian and White Brothers in Arms and Faith in Colonial and Revolutionary America. Scott Paul Gordon (929 H524)

Grove, Myra. The Path to America: From Switzerland to Lancaster County. (LC 284.3 G919)

Harris, Elizabeth. The Russian Bead. (748.85 H313)

Haverstick, Mary Scott. A Bouquet of Verse. Michael Lestz (811.54 H387)

Hertzog, Phares H. Songs of a Pennsylvania Dutchman. Michael Lestz (784.49748 H576)

Hess, Clarke. Lancaster County Privy Bags. (R 905.748 J HSCV v.35)

Historic Columbia Architectural History Tour: Mansions, Museums and Riverlore. (LC 728.37 H673)

Horse and Buggy Driver's Manual. Michael Lestz. (798.6 H817)

Klein, Frederic Shiver. Man on a Tightrope: an Appraisal of Buchanan as President. (923.173 B918km)

Lancaster City Street Guide, 1946. (LC 917.4815 L244 1946)

Lancaster (Pa.) Chamber of Commerce. Lancaster, Pennsylvania, the Red Rose City. Michael Lestz. (LC 917.4815 L244 1924)

Langenbach, Randolph. A Future From the Past: The Case for Conservation and Reuse of Old Buildings in Industrial Communities. Michael Lestz (720 L275)

Latrobe, Benjamin Henry. Latrobe View of America, 1795-1820. Michael Lestz (759.13 L353)

Luthy, David. Amish in America: Settlements That Failed, 1840-1960. Michael Lestz (973.088 L973)

Mann, Robert T. Our Mann Clan: Descendants of Graybill Mann and Annie (Hess) Mann. (929 M281)

Meehan. Helen. A Guide to Tracing Your Donegal Ancestors. Marge Bardeen (Ref 929.1 M494)

Musser, Barbara Ziegler Snyder. Memoirs of Barbara Ziegler Snyder Musser. (929 Z66)

Myers, James P. The Ordeal of Thomas Barton; Anglican Missionary to Pennsylvania Backcountry, 1755-1780. Scott Paul Gordon (266.3092 M996)

New Holland Haymaker's Handbook. (638.2 N532)

Pennsylvania, Dept. of Public Instruction. Pennsylvania. Michael Lestz (917.48 P415)

Pennsylvania Federation of Junior Historians, Cloister Chapter. Historic Ephrata: A Walk through History, 1976. Michael Lestz (974.815 EPHB P415)

Pennsylvania Painters From Commonwealth Collections. Michael Lestz (759.19748 P415)

Pictorial Potpourei: Mount Joy Bicentennial Birthday Celebration, 1976. Michael Lestz. (974.815 MOSB P611)

Pittman, R. Carter. Jasper Yeates's Notes on the Pennsylvania Ratifying Convention. Michael Lestz. (974.80293 P685)

Polk's Official Street Directory, Car Line and Information Guide of Lancaster. (LC 917.4815 P769 1924)

Sandown, Arnold. Arnold Sandown, the Last of the Old Iroquois Silversmiths. (739.2 S958)

Smith, Elmer Lewis. Arts and Crafts of the Shenandoah Valley. Michael Lestz (745 S646c)

Some Bucks, Montgomery, Chester, and Lancaster County Paxon Related Families. Elizabeth Steinberg. (929 P341)

Spotts, Charles Dewey. The 19th Century Returns to Shaefferstown. (974.819 H673)

Stauffer, Elmer C. In the Pennsylvania Dutch Country. National Geographic July 1941. Michael Lestz. (289.71 S798)

Stoltzfus, Grant Moses. Reading Guide for Tourists in Southeastern Pennsylvania . . . Michael Lestz (917.48016 S921)

Thomas a Kempis. Der Kleine Kempis Harrisburg, 1830. (RB 819 K32 1830)

Tobacco, Pro and Con, Compiled by Gerald S. Lestz. Michael Lestz (338.4767 T628)

United States. President (1857-1861: Buchanan. Message From the President of the United States to the Houses of Congress at the Commencement of the Second Session of the Thirty-sixth Congress. (RB 923.173 B918bm 1860)

Weiser, Frederick Sheely. Regina, a Pennsylvania German Story. Michael Lestz (920.7 W427)


 

 

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Our Volunteers & Interns

Parks and Recreation

Amy_at_computer_2010

Amy Noll is a New Hampshire native who graduated with her B.A. in History and Management from Gettysburg College in 2007.  She received her M.L.S. with a specialization in Archives, Records, and Information Management from the University of Maryland in 2009, and recently moved into the Lancaster area.  She has past experience working at the National Archives and is also a Civil War Reenactor.  In the Archives, Amy is working on the Lancaster Recreation Commission Records manuscript group.  She has found many interesting records about past recreational programming for senior citizens as well as records detailing the creation and acquisition of some of Lancaster’s most well known public parks.

Cultural Politics

becca

My name is Rebecca Macy and I am a rising sophomore at The George Washington University in Washington, DC. I am an American Studies major with a concentration in Cultural Politics. I have a great interest in civil rights, immigration, and the American Presidency. With a love of history, I am so excited to be working in my hometown this summer with LancasterHistory.org, Lancaster County's Historical Society & President James Buchanan's Wheatland!

Living History

katelynstauffer

At the time of her internship Katelynn Stauffer will be a rising sophomore at Gettysburg College, where she will be majoring in History and Political Science with minors in Education and Civil War Era Studies. While interning at Wheatland she will be working on the creation of a new living history tour that will examine the war years at Wheatland.  She will be organizing volunteers and setting up a test run of the program for the public.

That girl has Moxie!

stories_Juli_with_Moxie_1_2010

My name is Julianne Petrillo.  I am a freshman at Lancaster Catholic High School.  I enjoy learning about history, so I am volunteering this summer at LancasterHistory.org, Lancaster County’s Historical Society and President James Buchanan’s Wheatland.  At the Historical Society I volunteer in the archives department.  I studied receipts from a store in Lancaster during the 1920s.  I learned so much about items being sold back then and was amazed at how old some of my favorite snacks were such as Life Savers, Oreos, taffy, saltines, and Moxie.  At Wheatland I volunteer for special events giving tours as well as helping dust the antique furniture.  I enjoy working at the Historical Society and Wheatland very much and hope to be back next summer!

Building a Tour

faith_spring_2010

Faith McCarrick is a senior history major at Franklin and Marshall College in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. This semester she has been interning in both the archives and education departments at LancasterHistory.Org. In the archives department, she found herself creating box lists of manuscript groups that covered the history of the United Steel Workers Union in Lancaster and the writings of Jewish World War II veteran and journalist, Charles H. Kessler.  Read more...

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