2022 Collections
The Archives has over 1,000 manuscript groups that contain the records of individuals, families, businesses, social organizations, and City and County Government of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. These records range in date from the incorporation of the county in 1729 to the present. Letters, diaries, estate papers, business records, trade cards, Civil War muster rolls, love letters, and court records combine to tell the stories of families and communities in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.
LancasterHistory is also a repository for the historic government records of Lancaster County and Lancaster City. If you wish to make an appointment to use these historic government records, please contact the Research Center at (717) 392-4633, ext. 126 or research@lancasterhistory.org to make an appointment. Admission to use the Lancaster County and Lancaster City records is complimentary.
- SEARCH THE ARCHIVES & MANUSCRIPT COLLECTIONS
Need additional assistance? Please reach out to LancasterHistory’s Research Center staff at research@lancasterhistory.org.
The 16,000-volume library includes an extensive collection of materials on Lancaster County, the history of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania German history, religion, and decorative arts. The map collections include warrant maps for Lancaster County, Lancaster City and County maps, and Sanborn fire insurance maps. There are also extensive collections of church records and Lancaster County newspapers. The 1,040-volume Colonial and Early Federal Era Law Library of Lancaster Attorney Jasper Yeates is a remarkable resource for students of legal history. All collections are discoverable in our online catalog.
- BROWSE DIGITIZED NEWSPAPERS
- BROWSE OR SEARCH LANCASTER CITY & COUNTY DIRECTORIES, 1843-1922 ON PowerLibrary
Need additional assistance? Please don’t hesitate to reach out to LancasterHistory’s Research Center staff at research@lancasterhistory.org. We also have a selection of research guides to assist with your research.
The photographic collections of LancasterHistory contain more than 90,000 historic images around the County, with over 78,000 of them digitized and available in our online catalog. Included are early tintypes, daguerreotypes, stereographs, cartes de visite, and cabinet cards taken by Lancaster County, PA, nineteenth century photographers. You can also view a list of Lancaster County photographers whose photographs are in the collections.
Need additional assistance? Please don’t hesitate to reach out to LancasterHistory Research Center staff at research@lancasterhistory.org.
Since 1886, LancasterHistory has been collecting objects for research and exhibition. Today there are thousands of items that pertain to the history of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, the life of President James Buchanan, First Lady Harriet Lane Johnston, Congressman Thaddeus Stevens, Lydia Hamilton Smith and so many more.
Need additional assistance? Please don’t hesitate to reach out to the Research Center staff at research@lancasterhistory.org.