Skip to Main Content

ENG120: Writing for College--Neilson: Researching Place & Neighborhood

Maps

Statistics

Local History

There may be a lot of valuable information about your neighborhood's history available on the internet, but it is a good idea to look for a local historical society, historian, or museum's website to start.  They usually have authoritative information about the area on their websites and may have photos or displays available.

It may also be necessary to contact the historical organization via email or telephone.  Check out their hours of operation before you reach out.  Be aware that these are often volunteer organizations with limited hours and they may not respond immediately.  They also may not be responding to phone calls or emails after 5pm as they maintain very traditional hours of operation.

You can use Google to search for the name of your town and the words "historical society" or use the links below to locate one within New York State or wherever your neighborhood can be found.

Arcadia Publishing works with local historical societies to put together books of photos and postcards in their collections.  Check out the link below to find out if there is a book about where your neighborhood is located.  You can then search Fox Hunt and see if the library has access to it.  If not, try Interlibrary Loan and SUNY Resource Sharing.

Using Wikipedia

Finding Local News

Contact

James A. Cannavino Library

3399 North Road
Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
(845) 575-3106

In the Library