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- Local History
- Research Continues
Local History
Information on local history collections and organizations beyond our walls.
Continuing the Search
Continuing the Search
These electronic resources will help you continue the search from home. Just enter your library card number and your pin number.
- Newspaper Archive Library Edition - New Mexico This link opens in a new window
NewspaperARCHIVE Library Edition is an online database that provides searchable access to New Mexico newspapers. Every part of every page is searchable, including valuable local articles, advertisements, editorials, classified ads, and obituaries. The collection contains over 128 different newspapers from across New Mexico. The archives cover New Mexico history from 1847-2019 and allow you to further understand an ancestor's place within their local community to research your genealogy. Start your New Mexico ancestry search now and discover more about your ancestor's stories! - NewsBank This link opens in a new window
Newsbank is an online, searchable database providing access to three New Mexico newspapers. Each paper provides unique coverage of local and regional news, including companies, politics, sports, industries, cultural activities, and people in the community.
The papers currently included are:
Albuquerque Journal 1/1/1995-Present
Las Cruces Sun-News 2/14/2004-Present
Roswell Daily Record 1/2/2002-Present - Sanborn Maps This link opens in a new window
The Digital Sanborn Maps collection is a browsable set of thousands of digitized images of the 1867–1970 Sanborn maps for cities and towns in New Mexico.
The maps contain information such as the outline of each building, the size, shape and construction materials, heights, and function of structures, location of windows and doors. The maps also give street names, street and sidewalk widths, property boundaries, building use, and house and block numbers.
Local History Collections @ Other Locations
Local History Collections at Other Locations
When it comes to exploring Albuquerque and New Mexico history, Special Collections is just one resource. The descriptions taken from the websites of some other terrific local history collections in the area speak for themselves:
- African American Performing Arts Center and Exhibit Hall"The mission of the African American Performing Arts Center and Exhibit Hall is to preserve, nurture and support the intellectual and cultural history of African Americans in New Mexico and the Southwest."
- Albuquerque Museum of Art and History"One of the Duke City's top attractions, the Albuquerque Museum of Art and History offers a wealth of cultural and historical artifacts and works of art."
- Albuquerque Museum Photo ArchivesAlbuquerque Museum's rich archive of historic photographs document Albuquerque, its people, architecture, businesses, urban landscape, and depictions of daily life and important events.
- Albuquerque Planning Dept. - Historic PreservationAssistance
The City supports historic preservation to protect historic structures, districts, sites, objects and designed landscapes from deterioration or destruction. Such significant places help define Albuquerque and should be used, learned from and appreciated by current and future generations of residents and visitors.
The Planning Department distributes historic preservation guides and advises or refers residents to other information sources. We make house calls and will meet with neighborhood groups interested in preservation. - Albuquerque TricentennialA guide by the Albuquerque Historical Society.
- Center for Southwest Research"The Center for Southwest Research (CSWR) specializes in interdisciplinary subjects relating to New Mexico, the Southwestern U.S., Mexico and Latin America, as well as rare materials from around the world. Our strengths include Native American, Chicano/Hispano, Spanish Colonial, and environmental history, plus a wide range of locally published and archival materials documenting the region."
- Genealogy at ABQ-BERNCO LibraryHoused on the second floor of the Main Library, the ABQ-BERNCO Library Genealogy Center offers useful tools for tracing your roots, no matter where your family originated.
- Indian Pueblo Cultural Center"Over the years, the IPCC has been a repository for various publications, documents, papers and journals pertaining to the 19 Pueblos of New Mexico."
- Los Lunas Museum of Heritage and Arts"The Los Lunas Museum of Heritage & Arts connects the present generation to the history of Los Lunas, surrounding communities and the State of New Mexico, inspiring a deeper appreciation and understanding of the area’s rich heritage."
- Menaul Historical Library of the Southwest"Since its founding in 1974, the library/archives has become an important repository of the history of the Presbyterian presence in the Southwest....The holdings include: books, periodicals, photographs, pictures. artifacts, tapes/transcripts, manuscripts, memoirs, correspondence, records of organizations and other memorabilia."
- National Hispanic Cultural Center History & Literary Arts, Library, and ArchivesThe History and Literary Arts Program (HLA) at the National Hispanic Cultural Center promotes and celebrates a deeper understanding of Hispanic/Latino history and literature of the U.S. and worldwide. We house a library, archives, special collections, genealogy center, present two to four exhibits a year, and present a wide range of history and literary arts programs serving children, youth, adults, elders and families.
- New Mexico Archives Online"New Mexico Archives Online (NMAO) provides access to finding aids for archival collections from 19 repositories across the state of New Mexico. The finding aids include information on the contents, historical context, creation, and organization of materials in the collections. Use the NMAO site to browse, explore and discover the exceptional collections of primary resources available in the state. A full list of participating repositories can be found in the Repositories tab at the top of the page."
- New Mexico Commission of Public Records State Record Center and Archives"The Archives and Historical Services Division is the central archives of New Mexico State Government. The agency is mandated by law to collect, preserve and make available to the public and all branches of government, permanent public records, historical manuscripts, photographs and other materials that contribute to the understanding of New Mexico history."
This site links to the Office of the State Historian, a division within the State Records Center and Archives. - New Mexico Digital Collections"A service of the University of New Mexico Libraries, we provide access to digitized photographs, manuscripts, posters, oral histories, videos, maps, and books from libraries, museums, and cultural centers across the state."
- New Mexico Historical Review“Founded in 1926, the New Mexico Historical Review is one of the oldest and most distinguished historical journals in the country. Publishing high-quality research on New Mexico and the Southwest, including Northern Mexico, each issue is filled with scholarly articles, book reviews and notes on new publications, news and current events.”
- Rio Rancho Local History Collection (Loma Colorado Library)"The Rio Rancho Local History Collection has developed over several years and continues to grow with donations of books, posters, flyers, and memorabilia from generous community members like you. The collection contains items dating back to 1962, and is housed in the Local History Room located near the adult information desk in the southeast corner of the Loma Colorado Main Library."
- Southern New Mexico Historical ReviewDoña Ana County Historical Society
Las Cruces, New Mexico
Committed to encouraging and promoting a greater appreciation and knowledge of the historical and cultural heritage of Southern New Mexico since 1963. Southern New Mexico Historical Review
Annual collection of articles covering the history of Southern New Mexico. The Review as PDFs going back to 1994. - UNM Digital Repository“It hosts scholarly publications from UNM faculty; student theses, dissertations, and research; UNM administrative records, and more.”
Local History Organizations
Local History Organizations
Local history organizations are terrific resources for connecting people with information and often offer fascinating programs and helpful publications as part of their mission. Organizations active in greater Albuquerque metropolitan area include:
- Albuquerque Historical Society"The Albuquerque Historical Society (AHS) is a non-profit, membership organization of citizens interested in promoting and preserving all matters relating to the history of Albuquerque, New Mexico and the surrounding communities."
- Corrales Historical Society"The Corrales Historical Society was founded in 1974 as a non-profit organization that could care for and manage Corrales' century-old San Ysidro Church after the parish moved to a new larger building.
- East Mountain Historical Society"The East Mountain Historical Society (EMHS) is a group dedicated to preserving and documenting history in the Sandia, Manzano, and Manzanita Mountain towns and villages east of Albuquerque, New Mexico, including portions of Route 66 and the historic Turquoise Trail."
- Historic Albuquerque, Inc."Historic Albuquerque Incorporated (HAI), formed in 1999, is a non-profit, 501( c)3 regional, proactive organization exploring, guarding and restoring Albuquerque’s heritage. We believe our city’s treasures are not only the stories of our people, but the irreplaceable buildings, design elements and artifacts which embody their dreams and hopes.
- New Mexico Humanities Council"The New Mexico Humanities Council (NMHC) encourages and supports the humanities by seeking out and funding quality humanities programs for presentation to and participation by diverse public audiences throughout New Mexico. Thought, learning, and experience must be shared. This is what it means to be human."
- New Mexico Jewish Historical Society"The New Mexico Jewish Historical Society was formed in 1985 to tell the stories of the many Jewish groups that came and stayed and helped make New Mexico a remarkable place.
- Sandoval County Historical Society"The Sandoval County Historical Society (SCHS) was established in 1977 and is a non-profit corporation with members from all over the country. Its mission is to identify, preserve, and bring before the public the history of Sandoval County. We maintain extensive photo and print archives and a library."
- Valencia County Historical Society"The Valencia County Historical Society (VCHS) was formally organized in 1969, although it had been conceived almost a decade earlier by local residents who were anxious to document and preserve the rich historical legacy and varied cultures of the Rio Abajo.
