Dover Public Library

Dover

The Dover Public Library maintains some material related to early Dover. Its Local History resources include early documents from Dover’s past, as well as local maps of the area. There is also a sizeable collections of Newspapers on microfilm dating back to the 1790s. Historical Images are also available. Items held by the Library may be searched with its Online Catalog.

Ezekiel W. Dimond Library

Durham

The Ezekiel W. Dimond Library serves as the main library for the University of New Hampshire. Its Milne Special Collections and Archives holds roughly 18,000 linear feet of manuscripts, photographs, rare books, and various other unique materials. Colonial America & the Early Republic are represented by various collections. There are also dozens of collections related to the Civil War. Some standouts include the Abraham Brown Horticulture Diary, the Account Book Collection, the Charles E. Jewett Letters, the Historical New Hampshire Newspapers, and the James W. Carr Diary. Items held by the Milne Special Collections may be searched with its Online Catalog. Some of the Milne Special Collections material has been digitized and can be viewed through the University of New Hampshire’s Digital Collections.

Herbert H. Lamson Library

Plymouth

The Herbert H. Lamson Library serves as the main library for Plymouth State University. Its Michael J. Spinelli, Jr. Center for University Archives and Specials Collections holds some early American materials. Standouts from its Collections include the Rogers Family Collection and the George Allen Foster Civil War Collection. Items held by the Spinelli Center may be searched with Lamson Library’s Online Catalog. Some of the Spinelli Center’s material, including 19th century photographs, have been digitized and can be viewed through the Plymouth state University Digital Collections.

Historical Society of Cheshire County

Keene

The Historical Society of Cheshire County maintains a sizeable collection of early New Hampshire materials. Its Library & Archives holds more than 300,000 items, much of which date to the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. These Collections consist of books, business records, census materials, maps, personal papers, photographs, and vital statistics. Guides to the Society’s Manuscript Groups, Record Groups, and Photograph Groups are available. Some of the Society’s materials have been digitized and can be viewed through the New Hampshire History Network.

The Monadnock Center for History and Culture

Peterborough

The Monadnock Center for History and Culture collects and preserves the material and documentary history of New Hampshire’s Monadnock Region. Its Museum & Exhibits feature a large selection of 18th and 19th century material objects, much of which were produced locally. Archival materials are located in the Monadnock Center’s Morison Library & Archives. These consist of 1,100 manuscript collections dating from the 18th century to the present. Highlights include the Governor John Hardy Steele Papers, the Charles Wilder Factory Collection, and the Smith Family Papers.

New Hampshire Division of Archives and Records Management

Concord

The New Hampshire Division of Archives and Records Management serves as the official repository for the State of New Hampshire. Its Archival Holdings date back to the 17th century and include various court records, General Court records, governors’ papers, land records, military records, town records, and much more. A large amount of these documents have been published as the New Hampshire State Papers. There are also several collections of private papers, such as the Meshech Weare Personal Papers. There are also Genealogy resources. A Guide to the New Hampshire State Archives is available.

New Hampshire Historical Society

Concord

Since 1823, the New Hampshire Historical Society has been collecting documents and material objects related to the history of New Hampshire. Its holdings date back to the 17th century and include hundreds of pre-1900 manuscript collections. Among these are business records, diaries, family papers, maps, military records, organizational records, photographs, rare books, and more. Finding Aids are available. Items held by the New Hampshire Historical Society may be searched with its Collections Catalog. Much of the Society’s material has been digitized and can be viewed through its Online Exhibitions and through the New Hampshire History Network. The Society is a participating member of the New England Regional Fellowship Consortium.

Portsmouth Athenæum

Portsmouth

The Portsmouth Athenæum collects, preserves, and makes available the documentary and material history of early New England. Its Library holds thousands of rare and unique books related to the early Piscataqua Region. An Art and Artifacts Collection consists archaeological and ethnographic objects, furniture, paintings, ship models, and more. A vast selection of Manuscripts includes hundreds of collections and individual items, including business records, correspondence, diaries, family papers, and organizational records. These materials are particularly strong for the American Revolution, the colonial and early national history of Portsmouth. Many New Hampshire churches deposit their earliest records with the Athenæum. There are also some 30,000 Photographs dating from 1850 to the present. Finding Aids are available. Items held by the Athenæum may be searched with its Online Catalog.

Rauner Special Collections Library

Hanover

Located at Dartmouth College, the Rauner Special Collections Library boasts an impressive selection of early American sources. Its Rare Books Collections contain over 100,000 volumes with concentrations on 19th century American and British literature, book arts, the history of printing, and New Hampshire imprints. One of the more popular holdings is Daniel Webster’s copy of John James Audubon’s Birds of America. There are also various Manuscripts Collections, consisting of over 6 million unique items. Collection strengths include New Hampshire history, the Cornish Colony, New England print culture, literary papers, and much more. Rauner Library also curates the Archives of Dartmouth College. Among these Archival Collections are the historical records of the College dating back to 1769, papers of notable alumni such as Daniel Webster, and the Hanover Town Records. Items held by the Rauner Library may be searched with its Online Catalog and Dartmouth Library Search. Research funding for Dartmouth graduates is available through the Edward Connery Lathem ‘51 Special Collections Fellowship. Rauner Library is also a participating member in the New England Regional Fellowship Consortium.

Other New Hampshire Archives & Sources

The Association of Historical Societies of New Hampshire keeps a List of Members. Various New Hampshire towns still maintain some of their earliest records. Check with local county and town clerks for more information about what may be available. Another useful resource is the New Hampshire History Network, which provides an online search engine for participating institutions’ collections and manuscripts relating to New Hampshire history.

Several regional repositories contain sources on early New Hampshire, including the Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library, the John Carter Brown Library, the Maine Historical Society, the Massachusetts Historical Society, the New-York Historical Society, and the Vermont Historical Society. Early New Hampshire sources can also be found at the Library of Congress and the National Archives and Records Administration.

As a former English colony and borderland between British North America and New France, sources for early New Hampshire can be found in Canada at Library and Archives Canada and in the United Kingdom at the British Library and the National Archives at Kew.