Bentley Historical Library

Ann Arbor

The Bentley Historical Library serves as the official repository for the University of Michigan, but the scope of its collections is much larger. Its University History holdings include the Proceedings of the Board of Regents, the Michigan Daily Digital Archives, an Alumni Files Index, and many others. However, a significant amount of the Library’s holdings are found in its State History collections. These materials include the personal papers of Michigan Governors and numerous collections related to African Americans in Michigan, the Civil War, Detroit History, Native Americans, and Politics and Government. Several search tools are available, including Finding Aids, Subject Guides, and an Online Catalog. Bentley Library has several forms of Online Content, including Digitized Collections. It also offers several Fellowships each year.

Clarke Historical Library

Mount Pleasant

Located at Central Michigan University, the Clarke Historical Library maintains a wealth of sources related to early Michigan. It preserves many unique manuscript collections, many of which date back to the 18th and 19th centuries. The Library’s holdings include Local Michigan Material, Statewide Michigan Material, Native American Material, Historical Maps, and various other Special Collecting Areas. Researchers have access to several search tools, including Finding Aids and the Library’s Online Catalog. Much of the Library’s material has been digitized and can be viewed through its Exhibits and Central Michigan University’s Digital Collections.

Detroit Public Library

Detroit

The Detroit Public Library holds a wealth of early American sources. Its Special Collections oversees a variety of manuscripts and prints related to Michigan and the surrounding region. A Rare Book Collection features letters and publications from prominent American authors, such as Walt Whitman, Mark Twain, and Laura Ingalls Wilder. The Burton Historical Collection is one of the world’s most important collections of primary sources related to Detroit’s history. Highlights include translations of American documents in French Archives and resources for African Americans and the War of 1812. A Brochure for the collection is available. Items held by the Library can be searched in its Catalog. Much of the Library’s materials have been digitized and can be viewed through its Digital Collections.

Grand Rapids City Archives and Records Center

Grand Rapids

As the official repository for the City of Grand Rapids, its City Archives and Records Center plays host to various documents related to the city’s governance and history. Its holdings date back to the founding of the city and include the proceedings of the Common Council, property deeds, ordinances, city directories, photographs, and various court records.

Grand Rapids Public Library

Grand Rapids

The Grand Rapids Public Library has a sizeable selection of early Michigan sources. Its Grand Rapids History & Special Collections consists of manuscripts, diaries, maps, photographs, and other ephemera related to Grand Rapids, with many dating items back to the 18th and early 19th centuries. Some standouts include the Lucius Lyon Papers, the Ketcham Family Papers, and the Louis Moran Account Book. Other resources include Family History information and Newspapers. A list of the Archival Collections is available, and finding aids can be searched through the Special Collections Interface. The Library also provides several Research Guides. Some of the Library’s materials have been digitized and can be viewed through its Digital Collections.

Grand Valley State University Special Collections & University Archives

Allendale

Nestled inside the Seidman House, the Grand Valley State University Special Collections & University Archives maintains a decent selection of early Michigan sources. The Special Collections preserves and provides access to historical documents from the 19th century ranging from a variety of subjects. These include Anthropology and Social History, Politics and Government, Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War, and Grand Rapids and Michigan History. Diaries, letters, personal papers, financial records, newspapers, and other materials can be found in these collections. A robust Rare Books collection is also available, featuring works on the Civil War and slavery, U.S. presidential writings, and histories of books and medicine. All of these holdings can be searched for here. Much of the Special Collections have been digitized and can be viewed through Grand Valley State University’s Digital Collections.

Kresge Library

Rochester

Located at Oakland University, the Kresge Library maintains a decent selection of early American sources. Its Special Collections is home to various manuscripts, prints, and other materials that tell the history of Oakland County and Michigan. Some highlights include the Marguerite Hicks Collection of Women’s Literature, the William Springer Collection, the Frederick L. Black Papers, the Oakland County History Collections, and the Autograph Collection. Much of the Kresge Library’s Special Collections can be searched and browsed in its Digital Archive.

Library of Michigan

Lansing

The Library of Michigan serves as the official library for the State of Michigan. Its Rare Materials Collection houses most of its earliest holdings, including a large assortment of Rare Books and its vast Michigan Collection. Other resources include Newspapers, Family Histories, Government Information, and Michigan Materials. Items held by the Library of Michigan can be searched in its ANSWER catalog. Much of the Library’s materials have been digitized and can be viewed through its Digital Library.

Lydia M. Olson Library

Marquette

Located at Northern Michigan University, the Lydia M. Olson Library collects and preserves documents related to the history of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Material objects held by NMU are housed at the Beaumier Upper Peninsula Heritage Center. Archival materials are held at NMU’s Central Upper Peninsula & NMU Archives. These items are a mix of unique manuscripts and microfilmed collections, much of which date to the 19th century. Of note are the Local and Regional Government Records, which contain the public records of various Upper Peninsula counties and municipalities. Finding Aids are available, and the Olson Library’s holdings can be searched through its Catalog. Some of the Library’s materials are displayed in its Online Exhibits.

Michigan History Center

Lansing

The Michigan History Center is home to both the Michigan History Museum and the Archives of Michigan. While the Museum Collections consist of roughly 95,000 artifacts related to Michigan’s history, the Archives boast more than 80 million state and local government records and private manuscripts, 300,000 photographs, and 500,000 maps. Specific holdings include Civil War records and manuscripts, early statehood documents, architectural drawings, oral histories, plat maps, and various other types of sources. More information on the archival holdings can be found here. Materials held and digitized by the History Center can be searched and viewed through its online platform, Michiganology.

Michigan State University Archives & Historical Collections

East Lansing

The Michigan State University Archives & Historical Collections maintains various materials related to early Michigan and the United States. Its holdings include hundreds of collections dating to the 18th and 19th centuries. One focus of the Archives is the American Civil War, including letters, diaries, and photographs related to the conflict. The Archives’ Civil War Collections have been digitized and compiled into an open access database. See the Archives’ Civil War Guide for more information on these collections. Finding Aids for the Archives’ other holdings are available, and the Archives’ collections can be searched in the Michigan State University Libraries’ Catalog.

Peter White Public Library

Marquette

The Peter White Public Library is one of the best institutions to conduct historical and genealogical research in the Upper Peninsula. It maintains various resources related to Local History & Genealogy, including city directories, local documents, maps, newspapers, weather records, microfilms, plat books, and much more. There are also various collections related to the maritime history of Marquette. Other Research resources are also available. The Library’s holdings can be searched through its Library Catalog.

Walter P. Reuther Library

Detroit

The Walter P. Reuther Library serves as the main library for Wayne State University. Its Special Collections holds a small amount of sources related to Detroit’s and Michigan’s early histories. These Collections include the Van Riper Family Correspondence, the Frank Howard Collection of Civil War History, the African American Literature Special Collection, and the Leonard N. Simons Collection of Rare Michigan History Texts. Researchers can browse the Reuther Library’s Finding Aids and search its Library Catalog. Much of the Library’s materials have been digitized and can be viewed through its Digital Collections.

William L. Clements Library

Ann Arbor

Located at the University of Michigan, the William L. Clements Library is one of the world’s premier research institutions for the study of early America. Its collections are organized into several divisions. The Book Division comprises some 80,000 rare books, pamphlets, broadsides, and periodicals, with strengths in African American history, Native American history, women’s history, politics, religion, education, and the Caribbean. A robust Manuscript Division touts over 2,700 unique collections with a keen emphasis on British North America and the early United States. Highlights include the Thomas Gage Papers, the William Petty, 1st Marquis of Lansdowne, 2nd Earl of Shelburne Papers, the George Sackville Germain Papers, the African American History Collection, the Weld-Grimké Family Papers, and the Native American History Collection. There is also a sizeable Map Division and a beautiful Graphics Division. Several Search Tools are available for navigating the Clements Library’s collections, including Finding Aids, Subject Guides, and a Library Catalog. Much of the Clements Library’s materials have been digitized and can be viewed through its Online Exhibits and Digitized Collections. The Clements Library also offers numerous Fellowships each year.

Zhang Legacy Collections Center

Kalamazoo

The Zhang Legacy Collections Center holds the archival materials and rare prints owned by Western Michigan University. Besides preserving the WMU’s Special Collections, the Zhang Center also cares for WMU’s Archives and Regional History Collection. These holdings date back to the 19th century and document the culture and heritage of southwestern Michigan. Items include newspapers, Civil War diaries and letters, materials related to the California Gold Rush, and an abundance of regional photographs. There are also public records on file from 12 Michigan counties: Allegan, Barry, Berrien, Branch, Calhoun, Cass, Kalamazoo, Kent, Muskegon, Ottawa, St. Joseph and Van Buren. Finding Aids are available, and researchers can search the Zhang Center’s holdings through WMU’s Library Search. Much of the Center’s materials have been digitized and can be viewed through its Regional History Digital Collections and its Newspaper Digital Collections.

Other Michigan Archives & Sources

Many Michigan counties retain some of their earliest public records. Check with county clerks of court to find what is available. The Historical Society of Michigan maintains a list of Local Historical Organizations. Digital resources for Michigan can be found on Michigan Memories, a collaborate project between the state’s various cultural institutions.

Several regional repositories hold early Michigan materials, including the Indiana Historical Society, the Newberry Library, the Ohio History Connection, the Toledo Lucas County Public Library, and the Wisconsin Historical Society. Sources on early Michigan can also be found at the Library of Congress and the National Archives and Records Administration.

Michigan has a long history as a site of both French and British colonization. As such, sources related to early Michigan can be found in Canada at Library and Archives Canada, in France at the Archives Nationales d’Outre-Mer and Bibliotheque Nationale de France, and in the United Kingdom at the National Archives at Kew.