Local History/Newburgh Free Library: Local History Room

The Purpose of the local history collection is to collect and preserve materials relevant to the history of Newburgh and New Windsor, NY. These materials are available to students, researchers and the general public.  The Library holds these materials in trust for future generations, and therefore they can be examined in the local history room only.  Historical records have been called the building blocks of history.  By saving them, we are helping to preserve the collective memory of our community.  We cannot fully understand who we are as a community if we don’t understand who we were as a community and what it once meant to be a member of that community.

Welcome to the Local History Resource Center, where the past comes alive! This LibGuide is your gateway to a treasure trove of historical insights, stories, and resources that bring the rich tapestry of our history to the forefront. Whether you're a history enthusiast, a researcher, or simply curious about the roots of our locality, we invite you to discover, learn, and connect with its vibrant history.

The Local History Resource Center has successfully relocated to its newly designated space on the second floor. 

The major emphasis of the Local History Collection  is historical information about the geographical area encompassed by the Enlarged Newburgh City School District.  The collection houses materials in a variety of formats including, but not limited to: books, pamphlets, local church records, local cemetery records, census records for Newburgh and surrounding counties, historic landmarks, land grants, maps, microform duplicated books, cd rom disks, photographs, post cards and scrapbooks.  The collection does not house materials in the following formats:  three-dimensional artifacts, original government or faith based records including marriage or death certificates, or posters.  The Library also provides access to Ancestry Library Edition and HeritageQuest.  Clients who wish to use either of these databases must have a valid Newburgh library card.