Local History Room Resources
The Local History collection includes mainly information on Niagara County and Lockport; the Erie Canal; famous persons, industries, schools, events, and historic buildings.
Limited staff time does not allow us to do in-depth research. We will look in standard indexed sources (this does not include the New York State Census) in the Library's collection, as well as in the newspapers listed below to locate obituaries if you provide us with a date of death. Monetary donations are always appreciated. Photocopy charges are $0.15 per page. If you wish to send us a local history or genealogy related reference question, please go to our Ask-A-Librarian page.
Some of our resources may be useful for genealogical research, such as:
RESOURCE |
DATES OF COVERAGE |
FORMAT |
| Lockport Daily Advertiser & Democrat | 8/2/1858 - 12/31/1859 * | microfilm |
| Lockport Daily Union/Sun | 7/11/1866 - 12/30/1899 * | microfilm |
| Lockport Union Sun & Journal | 10/1899 - present * | microfilm |
| Niagara Democrat | 1/6/1883 - 12/27/1884 * | microfilm |
| Lockport City Directories | 1856 - present | microfilm and print |
| Niagara County Directories | various years between 1869 and 1887 | microfilm and print |
| Lockport High School Yearbooks | 1897 - present | |
| DeSales Catholic High School Yearbooks | 1950 - 1989 | |
| United States Niagara County Census | 1820 - 1930, with the exception of 1890 | microfilm |
| New York State Niagara County Census | 1855, 1865, 1875. There is a printed index for the State census. | microfilm |
* There are gaps in the newspaper collection. The newspapers have no index; therefore, knowing the dates of the events you are researching will expedite your search. We are, however, slowly creating an obituary index for the Union Sun & Journal. The years 1900, 1901, and 2007 are complete and are available in this Microsoft Excel file.
You may find our links to selected genealogy web sites useful, as well.
Access to Ancestry Library Edition database is available from the library's public-access computers.
Photograph Collections
We have two photograph collections in the Local History Room--the Polster Photo Collection and the Sand Photo Collection. Photocopies of the items in each collection may be viewed during library hours.
Polster Photo Collection: Request for Photo Duplication form
Sand Photo Collection: Request for Photo Duplication formVisiting Us
If you are planning to visit us, note that the Local History Room on Floor 3 can be accessed any time the library is open. We have 2 microfilm scanners (purchased through the Charles A. Upson Fund) for public use. Printouts are $0.15 each. Text and images from microfilm and microfiche can also be saved to disk, USB drive, or sent as an email attachment. Availability is on a first come, first served basis. Time is limited to 30 minutes if others are waiting to use the readers. Your library card is needed to log in to the microfilm machines. Guest passes are available for out-of-towners.Other Local Resources
We are not a specialized historical library, although the local history collection is important to us. We recommend that you also consider consulting other resources such as:
| The History Center of Niagara County 215 Niagara Street Lockport, New York 14094 (716) 434-7433 |
Niagara County Historian's Office 139 Niagara Street Lockport, New York 14094 (716) 439-7324 |
|
| Niagara County Genealogical Society 215 Niagara Street Lockport, New York 14094 (716) 433-1033 |
Lockport City Clerk's Office (for birth and death certificates) One Locks Plaza Lockport, New York 14094 (716) 439-6676 |
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| The History Website of Niagara County, NY | Lockport Public Library's selected Genealogy Web sites |
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| Niagara County Historical Society's Bicentennial Moments: Articles on Niagara County's Rich History | History of Lockport, NY (from the City and Town of Lockport, NY, official Web site) | |