Local History at HML
The Huntington Memorial Library
The primary goal of the New York State room is to provide a collection of historical and genealogical materials covering Otsego County. Its secondary goals include providing access to the collection and maintaining the condition of the collection.
Please check our online catalog when searching for an item in our collection. Go to 4cls.org and enter your search term.
Research Requests
The first 15 minutes of research by library staff is free of charge. After that, the library charges $10 for 15 minutes of work.
Results can be emailed or mailed. The cost of postage will be added to anything weighing over one ounce (four pages).
Reproduction Fees
Photocopies: $.20 per single page; $.30 for double-sided pages
Printing from Microfilm: $.20 per page
Online Resources
We’re excited to announce that you can view online copies of the ONEONTA CITY DIRECTORIES between 1928 and 1984. Other issues from 1897 to 1994 can be found on microfilm.
The ONEONTA HIGH SCHOOL YEARBOOKS are also available for years 1905 through 2021.
THE DAILY STAR Newspaper between 1890 and 1925 are available in the Digital Archives. The issues are browsable or fully searchable by year, title and keyword.
Another great resource is NEW YORK HISTORIC NEWSPAPERS where many NYS newspapers have been digitized. The following is a list of the Oneonta area newspapers but check their website for more from Otsego County!
- Oneonta Herald and Democrat, 1874-1882
- Herald and Democrat, 1882-1883
- Oneonta Herald, 1853-1873, and 1884-1947
- The Evening News, 1891-1???
- Freeman’s Journal, 1924-current
Family History Center
Huntington Memorial Library is an authorized branch of the Family History Library of the genealogical Society of Utah. The Society is part of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS). They have been a rich source of genealogical and historical materials on microfilm from the Family History Library. Recently, they have digitized all microfilm and it is available on their website: familysearch.org. On the website, click on the search box and select Records to begin.The records include:
- Census schedules
- Vital Records
- Church, Bible, Family, and Cemetery Records
- Court Records
- Immigration Records
- Biographies
- Maps and atlases
- Newspaper Records
- Probate Records
- and more!
Local History Collection
Maps and Atlases
We are currently creating a searchable file of the contents and it will be availabe here when completed.
Otsego county atlases – 1868, 1903
Delaware County atlas 1869
Chenango County atlas 1875
Oneonta Street maps – 1910, 1927
New York State atlases
Local topographical maps
Photographs and Postcards
Our holdings include over 5,000 postcards and photographs of area scenes. We are currently creating a searchable file of the contents and it will be availabe here when completed.
Scrapbooks
Local organizations: DAR, church records, Oneonta Club, Burroughs Club
Oneonta Town and City records: Civil War, City Charter, Town Clerk’s records
Clippings books: WWII, Oneonta High School, city news, obituaries
1,300+ Ed Moore columns
Special Collections
Fred E. Beach Photograph Collection
DAR lineage and record books
Family Collections: Bartow, Bresee, and Ford
Genealogy Materials
Census Records on microfilm
NY State census indexes: 1790-1870
Otsego County federal census: 1790-1930
Otsego County state census: 1825-1925
Newspapers on microfilm
Evening News, 1891-1892
Home and Abroad, 1869-1870
Oneonta Daily Local, 1887-1888
Oneonta Daily News, 1889-1891
Oneonta Daily Star, 1891-present
Oneonta Herald, 1853-1946
Oneonta Herald & Democrat, 1874-1884
Oneonta Press, 1884-1891
Oneonta Spy, 1887-1891
Susquehanna Independent, 1868-1869
Other Resources
Oneonta City Directories, 1887-1994 on microfilm
Military histories
Genealogies and family histories
County and local histories
Obituaries and cemetery records
Genealogical dictionaries
Handbooks and guides
Family History file
Adult Programs
Huntington Memorial Library offers several programs for adults to learn new skills and work with new technology as well as traditional writing and reading programs.
Youth Programs
Huntington Memorial Library offers a variety of programs for all ages that supports a love for lifelong reading and learning, as well as supports a child’s imagination. We offer weekly programs to help children develop early literacy skills through stories, songs, action rhymes, and activities.
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Review Your Account & Our Catalog
To search the library system for books, digital books, DVD’s or to manage your account using your Library Card Number and Pin/Password please use the link below. From here you will be able to search terms and choose the library location best for you.