American History 1493-Community Histories: Community Histories

This page of the guide provides an example using two communities, Tahlequah, Oklahoma, and Northeastern State University (NSU) to illustrate the types of information used to research local community history.

When searching your chosen community locale, consider the following:

• town or city website
• local historians
• family history
• ancestors
• oral histories
• newspapers (local newspaper)
• public libraries (local history)
• schools
• courthouse (records)
• murals or local artwork or artists
• historical society
• memorials (statues, monuments)
• chamber of commerce
• famous people (military personnel, business owners, merchants, townspeople, local heroes)
• church records (cemeteries, church records)
• historical structures (buildings, homes, bridges)
• streets (check to see why a street was named after someone or something of significance)
• local celebrations (annual parades to celebrate the town's history)