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Black and white historical photo of Rochester's Main St in the 1920s
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Local History & Genealogy

Digital Collections

Greater Rochester History Online

Greater Rochester History Online contains over 1,500 digital images and audio files, including photographs and postcards, oral histories, yearbooks, and views of recent Rochester history.

View the GRHO Collection

Digital Yearbooks

Digitized yearbooks from Rochester High School, Rochester Adams High School, and Stoney Creek High School. Editions from 1978-present are available to view at the library.

View Digital Yearbooks

Online Databases

If you need help with your local history or genealogy research, RHPL offers several free databases that come with your library card membership. 

Find Research Databases

Physical Collections

To view these items, please speak with a librarian at the second-floor reference desk.

Local History Publications

Includes titles related to the Ferry-Morse Seed Farm, local cemeteries and churches, the Clinton-Kalamazoo Canal, Downtown Rochester, Leader Dogs for the Blind, and the Van Hoosen Farm.

Browse Materials

Atlases

Historical maps and surveys covering the late 1800s and the mid to late 1900s.

View maps & surverys

Serials

Magazines and journals related to Michigan history, genealogy, and local interest.

View magazines & journals

Newspapers on Microfilm

Use our microfilm machine to find articles about local events.

  • Rochester ERA (selected issues, 1873-1949)

  • Rochester Clarion (selected issues, 1931-1971)

  • Rochester Eccentric (1972-2007)

  • Detroit News (1961-2006)

Obituaries and Vertical File

Selected obituaries and clippings from local newspapers.

Physical Yearbooks

Rochester-area yearbooks spanning from the 1920s to present.

Browse Physical Yearbooks

Learn about your family history

Explore our premium digital resources, including Ancestry.com Library Edition, Newspapers.com Library Edition, HeritageQuest, Heritage Hub, and MyHeritage.

View all databases

Get tips from our volunteer genealogist during Drop-in Genealogy Help once a month. 

Find an event
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Maps

CLIO

Find and explore historic and cultural sites around the US, including buildings and homes in and around Rochester, Rochester Hills, and Oakland Township.

Explore CLIO

Sanborn Maps

Created by fire insurance companies to document existing structures, Sanborn maps are a great tool for researchers exploring communities and buildings from the past. This digital collection is hosted by the Library of Congress and includes maps covering Rochester from the late 1800s to the early 1900s.

View the digital collection

Historical Topographic Maps

Featuring an interactive tool called topoView, searchable maps showcasing physical changes to the land of a particular location from 1880-2010, from the National Geologic Map Database and maintained by the U.S. Geological Survey

Explore the database

Drop-In Genealogy Help

Radford, Dwight A.

A genealogist's guide to discovering your Irish ancestors : how to find and record your unique heritage

Jonas, Linda, 1953-

A genealogist's guide to discovering your Scottish ancestors : how to find and record your unique heritage

Carmack, Sharon DeBartolo, 1956-

A genealogist's guide to discovering your immigrant & ethnic ancestors : how to find and record your unique heritage

Anderson, Chris, 1948-

A genealogist's guide to discovering your Germanic ancestors : how to find and record your unique heritage

Milner, Paul, 1953-

A genealogist's guide to discovering your English ancestors : how to find and record your unique heritage

A black and white photograph with old buildings and a horse and buggie 300 Block on the East Side of Main Street

Additional Resources

Rochester-Avon Historical Society

See also Remembering Rochester, a searchable blog created by the Rochester-Avon Historical society featuring stories and images from the Rochester area’s past.

Rochester Hills Museum at Van Hoosen Farm

Explore the museum’s collections, newspaper archive, and local history articles on topics within the community.

Oakland Township Historical Society

Information on Cranberry Lake Farm, the Barn Survey Project, and much more.

Rochester Hills Historic Districts Commission

City of Rochester Historical Commission

Genealogy Research at the Library of Michigan

Search resources available through the Library of Michigan, including state census records, naturalization records, and death certificates.

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