MUNICIPAL LIBRARIES ARE WORTH A LOOK
Brenda Kellow
May 20, 2012
In searching the 1940 census, I found that many of the towns I searched had changed their street names. Fortunately, I knew the general area where the relatives lived here in Plano. Using and Sanborn map I found the streets, and in some cases, I could read the blurry handwritten street names. On this map of Plano, the only east-west streets were College [probably 17th Street], Mechanic Street [definitely 15th Street], Tennessee Street [probably 14th] and Water Street.
I cannot rely on my suppositions of the street names; I will need to make a trip to the local Municipal Library for confirmation. Most towns of any size have these. Plano’s Municipal Library is located on the third floor of the Plano Municipal Center on K Avenue. It holds the town’s business records. Inside are records on council members, Sanborn insurance maps, firefighters and police and council members and meeting, just to name a few.
Sanborn fire insurance maps, for the years 1867-1970, are available free online through the TexShare program of the local library. To access these for any state, you must first have a library card and password to access the information. Enlarge the digital images on the site for better flexibility and layering for different years. Both public and academic libraries use Sanborn maps frequently for the available 12,000 American towns and cities. These tell the historic growth and development of our communities. The fire departments used them to estimate the potential risk for urban structures.
The maps show the outline of each building, its size, shape and construction materials, heights, and function of structures, windows, and doors. The street names are noted, and so are street and block numbers, and sidewalk widths and property boundaries. It is easy to recognize buildings such as schools, stables and garages. It also shows exactly the locations of railroads or pipelines present for that particular year.
Municipal records are free to use and they are open to the public. Do not forget to examine these when pursuing answers of the past.
COUNTY AWARD: Each year the Collin County Historical Commission recognizes individuals for their outstanding work in preserving the history of our county. The award, Leadership in Preservation, “recognizes an exemplary town or city in the county, or a developer who has promoted a respect for the county’s past through historical projects and or renovations of historic buildings or sites.”
Three members of the Commission nominated Bob Heath for the award. Loydell Seward nominated Mr. Heath for his renovations in Farmersville, Donna Jenkins for his preservation and restoration plans for the Old Homestead Barn in Parker, and Carol Lowe for several projects including “The Q” in Wylie. He received the prestigious Leadership in Preservation award on May 5 at the annual Collin County Historical Commission Preservation Celebration. Congratulations, Mr. Heath!
HOMESTEAD RECORDS DATABASE: The Homestead Act of 1862 made possible surveyed land for settlers going west. Fold3 has been digitizing these for the last five years. The Nebraska Homestead database is now available at www.fold3.com/title_650/homestead_records_ne/. The records consist of final certificates, applications with descriptions, affidavits showing citizenship, register and receiver receipts, final proofs and often-unique personal records. To learn more about this read the description at www.fold3.com/page/1999_homestead_records/. You can also watch a YouTube video at www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2X4UslDrso&list=PL26D52FC0AE3C2E3B&index=1&feature=plpp_video. WELSH PARISH RECORDS ONLINE: At Find My Past, www.findmypast.co.uk, search Welsh burials from 1538-2007 for Cardiganshire, Carmarthenshire, Denbighshire, Flintshire and Glamorganshire. Baptisms range from 1538-1911; marriages 1539-1926; and banns 1701-1926; burials 1539-2007. For all the coverage, download the PDF of these at www.findmypast.co.uk/cms/fmp/pdf/Welsh-records-coverage.pdf. They are about to put online the counties of Anglesey, Brecknockshire, Caernarvonshire, Merionethshire, Monmouthshire, Montgomeryshire, Pembrokeshire and Radnorshire. I will be searching for mine in Caernarvonshire. Begin searching now at www.findmypast.co.uk/search/parish-records/baptisms.
Brenda Kellow has a bachelor's degree in history, teaches, and lectures on genealogy. Before retiring to publish her family’s histories in 2007, Brenda held certification as a Certified Genealogist and as a certified Genealogical Instructor. Send reunion announcements, books to review, and genealogy queries to: [email protected].
I cannot rely on my suppositions of the street names; I will need to make a trip to the local Municipal Library for confirmation. Most towns of any size have these. Plano’s Municipal Library is located on the third floor of the Plano Municipal Center on K Avenue. It holds the town’s business records. Inside are records on council members, Sanborn insurance maps, firefighters and police and council members and meeting, just to name a few.
Sanborn fire insurance maps, for the years 1867-1970, are available free online through the TexShare program of the local library. To access these for any state, you must first have a library card and password to access the information. Enlarge the digital images on the site for better flexibility and layering for different years. Both public and academic libraries use Sanborn maps frequently for the available 12,000 American towns and cities. These tell the historic growth and development of our communities. The fire departments used them to estimate the potential risk for urban structures.
The maps show the outline of each building, its size, shape and construction materials, heights, and function of structures, windows, and doors. The street names are noted, and so are street and block numbers, and sidewalk widths and property boundaries. It is easy to recognize buildings such as schools, stables and garages. It also shows exactly the locations of railroads or pipelines present for that particular year.
Municipal records are free to use and they are open to the public. Do not forget to examine these when pursuing answers of the past.
COUNTY AWARD: Each year the Collin County Historical Commission recognizes individuals for their outstanding work in preserving the history of our county. The award, Leadership in Preservation, “recognizes an exemplary town or city in the county, or a developer who has promoted a respect for the county’s past through historical projects and or renovations of historic buildings or sites.”
Three members of the Commission nominated Bob Heath for the award. Loydell Seward nominated Mr. Heath for his renovations in Farmersville, Donna Jenkins for his preservation and restoration plans for the Old Homestead Barn in Parker, and Carol Lowe for several projects including “The Q” in Wylie. He received the prestigious Leadership in Preservation award on May 5 at the annual Collin County Historical Commission Preservation Celebration. Congratulations, Mr. Heath!
HOMESTEAD RECORDS DATABASE: The Homestead Act of 1862 made possible surveyed land for settlers going west. Fold3 has been digitizing these for the last five years. The Nebraska Homestead database is now available at www.fold3.com/title_650/homestead_records_ne/. The records consist of final certificates, applications with descriptions, affidavits showing citizenship, register and receiver receipts, final proofs and often-unique personal records. To learn more about this read the description at www.fold3.com/page/1999_homestead_records/. You can also watch a YouTube video at www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2X4UslDrso&list=PL26D52FC0AE3C2E3B&index=1&feature=plpp_video. WELSH PARISH RECORDS ONLINE: At Find My Past, www.findmypast.co.uk, search Welsh burials from 1538-2007 for Cardiganshire, Carmarthenshire, Denbighshire, Flintshire and Glamorganshire. Baptisms range from 1538-1911; marriages 1539-1926; and banns 1701-1926; burials 1539-2007. For all the coverage, download the PDF of these at www.findmypast.co.uk/cms/fmp/pdf/Welsh-records-coverage.pdf. They are about to put online the counties of Anglesey, Brecknockshire, Caernarvonshire, Merionethshire, Monmouthshire, Montgomeryshire, Pembrokeshire and Radnorshire. I will be searching for mine in Caernarvonshire. Begin searching now at www.findmypast.co.uk/search/parish-records/baptisms.
Brenda Kellow has a bachelor's degree in history, teaches, and lectures on genealogy. Before retiring to publish her family’s histories in 2007, Brenda held certification as a Certified Genealogist and as a certified Genealogical Instructor. Send reunion announcements, books to review, and genealogy queries to: [email protected].