Local History & Genealogy

Local History and Genealogy Collection

The Local History and Genealogy (LHG) Collection was created as a central repository and Saginaw local history library in 1960. Since that time, it has become one of the premier LHG collections in the Midwest, winning the Historical Society of Michigan State History Award in 2017.

The LHG Collection at Hoyt Library serves students and specialists equally well with an array of materials in the fields of genealogy, Saginaw history, and the history of Michigan.

The Collection features many unique and valuable resources on the history of Saginaw, the Saginaw Valley, and the people and families who settled the region. This includes original source materials, diaries, scrapbooks, business ledgers, photographs, as well as over 20,000 books, microforms, and periodicals. The Collection also includes extensive genealogical resources for those researching their family history.

This page highlights some of the materials and services available, but is only a brief introduction to the unique and valuable resources of the LHG Collection. We urge you to call or visit Hoyt Library to work with our knowledgeable and friendly LHG staff to fully utilize our resources.

Family History

If you are beginning to research your family tree and this is all new to you, our expert staff will give you direction to get you started. If you are a more experienced genealogist, you will find an extensive array of resources available.

Our Collection focuses on Saginaw County and Michigan records and those areas from where the majority of Michigan's early settlers came. This includes the New England states, Great Lakes states, Eastern Canadian provinces, and some Southern states.

Family History Resources

Michigan Census: 1820-1930
(Includes Soundex and Miracode Indexes)
Other State Census: Miscellaneous Dates
Ontario Canadian Census: 1861-1911 and Other
Miscellaneous Years
Quebec Canadian Census: 1860 and Other
Miscellaneous Years
Saginaw Vital Records: 1867-1900
Saginaw City Burial Records
Military Records
Slave Schedules: 1850-1860

The LHG Collection also includes family papers, cemetery readings, ancestry charts, and more!

Ethnic Resources

The LHG Collection includes guides, dictionaries, and resources to help people determine ethnic origin. Materials are available for people of African, Asian, Canadian, European, Hispanic, Jewish, Middle Eastern, and Native American descent.

Local History

Whether you are researching a Saginaw history topic in-depth, working on a school assignment, or just wondering about something or someone in Saginaw's history, the LHG staff is ready to help.

Saginaw History Resources

Saginaw City Directories: 1866-Present
Saginaw Newspapers (Microfilm): 1853-Present
Saginaw County Biography Index
Subject Index File on Saginaw History,
Business, and Events
Grant Smith Saginaw Sheet Music Collection
Willie L. McKether Saginaw African-American
Oral History Collection o Saginaw Church, School, and Organization
Histories and Historical Papers

Michigan History Resources

The LHG Collection includes many books and periodicals on Michigan history from prehistoric times to present. Of special interest are the county histories, county atlases, and plat books.

Utilizing the Local History and Genealogy Collection

LHG Collection inquiries are accepted by telephone, email, writing, and in-person. Researchers within driving distance of Hoyt Library are encouraged to visit the LHG Collection in-person to realize the full potential of what the Collection offers. Out-of-area researchers will be best served via phone or email. In addition, many of our online resources can be accessed remotely. The LHG staff will work with you to determine the best method for achieving desired results.

Due to the historical nature of the LHG Collection, all materials in the Collection are restricted to library use only. The materials cannot be borrowed, nor are they available for interlibrary loan. Most materials may be photocopied, but due to the fragile nature of some materials, permission to copy is given on a case-by-case basis.

Materials available in the LHG Collection are listed in our online catalog which can be accessed at www.saginawlibrary.org. The LHG staff is always happy to confer with researchers, novice and expert, to discuss all of the resources available.

Visiting the Local History and Genealogy Collection

Contact

Hoyt Library
505 Janes Avenue
Saginaw, MI 48607

Phone: 989-755-9827

Email: plosgene@saginawlibrary.org

Website: www.saginawlibrary.org

Obituary Index

Index of over 200,000 obituaries from the Saginaw News. Created and maintained by the Public Libraries of Saginaw.

Saginaw Images

A database of historical images and documents from Saginaw County. Created and maintained by the Public Libraries of Saginaw.

Saginaw City Directories (1866 - 1940)

The Saginaw City Directories Collection contains many of the city directories from the years 1866 to 1936 pertaining to East Saginaw and Saginaw City before consolidation in 1890 and the city of Saginaw after 1890, as well as some listings for local townships. Created and maintained by the Public Libraries of Saginaw.

Historic South Jefferson Walking Tour

Interactive map with essays and historic photographs that leads you through the stories of twenty-three sites and their designers. Created and maintained by the Public Libraries of Saginaw.

City of Saginaw Cemetery Search

Cemetery search tool created and maintained by the Public Libraries of Saginaw with the City of Saginaw.

America's Obits & Death Notices

The largest and most comprehensive collection of newspaper obituaries and death notices.

American Ancestors

The New England Historic Genealogical Society contains vital records, city and town directories, census, tax and voter lists, church records, diaries and journals, published genealogies and biographies, newspapers and periodicals, and many other resources to help genealogists with their research. This site is only available inside any of our library buildings.

Ancestry Library Edition

This site is a special version of Ancestry.com that is only available to patrons at libraries. It has added features plus free access to information you would normally pay for on the regular Ancestry.com site. This site is only available inside any of our library buildings.

Bentley Historical Library

Repository for original, unpublished archival and manuscript collections pertaining to the history of the University of Michigan and the state of Michigan. Part of the University of Michigan.

Castle Garden

A database of immigrants who arrived in this New York port from 1820-1892, before the opening of Ellis Island.

Collections of the Henry Ford

Digital collections housed at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn Michigan.

Detroit Public Library Digital Collections

Discover images and materials that document our local and national heritage from five Special Collections: Burton Historical Collection, National Automotive History Collection, E. Azalia Hackley Collection of African Americans in the Performing Arts, Ernie Harwell Sports Collection, and Rare Book Collection.

Ellis Island

The American Family Immigration History Center. Search for family members who entered this country via Ellis Island, the ships they arrived on, the manifests, and more from 1892-1924.

Family Search

The online version of the world's largest genealogical database; maintained by the Church of Latter Day Saints

Find a Grave

Find the graves of your ancestors and famous people from around the world.

GENDIS Michigan

The Genealogical Death Indexing System provided by the Michigan Division of Vital Records and Health Statistics.

Great Lakes Maritime Database

An extensive source of information on approximately 14,000 19th Century ships that sailed the Great Lakes. Each vessel record may include build & owner info, a brief historical timeline, and photographs. The database was compiled from the collection of C. Patrick Labadie.

HathiTrust Digital Library

A digital preservation repository and highly functional access platform. Drawing on a full range of library collections the repository contains significant amounts of Michigan material often published outside of the state.

Heritage Quest

Search the census to find ancestors and relatives in the complete set of US Federal Census Records from 1790-1930. Search books to find information on people and places described in over 25,000 family and local histories. This database may be accessed from inside the library or from home and is brought to you by the Library of Michigan.

Historical Detroit Free Press (1831-1922)

The Detroit Free Press is a rich source of genealogical and local history information. It covers the period before statehood, the American Civil War, and the growth of the mining, lumber and automotive industries. The information contained within the scanned and searchable pages is not limited to just Detroit area news.

Michigana: Sources in U.S. History Online

This digital archive documents state history. Drawn from the Sabin Americana, 1500-1926 collection and other Gale sources, the archive provides access to a wide variety of documents: personal narratives and memoirs, pamphlets and political speeches, sermons and songs, legal treatises and children's books.

Native American Records of the National Archives

The National Archives holds information about American Indians who maintained their ties to Federally-recognized Tribes (1830-1970).

NewsBank - Saginaw News (1998 to Current)

The Saginaw News is the dominant newspaper and advertising medium in the Saginaw marketplace offering complete local news coverage. This database provides access to articles from 1998 to current.

RootsWeb

A site to share genealogical research, find and communicate with family members, and volunteer for genealogy projects.

Saginaw Genealogical Society

Learn about all the activities and valuable genealogical assistance this society offers for and about the Saginaw community. The society meets regularly in the Hoyt Main Library.

Seeking Michgan

Library of Michigan State-wide collection of death certificates for the years 1897-1920.

Selected Library of Congress Resources for Michigan

This page highlights selected images and audio files pertaining to Michigan. Also included on each state resource page are tools to help teachers use these items in the classroom and links to the American Memory collection home page.

The A.P. Marshall African American Oral History Archive

This archive seeks to preserve stories from the Ypsilanti African American community. Members of this well-organized community lived through the Jim Crow era, fought racism during WWII, and led the local Civil Rights movement. Spanning several generations, these interviews illuminate eras of profound social change and offer an intimate look into the social, home, and political life of a historic Michigan community.