Special Collections

American Ancestors

American Ancestors is the database of New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS), which is a Boston research library for genealogists and family historians and home to 12 million+ original documents. Much of the collection is digitized and searchable by subscription only. Includes full access to the 162+ volume NEHGS Register!

• In library access only

FamilySearch.org

FamilySearch.org is a free genealogy website providing access to a large collection of genealogy resources from over 100 countries. Search over a billion names and images online. Portsmouth Public Library is now an Affiliate Site, which means that many restricted items are now available on-site in our library using our public computers or wifi connection.

• Video tutorials on using Family Search

HeritageQuest Online

HeritageQuest Online is a genealogy resource, including full text of historic texts and genealogies, Census, revolutionary War records, Persi, etc.

• In library access
• Remote acccess (Library bar code required)
• Video tutorials on using Heritage Quest

Ancestry Library Edition

Ancestry Library Edition is a genealogical database, including access to Census records, Social Security death index, Immigration records, Military, etc. Covers the U.S., Canada, and Europe. Learn about the differences between Ancestry.com and Ancestry Library Edition, as well as tips on researching with Ancestry.

• In library access only
• Video tutorials on using Ancestry Library Edition

Newspaper Resource Guide

Newspapers are an invaluable research tool for genealogists. This guide will help you navigate all of the newspaper resources available to you through the PPL, including microfilm and digital papers.

Portsmouth Herald

There are several different ways to access the Herald, depending on what years you are interested in.

• 1978-2016 - contact the library (available on microfilm, and articles can be sent in pdf format)
• 2016-2022 - searchable on Advantage database
• The Portsmouth Herald website (requires a subscription, or create a login for 5 free articles per month)

*City of Portsmouth Maps

Maps from the Planning Department, including tax maps, street maps, parking mats, and more. This includes MapGeo, which permits users to view combinations of layers, search parcels by property owner, address, or parcel, and to perform tasks including measurements and map creation. Thematic overlays for zoning, polling and ward locations, elementary school districts, and solid waste and recycling routes maps.

Fold3

Fold3 provides convenient access to US military records, including the stories, photos, and personal documents of the men and women who served. Original records at Fold3 help you discover and share stories about these everyday heroes, forgotten soldiers, and the families that supported them.

• Video tutorials on using Fold3

*New Hampshire City & Town Annual Reports

The New Hampshire State Library, in partnership with UNH, is working to provide a permanent digital collection of town reports for all 234 New Hampshire Towns. UNH’s collection includes 15,700 digitized reports from 214 of the 234 towns in New Hampshire. Records for Portsmouth go back to 1849.

Salem Press/Grey House Collection 

This is an online reference collection of books from Salem Press/Grey House on literature and history. It includes:

• HW Wilson's Reference Shelf series
• The Working Americans series
• Magill's Literary Annual, 1977-2014
• Opinions Throughout History
• Civil Disobedience, Social Justice, Nationalism & Populism, Violent Demonstrations and Race Relations
• Treaties in the News
• Pandemics: the Invisible Enemy
• a selection of books on Ukraine and Russia
• Video tutorials on Salem Press's titles

Black Freedom Struggle in the United States

This Proquest database features more than 1,600 primary source documents related to critical people and events in African American history, from 1790 to the present. The documents featured center on the experiences and perspectives of African Americans, in the hope that this collection imbues the study of Black history with a deeper understanding of the humanity of people who have pursued the quest for freedom

Digitized Collections at PortsmouthExhibits.org

Library Staff and volunteers have redesigned our previous digital archive for easier use and better access to the fragile and historic items found in the Special Collections Room. While protecting the integrity of the original items, the library wants to share the items we care for with the community. Our hope, as we continue to identify interesting items and digitize them, is to also create a dialogue with the Portsmouth community about our shared local history. Please use the commenting feature to share memories and facts about each item. To learn more about future digitization plans, or ask questions about the items included, please visit the Special Collections Room, submit a question using the contact form for Katie, or call (603) 766-1723.

North End House History Project

This collection of images comes from Portsmouth’s North End, circa 1967. It is the area bordered by Market, High, Congress, Bridge, Maplewood, and Russell Street. This area was re-developed during the 1960s as part of a Federally funded Urban Renewal movement that followed World War II. Primarily an Italian neighborhood, approximately 176 inhabited homes and active businesses were documented prior to removal.

In addition, for images of residents and families from this area of the City, check out the North End Neighborhood Collection at the Portsmouth Athenaeum, created in collaboration with members from the Seacoast Chapter of the Sons of Italy.

Haven School Neighborhood Project 

This project, created and scanned by a group of volunteers, gathers images of the students who attended the Haven School in the South End. The database of photographs is available for browsing and commenting. Images will be added periodically as residents share photographs with the library!

Sarah Haven Foster Watercolors: Wildflowers & Views of Portsmouth

Sarah Haven Foster (1827-1900) was the daughter of John Welsh Foster (1789-1852) and Mary (Appleton) Foster. She lived and painted in Portsmouth, the surrounding area, and abroad. A collection of nearly 1000 watercolors was gifted to the Library by her sister Mary A. Foster in 1901.

This collection has received conservation and preservation care through grants from the Rosamond Thaxter Foundation and the New Hampshire Conservation License Plate Program.

Louis J. Mackles Postcards

This collection of 400+ postcards, depicting buildings and scenes of Portsmouth and the Seacoast area, was donated to the Portsmouth Public Library by the family of Louis J. Mackles in May of 2015.

Adams Collection

This collection is an assemblage of work by Gundalow Captain Edward H. Adams. Born Edward Hamlin Adams to Joseph and Olive Adams on October 22, 1860, Adams was influenced by his artist mother and began carving as a child. He started modelling his first scale Gundalow in 1882. Adams spent decades hauling freight and navigating the Piscataqua earning himself the title of Captain. This digital collection consists of photographs of about 175 of his original models and carvings. They were previously housed at the Sheafe Warehouse, and are now cared for by the Special Collections staff at Portsmouth Public Library, on behalf of the City of Portsmouth Trustees of the Trust.

Helen Pearson Bookplate Collection

This collection consists of 336+ historic bookplates and corresponding material from local artist and musician Helen Pearson. These bookplates were accumulated from her travels, acquaintances, other collectors, and membership in several national and international bookplate societies. The collection was initially created and organized by Pearson. It arrived at Portsmouth Public Library as a bequest upon her passing on August 19, 1949. The collection was added to and at least partially mounted by then Library Director Dorothy Vaughan.

Helen Pearson Drawings

This collection consists of a series of drawings created from 1908 to 1913 by local artist and Portsmouth native Helen Pearson. In 1993, Ray Brighton called Helen Pearson "one of the best artists Portsmouth ever produced whose talent has been largely forgotten.” Born in Portsmouth on Nov. 13, 1870, Pearson was trained as a concert pianist and attended Boston’s Cowles Art School. She played piano with the Schenectady Symphony Orchestra in New York, but was most recognized throughout the Seacoast for her pen and ink drawings in local publications. Her “Open Door” drawing, in particular, was used for many years in Portsmouth publicity pamphlets. This collection includes 14 original Helen Pearson drawings, 12 of which were created for her 1913 volume Vignettes of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, in collaboration with Harold Hotchkiss Bennett.

Dorothy Sturgis Harding Christmas Card Collection

This collection of 19 original Christmas cards, was created by local artist and long-time Portsmouth resident Dorothy Sturgis Harding (1891-1978). These cards are part of a larger amalgamation of Harding memorabilia and have been gifted to the library by Portsmouth resident Joan Christy. The Dorothy Sturgis Harding Christmas Cards are drawn in pen and ink on cardstock and were used for holiday greetings in years spanning 1947 through 1976. According to local residents, Harding's Christmas cards were highly prized and eagerly anticipated each year. They are immensely detailed and unique to this artist; and many depict Portsmouth area views; including the historic Martine Cottage, which was one of the Sturgis family homes.

Portsmouth 350th Anniversary Materials

Historic materials from the 350th anniversary of the City of Portsmouth, celebrated in 1973.