Discover Local History Across America

Step-by-step guides for researching your house, your family, and your town, plus a directory of historical societies in all 50 states

📖 Research Guides

Practical, source-by-source guides to finding when your house was built, who lived there, where someone is buried, what business stood at an address, and how to use city directories, Sanborn maps, and newspaper archives.

Browse the Guides

🏛️ Historical Society Directory

695 historical societies, museums, and archives listed by state, with addresses, websites, founding dates, and what each one holds for researchers. Every state page also explains where that state keeps its vital, land, and newspaper records.

Find Your Local Society

🗺️ When It Was

Our companion app maps businesses and landmarks that once stood at an address onto a timeline. Use it alongside the guides to see how a street changed, and add what you remember.

Open the App

Historical Societies by State

695 societies, museums, and archives across all 50 states, plus a research guide to each state's records

Browse All 50 States →

Illinois

17 listed

California

62 listed

New York

34 listed

Texas

30 listed

Pennsylvania

30 listed

Ohio

46 listed

Want to Explore YOUR Neighborhood's History?

The When It Was app lets you discover what businesses and landmarks existed at any address throughout history. See your neighborhood through time with our interactive timeline feature.

Explore When It Was →