Statistical Account of the County of Middlesex, in Connecticut, by David Dudley Field (originally published in 1819) includes all manner of intriguing information about events major and mundane, from murders to mining to the mysterious Moodus noises.

The 1884 History of Middlesex County with Biographical Sketches of its Prominent Men, (published in 1884) includes detailed histories of each of the 16 towns in the county, highlighting religious, military, and industrial heritage along with interesting tidbits about fixtures of local life such as taverns, newspapers, and schools. It includes biographies of more than 150 notable individuals, and portraits of more than 50 of them.

The 1903 Commemorative Biographical Record of Middlesex County (published in 1903) features biographies of more than a thousand men – and a few women – that were prominent at the turn of the twentieth century, along with their family lineages, and hundreds of portraits. The majority of the biographies are of individuals with roots that extended back to the colonial era, some of whose names are still part of the landscape today, such as Russell, Wilcox, Pelton, Lyman, and Gildersleeve. However, among them are included biographies of a number of recently arrived immigrants from Ireland, Scotland, and Germany, with names like Dunn and Inglis and Kretzmer, who had prospered in their adopted homeland.

These resources are invaluable for historians and genealogical researchers, and we are delighted that the Godfrey Library and Middlesex County Community Foundation teamed up to make these scarce materials widely available.

Here are a few things to know about research in Special Collections & Archives:

1) Our hours are Monday-Friday, 1 to 5pm.

2) Most items need to be requested using one of our request slips, which can be found right outside our door on the first floor of Olin Library, or at our front desk. Don’t be shy–we’re here to help with any questions, and we’re always happy to talk with you about your research and our resources.

3) We have a few rules: pencils only (no pens), no food or drink, and you need to leave your coat and bags in a locker or the closet. These rules help protect our collections and prevent accidental damage. Ask if you have any questions.

4) We have a lot of finding aids now online. However, many collections are not yet fully described. If you have a research topic and are wondering if we have information, please check with us. We have other guides to collections that are not online and might be useful to you.

As we enter fall and start thinking about Wesleyan traditions, can anyone identify this item?

Leave your answer in the comments. First correct answer gets one of our fancy SC&A pencils!

Because these files are readily accessible and organized by topic, they are great places to start your research. By looking at the files on, say, Olin Library, you will find lots of information about the architects, design, dates of construction, and changes over the years. Once you have the basic facts, it is much easier to figure out which archival collections (our collection of architectural plans- the Henry Bacon Papers-) will have the sort of information you really need.

And remember: the friendly staff members in SC&A are always delighted to help you in your research!