We’ve compiled a list of local and national online resources to help you continue your research from home.
28 Newspaper Database Resources to Level Up Your Genealogy Research Skills
Our Public Records provides quick and easy access to a wealth of resources, including birth and marriage records.
African Americans in the U.S. Army
Provided by U.S. Army Center of Military History
A resource on Black military units, related reports, and more.
Bethlehem Area Public Library – Local History
Visit to see historical books and magazines, a very useful “How-to House Research” guide, maps, newspaper indexes, and more. Extras available with your library card.
Digital Public Library of America
The Digital Public Library works with a network of resources to make millions of resources accessible to you. Click for results related to Northampton County.
Easton Area Public Library – Marx Room
Our friends at the Marx Room of the Easton Public Library have a wealth of resources to get you started on your quest for knowledge. Indexes for church and cemetery records, obituaries, newspapers, and much more located here. You can also use the library’s online catalog with your library card.
Hosted by Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation, Inc
Did your ancestor arrive at Ellis Island? Track them down through this easy-to-use database.
Historical Society of Pennsylvania – Online Collections
“The collections of Historical Society of Pennsylvania range from genealogical and family papers to business and organizational records to collections of items such as photographs, postcards, sheet music, menus, and trade cards. HSP’s library contains a wealth of published material, including books, pamphlets, serials, and newspapers.”
Home Advisor – Guide to Researching the History of a House
This link was sent to NCHGS by a junior researcher named Amelia. She participated in Youth Librarian Carol Briggs’ Beginning Historic Research and Historic Preservation online class during the 2020 pandemic. Amelia recommends this site as an excellent general reference on researching the history of a house, including an outline of the research process, census records, helpful search resources, former owner databases, and more. For all young historic research enthusiasts: This is a good first step to learn more about how to research the history of your own home or town. Thank you, Amelia!
Lafayette College – Digital Collections
Lafayette College has thousands of images available in their College Archives Image Collection, as well as digital copies of college newspapers and magazines. Their miscellaneous collection also contains periodicals and other useful resources.
Lehigh University – Digital Projects
Lehigh University hosts thousands of resources that may be useful to your research. Check out collections relating to bridges, Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company, postcards, and more.
Lehigh Valley Engaged Humanities Consortium (LVEHC) Digital Archive
hosted by Lafayette College
The range of materials collected here include oral histories, family photographs, business documents, historic maps, ephemera, material objects, and other primary source materials of diverse ethnic and immigrant communities in the Lehigh Valley.
Library of Congress – Available Online/Digital Collection
This link will take you directly to search results relating to Northampton County. The Library of Congress is a limitless resource of local and regional material.
Moise A. Khayrallah Center for Lebanese Diaspora Studies
The Center was a partner on the Sigal Museum’s Destination: Northampton County exhibition that showcases local Lebanese heritage. The center is “dedicated to research about Lebanese immigrants in the US and throughout the world, and to preserving and sharing that knowledge with the scholarly community and general public.”
Moravian Church Archives – Search the Collections
Search a plethora of church records from the Bethlehem archive.
Moravian College – Digital Resources
Looking for an alum? Moravian College’s online collection contains photographs, yearbooks, scrapbooks, and oral histories of women who studies at the Seminary.
National Archives – Black History
Online resources include Freedmen’s Bureau records, community histories, photographs, Black women’s history, and much, much more.
National Archives – General Online Catalog
Search soldiers, naturalization records, oral histories, and much more.
Our Lady of Lebanon Catholic Church: A History
Our Lady of Lebanon shares the history of the Maronite Church in Easton and the Kfarsghab immigrants who settled locally.
Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission – Museum Collections
Browse the museum collections of Pennsylvania.
Ancestry.com Pennsylvania is available for free to Pennsylvania State residents.
Go to this page for more information.
Visit Ray Morris’ YouTube account for rare archival footage from around the Lehigh Valley region (and beyond).
A wealth of information on historic Easton buildings.
Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps
hosted by Penn State University
Sanborn Fire Insurance maps are city plans originally created for fire insurance companies in order to assess liability. They are invaluable resources for documenting changes in thousands of America cities over many years, and used widely by community and genealogical researchers.
Slate Belt Maps
Provided by the Slate Belt Heritage Center
Areas of interest for Bangor, Pen Argyl, and Martin’s Creek, and the greater Slate Belt region.
Soldiers and Sailors Database – National Park Service
“The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System (CWSS) is a database containing information about the men who served in the Union and Confederate armies during the Civil War. Other information on the site includes histories of Union and Confederate regiments, links to descriptions of significant battles, and selected lists of prisoner-of-war records and cemetery records, which will be amended over time.”
Do you have a resource to add that can help others with Northampton County history or genealogy? Let us know! E-mail us at info@northamptonctymuseum.org