Historical Society of Pennsylvania

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Contact Information
E-mail: [mailto:ssmith@hsp.org Public Services Librarian] For assistance using any of our research tools, please contact our ready reference staff  [mailto:ReadyReference@hsp.org Reference Staff Email]

Address:


 * Historical Society of Pennsylvania
 * 1300 Locust Street
 * Philadelphia, PA 1907-5699

Telephone: 215-732-6200 Fax:  215-732-2680

Hours and holidays:


 * Closed Sundays, Mondays, Saturdays
 * Tuesdays &amp; Thursdays 12:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
 * Wednesday 12:30p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
 * Friday 10:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Holiday schedule

Directions, maps, and public transportation:


 * By Car: Directions and Parking Options


 * Public Transportation
 * Find bus and train information at [www.septa.com www.septa.com] or PATCO Hi Speedline
 * Bus Route: SEPTA bus route 12 stops on Locust Street directly in front of HSP.
 * Subways: HSP is two blocks east of the Walnut/Locust stop on the Broad Street Subway or four blocks south of the 13th/Market stop on the Market/Frankford Subway. There is a PATCO stop at the corner of 13th and Locust Streets, directly in front of HSP.
 * Train: Take any SEPTA commuter rail line to Market East Station. Walk south on 12th Street to Locust Street. Then turn right and walk one block west on Locust to 13th Street. If you prefer to ride the train into Suburban Station, you may walk past City Hall south on Broad Street to Locust, where you turn left and walk two blocks.

Internet sites and databases:


 * Historical Society of Pennsylvania Home Have materials from the colonial to the current period. Access to Ancestry.com, Balch Manuscript Guide, Online catalog, Genealogy workshops, Digital Library and history projects, Newspapers, Photographs, Publications.


 * Discover Online Catalog Information on all of HSP's collections is available in the online catalog "Discover." Discover includes listings for publications (books, pamphlets, serials and newspapers) as well as some graphics and manuscript collections. Searches include title, author, subject, call number, ISBN/ISSN, HSP Websites. This search interface has Advanced Searching, Alphabetical Browse, and Browse.


 * The Digital Library is a growing online repository of images from the Historical Society of Pennsylvania's collection. There are more than 50,000 images in the database, including photographs, artwork, maps, manuscripts, as well as archived video and audio records.

Collection Description
The Historical Society of Pennsylvania is one of the most complete and professional genealogy centers in the nation—and the largest in the Mid-Atlantic region. The Society collects genealogical materials from Pennsylvania and every other state east of the Mississippi River. Its collections also cover pre-migration from Europe, the genealogical “stepping stones” across the Caribbean, and out-migration to Canada.

The Genealogists &amp; Community Historians Page: Genealogical Resources at HSP, Research by Mail, How to Begin, Information on Genealogy Workshops, Events and News for Genealogists, Roots &amp; Branches Blog, History Hits, and Question of the Week. It also has Ethnic &amp; Immigrant History, Balch Institute, PhilaPlace, and a sign up for E-News.


 * Ethnic History Resources HSP’s collections document the experiences of more than sixty ethnic groups in the United States.
 * Balch Institute The Balch Institute for Ethnic Studies, which documented the ethnic and immigrant experience.
 * Link to PhilaPlace Home Explore Philadelphia - the City of Neighborhoods - through maps, stories, photographs, and documents.

Tips

 * There is a Library Admission for non-members.
 * All first-time visitors to the library must complete a Research Registration Form.
 * Photocopy services are available to both on- and off-site researchers for $0.50 a page.
 * The use of film or digital still-image cameras is permitted in the library at no additional cost.
 * Entry to the library, photocopy service, and paging all end 45 minutes prior to closing time.
 * Notice of weather or emergency closings will be posted on the Historical Society's website and on the Society's weather phone line at 215--732-6200 ext. 505.

Guides

 * List of online Finding Aids that represent a small portion of our holdings provide background information, descriptions, and inventories for the Historical Society of Pennsylvania collections.


 * Subject Guides. There is a search capability available to browse subject guides. Sampling: African-American Collections, Civil War Manuscripts and Newspapers, Civil War Resources, Ethnic History Resources, Family History &amp; Genealogy, Federal Census Records, Jewish Resources, Land Records Guide, Military Records, City Directories, Vital Records.

Alternate Repositories
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If you cannot visit or find a source at the , a similar source may be available at one of the following.

Overlapping Collections


 * Alternate Repository {create link for each, and give line or two describing collection}

Similar Collections



Neighboring Collections