Maine's Capital Area

The Community Archives Room houses an outstanding collection of genealogical resources, as well as state, county, and local histories which document the Kennebec Valley region in which Gardiner, Maine is centered. This collection includes important works reflecting the social, governmental, economic, and migrational history of the community.

For decades, the library has maintained an extensive vertical file concerning local people and institutions as well as unique manuscript items. In recent years, volunteers have assembled genealogical files to augment the vertical file. The collection is housed in a secure room for the protection of its rare materials and special indexes.

In the past decade, Gardiner's nineteenth-century newspapers were microfilmed, and James Connor compiled a ten-volume index to the newspaper series extending from the 1840s to the 1930s. Many photocopied materials from the Yellow House Papers of Laura E. Richards are in binders in the Community Archives Room.

The Community Archives Room is staffed by a Special Collections Librarian and our experienced volunteers. Please call ahead 207-582-6890 to ensure access.