Historical Research Resources
From Green Garage Detroit
This page has been set up to document resources useful in researching mend homes.
Burton Historical Collection at Detroit Public Library
- Polk City Directories
- Sanborn Maps
- Historical City Atlases
- Address Change Directory (behind librarian's desk) Required for looking up addresses prior to 1920 change.
- Archived newspapers (online at Burton - some accessible on microfiche, some digitized online)
- Reading Room File ?
Online Information
Old photo achives:
- Shorpy
- Early Detroit Images, Burton Historical Collection
- Detroit Publishing Company
- Virtual Motor City, Wayne State University
- Historic Map Works - Residential Genealogy
- Library of Congress - Detroit Publishing Company
- Bentley Historical Library Image Bank (University of Michigan)
- Historicdetroit.org A collection of photos of buildings, places and landmarks
- Forgottendetroit.com
- Ancestry.com (requires a subscription, or is available at public library)
- Google Book Search is good for researching people.
- Detroit street number and street name changes. Also includes 1928 Polk City Directory and a link to information about historic districts.
Other Resources:
- Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan
- Library of Michigan / Archives of Michigan (Lansing) 1870 Census is digitized and available online.
- Detroit Historical Society (Detroit Historical Museum and Dossin Great Lakes Museum)
- Detroit Historic District Commission
- Historic Designation Advisory Board A good source for pictures of a house.
- Wayne County Register of Deeds
- Society of American Archivists
- Manning Bros Collection
- Burton Historical Collection at MSU
- State archives
- Corporation records
- National Automotive Heritage Collection (part of Det Pub Lib)
- Detroit Auto Dealers Archives
- Preservation Wayne