Local History
Plainfield History
Our Local History Collection is the largest in Union County, and includes historical and contemporary materials about the city of Plainfield and its inhabitants. The collection is composed of books, documents, photographs, blueprints, maps, newspapers, personal papers, and records of local clubs and organizations in Plainfield and the surrounding communities. In the list below, click the image on left of the Collection Name to learn more.
For further information, please contact the Local History Department. Don’t forget to check out the Library’s Research Databases and Community Guide.
| Page Name | Collection Name and Description | Search |
|---|---|---|
 | City Directories The Local History department holds Plainfield city directories from the 1870s through 1982. The city directories are available in print, on microfilm and in an online searchable PDF format. The 1930 directory listed numerous Plainfield deaths. Additional deaths were noted in some other directories, which are being processed, but no other volume covered as many deaths as the 1930 directory. |  |
 | Courier News Archive The records of the Courier News document people, organizations, and events around New Jersey from the 1870s into the 2000s. The collection includes photographs, film negatives, newspaper obituaries, newspaper article clippings, and ephemera. We also offer an index of Courier News Marriage License Announcements from 1957 to 1967: By Husband's Last Name or by By Publication Date. | |
 | Detwiller Blueprint Collection This unique collection of 16,000 architectural drawings and blueprints documents the rich history of Plainfield's architectural development. It includes residences, houses of worship, businesses, and multifamily dwellings from 1887 to 2002. The drawings have been microfilmed and digitized for preservation and Internet access. We have only a few blueprints from the 1990s and 2000s.. | |
 | High School Yearbooks The Plainfield High School yearbooks, dating back to 1906, are a valuable part of the Local History Department’s Plainfield Collection. They provide a unique insight into the everyday lives of Plainfield teenagers, the effects of local and national events, and the evolution of Plainfield society over several decades. The yearbooks have been digitized, and are available online. If you are interested in donating a yearbook to help complete the collection, please contact us. | |
| Historical Plainfield Newspapers The Plainfield Periodical Collection includes 23 newspapers and magazines dating back to 1837. These holdings include microfilmed copies and broadsides, as well as digitized titles. The Courier News on microfilm, from 1891 to 1998, is available on microfilm in the upstairs reference section. After 1999, the newspaper is available online through the ProQuest database. The Library also offers access to Newspapers.com Historical Newspapers from the Northeast via Newspapers.com and ProQuest Historical Newspapers. Iissues of the Plainfield Courier News dating back to 1891 are available via ProQuest Historical Newspapers. Watch "Success Searching Plainfield's Historical Newspapers" | |
 | Historical Photograph Collection The Plainfield Public Library's historical photograph collections include over 50,000 individual photographic prints, negatives, slides and glass plates by over a dozen local photographers from the 1860s to the present. | |
 | Historical Plainfield Scrapbooks The Plainfield Public Library's historical scrapbooks include numerous scrapbooks created by both individuals and organizations. The books contain a variety of materials, such as newspaper clippings, interesting ephemera, letters, photographs, artwork, and more. The books cross multiple collections and span from 1820 to 1997. | |
 | Local and New Jersey Maps Recently inventoried, the map collection includes: 98 State maps beginning in 1874, 19 Plainfield flat maps, and 21 framed wall maps of Plainfield, including two copies of the oldest map of Plainfield dated 1832. Thiere are also numerous atlases in the New Jersey Collection. Several maps have been digitized and are viewable here and here. | |
 | Local Clubs and Organizations The Plainfield Public Library’s collection of local organizations is composed of a variety of materials including annual reports, board meeting minutes, correspondence, financial documents, photographs, scrapbooks, ephemera, and more. The Department also holds a large quantity of vertical files that document the long history of organizations, businesses, schools, and churches in Plainfield. The records date back to 1867. | |
 | Personal Papers and Manuscripts The Plainfield Public Library’s manuscript collection is housed in our Local History Department. It is composed of manuscripts, personal papers, oral histories, vital records and certificates, photographs, scrapbooks, correspondence, ephemera, and other unique material belonging to a particular person or family - usually connected to Plainfield, NJ. This collection contains the papers of Job Male, Plainfield's first mayor and namesake of the city's first library. | |
 | Plainfield Black History Resources A Cross-Collection Finding Aid for Archival Resources at Plainfield Public Library. Discover the various Black history resources specific to Plainfield available in the Library’s archive. Because these records are “hidden” across multiple collections, it has been difficult for researchers, students, historians, and genealogists to locate them. This finding aid shows how to access these valuable resources. | |
 | Plainfield Common Council Collection The Plainfield Common Council Collection contains 140 ledgers dating from 1869 to 1990. It is composed of three series: Meeting Minutes, May 1869 to April 1990; Ordinances, December 1881 to June 1987, and Resolutions, December 1874 to July 1916. A portion of the collection has been digitized and is accessible online. The collection documents the establishment and history of government in Plainfield, beginning on May 11, 1869, when the newly formed Plainfield City Council, then called the Plainfield Common Council, met for the first time in the rooms of the Steam Fire Engine No. 2 Firehouse. All members were present, as well as the first mayor, Job Male. | |
 | Plainfield Police & City Tax Ledgers The Plainfield Police Department log books date from 1884 to 1971; they document local arrests, accident reports, criminal dockets, stolen articles, and more. The Treasury Department tax receipt books span from 1883 to 1905. The collection is being indexed and digitized for public access. | |
 | Plainfield Postcard Collection The Plainfield Postcard Collection contains 2,000 postcards with 1,000 unique images. The Chase collection and the Ricketts collection make up the core of the library's holdings, depicting Plainfield in the early 1900s. | |
 | Plainfield Reference Collection Digitizing and indexing records in the Plainfield Reference Collection is an important part of the preservation of the City's history. Records date back to 1734 and many are part of the Library's own collection; others are on loan to us for special projects. Items include local business and organization ledgers, yearbooks, reference publications, government records, research files, and more. The digitized pages, indexes and transcriptions will be made publicly available as they are completed. | |
Genealogy
Genealogy
In addition to how-to guides and Reference Department staples on the main floor of the library, the Local History Department, located on the lower level of the library, offers many specialized resources to family historians and genealogists. Be sure to review our Plainfield resources contained in the Local History Collections. In the list below, click the image on left of the Collection Name to learn more.
All are encouraged to consult Department staff for assistance.
Please check out the Library’s research databases page for online newspaper access and other subscription services.
| Page Link | Collection Name and Description |
|---|---|
 | The index is an alphabetical collection by surname of obituaries and articles from the Courier News that were clipped and indexed by the Courier News staff. The clippings date from the mid-1920s to the mid-1980s. Donated to Plainfield Public Library in 2009, the collection of clippings and articles is being indexed by library staff and volunteers. View the index here. In addition, the 1930 Plainfield city directory listed numerous Plainfield deaths. Additional deaths were noted in some other directories, which are being processed, but no other volume covered as many deaths as the 1930 directory. |
 | Family Bible Records The Family Bible Records Project scans and digitizes family bible records, several of which are from families with connections to Middlesex, Somerset and Union counties. The records date back to 1734 and are available online for the purpose of sharing and disseminating these invaluable genealogy resources. Those in possession of family bible records, from any location, are encouraged to submit their records for inclusion on this website. |
 | Local Census Collection A collection of New Jersey state census records for Plainfield and the rest of Union County is held in microfilm format for the years 1865, 1885, 1895, 1905, and 1915. Also in microfilm format:1855 for Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, and Warren Counties; 1865 for Middlesex, Monmouth, Passaic, and Salem Counties; 1885 for North Brunswick-Woodbridge in Middlesex County and for Somerset County; 1895 for Perth Amboy-Woodbridge in Middlesex County and for Somerset County; 1905 for North Brunswick-Woodbridge in Middlesex County and for Salem, Somerset, and Sussex Counties; and 1915 for Piscataway-Woodbridge in Middlesex County, for Somerset County, and for Allamuchy-Pahaquarry in Warren County. These selections were made in an effort to include the communities of North and South Plainfield where microfilm coverage was available. These records are available remotely via FamilySearch or Ancestry.com. The Local History staff can direct researchers to online access to many of the state censuses through our subscription services, but the microfilmed records are in standard census format, available for browsing. |
 | Local Records Index & Transcription The indexing of Plainfield records is an important part of the preservation of the city's history. Records date back to 1734 and many are part of the Library's own collection; others are on loan to us for special projects. Items include local church records, family bibles, obituary files, marriage records, and more. The indexes and transcriptions will be made publicly available as they are completed. |
 | Memorial Funeral Home Records The Memorial Funeral Home records date from 1906 to 1996 and include files from the A. M. Runyon Funeral Home. File data varies, but will usually contain funeral and burial information, cause of death, and often other family details. The files are currently being processed, but Local History staff are happy to assist patrons with requests. The collection is not open to the public and private personal information, including Social Security Numbers, will not be released under any circumstances. Indexes will be posted to the website as they are created. |
Special Collections
Special Collections
Our Special Collections include genealogy and family histories, fine art, diversity studies, oral histories, New Jersey and United States history, as well as the original Library collection from the 1800’s. There is also an additional set of books on subjects that support sour collections such as photography, art, architecture, and historic preservation. In the list below, click the image on left of the Collection Name to learn more. For further information, please contact the local history department.
| Page Link | Collection Name and Description |
|---|---|
 | The 1793 N. J. Militia Project - Essex County. The purpose of the project is to create a genealogical footprint for NJ residents living in Essex Co in the 18th and early 19th century by using the 1793 NJ Militia census. You can view an index of the project to date, here. Please contact us for more information. |
 | Children's Authors & Illustrators Collection The Children's Authors & Illustrators Collection documents Plainfield Public Library's Children's Department’s Summer Reading Club of 1969 and the Book Festivals of 1971 & 1977. The collection includes a variety of items from nearly 70 different authors and illustrators of children's books. Materials include manuscripts, original illustrations, letters, book jackets, galley pages, folded & gathered (F&G) pages, book marks, book lists, photographs, and ephemera. Many of the items are signed, unique and original works. |
 | Diversity Studies The Library began development of its Diversity Studies Collection in 2003 to gather and preserve research materials on the minority groups of Plainfield. The collection scope includes published and unpublished resources on the history, culture and literature of African Americans, the Gay and Lesbian community, the Hispanic community and the Caribbean community. Resources include monographs, periodicals, folios, sheet music, and photographs. The collection also includes oral history interviews as part of the StoryCorps Griot, Latinos in Conversation, and Hispanics in America initiatives. |
 | Early Manuscripts Collection In February 2011, the library re-discovered a treasure trove of historical documents from Plainfield's past. The items date back to 1749 and include correspondence, land indentures, legal records, published materials, and more. Transcription work is pending. |
 | Essex County Revolutionary War Project. The goal of this project is to document the men of Essex County and the surrounding areas who were part of the fight for independence in the Central New Jersey area. New Jersey was the site of three major battles, Trenton, Princeton and Monmouth. However, the area that now encompasses Union, Essex, Somerset and Middlesex Counties saw skirmishes and raids from 1776 throughout the war. The book The Official Register of the Officers and Men of New Jersey in the Revolutionary War by William S. Stryker was the primary source for the men listed. However, in researching pension records, town and county histories and well as the DAR database other men have been identified and added. This database is not to be considered comprehensive. Many women, older men and persons of color aided in the cause and may not be listed here if their names were not identified in the documents researched. You can access a PDF of a portion of this database here. Please contact us for more information. |
 | Fine Arts The Library's Fine Arts Collection includes two original works by Winslow Homer, three early Audubon prints, two oils by John F. Carlson and one by Jonas Lie. Also included are works by Plainfield artists Riva Helfond, Arnold Schmidt, and Alonzo Adams (image on left), as well as original sketches, drawings and watercolors by various noted children's illustrators. In all there are about forty important works. A Cloisonné and Porcelain Collection was donated by the Library's founder Job Male. |
 | Local Authors This collection includes a broad array of books by more than 100 local authors. A recent inventory showed that Plainfield has had authors since the early 1800s writing about everything from science to poetry to children's books. Authors include: J.M. Benjamin, Van Wyck Brooks, Judy Blume, Adele DeLeeuw, and many others. Contact the Local History Department for details. |
 | New Jersey Reference (Jerseyana) The New Jersey Reference Collection comprises a broad selection of New Jersey materials containing 2260 monographs, pamphlets, periodicals and serials covering state, county and municipal history, government, education, genealogy, technology and literature. As a partial depository for New Jersey State documents since 1968, Plainfield Public holds many government items concerning our area and its population. Parts of this collection are not catalogued, including the New Jersey and the Plainfield clipping files. Other clipping collections are to be found in the original scrapbooks of the library. The originals of the Plainfield clippings can be seen in the Archives. Copies are available for viewing in the Reference Department. |
 | Oral History The Oral History Collection includes oral-history interviews as part of the StoryCorps Griot, Latinos in Conversation, and Historias initiatives. StoryCorps is a not-for-profit company that conducts oral histories nationwide. These projects ensure that the voices, experiences, and life stories of Union County's African-American, Latino, and Hispanic communities will be preserved and presented with dignity. Since 2007, the collection has grown to include over thirty six interviews with local Plainfield and Union County residents representing fourteen different countries. Many of the interviews were also transcribed with the help of a Union County History Grant. The Library's most recent project, Plainfield Voices: 1967 Plainfield Uprising, records the memories of the civil disorder of July 1967. Listen to the interviews here. |
 | United States History This extensive collection contains unique missives and serials from the Revolutionary War, Civil War, War of 1812, World War I, and World War II. Serials and texts from both the Union and the Confederacy give an in-depth perspective of the period. We also hold many volumes documenting all of the presidents, particularly Theodore Roosevelt. Some volumes document the history of specific branches of the Armed Forces and their involvement in the conflicts. Related items include recruitment posters from the First and Second World Wars (image on left). Periodicals from the 19th century through the middle of the 20th century include Harper's, Railway Age, Scientific American, St. Nicholas, the Journals of the Continental Congress, War of the Rebellion and Antiques. |
Items of Interest
Items of Interest
The following items may be of interest to Plainfield residents, historians and researchers.
In the list below, click the image on left of the Collection Name or the links to learn more. For further information, please contact the local history department.
| Page Link | Item and Description |
|---|---|
 | Area Cemeteries and Funeral Homes Listings* These lists have been compiled with information gathered through multiple imperfect resources. Any readers who are aware of supplementary or contradictory details are invited to contact the Local History Department so that corrections and updates can be made. |
 | Early History of Plainfield Learn about the early history of Plainfield from before the 1600s to the 1800s. |
 | Notable Women of Plainfield A descriptive listing of 10 of the most notable women of Plainfield. |
 | Pioneers of Plainfield* The "Pioneers of Plainfield" series of 65 newspaper article was written by Oliver B. Leonard (O.B. Leonard) regarding the early European settlers in the Plainfield area dating back to 1684. The articles, called "chapters," ran in the Plainfield Courier News from October 6, 1916 to December 28, 1917. They were published once a week, usually on Fridays. |
| Plainfield Black History This finding aid highlights the various Black history resources specific to Plainfield available in the Library’s archive. Because these records are “hidden” across multiple collections, it has been difficult for researchers, students, historians, and genealogists to locate them. This aid will provide easier access to this materials. |
 | Plainfield Mayors A listing of past Mayors of Plainfield, dating back to 1869, along with their terms of office and party affiliations. |
 | Plainfield Public Library Founders A descriptive listing of the founders of Plainfield Public Library. |
 | Researching the history of the Plainfield home in which you currently or used to reside, or just an impressive one which has always intrigued you, is a popular activity at Plainfield Public Library. If you are interested in the story behind a home in Plainfield, the Library is a great place to start. |
 | Webinar Recordings Watch recordings of past history and genealogy webinars accessible from the Library's YouTube channel. Click the YouTube logo on the left to view a list of recordings. |
Search Tips
Search Tips for Local History Collections
Blueprint Collection
- Best search is by permit number, which is available from the city’s Building Department (908) 753-3222.
- Enter only the street name; do not include the words “avenue” or “street”, etc.
- For numbered streets, try searching on full names as well as abbreviations (i.e. “second” and also “2nd”).
- Omit street directions and their abbreviations (i.e. N. S. E. W. or North, South, East, West).
- Search City Directories (from a Library computer) to get the names of past owners of your building, then search blueprints by their last name.
- Learn more about the Charles Detwiller Blueprint Collection.
Please note:
- The Library does not have all blueprints.
- Newer blueprints (more recent than the 1990s) are housed at City Hall.
- Not all blueprints have an identified street address, so expand your search by omitting house numbers.
- Digitized blueprint images will appear small in scale. Patrons must come into the Plainfield Room to view larger scale images.
- Blueprints without digitized images can be viewed on microfilm.
Photograph Collection
- Not all images are available online, and not all photographs are indexed. Patrons are invited to come into the Plainfield Room to browse through prints in our photograph binders.
- Data and images from the Courier News Photographic Archive will be available as images are processed and scanned for public access.
- If you are getting too many results – narrow your search by checking the “Show only records that contain digitized (online) images” box.
- Learn more about our Historical Photograph Collections.
Postcard Collection
- If you are unable to locate a specific postcard, expand your search to include all records by un-checking the “Show only records that contain digitized (online) images” box.
Patrons are welcome to come into the Plainfield Room to view digitized blueprints or those on microfilm, as well as photographic prints and postcards. Please contact us to schedule an appointment.