Atlas of Historical County Boundaries

County boundaries have changed a lot during this nation's history. When searching for county-level records (birth, marriage, and death records) or when browsing census data, it's important to know which county your ancestor lived in. The Newberry has a great site that can help pinpoint what county your ancestor was living in during a specific period of time. The Atlas of Historical County Boundaries contains interactive maps and county histories and is a great resource for US genealogy research.

Newberry Library

Manuel Rodriguez. Compendio Geografico, c.1768. 

The Newberry Library in Chicago has the largest collection of genealogical resources in the area. It's actually one of the best genealogy research institutions in the United States and it's definitely worth a visit!

The Newberry's collection contains thousands of genealogies and local histories from all regions of the United States, Canada, and the British Isles. They have published transcriptions, indexes and abstracts of vital, military and legal records and their collection of Civil War unit histories is one of the country's best. The Newberry also has access to many online resources and periodicals from across the country. Search their catalog and visit their genealogy page for research guides and for more information on the collection.

Also, be sure to check out this article from CAGGNI. They provide a great overview of what to bring, helpful hints, and what rules you need to keep in mind when you visit the Newberry.