Archives & Research

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The Sturgis Library's special collections include materials in the Kittredge Maritime Collections, the Lothrop Genealogy & Local History Collections, and archival collections of maritime, genealogical, and historical importance.

The Kittredge Maritime Collections include personal and research materials collected and used by Henry Crocker Kittredge, former Headmaster of St. Paul's School, author, and longtime resident of Barnstable. This collection contains more than 3,000 books, journals, and an archive of Cape Cod manuscripts, documents, personal papers and letters. Kittredge's annotated index of 2,500 Cape Cod shipmasters and their vessels is a unique and invaluable resource for maritime historians. Many of the books in this collection circulate and are available for borrowing through interlibrary loan.

The Lothrop Genealogy and Local History Collection includes Mayflower Society Records, extensive list of local/regional town histories, Genealogical Notes of Cape Cod Families, Genealogical Notes of Barnstable Families, hundreds of published individual Cape Cod family genealogies, military records, probate indexes, vital records of Massachusetts cities and towns, and much more.

The Library's archival collections are housed in a climate-controlled vault. The collections includes extremely rare and one-of-a-kind documents including over 2,000 early deeds from Cape Cod towns beginning in the 1620s , ships logs, whaling journals, manuscripts, family histories, diaries, letters and correspondence, cemetery records, photographs, historical documents, maps and charts, as well as the collection of personal and research papers of Henry Crocker Kittredge. Historical materials related to the founding and development of the Sturgis Library are also kept here, as are original catalogs of the Library. To see the findings aids for our archival collections, click on the links below. The collections are available for in-library use or by contacting us at . Fragile materials may have photocopying restrictions. For further information, please contact the Library directly at (508) 362-6636.

You can search the archives by name and subject using the CLAMS online catalog, or click on the finding aids below to find all the hidden treasures in our special collections.

Sturgis Library Archival Collections -- Finding Aids

Additional Collections

  • Maps and Charts in the Sturgis Library Archives
  • Collection of Gravestone Rubbings
  • Cape Cod Mariner : Journal of the Kittredge Maritime Research Center
  • Records of the Unitarian Church of Barnstable, formerly the East Parish Church on microfilm
  • The Preserving Memory digital archival database is a searchable database of some of the library's most important archival materials, including images of documents, photos and postcards.
  • The Stanley Smith Cape Cod Deed collection, which contains Cape Cod deeds dating back to the 1600s, is accessible through a card file located in the Hooper Room. For questions about the deed collection, please call us or send us an email.
  • View postcard images of Barnstable Village.These postcards are a selection from the collection of Kris Bearse and also from the Sturgis Library's own collection.
  • View a selection of images from the library's archives and collections.

    • In-Library and Home Access to Genealogical Resources

    We now offer in-library access to Ancestry Library Edition, and both in-library and at-home access to Heritage Quest Online. A Sturgis Library card is required for home access to Heritage Quest. To find out more about obtaining a Sturgis Library card or accessing the databases, call us at (508) 362-6636 or email us at . Or, you can print out a library card registration form here.

    To access Heritage Quest Online from home with your Sturgis Library card, CLICK HERE.

    Barnstable County Deeds and Public Records

    The following documents are now available through the Barnstable County Registry of Deeds website:
    --Recorded Land indexes and images from 1704 to the present (complete).
    --Recorded Land Plan indexes and images (complete).
    --Land Court name index (incomplete, see the caveat at the bottom of the Land Court by Name search result page)
    --Land Court Document images from 1899 to the present.

    To access these resources, click here.

    Whelden Memorial Library Historical Index

    The complete indexing of sixteen volumes of West Barnstable history was recently completed and is now posted on the Whelden Memorial Library website. The compilation of this work was the longtime effort of resident Martin Wirtanen and others who supported him along the way. The information in these works dates all the way from 1644, when the first parcel that was to become West Barnstable was purchased from the Indian Serunk, to the present day. This comprehensive history includes volumes of information on historical houses and cemeteries, the brickyard and many other areas of interest. Of special interest is extensive information on the Finnish community that settled in West Barnstable, as well as the other ethnic groups that made West Barnstable their home. The volumes are stored at the Whelden Memorial Library on Route 149 in West Barnstable, and are available for in-house use. To access the index, click here.

    Research and Reference Services

    Reference Services: Library staff can provide basic reference assistance to students and general researchers of all ages.

    Special Collections Research Services: The library provides research and reference services for those requiring specialized research assistance. We must limit research assistance to approximately 30 minutes per inquiry, due to limited staff availability. We accept phone inquiries but prefer, if possible, that you send your questions via email to our Adult Services Librarian at .

    The following charges apply for scanning and photocopying of documents and images, which may be paid by credit card or by check or money order:

    • Scanning and mailing/emailing of documents (8 1/2 x 11 size maximum): $5.00 for 1 or 2 scans; $10 for 3 or 4 scans
    • Photocopying and mailing/emailing of documents (8 1/2 x 11 size maximum) : $5.00 for up to 10 copies; $10 for 11- 20 copies
    • To copy or scan materials over 8 1/2 x 11 size, we work with a local printing company. There is a minimum charge of $25 for this service, which does not include the cost of scanning and printing. Scanning and printing rates will depend on the size of the item, the number of copies and the needs of the researcher.