Share the path to local history
Share a path to local history
Help people find the history that matters to them. Build a card or link for the whole directory, a state or a specific archive, then copy the result for your website.
Choose a sharing toolA useful resource, ready to share
Build your link or card
Choose a destination and a presentation. Preview the result, then copy a link or the matching HTML for your website.
Find your community’s history
Discover local collections shared by libraries, museums and other community institutions. Choose an archive, then explore its collection.
Explore community archives →Free access. Supported by Advantage Archives.
Selected destination: Whole directory
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<div data-cha-sharing-card style="box-sizing:border-box;display:block;width:100%;max-width:760px;margin:0;padding:28px;border:1px solid #c7d6e3;border-top:5px solid #315f91;border-radius:18px;background:#ffffff;color:#18375d;font:16px/1.55 Arial,sans-serif;text-align:left;overflow-wrap:anywhere"><div data-cha-card-brand style="display:block;margin:0 0 24px;padding:0;background:transparent"><img src="https://communityhistoryarchives.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/communityhistoryarchivesfooterlogo-e1710347053870.png" alt="Community History Archives" width="300" height="64" style="display:block;width:100%;max-width:300px;height:auto;margin:0;border:0"></div><p data-cha-card-name hidden style="margin:0 0 12px;font:700 14px/1.5 Arial,sans-serif;color:inherit"></p><p data-cha-card-heading style="margin:0 0 12px;font:700 28px/1.2 Arial,sans-serif;color:inherit">Find your community’s history</p><p data-cha-card-message style="margin:0 0 22px;font:16px/1.55 Arial,sans-serif;color:inherit">Discover local collections shared by libraries, museums and other community institutions. Choose an archive, then explore its collection.</p><a href="https://communityhistoryarchives.com/" data-cha-card-link style="display:inline-block;box-sizing:border-box;max-width:100%;margin:0;padding:12px 20px;border:0;border-radius:10px;background:#18375d;color:#ffffff;font:700 16px/1.5 Arial,sans-serif;text-decoration:none;white-space:normal">Explore community archives →</a><p data-cha-card-credit style="display:block;margin:22px 0 0;font:14px/1.5 Arial,sans-serif;color:inherit">Free access. Supported by Advantage Archives.</p></div>Paste into an HTML or custom-code block. This is a link or card, not an interactive map. Preview it on your own website before publishing.
Get wording for a newsletter or resource list
Local history belongs in reach
Put a useful route where people already look
Community History Archives brings together collections made accessible by libraries, museums, historical societies, educational institutions and other local partners. A link from a library database list, genealogy guide, classroom resource page, local-history article or community organization can help a reader find the right institution sooner.
Choose the destination that matches the reader's next question. Link to the directory for a broad starting point, the map for place-based exploration, Archive Resources for practical guidance, or Read All About It for stories and research ideas.
Make the link easy to find
Good places to share it
Use plain language that tells readers what they will find and that access is free. Avoid promising that every community, publication or year is represented.
- Library digital resourcesPlace it with genealogy, newspapers, local history or community information.
- Research and genealogy guidesPair the directory with a note about searching the individual archive after choosing an institution.
- Classroom and educator pagesUse Archive Resources to introduce primary-source searching and historical context.
- Local publications and podcastsLink the place, institution or collection discussed in the story whenever a specific destination is available.
Local history belongs to the community
Portals to the past, powered by partnerships
Behind each archive is an institution helping its community stay connected to its history. Libraries, historical societies, museums, and other partners bring local knowledge and the materials they preserve. Advantage Archives helps digitize those materials and keeps the digital archives hosted and maintained without subscriptions or recurring hosting charges to the institution or its community.
That work makes room for discoveries both personal and shared: a family notice that adds a name to a story, an old business advertisement that places an ancestor on a street, or local reporting that helps a class examine how an event was understood at the time. The records remain part of the community’s history, with each archive’s access arrangements explained on its profile.
Preserve more local history
Help bring more of your community’s past into view
Are there local newspapers, photographs, or other historical materials you wish were easier to explore? Ask your library, museum, historical society, or newspaper publisher what it preserves and whether a digitization partnership could help people use it.
Start with something specific: a publication, a collection, or a period in your community’s history. The institution can help identify what is available and what permission may be needed to share it.
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