Forbes Library Manuscript Collection

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Forbes Library's Manuscript Collection is our general collection of documents related to Northampton and Hampshire County individuals, families, and organizations. It consists of 50+ boxes of materials, arranged by individual, family, or organization name. The collection includes a variety of mostly original materials including deeds, official documents, correspondence, and genealogies. Forbes Library began collecting local history materials even before its doors opened in 1894 and continues to collect materials relevant to local history. Items in the collection date back to colonial settlement in the 1600s and have been used by researchers, authors, students, and institutions studying themes of slavery, anti-slavery, indigenous life, colonial settlement, house histories, family histories, natural histories, local artists and authors, and more.