Local History Resources + Helpful Research Links

Explore Bergen County’s Online Resources!

 


Bergen County Cooperative Library System (BCCLS)

Bergen County's Libraries are linked together in one online catalog system at www.bccls.org.

From this one site, you can search for materials across all libraries, reserve books and materials, and explore special collections and local history resources at individual libraries. View all of Bergen County's libraries, as well as website information: https://www.bccls.org/about_BCCLS/map.shtml.

Below are some libraries that hold materials that may be of specific value to those researching in Bergen County. This list is by no means exhaustive, but meant to highlight some programs and collections.


Bergenfield

Bergenfield Public Library
201-387-4040
Local History Collection >
Oral History Project >


Cresskill

Cresskill Public Library
201-567-3521
Local History Collection >


Lodi

Lodi Public Library
973-365-4044
Local History Collection >


Montclair

Montclair Public Library
973-744-0500
Local History Collection >


Oradell

Oradell Public Library
201-262-2613
Local History Collection >


Ridgewood

Ridgewood Public Library
201-670-5600 x2135
Bolger Heritage Center for Genealogy and Local History >
Bolger Heritage Center Online Collections Database >

RPL Storytellers Oral History Program >


Township of Washington

Township of Washington Public Library
201-664-4586
Local History Collection >


Waldwick

Waldwick Public Library
201-652-5104
Local History Collection >


Westwood

Westwood History Tour >


Helpful Research Links

If you have any favorite sites that you would like added, please e-mail us. Please notify us also if you find invalid URLs—link change often!

Please note that websites and URLs do change often. If you find a broken link in the following or a resource we should know about, please let us know at contact@njgsbc.org so we may update this list and keep the links working. Thanks!

Some helpful links for navigating State and National resources and records:

See also the Genealogical Society of New Jersey  > New Jersey Societies, Libraries, and Archives for links to county-by-county resources and societies.

Past GSBC President, Arnold Lang, authored an award-winning immigration guide a number of years ago. After a major update by Barbara Ellman, the guide is again available, and can be accessed here.

The goal of this Guide is to help in research of United States immigration records and ship's passenger lists, both on-line and off-line. Procedure and examples are included to help those who are new to this research, however, numerous tips, help and links to other sites are provided for advanced research. This Guide is based on material originally presented at the Genealogical Society of Bergen County, NJ by Arnold H. Lang. It has been updated and expanded to include links to on-line web sites, databases, and other subjects associated with immigration. This guide is maintained by members of the Genealogical Society of Bergen County, N.J in honor and memory of our past president Arnold Lang—who shared his knowledge with us all.

Links to other sites with information about cemeteries and transcriptions in Bergen County and environs.

Sites include family trees, where to find information in Bergen County, Passenger Lists & Naturalization Records, tips and procedures for researching in Bergen County and elsewhere, and other useful information. If you have a webpage with Bergen County information, send us the URL.

  • Ree's Family Trees—Roots and Branches
    Ree Hopper's home page includes:
    – The HOPPER-PRATT Family (4000+ surnames)
    – The HOPPER Family Genealogy: Descendants of Andries Willemszen Hoppe(n) of New Amsterdam 1651
    – Sources for Researching in Bergen County, NJ—including many references on where to find vital, legal, bible, newspapers, diaries, church, cemetery, census and genealogy records
    – Bibliography and Church and Cemetery Records
  • The Konvalinka Home Page
    John Konvalinka's page includes:
    KONVALINKA's in America and Other Countries, John's Family Genealogy, and a large number of links
  • Bruce Hamilton Home Page
    The Ancestry of Bruce Alexander HAMILTON (Family Tree) with major surnames HAMILTON, DOREMUS, SCHROTT, BIES, PHILLIPS, FORTIER, DUNHAM & other Bergen County names
  • Obituaries of Dutch Immigrants in Bergen and Passaic Counties
    Part of Afina Broekman's homepage
  • History of Radburn
    Part of Afina Broekman's homepage