About the collections
Searching the collections
Collections list
Research inquiries and visiting
Using images
About the collections
The Wood’s archival collections focus on the history of South Windsor, its residents and the surrounding region. Our collections include but are not limited to personal and professional papers and correspondence, business and farm records, family letters and Bibles, town records, oral histories, journals and diaries, genealogical records, photographs, prints, postcards, maps, architectural drawings, speeches, lectures, school yearbooks, audiovisual recordings, unpublished writings, and historical publications.
Much of our collection is relevant to genealogists, including family histories, a card catalog of South Windsor residents and their descendants, and files on South Windsor’s historic homes and the families who lived in them.
Searching the collections
There are several ways to search materials:
1. You may search our comprehensive online database of historical materials, hosted by PastPerfect Online. This digital library includes thousands of scanned images from our historical photographs collection, as well as catalog entries for many of our holdings.
2. Some of the collections have finding aids, which have been uploaded to Connecticut’s Archives Online. Use the search box below to search across our finding aids.
3. You may read through the list of collections below and click on the “[finding aid]” link to view a finding aid.
4. You may contact our archivist, Leith Johnson, at 860-289-1783 or archives@woodmemoriallibrary.org for assistance with inquiries.
Collections list
Clicking on [finding aid] will take you to a finding aid for the collection. Use the search box below to search across our finding aids.
Personal and family papers
Adams, Henry J. Papers (1937-1999) [finding aid]
Barnes, Charlotte T. Autograph Book (1866) [finding aid]
Bissell, John and Elizabeth Thompson Bissell, Golden Wedding commemorative booklet, 1870 [finding aid]
Burnham, Erastus W. Collection (1848-1916) [finding aid]
Burnham-Wood Family Register (1772-1856) [finding aid]
Chandler Family Autograph Books (1882-1889) [finding aid]
Clapp Family Papers (1900-1989) [finding aid]
Clapp, Joyce B. Papers (1944-1945) [finding aid]
Clesowich Collection of Dorothy B. Jones and Albertus E. Jones Artwork (1923-1935) [finding aid]
Collins, Porter Papers (1825-2014) [finding aid]
Curtin, Edward South Windsor History Scrapbook (1906-1990) [finding aid]
Daley, Barney E. Collection (ca. 1909-2008) [finding aid]
Daley, Barney E. Collection of Ellsworth Fairbanks Photographs (1954-1966) [finding aid]
Day and Hour Engagement Diary (1911) [finding aid]
Doocy, Fred J. Papers (1945-2017) [finding aid]
Elmore, Janette Papers (1910-1912) [finding aid]
Ellsworth, E. W. Letter to Charles V. Vibert (1899) [finding aid]
Ellsworth, Elizabeth Letter to Henry House (1813) [finding aid]
Enes, Bonnie Kings Island Research Files (1975-2010) [finding aid]
Evans, Louise Crawford Papers (1891-2018) [finding aid]
Evans, Louise Crawford, “My Life” (2007, 2011) [finding aid]
Felt, Levi Lincoln Papers (1873-1912) [finding aid]
Ford, Mary Lee Autograph Book (1871-1876) [finding aid]
Foster, Elizur Ledger (1832-1854) [finding aid]
Fuller, Gorham Papers (1794-1861) [finding aid]
Grant Family Collection (ca. 1750-1900) [finding aid]
Green Family Papers (1862-1959) [finding aid]
Green, Eleanor Tudor Blotter (about 1930s) [finding aid]
Green, Pauline F. Autograph Book (1892-1895) [finding aid]
Green, Walter R. Papers (1800-1940) [finding aid]
Griffin, Charles G. Papers (1948-1958) [finding aid]
Jillson Family Papers (1870-1910) [finding aid]
Jones, Albertus E. Collection (1954-1991) [finding aid]
Jones, Lorraine Collection (1898, 1929-1998) [finding aid]
King, Ida L. Abbey Autograph Book (1880-1888) [finding aid]
Ludington, Katharine Letter to A. C. (Arthur Clinton) Burnham (1919) [finding aid]
McClure, Rev. Dr. letter to Dr. Stiles (1771) [finding aid]
Miller, Everett J. Collection (1904-2004) [finding aid]
Mulligan-Carney Family Papers (1877-1930) [finding aid]
Newberry Family Papers (1863-1879) [finding aid]
Newberry, Joan Papers (1911-1943) [finding aid]
Nicholson, Mary Political Campaign World Series Scorecards (1956) [finding aid]
Odlum, Myrtle Papers (ca. 1935-1990) [finding aid]
Pasco, Jonathan Restaurant Collection (1890-1935) [finding aid]
Pelton, Russell J. Collection of Hayes and Burton Family Materials (1811-1957) [finding aid]
Pitcock, Gary South Windsor Slide Photographs (1975) [finding aid]
Porter, Frederick Family Photograph Collection (ca. 1860-1910) [finding aid]
Priest, Norman Collection (1877-1926) [finding aid]
Raymond, Hildred Collection (1850-1992) [finding aid]
Richard, Romeo J. Photograph Scrapbooks (1945-1995) [finding aid]
Rockwell Family Deeds (1842, 1904) [finding aid]
Rockwell, Dr. S. W. Bill of Sale to Thedore Elmer (1873) [finding aid]
Sadd Family, Genealogy of (1904) [finding aid]
Shepard, J.E. Collection (1880-1973) [finding aid]
South Windsor Calling Card Album (1870-1890) [finding aid]
Stevens, Lawrence Tenney Collection (1938-1975) [finding aid]
Stoughton Family Collection (1776-1989) [finding aid]
Torrance, John Diaries (1880-1983) [finding aid]
Valentine, Robert Autograph Book (1882-1888) [finding aid]
Waldron, Sherwood Collection (1896-1960) [finding aid]
Watson Family Collection (1877-1940) [finding aid]
Business and organization records
Bost, Joseph A. Collection of UTC Fuel Cell Papers (1964-2002) [finding aid]
Cote, Henry Fuel Cell History Collection (1952-2011) [finding aid]
First Congregational Church (South Windsor, CT), “Mountain Follies and Square Dance” program (1951) [finding aid]
Foster Collection of Wapping Fair and Wapping Grange Records (1914-1994) [finding aid]
Foster, Elizur Ledger (1832-1854) [finding aid]
Friends of Wood Memorial Library & Museum Records (1900-2022) [finding aid]
Hartford Audubon Society Records (1909-2023) [finding aid]
King, Henry M. Ledger (1841-1849) [finding aid]
King, Roderick Papers (1833-1889) [finding aid]
League of Women Voters of South Windsor Records (1964-1983) [finding aid]
Manchester Evening Herald Clippings and Photograph Collection (1939-1990) [finding aid]
Margiott, Paul Fuel Cell History Collection (1960-2018) [finding aid]
Parents and Teachers Association Mothers’ Club of South Windsor Records (1913-1942) [finding aid]
P.E. Bossen Store Ledgers (1904-1916) [finding aid]
Pleasant Valley Club Records (1927-1970) [finding aid]
Pleasant Valley Estates Residents Association Records (1968-1986) [finding aid]
Priest, Norman Collection (1877-1926) [finding aid]
St. Margaret Mary Parish Entertainment Programs (1962) [finding aid]
Schools Collection (1827-2015) [finding aid]
South Windsor Baseball Club Records (1928) [finding aid]
South Windsor Cultural Arts Commission Records (1971-2021) [finding aid]
South Windsor Exchange Club Records (1963-1996) [finding aid]
South Windsor Garden Club Records (1930-1973) [finding aid]
South Windsor Guided History Research Files (1987-1993) [finding aid]
South Windsor Historical Society Collection (1950-2008) [finding aid]
South Windsor Public Library Records (1903-1990) [finding aid]
South Windsor Woman’s Club Records (1965) [finding aid]
Sperry, Lewis, “The currency,” speech (1895) [finding aid]
Temple Beth Hillel of South Windsor Collection (1961-2010) [finding aid]
Tobacco Industry Collection (1856-2002) [finding aid]
United Technologies Corporation Fuel Cell History Collection (1962-2023) [finding aid]
Wapping Community Church, “Wapping Bicentennial Notes” (1976) [finding aid]
Wapping Creamery Company Records (1896-1921) [finding aid]
Wapping YMCA Records (1922-1965) [finding aid]
Wednesday Afternoon Club Records (1901-present) [finding aid]
Wood Memorial Library Quilters Records (1976-2010) [finding aid]
Women’s Republican Club of South Windsor Records (1966-1970) [finding aid]
Objects and ephemera
South Windsor 175th Jubilee Collection (2021) [finding aid]
Waldron, Sherwood Collection (1896-1960) [finding aid]
Historic house and building files
The historic house files are a staff-created collection of documents about and photos of historic homes and buildings in South Windsor, primarily on Main Street. This includes files on existing buildings as well as those that have since been demolished. Some files also contain genealogical or biographical information about the residents of the homes, present and former.
South Windsor Historic District Records (2007-2011) contain historical resources surveys of buildings in South Windsor. The surveys are available online:
Historic Resources Survey Phase I
Historic Resources Survey Phase II
Historic Resources Survey Phase III
Oral histories
Our oral history program has been running since the mid-1970s and has now amassed a collection of more than 100 interviews of members of the South Windsor community. Most of these interviews have been recorded by volunteer interviewers and most have been recorded since the year 2000. Through personal stories, local residents tell the story of South Windsor and its changing times.
See the list of oral history interviewees and transcripts.
Town records
East Windsor Town Records Collection (1640-1978) [finding aid]
South Windsor Town Records Collection (1845-2020) [finding aid]
South Windsor was part of East Windsor until 1845.
See also:
South Windsor Historic District Commission Records (1969-2016) [finding aid]
King, Roderick Papers (1833-1889) [finding aid]
South Windsor high school yearbooks
The Internet Archive hosts two online collections of digitized South Windsor high school yearbooks:
Ellsworth Memorial High School Yearbooks (on Main Street in South Windsor, now the SW Board of Education)
South Windsor High School Yearbooks (South Windsor, CT)
Research inquiries and visiting
Wood Memorial Library & Museum welcomes research inquiries, but is open for visits by appointment only. Patrons must agree to follow the rules listed in our Archives Use Policy. For more information, please contact our archivist, Leith Johnson, at 860-289-1783 or archives@woodmemoriallibrary.org.
Using images
Please review our Image Use Policy and fill out the attached form. For more information, please contact our archivist, Leith Johnson, at 860-289-1783 or archives@woodmemoriallibrary.org.