Lateral files

Lateral files include a mixture of newspaper articles, paper documents of importance, and other such information. Files may include only one sheet of paper or several sheets, depending on what has been collected and/or donated. They are by no means a complete record.

The list was originally compiled by Jon Lonacre. It has been modified from its original format to prepare it for the web.

The Lateral Files are located in several file drawers in the Genealogy and Local History Department.

How the finding aid works: The files are organized alphabetically by the headings listed below in all-caps. Example:

ADOPTION AFRICAN AMERICANS

Where more than one file is found under a heading, those files are listed below the heading. Example:

GOVERNMENT Court records Mayors Postal history Public officials

Files found within each heading are interfiled in the order shown (often, but not always, alphabetically).

The finding aid contains a few synonymous or related terms, shown in italics. These italicized terms direct you to the proper heading. Examples:

FAMILY BIBLE RECORDS See BIBLE RECORD

Once you have located the right heading, you may need to look down through the list of files to find the correct file.