Library Archives (Info Page Template) | Ransom District Library

Archive Specialists

Our archive specialists are volunteers that are typically available every Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Please call the library in advance to ensure they will be available.

Local Historic Papers Now Available Electronically!

The electronic format (PDF files) is available on all patron computers. (Not available online.) The electronic papers are searchable (such a wonderful, time-saving feature!!) and can be printed. Currently, they include The Forwarder (1948-1949), New Enterprise (1971), Otsego Union (1970-2011), and Plainwell Enterprise (1886-1974), [Plainwell-Otsego] Union Enterprise (1974-2011).

Plainwell Troan Yearbooks

Ransom has most of the Troan yearbooks from 1905-present. However, we are missing certain ones and would appreciate donations of the following years: 1953, 1954, 1955, and 1969.

Fun fact: the name really is TROAN and not Trojan. According to Plainwell Schools’ Website: “60 plus years ago when the editors of the yearbook had to come up with a clever name for their publication, they decided on a blend of Trojan and annual (as yearbooks were and are often referred to as annuals). Thus, the name Troan.”

Local Research Materials

Composed by Sandy Stamm & Pat Dedoes – Archives Specialists

Location: Archives Room

*The archives room requires library staff assistance as the room is kept locked
*Item Titles in the Archives Room can be searched for in the catalog.

Details
- Vertical Files – includes obituaries
- Scrapbooks
- Club Notes
- Directories
  - Bresser’s (1982-2009)
  - Plainwell Directory (1883, 1939, 1958)
  - Kalamazoo Area Rural Directory (1961)
  - Otsego-Plainwell Directory and Supplement (1973)
  - Rural Farm Directory of Allegan County (1970)
  - Allegan County Directory (1999-2000)
  - Michigan Manufacturers Directory (1981)
  - City of Plainwell Business Directory (1979, 1989, 1996)
- Albums of Miscellaneous Books and Brochures
- Plainwell Troan Yearbooks
  - 1905 – Present (Missing Years: 1953, 1957, 1969, 1979, 1993, 1995, 1997, 1998)
- Photographic Items
  - Photo Albums
  - Disc and printed material of glass negatives
  - Historic photos w/ copper plates
  - Slides
- Churches
  - 175th Years of Presbyterian Church (2013)
  - Baptist Church – Members (1835-1881)
  - First United Methodist Church Pictorial Directory
  - (1977), First United Methodist Church 100 years (1869-1969)
  - First United Methodist Church 125 Year Annual (1869-1994)
- Early History Books
  - Otsego – Plainwell
  - Portrait & Biographical Record
  - History of Allegan Co.
  - River & Lake plus Index “Ghost & Ghost Towns”
  - History of Plainwell – Whitney
  - Michigan Place Names – Romig
- Sanborn Fire Maps (hard copy) 1884 – 1928
- Plainwell Centennial Book – 1969
- Plainwell Fire Dept. Centennial Book
- Project Albums
  - Cemetery Project
  - Troan Advertising
  - Plainwell Businesses
- Display Boards
- Alda Beach’s Large Scrapbook with index
- Sophia Bush Memories with index
- Dorothy Dalrymple Chronicle History (taken from newspapers) with index
- Plainwell Historic & Architectural Survey 1990
- William Reid Journal
- Robert’s Here & There (3rd & 4th) with index
- Madden Article with index
- Mabel Denning’s Plainwell History with index
- Confessions of a Sexagenarian – Phillis Streidl
- Maps:
  - 1864, 1958, 1873, 1895, 1913, 1962, 1974, 1977, 2003, 2004, 2005

Location: Microfilm File

*Microfilm reader unavailable.

Details
- Newspapers 1886 – 2012 (also on computers)
- Plainwell Enterprise 1886 – 1974 (also on computers)
- New Enterprise – March – Dec. 1971 (also on computers)
- Union Enterprise 1974 -2012 (also on computers)
- Twin Cities News Oct. 1983 – Aug. 1994
- Sanborn Fire Maps Reel 34 (4155)
- Plainwell 1899 – 1928
- Hillside Cemetery Record Book 1848 -1984
- Allegan County Census 1840 – 1930
- History of Michigan Postmasters

Location: Genealogy Section

*Book Titles in the Genealogy Section are searchable through the library catalog.

Details
- Indexes for local newspapers 1893 – 1946
- Mrs. Whitney’s Student Genealogy
- Genealogy general reference
- GENEALOGY – LOCAL FAMILY RESEARCH:
  - Blodgett – Brownell, Boone, Brooks, Buchanan, Compton, Deming, Doster, Dudley, Grable, Hale, Haskell – Thompson, Hearne – Rodgers, Honeysett, Huey, Jackson, Jones, Leonard, Madden – Hopkins, Munn, Nevins, Pell, Petersen, Ransom, Schenck, Sherwood, {Smith, Robert}, Stoddard, Stowell, Tyng, Wallace, Waltz, Wheeler, Whitcomb, Wood
    
    In Archives Room: Genealogy Research of:
    
    {Addington–Hawley–Hutchinson-Brundage}
    
    {Fenner-Camfield-Hoard}
    
    {Wood}
- Cemetery Items
- Michigan Cemetery Atlas
- Allegan County Cemeteries:
  - Montieth (1981)
  - Gun Plain
  - Hillside
  - Woodside
  - Ives
- Hillside Cemetery Books (1867-2008) Vol. I & Vol. II
  - (See also: microfilm cemetery records 1848-1984)
- Service Veterans in Gun Plain Township Cemeteries

Location: Michigan History Section

*Book Titles in the Michigan Reference History Section can be searched for in the catalog.

Details
- Early history books (many same as listed in archives)
- General History of Michigan
- Post offices of Michigan
- Brown & Gold Memories
- If only These Walls Could Talk – Cristlieb
- Michigan – May & Vinyard
- Sketches of Early Homes, Schools, & Residents of Allegan Co.
- Collection of Larry Massie Books
- Kalamazoo River History – Patricia Fenn
- Maps & Plat Books:
  - 1958, 1979, 1990, 1996, 2000, 2004
  - Lake maps
  - Soil survey maps
- Land Atlas Index 1873, 1895, & 1913
- Guide to Western Mich. University History Collection
- Plainwell Business Directory (1992)
- Ordinances: Gun Plain, Plainwell
- Kalamazoo Valley News
- 2020 Final Report
- Four Seasons – Gilkey School Program
- Schools:
  - Plainwell Graduates (1873-present)
  - Plainwell Graduates Annotated (1873-1955)
  - Plainwell High School – A Book to Remember Her By
- Books written by local residents: A. W. Agne, & Clarke Wells

Location: Library Computer Content

*Accessible on library computers only (not on the internet)

Details
- Digitized Newspapers (at library only.) See instructions below.
- Land Grants
- Doster Scrapbook

Digitized Newspaper Access

On Library Computers Only – Instructions

Login to the computer with your library card number in the Patron ID
- (Leave Password Line BLANK) Click ok.

Go to Start Menu.
- Click My Computer
- Click Patron Drive
- Click Digitized Newspapers
- Click on the folder of the newspaper you want.
- Click on the folder of the year you want.
- Click on the folder of the month you want.
- Click on the issue you want.
  - The file for that issue of the paper will open.
  - Scroll down to view additional pages.

Zoom Tools ( + / – ) are available.

Printing Trick:
- Zoom in to the area you’d like to print
- Click File and Print.
- Under the Print Window: click More Options.
- Select Current View.
- Click OK.
Searching Trick:
- Click Edit and Find.
- Type your keyword for searching in the box, located in the upper right corner.
- Hit Next.

Library Archives

Request for Archive