Local History Collection

Would you like to see historic photographs of the Tampa Bay area? Are you intrigued by the history of Florida, Tampa and the surrounding region? Do you want to review historic maps showing the urban development in Florida over the past century? Does the lure of the past lead you to exploring your family history?

Visit the John F. Germany Public Library - 2 West - to discover answers to these questions. The department's collection includes biographies with a classification of "B" and the Dewey 900 call numbers encompassing the following subject areas:

Geography & Travel Maps & Atlases World History Florida & Local History Biographies Additionally the library has put together a great tool to help get you started Using the . . . History & Genealogy Collection.

The John F. Germany Public Library is also home to one of the largest genealogy collections in the State of Florida. Whether you are just beginning to climb your family tree or are looking for elusive clues about a Civil War ancestor, staff in this department will be glad to help you use these valuable resources.

The Burgert Brothers Photographic Archives are located on 2 West. This unique collection of nearly 15,000 black and white photographs chronicles the growth and development of the Tampa Bay region from 1850 to 1963. This photographic collection also includes 439 Cirkut (panoramic) prints. These elongated images are 10 inches in height but vary greatly in length - some reaching nearly 5 feet.

And if your interests focus on Tampa or Florida history, be sure to search the TRAILS index. This database, created by library staff and community volunteers, indexes articles in historical journals and obituaries published in local newspapers.

If you have further questions, please feel free to comment on the John F. Germany Public Library.