Welcome to the digital archives of Putnam County, New York! Here we offer an incredible variety of images and records that document Putnam’s rich history. Collective archives from the region officially date back to 1812 and in many cases earlier to our separation from Dutchess County, and span the county from the shores of the Hudson River to the state line in Connecticut, and oftentimes beyond. This digital library celebrates the county’s commercial, agricultural, recreational and cultural history, and will continue to grow in scope as items are digitized and posted.

We currently have digitized materials contributed by the Putnam County Historian’s Office, Patterson Historical Society, and Kent Historical Society. See the collections below to view materials from a specific organization. These archives will continue to grow thanks to contributions from local historical societies and museums throughout the county aiming to make primary source material more accessible online to all researchers--from genealogists to educators and students.

This collaborative project is generously supported by the Putnam County Historian's Office.

The Potsdam Public Museum is a non-profit educational institution. As such, it strives to collect, preserve, study and exhibit artifacts and materials relating to the history of Potsdam, NY, and the surrounding area.

The Museum, founded in 1940, is a department of the Village of Potsdam, with policy governed by an independent board of trustees. Its extensive collections span the history of the Village and include 18th-20th Century decorative arts collected by area residents.

The Port Washington Public Library’s Local History Center collects and preserves archival materials relating to the history of our area. The Archive serves as the collective memory of the community, and as such, it contains historical records of enduring value, and includes photographs, manuscripts, maps, rare books, lantern slides, negatives and other ephemera. Many of these collections highlight Port Washington’s heritage and contributions to maritime, aviation and sand mining culture on Long Island.

Located on Long Island’s North Shore, “Port”, as its familiarly known, includes the incorporated villages of Sands Point, Manorhaven, Baxter Estates, and Port Washington North, a portion of the village of Flower Hill as well as an unincorporated area of the town of North Hempstead. One of Long Island’s oldest settlements, this picturesque community boasts rolling hills and a winding coastline cradled along Long Island’s scenic Manhasset Bay. Its connectivity to New York City, both by its proximity and direct water routes, made this harbor community a favorite among some of the wealthiest families of early 20th century America. This idyllic landscape, forever immortalized as “East Egg” in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s masterpiece The Great Gatsby, brought Port both national and international fame. The Archive honors Port Washington’s cultural and historic significance through its various publications and ongoing digital projects. The Local History Center also presents exhibitions featuring items from its collection.

The Library was founded in March 1908 by the Ladies Literary Society and was organized as a reading room. Membership grew and on November 22, 1909 the library incorporated under the name of the Port Jefferson Free Library Association. The original library was located on the second floor of the Robbins store, which stood at what is now the southwest corner of East Main Street and East Broadway. In 1910, the Good Templar's Hall on East Main Street, was purchased for use as a library building. In 1911 the library received its permanent charter from the State of New York, and in 1912, the absolute charter.

The construction of the present building on the corner of Thompson and East Main Streets, began in 1924. It was officially opened the following year. In 1967 an addition of approximately 14,000 square feet was constructed on land that had been donated to the Library in 1947 by the news commentator H. V. Kaltenborn.

On November 2, 1997 a new 8,500 sq. ft. addition was officially dedicated. The space provided the Children's Library with its own activity room; book stack area, a quiet study porch, a gallery hall and elevator. The renovations allowed for restoration of the original 1924 building as an adult reading room. Several years later in 2003 an enclosed atrium was constructed as a protected entry.

The Library is chartered to serve residents of the Port Jefferson Union Free School District #6, and provides a public facility that extends services and borrowing privileges to library cardholders of all Suffolk County Libraries. The Library, along with the Comsewogue Public Library provides full library services to the residents of the Miller Place and Mount Sinai School District on a contract basis. In 2005 the Library building was officially placed on the National Register of Historic Places, a distinction designating it as worthy of preservation and restoration.Visit the Port Jefferson Free Library website

The Plattekill Historical Society was formed in August 2000 by a small group of enthusiasts to provide an opportunity for all to participate in educational programs, research, documentation and preservation of the history of our community. Our mission is to: Contribute to the maintenance of quality historic standards and documentation; Serve as a source for the exchange of historic information; Help preserve public and private records and artifacts and work to ensure their accessibility for historic purposes; Promote an interest in local and family history; Collect and preserve artifacts that document the history of our community.

The Plainview Library opened its doors on January 7, 1956 in the Jamaica Avenue School. In 1957, the Library relocated to rented space in the Morton Village Shopping Center. It remained in the Morton Village Shopping Center until the current building opened in 1963. In March of 1966, the library's charter was amended and its named changed to the Plainview-Old Bethpage Public Library to accurately reflect the one school district and two communities the Library serves.

In 2005, the Library celebrated a building expansion which included a 236 seat auditorium and an expanded Family Center. With technological advances changing how we do almost everything, the Library continues to be the place to learn and to access information. Public computers, free WIFI, basic computer classes, CD's and DVD's, audiobooks, playaways, eBooks and eBook readers allow our community to keep up with new technology.

The Sag Harbor School District in partnership with all members of the community is committed to equity in education; its mission is to provide students with a safe, child-centered environment which fosters personal, academic, and creative excellence. This will empower students to become a responsible and respectful society. As life long learners, students will be prepared to move successfully to the next stage of their lives.

The Perry Public Library is chartered to serve the Perry School District as a recreational and educational library.

The Joan Weill Adirondack Library is dedicated to providing quality resources in support of our academic programs and part of that mission involves preserving and making available information about the history of the college, the legacy of the Paul Smith's Hotel Company and relevant local history.

The Palisades Interstate Park Commission operates the Palisades Interstate Park in New Jersey and the State Parks and Historic Sites in New York’s Palisades Region. It was formed in 1900 to preserve the famous Palisades Cliffs from several large quarries that were blasting them for crushed stone and building material. Both states pledged faithful cooperation in the future planning, improvement, development, maintenance, government, and management of the park. Since its creation, more than 110,000 acres of forest, wildlife habitats, and cultural resources in New York and New Jersey have been preserved as public parkland.