Research & Collections

Discover the types of materials we collect, research areas we support, and how to use our materials.

By Material type

Explore the primary types of materials available for researching Hudson’s history.

  • Manuscripts – Primary source documents including letters, diaries, financial and legal documents of notable residents and local organizations.
  • Artifacts & Museum objects – Textiles, fine art, maps, household objects, tools, and ephemera that bring Hudson’s history to life.
  • Audiovisual materials – Photographs, films, and audio recordings documenting Hudson and its community.
  • Printed material – Newspapers, city directories, yearbooks, Hudson authors, rare books, and other published material.
  • Digital Collections – Selected digitized items from the archives’ collections.

By Research Area

Browse some of our most-requested research topics or view our research topics guide for other areas.

  • John Brown Research – One of the nation’s largest research collections on abolitionist John Brown and the Brown family.
  • House Research – Tax records, house reports, photographs, city directories, and other records to research individual properties.
  • Genealogical Research – Resources and guidance for researching family history.

Accessing the Collections

Since many of our materials are fragile or rare, we ask that you make an appointment so that we can adequately prepare materials for your visit.