Local History

Visit our digital collection including photos, drawings, and special exhibits.

Discover the history of Paw Paw and the pioneers who settled the area. Read about the events that led to its incorporation.

Your house or property has a history. Your local government offices and our library have many resources available for your research.

The internet offers many fantastic resources for researching your family tree. We’ve compiled a list of our top websites for genealogical research.

The local history collection includes plat maps dating back to 1860 for Van Buren County. There are also atlases of the State of Michigan dating back to the 1890s.

Yearbooks can be a useful resource when searching for information on your family history or community.

There is a wealth of resources available for your research.

Search the digital Michigan newspapers collection.

The Local History Room is home to several Van Buren County cemetery indexes. These indexes include descriptions of the cemetery, its history in some cases, maps, and lists of people who are buried there.