Historical Society of Cecil County

Library

The library has the largest collection of books, manuscripts, maps, government documents and newspapers pertaining to Cecil County in existence.  The constantly expanding collection contains over 2,000 books and 12,000 issues of newspapers (starting in 1827).  The library preserves newspaper clippings, obituaries, souvenir booklets, pamphlets, and other memorabilia related to county families, businesses, organizations, churches, schools, towns, industries, and important events in vertical files.  Photographic collections include an impressive array of postcards, slides, prints, glass plates, negatives, lantern slides, stereo cards and daguerreotypes.  Wills, land records, correspondence, receipt, business and organization records and much more comprise the manuscript collection.

Museum

The museum features an impressive collection of 19th century furnishings, historic artifacts, and works of art of local interest. 

The Society was incorporated by an act of the General Assembly in 1931.  The building which now houses the Society was constructed about 1830 as a bank with commercial space for a vault and cashier’s office on the first floor and residential quarters for the head cashier above.  In 1955, the Cecil County Public Library obtained the building as its home and the Society was given space, the Howard Room, for its collection.  In 1988, the library moved to a new home and the Society occupied a large part of the building.