Starting a research project on US local history? Here are some questions to ask:
- Is there any scholarly work -- by historians or by researchers in other fields -- on the time and place you want to study? Is there a magazine or journal that covers the history of your place? Search America: History and Life and PAIS
- What newspapers were published in that time and place? How can you access them? What about radio or TV broadcasts?
- Are there local government documents that are relevant to your research? How can you access them?
- Are there photographs of that time and place? Maps?
- Are there personal memoirs, business records, or other types of primary sources available to you?
If you can't find useful material by googling, try any or all of these tools.
Worldcat
ArchiveGrid
Archive Finder
Use search strategies like "newark new jersey zoning" or "pittsburgh municipal records"