Literature and Documents

Historians have long studied documents, maps, photos, books, and more. Each of these items can yield information about a place, person, event, family, or almost anything else.

The Bosley Trunk contained many newspaper clippings, receipt logs, memo books, pamphlets, maps... the list goes on and on. These documents can tell you about a person, the state or region someone lived in, or even a person's religious beliefs.

Take a look at these items to see what you can learn from the old documents your family packrat kept. Be careful, though, as many such items are delicate and can be easily torn or ruined from touching them. I suggest wearing linen gloves when handling and be sure to store these items in acid-free containers. If you happen to find something you think may be significant, consider donating it to a local institution that can preserve it for future generations.