Atlantic City Free Public Library

Cover of Handbook of Atlantic City, New Jersey , 1894 by Alfred M. Heston. From the Heston Collection of the Atlantic City Free Public Library.

Information and research materials about Atlantic City's unique cultural, economic, social and historical development make up the Atlantic City Heritage Collections of the Atlantic City Free Public Library. The collections include both published and unpublished works, as well as artifacts in the Atlantic City Historical Museum.   To research Atlantic City history using the Atlantic City Heritage Collections, visit the Main Library's research area, the Heston Room. This room was named for Alfred M. Heston (1854-1937), a city official, historian and one of the founders of the library. The Heston Room is open during research hours or by advance appointment. The types of resources available are: Archival Collections: unique groups of personal and business papers, scrapbooks, photographs, postcards, music, menus, memorabilia, and audiovisual materials organized into separate collections based on who created or donated them, or based on the format of the materials. An alphabetical list of the Archival Collections is online, and finding aids - which provide more detailed information about collections - are linked to the list, when they are available. Local History Files: clippings files maintained by the Reference Department include newspaper articles, pamphlets, copies of photographs, and obituaries pertaining to topics and persons of local importance. The files are divided into two types - Local History Biograpy Files and Local History Subject Files.

• Book Collection: books related to Atlantic City, including fictional stories set in Atlantic City, biographies of persons with ties to Atlantic City, and historical materials about Atlantic City. This collection includes the Atlantic City Directories and the Atlantic City High School yearbooks, The Herald . Many of the items in the Heston Book Collection may be found in the Library Catalog, and the City Directories are also available on microfilm.
• Map and Atlas Collection: maps of Atlantic City and the surrounding areas, dating from 1860 to the present. Some maps, such as the Sanborn Insurance Maps , include block-by-block detail. Some are available on microfilm.

For more information on resources in the Alfred M. Heston Collection, or for information on how to gain access to the resources, please visit the webpages in our menu (located on the left), or contact Heston Collection staff.