Atlantic City Free Public Library

The Alfred M. Heston Collection has some resources available on microfilm, including local newspapers, census records, city directories, and maps. These may be used whenever the Library is open. Please ask a Reference Librarian for more information.

The collection's materials on microfilm include:

Newspapers

• The Press of Atlantic City: 1895-present (with exceptions). An index of articles for the years before 1984 does not currently exist. There are two ways to search for a Press article online, if the article was published after 1983.
  
  • The Library's Online Local News Index (1984-current): this database will only give you the citation for the article. The database is available to all. You will need to visit the Library to get the full-text of the article from the microfilm.
  • NewsBank (1988-current): this database will give you full-text of the article. It is only accessible from within the Library.

• Atlantic City Review Gazette: 1873-1925 (with exceptions)
• Atlantic City Sunday Gazette: 1892-1940 (with exceptions)
• The Daily Union (later known as Daily Evening Union; Evening Union; Atlantic City Evening Union; Evening Union; and Atlantic City Evening Union): 1889-1904 (with exceptions)
• The Jewish Record: November 24, 1939 - December 30, 1966.

Census Records

• Federal Population Census years available: 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930 (federal census returns are released 72 years after the date; 1940 census returns should be available in 2012)
• Civil War Veterans and their Widows (special schedule from 1890 Federal Population Census)
• New Jersey State Census years available: 1855, 1865, 1885, 1895, 1905, 1915

• Atlantic City City Directories: 1872 to 1982. The collection of directories is incomplete but extensive. A complete description and listing is available by following the link.

Maps

• Atlases of Atlantic City and Absecon Island: 1885-1924.
• Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps for Atlantic City: 1886-1952.