Quilts: The Montclair History Center has an excellent collection of quilts from the 18th, 19th, and 20th century. See a sample of them online and read what we know about their history. Most of these photographs were taken during a 2016 joint project with the Nubian Quilters — Common Heritage, Uncommon Quilts — that was funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Directories: Thanks to a grant from the New Jersey Historical Commission and a partnership with the Montclair Public Library, we were able to digitize all of the directories in our joint collections. We have prepared all the directories that predate 1929 so you easily search through them online. To search all the directories through 1969, visit the Montclair Public Library’s database here.

Dudley Van Antwerp Collection: Dudley Van Antwerp was a prolific Montclair architect. Many photos of his buildings can now be seen online. Special thanks to Majda Whittaker who curated this collection.

Lantern Slides: Thanks to a grant from the Albert Payson Terhune Foundation, we were able to digitize a portion of our lantern slide collection. The images here feature scenes of Montclair in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. From everyday farm life to the sculptures made by Montclair Art Colony residents, these lantern slides capture life in early Montclair.

Maps: The Montclair History Center has a collection of tax maps, Sanborn Fire Insurance maps, and atlases from a variety of years. You can view those maps that have been digitized here. The maps demonstrate how the town of Montclair has evolved over time, in terms of property ownership, boundaries, and more.

Montclair Ambulance Unit: This collection contains photographs, documents, and other materials documenting the history of the Montclair Ambulance Unit (MAU), founded in 1953. In honor of its 70th Anniversary, MAU provided the archival materials to the Montclair History Center for digitization. The physical collection is still housed at MAU, but all the material can be viewed online here!

Photograph Collection: Get a sample of the photographs in the Montclair History Center Collection. See images of the Israel Crane House, the Shultz Family, class photos, and individual residences throughout town. Photos are continuously being added to the online collection so be sure to check back for any new additions!

Postcards: Enjoy the these images from our postcard collection, many of which have never been seen online before. See what Montclair looked like in the early 1900s!

MANY VOICES OF MONTCLAIR, ORAL HISTORY PROJECT

In honor of the 150th anniversary of Montclair, the Montclair History Center compiled oral histories from people who grew up in Montclair and/or lived here prior to 1960. The project recorded the stories of people who grew up in Montclair in a wide variety of neighborhoods and decades, creating a multifaceted snapshot of Montclair in the early to mid 20th century.

Click the button below to start listening and reading to their stories. And keep an eye out - more stories to come!

Photo Reproduction Policy

Interested in having a high-resolution scan of a photograph or archival material in our collection? Take a look at our policy below. Please fill it out and return to us either my email or mail.