Our Documentary Heritage

Our Documentary Heritage includes images of historical documents, narratives placing them in a regional, state or national context, and, where appropriate, transcriptions of each record as well as helpful links for further research.

Documentary Heritage:

  • Provides a sampling of government archives and historical manuscripts in the custody of the Pennsylvania State Archives.
  • Presented in time line order, the documents are among the 300 million letters, reports, photographs, maps, and other records generally available for public use at the Archives search room in Harrisburg.
  • Dating back to 1681, they provide an important window to past events and to the people who lived in Pennsylvania.

The records featured in Our Documentary Heritage bear witness to the unique role Pennsylvania and Pennsylvanians have played in the history of our nation. Because historical records speak to researchers with the actual words of numerous authors who were often eyewitnesses to an event, they provide us with our most valuable window to the past.

Our Documentary Heritage is designed to facilitate the mission of the State Archives by increasing public access to the holdings of the Archives and to meet PHMC strategic goals to build agency visibility and develop educational programs that engage a wide range of researchers in a creative manner.

Documents from 1681 - 1776, Colonial Days

Pennsylvania Charter
Pennsylvania Charter

The Great Law on Parchment
The Great Law

Chambers' Map
Chambers' Map

Oaths takers signatures
Oaths of Fidelity

Lancaster Petition
Lancaster Petition

Walking Purchase document
The Walking Purchase

Documents from 1776 - 1865, Revolution to Civil War

Revolutionary War Forfeited
Estates
Revolutionary War Forfeited Estates

Abolition of Slavery
Abolition of Slavery

Horseshoe Curve
The Horseshoe Curve

Curtin Iron Works
Curtin Iron Works

Chambersburg War Damage
Claims
Chambersburg War Damage Claims

The Canals
Pennsylvania Canals

The Colonization Movement
The Colonization Movement

Stephen Smith Letter
Stephen Smith Letter

Pennsylvania Constitution
of 1776
PA Constitution of 1776

Documents from 1865 - 1945, Industrial Ascendancy

Wilt's Map
Wilt's Map

Railroad Riots
Railroad Riots

Kehoe Death Warrant
Kehoe Death Warrant

Johnstown Flood
Johnstown Flood

The National Pastime
The National Pastime

Pennsylvania Capitol
Pennsylvania Capitol

Women's Suffrage
Women's Suffrage

The Great Depression
The Great Depression

Hubert F. Julian
Hubert F. Julian

Documents from 1946 - 1979, Modern Era

Donora Smog Disaster
Donora Smog Disaster

Levittown
Levittown

Three Mile Island
Three Mile Island