May is Historic Preservation Month and since 2006, the New Jersey Room at the Main Library has been offering a workshop on Researching Home Histories. With four historic districts in Downtown Jersey City (Paulus Hook, Van Vorst, Harsimus Cove and Hamilton Park) and several more being acknowledged as areas having historic value, such as Bergen Hill and the Powerhouse Arts District, homeowners have expressed an interest in understanding exactly what they purchased – the lineage of owners, the type of architectural design and period, what colors and constructions are historically correct, and how to best honor this historic and architectural past while upgrading their homes with modern amenities.

       New Jersey Room Manager Cynthia Harris presented the workshop, described the items available, and demonstrated their use for researching, including maps, Brooks Surveys, Jersey City tax lists, U.S. Census reports for Jersey City, New Jersey Biographical Index, Surname Index for Jersey City residents as compiled from the Evening Journal, the predecessor of the Jersey Journal, yearbooks, city directories, and the wonderfully rich collection harbored in the New Jersey Room.