Archives and Manuscripts

Archival collections are unique series of historic documents, be they photographs, handwritten letters, diaries, business records, or other material created or curated by a family, an individual, a corporation, or other body. They provide insight and information about the collection’s creator, and are kept for their enduring value. The Bridgeport History Center’s archival collections represent the lives of key individuals in the city of Bridgeport such as P.T. Barnum and Mayor Jasper McLevy, ordinary citizens, major companies like the Locomobile Company of America and Warner Brothers Corsets, and institutions such as churches and community organizations. The most effective means of searching the BHC’S archival collections is to view our EAD finding aids on the Connecticut Digital Archive. However, we also have PDFs available below, sorted into different categories. We also have a number of unprocessed archival materials.

Archival collections

P.T. Barnum and Circus History Collections

MSS 0001 The P.T. Barnum Research Collection [PDF]
MSS 0008 Papers of James McCaddon [PDF]
MSS 0009 Skutel Collection [PDF]
MSS 0010 Gordy Collection of Circus Photographs [PDF]
MSS 0011 Schneider Collection [PDF]
MSS 0012 Raymond Fletcher Collection of Ringling brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus Programs [PDF]
MSS 0013 Circus Photographs taken by William Day [PDF]
MSS 0015 Norwood Collection of Circus Photographs [PDF]
MSS 0017 Records of the Barnum Museum During the Tenure of Elizabeth Seeley [PDF]
MSS 0018 Papers of Elsie Beth Clark [PDF]
MSS 0023 Microfilmed Circus Route Books Collection [PDF]
MSS 0024 Circus Route Books Collection [PDF]
MSS 0033 Papers of the Stratton Family [PDF]
MSS 0034 Circus Collection [PDF]
MSS 0093 Records of editor A.H. Saxon for the Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb [PDF]

Activism and Local Causes Collections

- MSS 0060 Records of DROWN [PDF]
- MSS 0068 Records of the League of Women Voters of Bridgeport [Coming soon]
- MSS 0077 Records of the Save the Merritt Association [PDF]
- MSS 0082 Black Lives Matter Collection [In progress]
- MSS 0084 Records of Equal Access Concerns for the Handicapped [PDF]
- MSS 0089 Papers of Edna M Richardson regarding preservation of the Harral-Wheeler house [PDF]
- MSS 0125 Records of Project OWN [on CTDA]
- MSS 0110 Digital Captures for Bridgeport Activist Organizations [PDF]

Art, Entertainment, and Sports Collections

MSS 0030 Records of Anne Brignolo Studio [PDF]
MSS 0048 Bridgeport Theatre collection [PDF]
MSS 0049 Photograph Collection of “Dad” the Poli’s Theatre Doorman [PDF]
MSS 0116 Records of Park City Little League [in progress]

Business, Industry, and Commerce Collections

MSS 0003 Records of the Locomobile Company of America [PDF]
MSS 0004 Andrew L. Riker and Riker Family Collection [PDF]
MSS 0005 Records of the Locomobile Company of Blueprints [PDF]
MSS 0020 Papers of Sam Burger of Columbia Records [PDF]
MSS 0021 Records of Warner Corset Company [PDF]
MSS 0028 Papers of A.L. Barber and S.T. Davis Jr. [PDF]
MSS 0043 Records of the Warner Brothers Company 20 Year Club [PDF]
MSS 0056 Select Records of Bryant Electric from Roy Wiley [PDF]
MSS 0061 David E. Bullard Collection of Bullard Company Materials [PDF]
MSS 0062 Records of Bullard Machine Tool Company [PDF]
MSS 0071 Records of the US Customs House Fairfield district [PDF]
MSS 0072 Records of the Sprague Meter Company [In progress]
MSS 0080 Frederick Fleischer Collection of Bridgeport Business Bills and Receipts [PDF]
MSS 0085 Papers of Louis H. Hertz [PDF]
MSS 0086 Records of the AW Burritt Company [PDF]
MSS 0090 Records of Millet Hicks and Heweitt Auto Body [PDF]
MSS 0094 Records of Bridgeport Company Donations to Johnstown Flood Relief [PDF]
MSS 0099 The Frisbie Pie Company and Frisbie Family Collection [PDF]
MSS 0100 Records of Reads Department Stores [PDF]

Civil War Collections

MSS 0022 Papers of Captain Frederick Doten [PDF]
MSS 0025 Papers of Private Willis McDonald [PDF]
MSS 0035 Papers of William Warren [PDF]
MSS 0036 Papers of Captain Edward E. Marsh [PDF]
MSS 0037 Papers of William, Samuel, and Hiram Davis [PDF]
MSS 0038 Records of Elias Howe Jr. Post #3 Grand Army of the Republic [PDF]
MSS 0039 Papers of A. Beers [PDF]
MSS 0041 Civil War Collection [PDF]
MSS 0042 History of the 17th Connecticut Volunteer Infantry by William Warren [PDF]
MSS 0063 Shadek Civil War Sketchbook [PDF]
MSS 0075 Truman Parsons Collection [PDF]

Clubs, Societies, and Socializing Collections

MSS 0006 Records of the Bridgeport Scientific Society [PDF]
MSS 0044 Records of the Friday Evening Book Club [PDF]
MSS 0050 Records of the Contemporary Club [PDF]
MSS 0095 Records of Mosaic Club [PDF]
MSS 0096 Records of the Wednesday Afternoon Musical Club
MSS 0097 Records of the Fairfield County Historical Society [PDF]
MSS 0098 Records of the Altrusa Club [PDF]

Family and Personal Papers

MSS 0007 Papers of Irving Moy [PDF]
MSS 0016 Papers of the Mallet, Shelton, and Fairchild Families [PDF]
MSS 0026 Papers of the Read Family [PDF]
MSS 0027 Papers of John and Maggie Lathrop [PDF]
MSS 0032 Papers of Rev. Samuel Orcutt [PDF]
MSS 0051 Papers of Alyce Laurayne Farrar-James [Coming soon]
MSS 0053 Films of Ira F. Warner and the Warner Family [PDF]
MSS 0058 Papers of Edward A. Nevins [PDF]
MSS 0059 Papers of the Gazzolo Family [PDF]
MSS 0065 Papers of Sadie and Brenda Kaplan [PDF]
MSS 0067 Papers of Vincent Leo Keating [PDF]
MSS 0073 Jim Reilly Collection of Central High School material [PDF]
MSS 0074 Mary Darlington Taylor Research Collection [PDF]
MSS 0076 Norton Family collection [In progress]
MSS 0083 Papers of Lillian C. Hudson [PDF]
MSS 0088 Papers of Dr. Nash [In progress]
MSS 0120 Papers of Maude C. Warner [on CTDA]
MSS 0129 Papers of Judge Samuel Mellitz [on CTDA]
MSS 0134 Papers of Burr Knapp [on CTDA]
MSS 0135 Papers of the Scanzillo family [on CTDA]

Labor History and Unions Collections

MSS 0057 Papers of Josephine and Lloyd Willard [PDF]
MSS 0066 Papers of Amy Heller for her thesis “The Perennial Nightmare”: anti-communism Inside and Outside the U.E. Local 203, Bridgeport, 1944-1950 [PDF]
MSS 0104 Records of IATSE Local 277 [PDF]
MSS 0105 Papers of Steven J. Hunyadi Regarding IBEW Local 488 [PDF]
MSS 0106 Records of Brass Workers Federal Labor Union Local No. 24411 [PDF]
MSS 0107 Records of the International Association of Fire Fighters Local 1426 [PDF]
MSS 0108 Records of the United Steel Workers Local 7528 [PDF]
MSS 0109 Records of the Bricklayers, Masons, and Plasterers Union Local No. 2 [PDF]
MSS 0111 Records of the United Steelworkers of American Local 5623 [PDF]
MSS 0112 Records of the Carpenter’s District Council [PDF]
MSS 0113 Records of the Mine, Mill, and Smelter Workers International Union, Locals 623, 320, 601, and 719[PDF]
MSS 0114 Records of the Central Labor Union of Bridgeport, Conn.[PDF]
MSS 0115 Labor Union Collection [PDF]

Maritime, Aeronautic, and Railroad Collections

MSS 0047 Records of the U.S. Bureau of Lighthouses – Black Rock Lighthouse, Third District [PDF]
MSS 0055 Gustav Whitehead Research Collection [PDF]
MSS 0078 Joseph Caesar Cardozo Collection [PDF]

Nonprofit Social Service Organizations Collections

MSS 0014 Records of Court Roma No. 13 (Bridgeport) Foresters of America [PDF]
MSS 0031 Records of the Rotary Club of Bridgeport [on CTDA]
MSS 0052 Records of Les Treize Inc. [PDF]
MSS 0054 Records of We Are Artists Everyone Exhibition [Available in summer 2020]
MSS 0081 Records of the Burroughs Home [PDF]
MSS 0102 Records of the Witness Project of Connecticut [in progress]
MSS 0103 Records of the Sterling Home [on CTDA]
MSS 0117 Records of the Bridgeport Ladies Charitable Society [PDF]
MSS 0119 Records of the United Way of Eastern Fairfield County [on CTDA]
MSS 0123 Records of the Young Women’s Christian Association of Greater Bridgeport [on CTDA]