200 Pelham Rd S.
Jacksonville, AL 36265
256-435-6332

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Jacksonville Public Library's History Room

A staff member may be required for assistance with the History Room. If a visitor would like to view the Pelham files or need assistance with performing research, a staff member must accompany the visitor.
To ensure that a staff member is available, please make an appointment at least one day in advance by calling the library at 256-435-6332.

The History Room is open during normal
youth department operating hours.

If you are unable to travel to Jacksonville to search materials in the History Room, you may fill out a History Room Request Form using the button below or you may print out a physical History Room Request Form (PDF format) and mail it to the library at:

Online History Room Form

Attn: History Room
Jacksonville Public Library
200 Pelham Road S.
Jacksonville, AL 36265

History Room Purpose:

The Jacksonville Public Library History Room contains books by Alabama authors, books about Jacksonville and surrounding areas and its residents, books about Alabama, local clubs' yearly scrapbooks, Jacksonville State University annuals, and a vertical file of local families and history.

We now have The Jacksonville News from November 1936 on microfilm in addition to our hard copies from the recent years.

The Jacksonville Public Library is especially proud to house the Pelham Papers, a collection of original documents and research material (books, pamphlets, and periodical photocopies) focusing on the life and career of Major John Pelham and provided by the John Pelham Historical Association. Pelham was born in Alexandria and lived in Jacksonville before gaining fame as "The Gallant Pelham" in the War between the States. His grave marker is a prominent feature in the Jacksonville City Cemetery.

The History Room Photos have gone digital

We have added digital copies of some of the identified historical photos to our catalog and now you can view these photos at home.
You can click the button below to see the entire online archive or you can search the catalog for specific persons, events or locations.

To search a photo:

  1. On the library's Catalog page, click on Advanced Search
  2. Type in the name, event or location into the Keyword search box - use fewer words for a broader search
  3. Scroll down to 'Item Type' and select the checkbox next to Digital to limit to digital images
  4. Click 'Search' without any other changes and you will now have a list of the photos that are available online
  5. This will bring you the same list in the link above.
Pelham Family Photos

Pelham Family Digital Archives

The Pelham Family archives are now available to view online. This collection was digitized by Jacksonville State University Houston Cole Library staff. The images are available for non-commercial or research purposes only & permission from the John Pelham Historical Association is required to use the images commercially.

Some of the John Pelham Papers are available on the Alabama Department of Archives & History website.

All information listed for the photos in the archive are complete and accurate to our knowledge. If you find inaccurate information, please contact the library at 256-435-6332 during normal business hours with corrections.

HCL Library Archive