History & Genealogy

Tsceminicum Club Idaho & Local History Room

The Lewiston City Library is home for the Tsceminicum Club Idaho and Local History Room, which is dedicated to promoting an appreciation and understanding of the history of Lewiston and the Lewis Clark Valley by providing access to a special collection relating to the history of the area. The collection contains material relevant to the tracing of one’s ancestry, the people and history of Lewiston and Nez Perce County, the Inland Northwest, and the Nez Perce Tribe. Selection criteria include relevance to local history, available space to house the materials, quality of the physical form of the material, and non-duplication of material within the collection. Every effort is made to make the collection as accessible to the public as possible, but due to the nature of this collection, many materials are non-circulating and must be used inside the Tsceminicum Club Local History Room.

Tsceminicum Club Idaho & Local History Room

Tsceminicum Club Local History Room

Genealogy Help

Are you researching your ancestors? Filling in your family tree? Our knowledgeable volunteers from the Twin Rivers Genealogy Society are available to help! Stop by during the hours listed below to learn tips and tricks to trace your history journey. All questions are welcome, however we also have a topic of the week to help steer your inquiry. 

Hours

  • Tuesdays: 1:00PM - 3:00PM
  • Wednesdays: 1:00PM - 3:00PM
  • Thursdays: 1:00PM - 3:00PM

Be sure to check our Adult Programming page for more info!

Digital Resources

Ancestry Library Edition Icon

Ancestry: Library Edition

Genealogical information and records including the U.S., Canadian and U.K. Census and the Social Security Death Index. (In-library-use Only)

Fold3 Icon

Fold3 - Historical Military Records

Fold3 provides convenient access to military records, including the stories, photos, and personal documents of the men and women who served.

Old Maps Online Logo

Old Maps Online

Over 400,000 historical maps indexed from libraries around the world.

Engstrom Studio Collection: Lewiston History

City of Lewiston, 1862

City of Lewiston 1862

Lewiston Hill Section, 1874

Hill Section Map 1874

Teachers and children at Catholic school

Teachers and Children of Early Catholic School

Catholic school and church

Catholic Church and School

Catholic school

Catholic School and Teachers

Lewiston State Normal School

Lewiston Normal School Building Illustration

Lewiston First School

First School Illustration

First Capitol

First Capital Building

First Street, 1878

First Street in Lewiston 1878

Downtown Lewiston, 1874

Downtown Lewiston Map 1874

Clark Hall

Clark Hall Illustration

Booth Flour Mill

Booth Flour Mill

Luna House

Luna House

Sketch of Idaho Counties, 1863

Sketch of Idaho Counties 1863

Masonic Lodge & Legislature Committee Room

Masonic Lodge and Legislature Committee Room Illustration

Nez Perce Courthouse

Nez Perce Courthouse Illustration

Steamboat Days

Steamboat Days Photo

Territorial Senate Meeting Hall

Territorial Senate Meeting Hall Illustration

Local Historical Resources

Historical Museum at St. Gertrude

Preserving the rich heritage of the Monastery of St. Gertrude, Camas Prairie, Snake River, Salmon River, and surrounding areas.

Idaho Association of Museums

The Idaho Association of Museums (IAM) promotes and aids the enrichment and advancement of museums as educational centers, agencies of research, cultural centers, and the ultimate public repositories for objects having cultural, aesthetic, scientific, and historical significance.

Nez Perce County Historical Society and Museum

Enriching our community through the involvement of citizens and institutions in the discovery, preservation, and sharing of our local history.

Twin Rivers Genealogy Society

Serving Lewiston, Clarkston and the surrounding areas, Twin River Genealogy Society helps others research their families in Nez Perce and Asotin counties.

National Historical Resources

Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers

Search America’s historic newspapers from 1836-1922 or use the U.S. Newspaper Directory to find information about American newspapers published between 1690-present. Includes materials from the Lewiston Teller, a historic Lewiston newspaper. Sponsored jointly by the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Library of Congress.

National Archives and Records Administration

The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is the nation’s record keeper. Of all documents and materials created in the course of business conducted by the United States Federal government, only 1%-3% are so important for legal or historical reasons that they are kept by us forever. Those valuable records are preserved and are available to you, whether you want to see if they contain clues about your family’s history, need to prove a veteran’s military service, or are researching a historical topic that interests you.