When Matt Harris drove the final nail into the modest house at 114 North Main Street, he was focused on creating a home for Harrodsburg residents in his own time. He had no idea that his work would one day serve another purpose. Harris was born into slavery but purchased his freedom in the years before emancipation. Using his skills as a craftsman, mason, and builder, Harris soon gained a reputation as a talented local builder.
The structure at 114 North Main would shelter many families for more than a century but, in 2023, the house would become a different kind of home as the Mercer County Public Library’s History Research Center. Now instead of housing one family, it would hold the history of hundreds.
The History Research Center (HRC) is the place to go when researching local history and genealogy or when digitizing some of your own. The two story contains over six hundred books and more than four hundred rolls of microfilm covering local family genealogy, regional history, school yearbooks, and local newspapers. The HRC also houses a large collection (more than 250 cubic feet) of manuscript materials, oral histories, photographs, and postcards covering the people, places, and events that make up Mercer County’s history.
The public is also encouraged to use the HRC to access their own history stuck on old media including VHS tapes, audio cassettes, projector slides, and 8mm rolls of film. HRC staff can help digitize these items, breathing new life into old stories.
For more information, contact the History Research Center at 859-734-3680 ext. 124, or history@mcplib.info.
History Research Center Videos
Learn more about the History Research Center’s holdings and services from the videos below.
Kentucky History Channel
Join the Kentucky History Channel as we tour the History Research Center at the Mercer County Public Library, a treasure trove of historical information and artifacts. In this episode, we get an exclusive look at the center’s vast collections and ever-growing online archive of historic images. Whether you’re a history buff or just curious about the local heritage, this tour offers a fascinating glimpse into the rich past of Mercer County.
Kentucky Historical Society
In May 2024, the Kentucky Historical Society traveled to Harrodsburg in Mercer County, to kick off the America 250 commemoration. We brought along staff who presented programming for adults and students, and several archival documents, including the original Kentucky Constitution.