Helman's History of Emmitsburg (1906)

The standard early history of the town is the History of Emmitsburg published in 1906 — James Helman's history, written when people who remembered the Civil War — and the grandchildren of people who remembered the founding — were still alive to be interviewed. It preserves names, businesses, churches and everyday details that exist almost nowhere else.

The book is long out of copyright (published 1906) and the Emmitsburg Area Historical Society hosts a full transcription on emmitsburg.net. Rather than copy their transcription here, we link to it: read Helman's History in full in the Society's transcription on emmitsburg.net, starting at emmitsburg.net — Helman's History. If you use it for research, treat it the way historians do — a priceless primary source whose individual claims still deserve a second source where one exists.