Burton Historical Collection
The Burton Historical Collection, housed within the Detroit Public Library, is a major repository of historical materials pertaining to Detroit, Michigan, and the broader Great Lakes region. It began as the personal library of Clarence Monroe Burton, a Detroit attorney and dedicated historian, and has grown over more than a century to encompass books, manuscripts, maps, newspapers, photographs, genealogical records, and archival materials spanning several centuries of regional history[1].
History
The Burton Historical Collection's foundation lies in the dedicated efforts of Clarence Monroe Burton (1853-1932), a prominent Detroit attorney who began assembling a private library focused on the history of the city during the latter decades of the nineteenth century. His initial focus on Detroit quickly broadened as he recognized the deep connections between Detroit's past and the histories of Michigan, the Old Northwest, Canada, and New France[2]. By the early twentieth century, his assembled holdings were considered among the most significant historical collections assembled by a private individual in the United States[3].
In September 1915, Burton opened the first floor of his personal residence, the Clarence M. Burton House, to the public as a reading room, giving researchers direct access to his growing collection for the first time[4]. That early public opening marked a turning point. Burton's commitment wasn't just to accumulate materials but to make them available for serious historical research.
After Burton's death, his library was bequeathed to the Detroit Public Library, forming the core of what would become the Burton Historical Collection[5]. Since its formal establishment within the library system, the collection has continued to grow through donations and acquisitions, solidifying its role as a vital resource for historical research into Detroit and the broader region. The collection's photographic holdings are particularly valued by researchers documenting Detroit's architectural and commercial history. Historical photographs within the collection capture neighborhood streetscapes, storefronts, and urban change across decades, offering documentary evidence of buildings and businesses that no longer exist[6].
Location
The Burton Historical Collection is physically located within the Detroit Public Library's Main Branch at 5201 Woodward Avenue in Detroit, Michigan[7]. The Main Branch itself is a landmark building in the city, designed in the Italian Renaissance Revival style and completed in 1921. Its location along the Woodward Avenue corridor places it near the Detroit Institute of Arts and Wayne State University, in a stretch of the city long associated with cultural and educational institutions.
The physical location is fixed, but the collection's scope extends far beyond Detroit's city limits. Materials within the collection document the history of Michigan as a whole, the Old Northwest territory, Canada, and the era of French colonial settlement known as New France. This regional breadth reflects Burton's own understanding of Detroit's history as inseparable from the wider story of the Great Lakes. The Detroit Public Library's map holdings, once concentrated in a dedicated Map Room, complemented the collection's geographic reach by providing local and regional cartographic materials[8].
Holdings and Cultural Significance
The Burton Historical Collection's holdings are broad in both format and subject matter. Books, manuscripts, maps, newspapers, and photographs make up the core of the collection, but researchers also find family histories, church records, military records, obituaries, and land records that provide detailed information about the lives of individuals and communities across centuries[9]. The collection is particularly heavily used by genealogical researchers tracing family lines connected to Michigan and the broader Old Northwest.
The collection also holds dedicated resources documenting African American history in Detroit, recognizing the significant and often underrepresented contributions of the city's Black community to Detroit's cultural, political, and social development[10]. These materials span personal papers, organizational records, and photographs, offering researchers primary source access to histories that might otherwise remain difficult to trace.
The collection's photographic holdings serve a distinct function in documenting Detroit's physical landscape over time. Historical images within the archive record neighborhood storefronts, commercial districts, and architectural details at specific moments, creating a comparative record of how the city has changed. Researchers examining urban development, commercial history, or neighborhood transformation frequently turn to these photographs as primary evidence[11].
Access and Hours
Visiting the Burton Historical Collection requires some advance planning. The collection is closed on Mondays. Tuesday through Friday, the collection offers walk-in hours from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., with additional appointment-only hours available in the morning. Thursdays include a morning walk-in window from 10 a.m. to noon. Saturdays offer walk-in hours from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. and appointment-only morning hours from 10 a.m. to noon. Sundays are open from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. during the October through May period[12]. Appointments can be requested through the Detroit Public Library's website.
Getting there is straightforward. The Main Branch at 5201 Woodward Avenue is served by bus routes along the Woodward Avenue corridor, and the QLine streetcar previously served the Woodward corridor as well. Parking is available near the library, though it can be limited during busy periods. Researchers planning a first visit are encouraged to check the Detroit Public Library's website for current hours, directions, and parking details, as hours are subject to change[13].