LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Local government institutions in the nineteenth century possessed judicial, administrative, legislative, and executive functions, so that they embraced many aspects of community activity and affected the ordinary American much more in his daily life than did the activities of federal and state governments. Often they operated, too, within a grassroots political context. The records of local government, where they survive, are, therefore, a prime source for the community historian not only for investigation of the organization and workings of local government itself, but for insight into local politics and into other topics. Similarly records other than those of local government may provide evidence about local government.

There are many topics worth researching, including the changing nature of local government structures, the administrative functions of different offices, boards, committees, and so on, the relationship between city and county and the state, as well as between the county and the township and the county and the city, the sources of local government income and how it was spent, the relationship between local government and commerce, industry, and business (including investment in canals, railroads, and other enterprises), and the provision of local services and amenities (education, welfare, utilities, fire prevention, public-health facilities, policing, and the administration of justice – some of which are discussed in other chapters). In the South local government during Reconstruction is an important topic.