Due to facilities work at the Ives Main Library, browsing on the first floor will be limited to new releases and the Ives Squared collection on Tuesday, April 14. Debido a mejoras en las instalaciones de la Biblioteca Principal Ives, la consulta directa en el primer piso se limitará a las novedades y a la colección Ives Squared el martes 14 de abril.

Memory Mapping New Haven for America’s 250th

Graphic titled “New Haven Memory Map” over a vintage New Haven map with dotted route linking photo pins of people, buildings, food, and family images.

by the Ives Squared team | March 16, 2026

For America’s 250th birthday, we’re celebrating New Haven’s collective history in a culmination of moments big and small, from the personal to the public, and that includes you! 

What individual moments, milestones, and histories make up your memory of New Haven? Share your story with us by adding your photos and the stories that accompany them onto our physical and digital maps of New Haven. If you have delicate photos, film, or documents you’d like to digitize or preserve, be sure to sign up to learn how to use the Memory Lab located right here within Ives Squared!  

Take a look at the Memory Map to see some photos we’ve added from our Local History collection:

Do you remember any of these iconic New Haven moments? 

What events and places are we missing?

Our goal is to document the stories that have yet to be celebrated or archived on the New Haven Memory Map. We are particularly looking to hear about small moments and histories that haven’t yet been memorialized; everything from the personal milestones (your first date), to the collective (New Haven Teachers Union strike), to the historical (Three Judges Rock) is worth highlighting! 

Did your grandfather fight a mighty blaze in the 1960s and was never recognized for his heroism? Include his photograph and the story of his impact! 

Did your favorite restaurant close during the height of COVID-19? Submit a mouthwatering photo of your favorite dish to commemorate its existence! 

Were you a witness to the first Freddie Fixer Parade? Let us know what it was like then, and what it’s like now, too! 

Show your New Haven or neighborhood pride, map your memories onto these significant locations, and witness the rich tapestry of individual memories that make our city unique. 

Explore the New Haven Memory Map!

Ways to participate: 

  • Complete the form at the bottom of the page to include your memories onto our map!
  • Explore the interactive map above and discover the individual memories that create our collective history!
  • Attend the Picture Plotting Workshop on 3/14 for assistance submitting and scanning old photos 
  • Stop by Ives Squared from now until May 11th to add your memories to our corkboard map of New Haven 
  • Prefer to go analog? Ask us at the Ives Squared Switch board for a paper submission form! 
  • After submitting your memories, return for the Memory Map Talkback Cafe on Saturday 5/9 to hear some of our community members share more about the memories they placed on the map. Chat about New Haven then and now with others while exploring the completed digital Memory Map. 

Submit Your New Haven Memories

Share your New Haven History! Upload your New Haven memories and historic photos of local landmarks to our interactive map. Contribute to local history by documenting the collective memory of our beloved New Haven community. Note: This project is for all ages to enjoy. If an answer is deemed not appropriate for all ages, it will not be added to the New Haven Memory Map.

Max. file size: 50 MB.
Name
If you’d like your memory attributed to you, please enter your name exactly as you’d like it to appear on the map. Leave this field blank if you’d prefer to stay anonymous.
Consent(Required)
Talkback Cafe | May 9, 12-2 pm
On May 9th, from 12 to 2 PM, we’ll be hosting a Talkback Cafe event in which we will explore the memories shared by New Haveners, interact the Memory Map, and celebrate the history of our beloved city with friends, neighbors, and community members. Please check the box below if you’d like to be contacted about sharing your story at this event. (Interest does not guarantee participation.) Thank you very much!

Contact Information

Please provide your email if you’d like to receive a confirmation that the form entry was submitted successfully, or an email and/or phone number if you’d like us to reach out to you about participating in our Talkback Cafe.
Name