The Robert H. Grasmere Local History Center, created and maintained by the Durand-Hedden House and Garden Association, collects, preserves and stores documents relating to Maplewood and its history for the use of the community. 

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The collection includes a wide variety of documents, including vintage photographs and postcards, real estate information, documents, maps, research on local families, genealogies, organizations, businesses and events. It incorporates founding collections from the late former Mayor Robert H. Grasmere, who was mayor for 24 years; Beatrice Herman, former township historian; the former Maplewood Historical Society; the Maplewood Historic Preservation Commission; the Maplewood Memorial Library, and the Durand-Hedden House as well as individual donations from residents.

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Since 2006, work on this important collection has continued through the dedication of Marilyn White and Susan Newberry, with the help of many volunteers.  

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Inquiries continue to grow as more people learned about this Maplewood resource, now listed on the Maplewood Memorial Library’s  website. Examples over the years have ranged from questions about former residents by family members, including a Hedden descendent, serious researchers such as an historian checking on former Maplewood businesses, homeowners and realtors interested in the history of houses, and a Maplewood resident researching Maplewood’s musical history for a TV series she was writing for a streaming service. The collections also have been used as a resource for Durand-Hedden House exhibits and the National Register nominations for the Municipal Building (Town Hall), Memorial Park and Maplewood Village.

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The Local History Center, located in the back of the Hilton Library and accessed through a separate entrance, is currently closed for renovations.