The Bentley Historical Library will close at 3:00 p.m. on November 6, 2024.

“Military” Resources

Material related to the military, to veterans, or to a particular conflict.


  • The Bentley holds many collections that contain letters, diaries, photographs, and more related to the Civil War. We have digitized the microfilm from 157 of these collections and made them available online. You can search or browse by by author, title or subject.

    Go to Civil War Collections Online

  • The “Polar Bear Expedition” was a U.S. military action in the Archangel province of Russia at the end of World War I. Because many of the troops involved were from Michigan, the Bentley has collected material related to the expedition. This digital collection includes a searchable roster of soldiers, digitized material, and links to more resources.

    Go to Polar Bear Expedition Digital Collection