The State Historian has usually offered annual research initiatives to the Local Government Historians in New York State pursuant to section 57.15 of Arts and Cultural Affairs Law.

Past initiatives have included New York Communities and the Second World War, 1991-1995, timed to coincide with the fiftieth anniversary of World War II, an event that effected every community in New York State. The initiative resulted in the prize-winning exhibition Monroe County Goes to War, coordinated by Dr. Kenneth O'Brien, Monroe County Historian, and involving the municipal historians of Monroe County. The exhibition opened at the Strong Museum in Rochester, then traveled to various venues in Monroe County.

More recent initiatives include Native Sons and Daughters: New Yorkers and American Westward Migration. New Yorkers have occupied an important place in the history of American westward migration.

Jedediah Strong Smith, first American to reach California by the overland route (1826) was raised in Bainbridge, originally Jericho, Chenango County, New York.

Joseph Smith, founder of Mormanism, experienced his religious revelations (1820) near Palmyra, Wayne County, New York.

Colonel Henry Levenworth, founder of Fort Levenworth, Kansas, (1827) was born in Delhi, Delaware County, New York.

Generals Philip Sheridan and William Jenkins Worth, founder of Fort Worth, Texas (1846) came from Albany and Hudson, New York, respectively.

Even Henry McCartney, "Billy the Kid" (1859-1881) hailed from Brooklyn, New York.

This initiative sought to identify sources in the history of American westward migration hidden in community repositories across New York State.

Local Government Historians are still encouraged to search the histories of their communities for sources on the westward movement and settlement of native New Yorkers. They are encouraged to produce a written report on the results of their research as part of their documentation of local history.